Passionate Exchange

Chapter Forty-One

My eyes search the back garden for Archer but he's nowhere in sight. "Do you know where Archer is?" I ask Penny, feeling the need to be close to him right now.

"I didn't realise he left." She shrugs nonchalantly before focusing her attention back on the people around us.

"I'm going to go find him," I announce.

"Can't you stay with me for a little bit? I feel like I haven't seen you all night. I'm sure he probably just went to the bathroom or something. He'll be back soon."

I think over what she said until I finally give in and agree to stay with her until he gets back. Over half an hour passes but he still hasn't returned. I decide that I can't wait any longer and head back inside to find him without telling Penny.

I look in the bathroom, the bedrooms, even the garage. I still don't find him. The last place I think to look is the front garden, but relief washes over me when I find him sitting on the grass alone in front of the house.

I take a seat next to him. "Hi," I start, a lazy smile settling on my lips at our proximity.

He doesn't respond. I notice the cup in his hands, and, from the colour of the liquid, it definitely doesn't have lemonade in it. I lean forward slightly, and my suspicions are confirmed. His eyes are bloodshot from drinking alcohol.

"I thought you weren't going to drink."

He shrugs and continues to stare into the cup blankly. "I changed my mind."

He brings it up to his lips and downs the rest of it, closing his eyes as it burns his throat. He almost looks relieved. Before I can say anything, he stands up and stumbles slightly as he starts walking towards the door. "I'm going to get another one."

I stand up too, worry etched across my features. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I place my hand on top of his. His eyes jump from our connected hands back to my face. They're filled with hatred causing me to recoil from him.

"Since when do you get to tell me what to do?" He spits.

I tilt my head in confusion at his sudden change in mood. His words hit me like daggers, all piercing my heart, but I conceal my hurt. He's drunk, he doesn't mean it.

"You're drunk. Wait here and I'll go get Penny to drive us home."

His next words shocked me beyond words. "I didn't pin you to be a whore." He states plainly.

My jaw hangs open. My nostrils flare ever so slightly as I almost forget that he's intoxicated. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard." He mutters.

I study the man in front of me. He looks like Archer. His down-turned eyes are the same. The bridge of his nose is the same. The way his brown hair falls into his eyes is the same. The curve of his chin is the same. Everything is the same. I'm looking at Archer, but I don't feel like I'm talking to him, not the Archer I know anyway.

"Listen," I step closer to him wearily. "I have no idea why you're being like this but if you just come with me, we can go home and talk about this when you're sober." My pleading eyes meet his.

He scoffs. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." His scrutinising gaze makes me feel small, but I do my best to appear strong. I have to remind myself again, he's just drunk, he doesn't mean anything.

"Please enlighten me because I honestly have no idea why you're acting like this."

His jaw clenches and unclenches in anger. "Fucking Levi, you kissed that piece of shit." He balls his hand up into a fist, crumbling the red solo cup before throwing it at the nearest wall. The sudden movement causes me to flinch slightly. He doesn't notice.