JUNE 1978

"That'll be a dollar and thirty cents."

The wrinkly old woman drew a bill and some coins from her tiny purse and dropped the money in Juniper's hand. "Thank you, dearie."

"No problem," June smiled as she slid the cup of coffee to the elderly woman.

Lucy Powell leaned against the counter with a smug smirk on her face as she watched her friend. "Don't think you're being sneaky when you glance at the clock every five seconds, missy," she teased, her dark curls bouncing as she tilted her head.

"Fuck off, Luce," June chuckled, shaking her head with a fond smile.

"I'm just saying, it's pretty suspicious that you're so eager to end your shift."

"Of course I want to end my shift," Juniper scoffed dismissively, wiping down the counter. "I'm tired." She glanced down at her watch. "It's time for me to go, so if you'll excuse me-"

Lucy stepped in front of her with a raised eyebrow. "Or maybe," her lip curled upwards maliciously, "you're excited to hang out with a certain someone."

Juniper threw her a look before taking her apron off and carefully folding it into her locker in the back room.

Lucy followed her like a nagging thought in the back of her head. "That's what it is, isn't it?"

June ignored the question, but Lucy was far too invested in her friend's love life to miss the red that seared through her cheeks.

The two stepped out through the back door onto the busy street. A mirthful smile appeared on Lucy's lips. "Oh, so now you're not going to talk to me just because I mentioned how much you like our Arch-"

"Time to shut up, Luce!" Juniper hissed as the boy ran up to them.

"Hey, ladies," he chirped, his bright blue eyes lingering on June.

Lucy glanced between the two of them, barely trying to hide her grin. "Hey, Archie. We were just talking about you."

Archie's eyebrows shot up to the top of his forehead. "You were?"

"No, we weren't," said June sternly.

He eyed her with amusement. "Well, why not? We all know I'm a great subject for conversation."

"Yeah, with your boring-ass kazoo or whatever you carry around with you?" Lucy snorted.

"It's a harmonica!"

"Uh-huh. Are we going or what?"

Archie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, come on."

He circled around so he was standing between the two women, his arms draped around either of their shoulders. He still smelled vaguely of peppermint, June noticed. His sister had spilled peppermint extract on his school sweater a few nights ago and it still hadn't washed out.

This was their daily routine - Lucy and June worked at the coffee shop after school while they waited for Archie to finish up with his classes, and then they all walked to June's house together. Archie went to an all-boys boarding school and he couldn't wait to get out. He had met the girls when one of his friends tried to flirt with Lucy. She and his friend dated for a while, but it didn't last long. In fact, Archie was the only one who remained friends with the two. He was teased about it constantly, but he didn't care. He found that he quite enjoyed their company.

Archibald Stone was the picture of perfection. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, a good body, and a good bone structure. He got nearly perfect grades and played guitar. And, of course, that harmonica that he always carried around. To be frank, he was probably one of the most desirable eighteen-year-olds in the neighborhood.

Lucy Powell was the bubbliest, most upbeat person June knew. She was beautiful, with smooth dark skin and a very disco-esque afro hairstyle the completely matched up with her style. She had dreams - big dreams - and everyone she met practically fell in love with her.

And Juniper, well, June had... grown up. If she was pretty as a kid, she was gorgeous now. Her tall, slim frame was inarguably attractive, and her long blonde hair fell across her arms like a curtain of gold. Her parents liked to tell her that "attractive people attract attractive friends." They never held back with their compliments, especially with her friends.

Especially with Archie. June bent her head down bashfully. Her parents wouldn't stop talking about how cute she'd look with him, and how he was the perfect boy for her. Not that she disagreed, it was just utterly embarrassing to have her parents and his constantly going on about the two. And don't even get her started on Lucy.

"You okay, Junie?" Archie mumbled from beside her, his lips pulling down slightly in concern.

Juniper's heart skipped a beat at the nickname. She had long ago associated it with her old friend, Steven Hyde, who was also the first person she kissed. In turn, the name was associated with kissing. And now it was associated with Archie. Kissing Archie.

June looked up at him, a small smile appearing on her lips as she met his eyes. "Yeah."

"Alright, lovebirds, speed it up," Lucy teased. "I'm dragging my feet for you two slowpokes."

Archie gave her a pointed look and she shot back a taunting smirk before unhooking herself from his right arm and skipping down the street to June's house.

Archie turned to June, who was watching him closely for a (hopefully positive) reaction to Lucy's comment. Juniper wasn't clueless, to be quite honest, but she was admittedly afraid of being wrong with her assumptions about Archie. She knew he was at least interested, and she was almost sure he knew she was interested, too. Almost.

He flushed under her gaze and dropped his other arm from her shoulder, just barely catching the glint of disappointment in her eyes as he did so.

Juniper silently jogged to catch up to Lucy and unlocked the door, holding it open for her friends. "Hello?" she called into the house. "Allie?"

"I'm right here, June!" the babysitter hollered, rushing down the stairs.

"You can go if you want, I'll take care of Tommy from here."

"Thanks," the young redheaded girl grinned. "Hey, do you think I could check out some of your records next time I come by?"

Juniper smiled warmly. "Of course, just make sure to be very careful with them."

