reticent

38

• AMALIA •

I wake up in Archers bed. He's laying on top of me again, hiding me with his body. I grumble as I try to push him off to no avail.

     "Archer." I mumble. "Get off."

     His hand encircles my waist.

     "Ugh." I mumble, trying to shimmy out from beneath him. It doesn't work. "Archer."

     "Mhm?" He mumbles.

     "You're crushing me." I say.

     He smiles but doesn't move. I roll my eyes and make my body turn so I'm looking up at him and he's laying over me, like I'm a pillow. Is this how my brothers felt when I did this to them?

     "Hi." He says.

     "Hi, you elephant."

     He smiles, then closes his eyes again. I scowl. "Archer!"

He brings a hand up and covers my mouth, snuggling his head into my shoulder. My heart softens as I turn my head to look at him. He's not leaning all his weight on me, but he is leaning some, as though being careful.

     I rest my head against his chest and fall back asleep. I think I feel him kiss my cheek before sleep drags me under.

•

I wake up again. Archers arms are wrapped around my waist and his head is in the crook of my neck, his face smushed into the pillow.

     I shuffle a little bit, and he holds onto me tighter, shaking his head a little as his lips tilt downwards into a baby frown.

     "Stay." He whispers.

     "I will." I reply.

     He's stiff for a moment before he relaxes back into me. "Thank you." He mumbles.

     I set a hand on the back of his head, running a hand through his brown hair. "For what?"

     "Staying." He says.

I furrow my eyebrows, but close my eyes again. His arms wrap tighter around my waist, and he snuggles his head into my shoulder.

"Archer." I say after another minute. "I have to get up."

He shakes his head again.

I smile. "I have to teach Ally's class."

He huffs out a breath. "Ally will live." He whispers. "A few more minutes, please?"

     "Okay." I say.

     He leans up and kisses my cheek before laying back down. He rolls away, then pulls me toward him, laying my head on his chest and cuddling me.

     I smile again.

•

I climb out of Archers bed. It's nine, and I have to be ready by half past.

     I walk downstairs first. My grandparents are in the kitchen, along with my father, who's sitting at the counter, his eyes narrowed on his phone. He glances up at me, but barely registers me before looking back down. I frown.

"Hi, honey." My grandmother says.

My grandfather follows her gaze, and I instantly know from the look in his eyes that he read the note. I glance away from him quickly.