For some reason I don't want to ask Archie about H. Yes, I'm beyond curious but I want to reserve all those queries for the moment we are face-to-face. However, I want to know more about Archie, about H's best mate. I want to know more about the kind of people that are part of H's life.

I hope Steph doesn't mind!

"How did H and you meet?" I ask and he seems surprised that I'm asking that. He probably expects me to bomb him with question after question specifically about H.

"In uni," Archie begins the tale. "The first day, for the introduction meeting and stuff, you know? Somehow we ended up face to face and he smiled so rightly and introduced himself. He's like that, you know? Overly friendly. I didn't know anyone else there so I held on to him, I guess. Without noticing we became best mates."

"Two of my best friends met like that," I share with him. "They clicked the first day and haven't been apart since then."

"It's very lucky to find someone you get along so well from the beginning. It surely made everything easier for me," Archie comments and I nod in agreement.

"And what are you studying?" is my next question.

"Oh, we finished it already. We studied theatre." My mouth opens in surprise at his answer. I mean, I know H is part of a theatre company I just didn't know he was a professional actor. "We are part of the same company. In fact he took me there. You already met Sarah, didn't you? We specialise in Shakespearean plays."

My eyes widen even more with every bit of information. I get now why he took a course in Shakespeare. I understand know why other actors have been part of today’s events, like at the café with the musical number. Those are H's colleagues.

"I'm sure he'll take you to one of our upcoming plays. We are rehearsing A Midsummer Night's Dream," he says and I find myself nodding enthusiastically.

"I'd love to see that!" I exclaim, making him chuckle with my overexcitement. "Yes, please."

He laughs again. "He'll be very pleased to know this. This isn't a big company and it's not like it’s a great job or anything. We are always labelled as bohemians or whatnot."

"Stupid," I say before he can go further. "You're artists, that's amazing! I respect what you do a lot, even more that you have the courage to pursue something that's not easy to succeed at."

"Thank you," he replies and by the way he smiles at me I can tell he is really grateful. I smile back because what else can I do?

"Acting is all you do?" I question next and this time he doesn't look so surprised that he's the focus of my attention.

"I have a part-time job here, too. As I told you, our company is not big and we don't make much, but we love every minute we spend there."

"That's what counts. Anyhow, how did you find this place? It's amazing!" During this whole time as we keep talking we keep eating the food in front of us. It's wonderful, I completely fell in love with this. I have this urge to call the cook and give him or her my regards.

Archie blushes and looks down, clearly avoiding my eyes.

"I've been vegan for ten years and I always take part of manifestations and any other sort of activity to raise awareness for the a animals," he explains and he is still avoiding my eyes. "I met Steph at one of this manifestations and I uh… I kinda ended up following her. Not stalker-like, but I totally came when she told me where she worked. Then I tried the food and became a regular. I needed another job and there was a vacancy so I ended up working here. Boss said it’s better to hire someone who knows how the business workes."

I smile widely as I listen to the story. So he followed Steph. He really fancies her yet he hasn't asked her out. I bet that's all what she's waiting for.

"You do fancy her," I state and instead of contradicting me, Archie only blushes brighter. I chuckle. "You should totally ask her out, Archie. She's great and you get along, right?"

"We're just friends," he sulks and I shake my head.

"It's in your power to change that. Don't you want to date her? 'Cos if that isn’t the case then I'm sorry for intruding. I just really think you'd make a lovely couple."

He plays with the bits of food in his plate as if he had lost his appetite. "Of course I wanna change our current relationship, it's just that… I don't wanna ruin things."

I swear I do a mental squeal. It's like I'm reading a YA novel right now and I'm dying with feels over my OTP. Archie and Steph aren't even my OTP but the analogy works. They would be a great one. Stephie. Yup, great ship name.

I'm no one to give advices or whatever, but I've read hundreds of YA novels and watched tons of movies. I have experience. Sort of.

"But it might work and you'll never know unless you try. Plus, I've got the feeling she fancies you, too, so you should totally go for it!" I cheer him on with my widest smile, the most contagious I have. I hope it's working.

Archie smiles nervously and switches his weight on the chair but I'm sure he's thinking about it and I cheer mentally.

"You came here to find out more about H and you ended up giving me love advice," he laughs and I shrug.

"I'll meet him later, I'll ask all the questions then," I tell him and at my words he seems to calm down.

"He was right, you're a great girl. He'll be happy to finally meet you," opines Archie and now it's my turn to blush. "Dessert?" he asks next noticing I'm done with my food.

"That'd be lovely!" I chirp and he laughs.

Archie has an easy laughter and it’s contagious, it also drives all my worries away. If a guy like him is H’s best mate, I kind of feel relived. I honestly don’t think Archie would be friends with someone who’s mean or rude or a pervert. The kind of people we hang out with says a lot about ourselves.

