CHAPTER 17:

Where She Gets a Reality Check

~~**~~

"Just so you know, if Archer hadn't beat the shit out of him, I would have," Peyton said seriously. "Nobody gets away with insulting my best friend."

I gave her a grateful smile. We were walking down the hallway towards the Cafeteria.

"Thanks for not asking me what all that was about. Chase and I have a history together. I wanted to tell you so badly when it was going on but he asked me not to tell anyone and when things ended I was just so embarrassed. . ."

Peyton suddenly stopped walking making me stop as well and the next thing I knew I was being engulfed in a bone-crushing hug.

"You're not obliged to tell me everything that's going on in your life Fallon. You're like a sister to me." She said softly. "I just hope you know that no matter what happens, I'll always be in your corner and I will always support you."

Tears sprung into my eyes as I hugged her back. "I love you Peyton West. Thank you for being my friend."

She stepped back and vigorously wiped under her eyes. "Okay, enough of this sentimental bullshit. So tell me how things are between you and Mechanic Boy? Seriously at first, I could not fathom why you had a crush on him but then I saw him without a shirt in the auction and I totally get it. . ." She wiggled her eyebrows at me suggestively.

Peyton linked her arm with mine and we started walking again when we started getting dirty looks from people for stopping in between a busy hallway.

I laughed and elbowed her in the rips playfully. "For the last time Peyton, I do not have a crush on Archer, we're just friends."

"Yeah right." Peyton rolled her eyes at me, clearly unconvinced.

I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my year. "I was the one who set him up with Caroline Williams." An uncomfortable knot tightened in my chest even as I spoke those words.

Peyton stopped in her tracks once again causing the guy behind her to bump into her, he gave her a dirty look and she flipped him the bird in response.

She turned her attention back to me. "You did what?" She practically yelled. "Why would you do that?"

I winced. "Because he told me that he liked her." I could feel the lump in my throat, the tip of my nose stung. I had the sudden urge to burst out crying.

Peyton immediately sensed the change in my demeanor because her arm was suddenly wrapped around my shoulder comfortingly. "Whatever, who cares? Guys suck."

I chuckled, my mood lightened a little.

"Speaking of guys." I gave her a sly look. "You never really told me how your date with Crew Cut went?" I asked referring to the cute guy who'd won a date with her at the auction.

She actually blushed.

Peyton West the girl who'd once made the captain of the rugby team cry for making fun of her hair.

The girl who once punched a guy unconscious because he'd catcalled us as we were walking by.

That Peyton West actually blushed when I mentioned a guy.

I didn't think I'd ever seen her blush over a guy before.

I could feel my lips splitting into an eager smile.

"Tell. Me. Everything!" I squealed.

~~**~~

A lunch tray dropped down on the table in front of us, distracting me and Peyton from our conversation.

I looked up to see Colton Miller making himself comfortable on the seat across from me.

Peyton scrunched her eyebrows at me and gave me a look that said "What is he doing here?"

I answered with a small shrug that translated to, "Beats me."

"So, how much did we end up making at the auction," Colton asked as he casually took a bite from his apple like we had lunch together every day.

Peyton's expression brightened at the mention of the auction. "We ended up making close to seven grand!" She said excitedly, "So it looks like we can get the school's pool fixed and the volleyball team can finally get new kits! Plus we'll have a substantial amount left over so we can give it to the cheerleaders for helping us out!"

"That's amazing!" I exclaimed proudly. My shoulders suddenly slouched. "I'm sorry things turned into such a mess in the end because of me."

"That wasn't your fault." Peyton jumped in immediately.

"Yeah, Michelson is a complete asshole" Colton added, anger flashed in his grey eyes but it quickly vanished and he shrugged, "Besides we ended up making like Eight hundred bucks on your bid so it's not like it was a complete loss."

My eyes bulged out of their sockets. "Eight hundred, who-"

"Hey." Archer's gravelly voice suddenly cut in. He sat down on the empty chair beside me. His leg pressed against mine and I felt my heart flutter at the contact.

He took a french fry from my plate and popped it into his mouth. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked casually.

Colton raised an eyebrow at him pointedly, "I was just telling Fallon about how you paid eight hundred dollars at the auction for her."

Archer's eyes suddenly focused on me. "Yeah, what about it?" He asked, looking at me seriously.

I inhaled sharply. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. "I mean, y-you didn't have to. I know you only bid on me so Chase didn't win the date and after the fight no one really expected you to... I know it wasn't what you wanted." I sputtered.

His gaze turned intense, "Trust me, it was exactly what I wanted." I could see his eyes darken. He leaned closer.

My heart thudded wildly in my chest.

"How is your dad cool with you spending that much on a high-school auction?" Colton suddenly asked pulling our attention away from each other.

I could see Archer's shoulders stiffen slightly at the mention of his father. "That's because it wasn't his money. I paid from the money I'd saved up from fixing all those cars."

I swallowed suddenly feeling guilty.

He'd been saving that money for himself.

His arm suddenly came to rest on the back of my chair. His knuckles lightly brushed the side of my neck.  I tilted my head slightly and noticed the veins running along his hands and up his arms. I had this insane urge to explore each and every one of those veins with my tongue. 

He'd pulled up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows and I could see the outline of his taut biceps even beneath the cloth.  I could feel the heat settling in the pit of my stomach.

"Hey guys!" Caroline Williams suddenly stopped in front of our table. "So I heard the auction was a success!" She said excitedly.

I gave her a sincere smile, "Thanks to you and the other members of the cheer squad. Most of the crowd only showed up because of you guys."

She laughed. "I'm just happy we could be of help." Her attention suddenly turned to Archer and she gave him a playful wink. "I'm really looking forward to our date."

Colton gestured between the two of them and whistled.

I could feel Archer go completely still beside me.

"See you guys around." Caroline wiggled her fingers at us before walking away.

I hated the painful ache that seemed to settle in my chest when she said that. I hated how I had to curl my hands into fists to keep them from trembling.

"By the way." Archer's gruff voice murmured in my ear suddenly pulling me out of whatever trance I was currently in. "The parts I ordered for your car have finally arrived. If you're free today after school you can come over to my place and we'll start working on your convertible."

I gave him a jerky nod. The reality of our situation suddenly came crashing down.

I scooted my chair away from him a little causing him to retract his arm. His lips briefly turned down when I did that but Colton suddenly grabbed his attention by asking him something about their upcoming match.

Me getting my car fixed. Him dating Caroline Williams.

Our agreement.

It's what we both wanted.

That's what all of this was about.

Nothing else.