CHAPTER 8:

Where He has Company for Lunch

~~**~~

|Archer|

Breakfast was eerily silent.

As usual

My father flipped through the morning paper as he drank a glass of orange juice, a permanent frown marring his face. My mother sipped her tea, her expression vacant, seemingly lost in her own world.

Sometimes, I found myself wishing that things would go back to normal but I smothered that thought as soon as it entered my mind.

Things would never be normal.

Not after what had happened.

Not after what we had endured.

"I talked to Edwin, about you interning at our firm during your winter break. We usually don't have internships for high school students but since I'm a senior partner and you're my son they're willing to make an exception." My father's stoic voice cut in.

My whole body stiffened and my hands curled into fists.

"I'm not interested in your law firm," I said quietly my eyes trained at the table.

The paper in my father's hands rustled as he put it down.

"Why the hell not?" He demanded, his loud voice boomed making my mother gasp.

My jaw clenched.

"Because Dad, I don't want to be a fucking lawyer." My eyes blazed as I stood up abruptly. "I've told you this a thousand times and I'll tell you again, I'm not going to law school, I'm not taking that bar exam and I'm sure as hell not working at your firm!"

The chair screeched as my father got up. "Watch your tongue boy. You have no idea about what you want right now or what's good for you. If I say you're going to be a lawyer that's what you will do no questions asked, understood?"

"Archer, listen to your father please." My mother whispered.

My eyes widened in shock.

Her statement was like a punch to the gut.

I turned to her, my voice accusing, "How can you say that?" I demanded. "After everything that has happened how can you still say that?"

"We only want what's best for you." Her eyes shone with tears.

"Like you wanted the best for Jordan?" I laughed mirthlessly, look where that got him."

What I'd just said might have been cruel. Maybe even a little unfair. But I was beyond caring at this point.

"Don't you dare speak his name in this house!" My father roared, the glass in his hand plummeted to the floor and shattered.

My mother started sobbing.

I just turned and walked out of the door, not daring to look at the chaos I'd caused behind me.

~~**~~

The day had started out bad and then just proceeded to get worse as it progressed.

I tried the door again for good measure. It didn't budge.

Fuck

The library was locked.

There was a notice taped to the door saying that the library would remain unavailable to students for the next  two weeks. Apparently, a termite infestation had been discovered and it would take two whole weeks to fumigate the place and put things back in order.

I preferred spending my lunch break in the library. It sounded pathetic but it wasn't as pathetic as eating alone in the cafeteria.

I'd moved here just as the senior year started. Most of these kids had been studying here since the beginning of freshman year, so when I had joined people had already known each other for well over three years. Friendships had already been formed, cliques had already been made. I was just a stranger who people didn't recognize or care about.

But it was a blessing in a way, people not knowing me, not knowing anything about my past.

It was better to just keep my head down and get through high school. It wasn't like I'd be seeing any of these people once I graduated anyway.

Hell, I was counting down the days till graduation.

I sighed as I trudged towards the Cafeteria.

~~**~~

The Cafeteria was noisy as usual. People laughed and talked loudly over one another.

I settled down at the empty table located at the very corner and placed my lunch in front of me. I shuffled through my bag pack and groaned when I realized that I'd forgotten my air-pods at home so I couldn't even listen to music while I sat here.

Just perfect.

I'd just been about to take a bite of my sandwich when a familiar voice called my name.

"Archer! Hey! This seat isn't taken right?" Fallon skipped towards my table with her lunch tray, and another girl who I didn't recognize was close on her heels.

Without waiting for my response she plopped down on the chair beside mine and her friend took the seat across from her.

"Archer this is Peyton, Peyton meet Archer." Fallon waved her hand in front of my face.

Her friend, Peyton, gave me a small wave.

I just blinked at them.

I had no idea what was going on.

"Nice, you got French fries!" Fallon popped a fry from my tray into her mouth and I had to resist the urge to scowl at her.

"We had left oven cookies at the bakery yesterday so they gave me some," Fallon announced when she was done swallowing the stolen French fry.

She held up a zip-lock bag that seemed to contain chocolate chip cookies.

"Yes! I love you!" Peyton clapped her hands excitedly.

They seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that I was currently sitting there glowering at them.

"Here," Fallon took a cookie out and held it towards me.

I shook my head. "I don't like sweet stuff."

Her mouth fell open in shock, "Wait, you were serious about not liking desserts when I tried to bribe you with a cupcake that day? I thought you just said that because you were trying to get rid of me."

"I was," I grunted.

"What?" She asked.

"Trying to get rid of you." I told her pointedly, "But I was telling the truth when I said I didn't like desserts."

She stuck her tongue out at me before shoving the cookie in my hand. "Eat it."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Don't tell me what to do."

"Fine, don't eat it. I'll take it back." She grabbed the cookie in my hand but I shoved it in my mouth just to annoy her.

She bared her teeth at me and my lips twisted into a taunting smirk.

Surprisingly, the cookie tasted nice.

Really nice.

But no way in hell was I telling Fallon that.

"You guys are really entertaining." Peyton nibbled on her cookie as she watched both of us with wide eyes.

Fallon rolled her eyes at me one last time before turning to her friend.

I covered my lips with my hand to hide my smile.

I listened to the two girls as they chattered animatedly. I found my eyes wandering in Fallon's direction on their own accord more than a couple of times.

Her cheekbones and nose had a light dusting of freckles and there was a small scar on her chin which my fingers for some annoying reason itched to trace. Her hair was wild and untamable just like her and her whole face lit up when she laughed.

"Do you?" Fallon's voice suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts.

Shit

Had she caught me gawking at her like a creep?

"Huh?" I asked her blankly.

"Do you watch Criminal Minds?" She asked excitedly.

"What's that?"

Fallon looked at me like I'd just told her that I killed puppies for a living.

"Only the greatest show ever made," Peyton told me pointedly.

I listened in silence as the two of them proceeded to tell me in depth about the entire premise of the show and every little detail about the characters.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, it occurred to me that this was the first time in two years that I wasn't eating lunch alone.

~~