"The Boy Next Door" Cliché

• four •

Now here I'm gonna put a small smut warning, just in case ;)

.•*•.

The 'party' consists of mostly talking and charades. I actually like charades but it would be so much funnier if Archie were here.

I'm beginning to feel quite claustrophobic in the small living room with all these people around, and I'm sick of being asked about what I'm doing at school. I can feel Jocelyn's eyes on me every now and then, making me feel like I can't sneak off to see Archie.

And then the fight breaks out.

My grandad's brother has said something offensive that I didn't catch, but I have a horrible sinking feeling when I realise it could have been about Jamie and Isaac's relationship.

My dad seems to have called him out and now they're both yelling, my mum's trying to interject while my grandad makes unhelpful comments from his chair.

I look to Jamie and try to show both sympathy and frustration in my face. I think he gets it, since he nods solemnly, then he mouths go now. At first I don't understand but then I realise it's my chance to get out of the house.

.•*•.

I slip out the front door this time and just sit on the step. It's sickening that the family still don't fully accept Jamie and Isaac, two of the most understanding and sunny people I know. I feel sick.

I pull out my phone and type out front now if you want, then hit send before I can talk myself out of it. The evening air is cold but refreshing. I need it.

After barely five minutes I hear next door's latch click and Archie slips gracefully out, closing the door again with barely a sound.

His eyes find me in seconds and he frowns, seeing that something's wrong, and dashed over to sit at my side.

"What's going on? Something sounded off in your text,"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound weird," I begin, "you might have noticed more people arriving today, we have extended family round and an argument just broke out."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he says, and his elbow brushed mine ever so slightly.

"My older cousin is gay and has had a boyfriend for a while but the oldest generation is still struggling to be okay with it. It just sucks, really."

"That reeks of shit," Archie agrees.

We just sit for a long time, til the cold starts to creep into our skin.

"Fern- " he begins, then stops suddenly.

"Yeah?" Please let it be a confession of eternal love, please.

"It sucks that I won't see you after Christmas..." he finishes.

Suddenly I lose all control of myself. It's like watching my life through my eyes, I have no idea how I gain the confidence to -

I kiss him. Straight on the mouth. My hand goes to his thigh and his to my jaw and we kiss and kiss and kiss. Somehow the night air isn't so cold?? Not now we have our own bubble of heat right at the place where our lips touch.

He smells so good and I don't ever want to pull away, I love the gentle way his hand cups my face and I can feel his eyelashes brush my cheek but eventually we separate, both gasping for air, unable to look each other in the eye.

He speaks first; "Fern look, I'm by no means a bad boy, but I'm not a particularly good one either,"

"So?" I breathe.