𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 ¹

|𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝔂-𝓣𝔀𝓸 | 𝓦𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓢𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓣𝓸 𝓢𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓜𝓮|

Chapter Thirty-Two - Were You Sent To Save Me

Show your demons and I might show you mine,

One at a time, what are you hiding, what a design,

I wanna dive in, what a divine moment

-Camila Cabello, "Living Proof,"

***

Archie

My knuckles tighten around the steering wheel as I stare ahead blankly, the pit of worry in my stomach is unfaltering, I shouldn't have left her alone, she needs me right now, I need her right now, but she asked to be alone and the least I could do is respect that, and so I'm doing the only thing I can do, I'm trying my best to fix everything because the last thing she needs is to be bombarded with questions from everyone else, we haven't confirmed it, it could all still be a coincidence but the more I thought about it the more her recent behavior made sense, and the fact that neither of us had noticed sooner is upsetting, 

"Archie? Where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick," Tabitha exclaims as everyone rushes out of the hotel crowding around my open window, I try to calm myself down, I don't need them getting suspicious, 

"The place we went out to eat the other night was pretty far away so we decided to get a hotel room that was closer so we didn't have to drive all the way here during the night," I explain, her brown eyes narrow as she examines my face closely attempting to decide whether she believes me or not, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared, apart from Ronnie, Tabitha is the only other person who will ever be able to read me like a book, that tends to happen when you're vulnerable with someone, and as much as I try not to be sometimes things such as those are inevitable, 

"Where's Veronica?" Cheryl asks looking into the car, 

"She has pretty bad food poisoning and she doesn't feel up for the trip right now, so we're going to stay here until she feels better, she told me to tell you to get going, she doesn't want to inconvenience you guys," I say, hoping it'd be convincing, it's the best I could come up with on such short notice, 

"What happened?" Cheryl asks worriedly, 

"Those burgers we ate, didn't sit too well with her, but in a couple of days she'll be fine and we'll get back home," I assure, 

"Ok, We'll try to make Mike's car work, you keep this one, so you don't have to pay for flights," Toni suggests, I nod offering her the most sincere smile I can manage, 

"We'll see you guys at home, have a safe drive," I say trying to end the conversation I need to get back to her,

They all mutter their goodbyes before walking away, one by one, all besides one of them, 

"Is she going to be ok?" he asks, his eyes bore into mine as if he's trying to decipher my thoughts, as if he doesn't believe me,

"It's food poisoning, Mike, she'll throw up for a while and be fine," I shrug,

"She wouldn't send us away if it wasn't something extremely serious," he says, I hate that he knows her so well, "Look you don't have to tell me, because if she didn't come here herself then it has to be something she wants to keep to herself, so just promise me you'll take good care of her?  I know you would anyway but I just need to hear you say it, for my own sake, so I don't worry too much," he explains, 

"I promise I'll take care of her," I say, 

"I know, if there's someone who could possibly love her more than me, it's you, take care," he says before turning around and walking back towards the building, I stare after him blankly his words engraving in my conscious, I don't know how to feel or how to react, I know I love her beyond comprehension and that I'd give anything for her and her safety, and I know there's no way anyone could ever love her as much as I do, but he keeps showing time and time again that he feels the exact same way as I do,