JUNE 1978

Archie watched his reflection in the cafe's glass window as he combed his hair to the side. A little blue wildflower that his younger sister had insisted for him to give to Juniper hung out of the pocket of his leather jacket.

A taunting voice floated down the street from behind him. "Hey, Stone!"

Archie turned and cracked a smile at the sight of some of his friends. "Hey, losers!"

The two boys jogged up to him, the taller of the two blowing his blonde hair out of his eyes as they zeroed in on the wildflower. He stepped forward and plucked the flower out of Archie's pocket. "What's this?"

"Penny gave it to me," said Archie, hoping to avoid the teasing that would inevitably come.

A smirk quirked up at his friend's lips. "So you're wearing it to the cafe where Juniper works and fixing your hair in your reflection?"

Archie scratched the back of his neck. "Fuck off, Becker."

The other boy, a slightly shorter brunette with freckles dotting his face, tilted his head to the side. "Are you, perhaps, planning on giving June that flower?"

Archie rolled his eyes. "Are you two really going to bug me about this?"

"Well, Russo," Becker smirked, ignoring the question and resting his arm atop his shorter friend's head. "I think Archie here is going on a date."

The boys watched with amusement as his eyes flitted between them. "You know what? Fine, yeah, I have a date with her right now, so if you'll excuse me-"

Archie snatched the flower back and ignored the chortles that arose from the two as he stepped into the cafe.

"You're taking hours in there!" Lucy hollered from behind the counter with no regard to the customers inside the shop. "It's Archie, he won't care much about your outfit!"

"I'm coming, okay?" Juniper yelled back from (presumably) the bathroom.

"Oh, hey, Arch," Lucy laughed after spotting him. "She's almost ready for you."

He could barely conceal the smile that was fighting its way onto his face. "Cool."

And there she was. Archie's suppressed smile formed into a full grin as he watched June step out of the bathroom, nervous as all hell, but beautiful nonetheless. She was smoothing out her skirt - something he noticed she often did when she was anxious. He couldn't help but beam at the idea that he had such an effect on her.

"Hey," he smirked, holding out the flower. "For you."

June raised her eyebrows. "A flower? You're getting awfully fancy, aren't you?"

"It wasn't my idea," he chuckled. "Penny picked it."

Juniper bit her lip. "Well, if Penny picked it, I'll have to have it for myself."

"Good," Archie said. He tucked the stem of it behind her ear so the flower stuck out, matching almost perfectly with her tight-fitting overall-dress. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, carefully slipping her hand into his and ignoring the calls of "have fun!" and "but not too much!" from Lucy.

The pair walked down the block, as the place they were going to wasn't far from the cafe. After stopping by the door of the quaint bakery, Archie opened it for June. "After you," he joked.

Juniper curtsied playfully before stepping in and finding a free table. "The Cake Corner?" she asked as he sat down across from her.

It was a small bakery that they had gone to together multiple times when Lucy was out with her boyfriends. They had come to cherish it as something they shared, a sort of sanctuary that was only theirs, despite the other customers who frequently came and went.

"Yeah," Archie grimaced. "I hope that's okay."

A small smile formed on her glossed lips. "It is."

A waitress made her way over to their table and Archie glanced at June for confirmation before he readily ordered their usual. "Two meat pies, two slices of black forest cake, and a platter of mini cheesecakes, please."

The waitress, having recognized them, smiled politely. "You kids don't have to tell me anymore, with all the times that you come here."

June gave her a playful glare before she added, "It's good business, though. I'll be back with some water, too."

They thanked her and turned back to each other. "So," June grinned.

"So," Archie echoed. He loved the way her eyes twinkled. He could get lost in those eyes. They were like an ocean, a riptide that he had been pulled into. Only, unlike how it was with a real riptide, he didn't find himself wanting to escape.

Unbeknownst to him, Juniper was looking back with just as much fascination. She wondered how she managed to get someone like him to like her. Oh, if the girls at school could see me now. Her gaze traveled along his jawline, to his nose, his eyes, his slightly-flushed cheeks, and landed on his lips. He had such soft lips. If she just leaned forward a bit more-

"Ahem," the waitress cleared her throat with a small smirk on her face. "I know you two are having a moment, but I'm not going to stand here forever."

Archie nearly fell out of his chair as he snapped out of his daze. "That was, uh, that was quick, Agnes."

"Yeah, that Lucy girl tipped me off." She placed the pastries on the table before them. "Enjoy."

When Archie looked back to Juniper, she was in a fit of giggles. He softened and laughed along with her. "What?"

"You got so scared," she said.

"Yeah, well..." he trailed off.

June bit into a meat pie. "Well, what?" she mumbled.

"I was very focused."

"I call it ogling."

Archie's cheeks flared red. "Junie!"

"Relax, I'm just teasing," she snickered.

He shook his head fondly as she blew some hair out of her eyes. "I don't know what to do with you."

≛

By the time they were finished fooling around, eating, and dancing to whatever they chose to play on the jukebox against the wall of the bakery, the dark blanket of the night had already fallen across the sky. Juniper was spent - just about ready to fall over and start snoring. She rested her head on Archie's shoulder as they approached her house, his arm wrapped securely around her waist.

They were illuminated by nothing other than the moon and the light coming from the living room window (no doubt, it was June's mother waiting to hear how her date went; June quite enjoyed it). Juniper sleepily lifted her head and turned to face him before the front door.

"Thank you," she said. "That was a lot of fun."

Archie tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You're welcome, Junie."

She leaned into his touch, her eyelashes fluttering against the palm of his hand.

He smiled. "You're cute when you're tired."

That woke her up. Her eyes widened as he pulled her close, so close that the tips of their noses were touching. Juniper knew he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't. It was almost as if he was waiting for her. He had made all the moves; if she wanted to be with him, officially, she would have to show him.

June thought briefly about Michael. The idea of him almost made her want to step back. No. He's not mine anymore. I have to stop thinking about him. For all she knew, he could have had a girlfriend back at home. Hell, he could have been dating Donna. It wasn't like he had never shown an interest in her; she was hot and he was a teen boy.

Juniper could feel Archie's breath against her skin as he sighed and began to pull away. Make a decision, June. Before he could separate himself from her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and smashed her lips onto his. He immediately relaxed as the unspoken agreement passed between them. She was his and he was hers.

Archie snaked his arms around her waist and pressed her body against his. After a moment or two of what felt like pure bliss, the kiss broke.

Archie delicately rubbed his thumb on her hip, as if she was a glass flower that could break if he touched her too quickly or too harshly. The corners of his mouth pulled up into a charming grin when her mother called from inside the house, "June, I know you're out there!"

"I should probably go," he murmured.

Juniper nodded, not taking her eyes off of him. "Yeah."

Without a word, he stepped away and shoved his hands in his pockets, starting the walk home. June watched him disappear down the street and thought about what she had just done. She thought, once again, about Michael.

Why did she kiss Archie, really? Well, that was easy enough to answer. He was practically glistening in the moonlight, and there was something so undeniably attractive about the way he looked at her then, like he loved her. That was all June wanted, she supposed. To be loved.

But did she truly want to kiss him? Did she want to be his?

Juniper didn't know.

≛

(not) brought to you by lil blue flower

(not) brought to you by me accidentally posting this chapter like a week early bc i'm dumb lol

(not) brought to you by eight days a week - the beatles

brought to you by lissy <3