We call for Steph and when she arrives her eyes examine us meticulously. I can’t believe Archie doesn’t realise that this girl is worried because I’m with him. She’s jealous—even if she has no reason to be—and he still thinks he doesn’t have a chance. How cute. Although I’m sure that if this went for a bit longer it would be annoying. I hope that next time I see them they are dating.

Once again, we ask for their speciality and Steph is gone, not before taking one last glimpse at Archie and I. I just smile at her, trying to reassure her that I don’t have that kind of interest in this boy. A few minutes later, Steph arrives with our desserts. I have no idea what they are, but they look very delicious, and of course, she reassures me that no animal has suffered to get the ingredients for this. Once I take the first bite I think I’ve made it to heaven.

“This has to be the best lunch of my entire life,” I comment and Archie chuckles.

“I’m glad to heart hat and H’ll be happy, too. It’s weird calling him that. I don’t usually call him by his first name, though. Everyone calls him by his surname,” Archie tells me and I nod. “Soon you’ll know it. To be honest, I don’t know why he didn’t tell you his name before. He never explained it me. But I guess it’s fine, he made all this more fun, right?”

I nod. I guess that’s something I’ll ask him, because he had many chances to let me know his name. I’m not sad anymore that he didn’t, this’s been certainly fun, but still.

“Talking about names, I have something for you.” He rummages in a bag I didn’t notice before, it’s a big one and old that he had on the chair next to him. After a few seconds he takes out an envelope. That’s the next letter and the next clue to get his name. My hands reach out for the envelope automatically and Archie hands it, chuckling. “I see you’re excited, uh? You can read it now if you want.”

And I don’t have to wait for further motivation. I open it and take the pages out to read what he’s written for me, now.

Dear Maca,

I hope you enjoyed the lunch. I bet you did, that place is amazing. I’ve never met someone who didn’t like the food there. I also hope you had fun with Archie. He’s a good guy, I just pray he didn’t spill the beans and ruined the fun, even if it was an accident.

He’s my best mate and although I’m jealous he got to meet you first, I’m happy you met him. He’s important to me and so are you, so it’s a big deal for me that you two got to know each other. I don’t have doubts that you two got on perfectly. It’s impossible to not like Archie, just don’t like him too much, okay?

I hope one day we can go to the restaurant together and have a good time, like you did with Archie. You can also ask me whatever you want and if he said something embarrassing about me, I’ll get him back. But really, I really want us to go together to all the places you’ve visited so far. I want to see your reaction first hand. I want to see you having fun.

I don’t have backup to say this, but for some reason I believe having fun is not something you do frequently. I feel like your smiles are scarce and most of the time fake. I’m sorry if I’m offending you, but I have that feeling when I read your post-its. You are always so grateful for just mere words and you say they always come at the right moment, which makes me wonder what kind of hardships you go through. I hope you can explain it to me later. I want to hear your story.

However, in the mean time I have more plans for you! Do you like art? I’m not the best at drawing or painting, but there’s a place that’s wicked cool and anyone can enjoy and feel artsy. Would you like to go and try a new experience with colours? As usual, you’ll find the directions on the next page.

I’ll see you soon, Maca. I’m really excited! (:

PS: The next letter is I

My smile is completely gone by the time I finish reading the letter because he knows. He knows I fake my smiles, that I need his words of encouragement because I give up too easily. He saw through my lies even though he hasn’t even seen my face.

How?

What will happen when I met him? If he could tell that about me from post-its, what is he going to find out when we meet face-to-face? I must admit, I’m a bit scared now.

“Maca, are you all right? You look pale. Did he saiy something bad? I’ll kill him if he—”

“No, no. He’s done nothing wrong. I’m just… overwhelmed, I guess. I’ll be fine, I have plans,” I remind him waving the pages. “I guess we have to take a picture now,” I add to change the topic and he smiles.

“Oh yeah. I’ll ask Steph to help us,” he says and I nod as he calls for her.

“I want her in the picture, too,” I state when she arrives and she looks confused. “Please?”

Archie just have to look at her for Steph to give in, even if she doesn’t understand what’s happening. So we pose together and squeeze as much as we can, Archie in the middle, Steph at his right and me at his left. And that’s it, we snap the picture and it comes out great. I love it because Steph and Archie are together in there and they look great. They really have to go out.

“Well, I guess I have to get going. How much?” I ask looking for my wallet but Archie waves his hand dismissively.

“He took care of it, so no worries. You go and have fun, I’ll see you around,” he replies and I smile. I step in and give him a light hug.

“Thank you, it was really fun,” I say and then add, “ask Steph out. Don’t make her wait any longer.”

And with that I step back and I see him blushing. Good thing Steph is not around anymore, she would get jealous if she saw what I caused to her crush.

I grab my things, with the letter and the picture in my journal and I head out of the restaurant with the promise that I’ll come back, hopefully, with H next time. Surely, I have to meet him first, but I’m on it. I have places to go for the time being.

-:-:-

Did you like it? I hope so. Archie on the multimedia!

Dedication to @carabara35

Bel, xx