WHEN HE ASKED how many she had made, she was hit with the sudden realization that she had posted numerous others all around the town. it wasn’t a big town by any means. she knew the owners of just about every store, she babysat the kids that ran the playground a time or two before, and the parents, she knew from field trips and birthday parties she attended growing up. the sudden feeling of dismay embodied her as her only expectation would be that they all thought of her to be forlorn with her mistake. maybe they would even make a joke of it and donate to her a few room mats. seeing that sweet pea provided her with the assurance needed that she would finally be able to move out of her parent’s house, maybe she’d actually take them and show them her efforts didn’t go unrewarded. they could be useful after all. ❝ i made about two hundred . . and they’re everywhere. ❞ she chortled, an unexpected reaction for someone who just wasted twenty dollars. if she knew it was going to be as easy as posting one and calling on a random man who was simply walking by’s attention, she would have just made the one and spent ten cents. ❝ maybe some bored civilians will find some use of them and turn them into scrap paper for drawing, or crafts and arts. ❞ it would’ve been a better outcome than in the trash.
❝ a bed and a shower ? no complaints here, but you’re not really holding yourself to too high of standards, aren’t ‘cha, sweets ? ❞ sweet pea. she thought his name to be uncanny for a man as colossal and rugged, most especially when mentioning the lack of expectations for a place he would attach the word home to, ❝ but, forgive me, for i have to ask. why’s it sweet pea ? was thorn and poison ivy taken ? ❞ if she was going to share a roof with him, she figured she had a right to a few questions here and there. ❝ and before i run to the phone to get us that apartment, i feel i should ask where it is you come from, what’re your dreams and of course … what’s your favorite movie ? i’m hitting you with the big ones, i know. no pressure. ❞
At least the girl seemed nice enough, she didn’t seem like she was going to cause him any problems and as much as he planned on just being in and out for work he doubted he’d even have to spend much time with her. “Jeez, two hundred, huh? You really want this roommate don’t you?” He joked, he didn’t mean to come off so serious but it was Sweet pea he always was that Serpent looming over everyone with a famous scowl. But he was trying. “Maybe, or they could just use your number and prank you. You know call about what color mats you prefer for your place.”
“What is the point of needing a lot? In the end that is all a person really should need.” Obviously he needed to learn that this wasn’t the Southside anymore, people didn’t seem to need to all be scraping by.
He shook his head. “It just is. You really don’t need a reason. You’ll call me Sweet pea. I’m not asking why your name is Tammy am I?” He quickly snapped. Pea was not good with getting personal which was why his first instinct was to shoot down the line of questions right away. Just his face alone showed he was not really comfortable. He got it, since moving in with someone you have to know who they were but that didn’t mean he was used to it. Back in the Southside, with the Serpents, if you needed a place to crash it was no questions asked, no need for a personal connection. But the last thing he needed was to show the girl he was non-compliant. Shit. He thought.
He couldn’t even answer right away. It wasn’t like he could just tell the girl his favorite movie was Deadpool...he wasn’t even sure what movies would be out and popular around this time. “My dreams? You don’t think these questions are kind of stupid don’t you? Look I like... Nightmare on Elms Street.” That was out, right? He shifted in the thick leather jacket and cleared his throat. “Riverdale. That’s where I come from. I needed a uh... break or whatever and I got an aunt a few towns away that says Hawkins was good for that.” It was a legitimate lie, nothing to detailed that he’d have to string along and hopefully it made up for his snappy responses.
