AUGUST 1978

"Can you believe it's already August?" Juniper asked dreamily as she stared up at the stickers on her ceiling.

Archie had joined her on the floor a small while ago, and neither wanted to get up. "It's weird, isn't it? Summer's almost over. We'll have to go back to school soon."

June wrinkled her nose and Archie smiled; it was a quirk of hers he found alluring. "Don't remind me. School's kind of gross, I'm not going to lie."

"Yeah, well, it'll be our senior year, anyway, so it'll be over soon."

Juniper frowned. "You're right. What am I going to do after school? I can't be a barista forever."

Archie grinned cheekily. "I don't know, I think you look quite good in the uniform."

She snorted. "What uniform? I just wear an apron over whatever I throw on that day."

He watched her. "Exactly."

June lolled her head over to the side to look at him. "You know what I'm thinkin' right now?"

"Hm?"He glanced down at her lips and she saw his tongue wet his own before she smiled coyly.

"I'm thinking we should take a photo."

She reached to her right and lifted her Polaroid from the floor, but he had already shot up from his relaxed position. His face seemed unnaturally pale and her eyebrows knit together in concern. She set down her camera and propped herself up on her elbows. "Arch? What's wrong?"

Archie couldn't speak. Would he tell her the truth? Would he tell her about how he could barely stand to look at that camera or him after the photos he'd seen? Or would he chicken out? Would he let it go once again just for the sake of his love? Or, at least, the girl he loved. He wasn't so sure she was "his" anymore.

"Archie?" Juniper sat up and extended her arm to touch his face, but he unexpectedly flinched away. A flash of something passed across her face... guilt? Pain? Whatever it was, it made him immediately regret the involuntary movement, but she pressed on. "Why did you..."

"I know you lied," he blurted.

Juniper's breath hitched. She knew it was only a matter of time until he found out, or at least confronted her, but it still somehow hurt. "About... About what?"

"Junie, please don't play dumb with me," his voice cracked. "I saw the envelope. The 'Photos of Love' bullshit. You left it lying on your desk."

"Archie, I-"

"Next time, be a little more careful with the evidence, it might help," he spat bitterly.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. She had never heard him speak like that before. Definitely not to her. It was a new experience, and she decided she didn't like it."

Archie dug his hands into his hair. "I mean, I just wish you hadn't lied, June. I gave you the chance. I asked you. And you still lied."

"I'm sorry."

He scratched the back of his neck, refusing to make eye contact with her. "I don't really think you are."

"I am."

He lifted his head and her heart broke at the sight of his watery eyes. "What makes him so much better than me?"

Juniper blinked. "What?"

"Why him? Was I not enough?"

"No, Archie, you were-"

"And there you go with the lying again!" his voice raised. "Goddamnit, June, if I was enough, we wouldn't have been having this conversation right now."

She took a shaky breath. "Let me explain."

Archie nodded. "Please do."

"Michael was one of my best friends, if not the best friend I had when I was younger. He was my first love. When he came to California, all the feelings just sort of... came back. I couldn't help it."

"So you couldn't have broken it off with me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," she mumbled.

He laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, Juniper, you did a great job with that."

"When he came back-"

"Just because Michael comes back, it doesn't mean you have to turn into some sort of... some sort of whore!"

Juniper stood to her feet. "What did you just call me?" she asked quietly.

Archie flushed. "Junie, I didn't mean it, I-"

"Don't you dare call me that. I'm not... I'm not a whore." She directed it at him, but it only sounded like she was reassuring herself.

"You're not, Juniper. Please don't think that. I'm just angry and I say things I don't mean. You're... You're amazing, and I love you, but you can't just fool around with some guy behind my back and expect me to be okay with it."

"I don't love you anymore," she said suddenly.

The knife she had stabbed into his heart twisted dreadfully. "What?" he uttered.

"I don't love you anymore. Well, not romantically. I love you, but... I don't want to be with you. That's why I cheated on you. I was happier with someone else."

"What are you saying?" said Archie.

She met his eyes. "We need to split up."

Archie swallowed the lump in his throat. "No, June, we can work it out. We can fix this. We'll fight through it."

Juniper shook her head. "No, we won't. It wasn't fair for me to lead you- either of you on, and I'm not going to keep doing that just to save a failing relationship with you."

He stood to her level. "So this is it?"

She nodded solemnly. "This is it."

"Can we still be friends?"

She smiled sadly. "I think we can."

"For Lucy?"

"No, for us."

She rose up on her toes and pressed one last kiss to his lips. "I'm sorry."

He closed his eyes. "Me too."

≛

(not) brought to you by short chapter woah

(not) brought to you by lolz they finally broke up

(not) brought to you by the night before - the beatles

brought to you by lissy <3