"Juju!" a voice shrieked gleefully.

June turned with open arms as her three-year-old brother, Thomas, bolted toward her. "Hey, Tommy!" she giggled, catching him and lifting him up. "Were you good for Allie?"

"Yes!"

"Good job, bud."

Juniper handed the babysitter some cash. "Have a great day, Al."

The girl saluted playfully and began walking home.

Lucy had made herself comfortable and was already rummaging through the fridge, but Archie hadn't left the entryway.

"Arch?" June nudged him.

"Oh, sorry," he stepped away from the door so she could shut it.

Thomas wiggled around in Juniper's arms to see the boy she was talking to, and his pudgy face lit up in recognition. "Archie!"

The corners of Archie's mouth quirked up as he looked back at the toddler. "That's me."

Juniper passed her brother to Archie when Thomas made those little grabby hands at him.

She watched happily for a moment as they chatted, catching Archie's eye as Tommy rambled on about the macaroni necklace he made, before finding her way to Lucy.

"Are you done raiding my fridge?" June scoffed with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm stocking up," Lucy replied cheekily.

"Stocking up?"

"Yeah! I brought some stuff, if you know what I mean."

"Luce," Juniper scolded. "We can't do that with Tommy in the house."

"Have Archie watch him! He never smokes, anyway."

"It's not good for a little kid to be inhaling that stuff."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Would you rather go outside and get in trouble for smoking it?"

Archie, overhearing the conversation, made his way over to the girls. "I can take him outside for a bit if you guys want-"

"Arch, you don't have to do that-"

"Great!" Lucy interrupted. "Let's go!"

≛

Not ten minutes later, Lucy smirked at June with her hands behind her head as she watched her ramble about Archie.

"Talk louder, maybe he'll hear ya," Lucy grinned.

She hadn't taken a single hit of the blunt. No, instead she got June high, so maybe she could finally make a freaking move. It had been difficult, of course, since she didn't want to waste her good stuff, but she decided it was worth it.

Juniper held a hand to her head and put the blunt out before handing it to Lucy so it could be disposed of. "Can I have another piece of chocolate?"

"No."

June's head snapped up. "Why, you... you scallywag!" She burst into a fit of giggles.

Lucy slid her a cold slice of pizza. Perhaps she had gotten her too high.

Juniper munched on the slice eagerly, finishing it in record time. Lucy leaned forward and wiped tomato sauce from the corner of her mouth, hoping that she wasn't too far gone.

"I've got a plan," Juniper giggled. "You go hang out with Tommy and I get Archie alone!"

Lucy eyed her dubiously. Archie wasn't dumb, and he wasn't a dick. He'd take care of her if he needed to, and she knew they needed to bond or whatever. As long as they didn't fuck with her in the house.

Before she could respond, June leaned out the open window. "Archie!"

The boy tilted his head to the sky. "Yeah?"

"Come up!"

"Okay!"

Just a few seconds later, he appeared in the doorway and switched spots with Lucy, who gave him a meaningful look.

He shut the door behind him carefully. "What's up, June?"

"Come here," she grinned, barely stifling her giggles.

Archie cautiously sat beside her on her bed and shifted closer to her when she beckoned him over. Juniper moved her head awkwardly, trying to get a good glimpse of his face as he stared straight ahead. She tutted and turned his face to hers with a hand on his cheek.

His skin was soft. Of course it was. It was Archie. She didn't remove her hand from his cheek as they watched each other. She was baked out of her mind, but that didn't stop Archie from admiring her. Their eyes darted over each other's features, taking in their full complexions as if each needed to take mental pictures of the other.

"You have very pretty eyes," June said with a lopsided grin.

A small smirk tugged up at his lips. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks. You do, too."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

June was lightly caressing his cheek with her thumb now, enjoying the feel of his skin against her palm. Archie found himself leaning into her touch. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She wasn't thinking clearly.

"And you have very nice lips," June added.

Archie swallowed, keeping quiet as she studied the little cracks in his lips where they had gotten a little chapped before flicking her eyes back up to meet his.

"Have you ever kissed anyone, Archie?"

He had kissed a lot of girls. "Yes."

She couldn't choose whether to at his lips or his eyes. She decided on both, her gaze shifting to and from each (very attractive) area of his face.

Juniper's voice dropped to a volume barely below a whisper as she pulled him closer, so close that her breath fanned over his skin. "Have you ever been kissed?"

Archie's hand found its way to her waist. "No."

She remained silent and unmoving, which honestly unnerved him. Maybe she didn't really want to kiss him, he thought.

Archie pulled back slightly and settled on a cheek kiss, but June quickly turned her head and captured his lips with her own. His eyes fluttered shut and, without a second thought, he pulled her body closer.

She smelled like weed, but not in an unpleasant way. The way it mixed with her perfume was simply intoxicating. Juniper ran her hand up his chest and gripped his peppermint-scented school sweater before pulling away.

She flashed a grin. "Now you have."

≛

(not) brought to you by me maybe adding a bit too much romance between archie and june

(not) brought to you by lucy's afro

(not) brought to you by ain't she sweet - the beatles

brought to you by lissy <3