The Badboy's Secret

XXIV Beacons

Sorry this is so late updating. I sort of forgot to upload it. Anyway, enjoy. You can imagine the above image as Archie if you'd like!

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Wow. I don't believe it. Archie, Archibald fucking Parker just asked me to be his girlfriend. I pause in my tracks as he says it, turning slowly around to him. He's just waiting there, his eyes wide but he's still grinning like he's proud but shocked at the same time that he just uttered those words. I think. He annoys me, he's cocky, he's mean, he basically used me, he's moody, he's he's he's fucking gorgeous. Ugh, god. And somehow I'm strangely drawn to him but repelled at the same time. It's like I'm a magnet and he's a magnet and sometimes we attract but then sometimes at different angles we repel and suddenly we need to get away from each other. Is that really healthy? Am I really ready for a relationship? I look down at my hands, picking at my hang nails. Suddenly they're the most interesting thing in the world. Oh wow, look my skin is coming off because I didn't moisturise enough. Oh, fuck me. I look up to see Archie, waiting still. I'm aware of how awfully long I've been stalling for. Do I want to be his girlfriend? Yes? No. No, yes. Yes, no no he's not good for me. But no, yes, I feel so good around him. I'm mentally pulling my hair out until Archie clears his throat and I snap out of it. 

"Well- I," I stutter. 

"Lexa, do you want to be my girlfriend or not? Just make the decision. Follow your heart for once," he smiles genuinely. This is the Archie I want. 

"I-I-I," shit what do I say. "I-I-well-I- YES!" I blurt out. 

"Awesome," Archie says and then we just stare. What now? I stare into his green eyes again and I see that tonight they look slightly colder than normal. Not cold, just frosty, cool, like the moss at the bottom of a river in winter. 

"We should..." I begin. 

"Go," we both say at the same time. 

"C'mon out this way," he says. I hesitate before following Archie towards the door. We emerge out into the cold night. Its really getting freezing here. I shiver and hug my arms around my chest. At least I have long pants on. Archie puts his arms around me. 

"I would give you a jacket if I had one," he chuckles. I just nervously laugh back. I don't know how to act. This is so strange. We walk in complete silence back to the car, only interrupted by random drunk people stumbling around and a teacher checking that we go to this school. Finally, after an eternity of silence, we reach the car. 

"So, back home?" Archie says, not giving me eye contact. 

"Yup," is all I say. 

"Okay," Archie replies. But he doesn't start the engine. He doesn't even put the keys in the ignition. 

"I-think" we both say at the same time, while turning to each other. Suddenly, I'm aware that we're very close together. My mind flashes back to when we were stuck in the cupboard and suddenly I'm seeing those lips again right in front of me.

"I-" I begin again, but Archie brings up a single finger and hushes me, looking deep into my eyes. And I can't take it anymore. I push his finger down, grab the back of his neck and pull him to me, our lips mashing together like we haven't seen each other in weeks. Archie makes a low growling noise as I tease my hands through his hair. The fireworks begin again in my stomach as I suddenly feel like the whole world is these dancing, tingling flames that I feel in my body. When we finally pull away I feel like I've lost a body part. Archie is grinning at me. He starts the car and we finally drive off. 

"Are we going home?" I ask him as we leave the school carpark. 

"Hmmm. It's a surprise," is all he says.