When Archer Met Hailey (EDITING)

13. Impossible Coincidences

Hailey - Italics
Katie - Italic Underline

HAILEY'S POV:

As I sat in the library I couldn't shake the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. I felt physically ill. There was no way it could be him. I mean there are other people named Archer who are seventeen and play football. Right? Yes, right of course. This is crazy to think that it could have possibly been him the whole time. I can't even think straight, I have never had the guts to talk to him again since we first met in elementary school. I am getting ahead of myself, I am sure it is not him. I am going to pretend I didn't hear his friend Jay. It's just a coincidence that he has the same name as the boy I have had a crush on for the last seven years. He even has a friend named Jayden. I recently had a run in with one of his other friends Drew and his queen bee girlfriend Diane. I have to talk to Katie about this. I leave the library in search of Katie and try my best to avoid running into Archer or any of his friends. I finally found her in the art room.

"Hey babes, did you finish your homework?"

"Yeah. I did."

"What's wrong? You look like someone died."

"I don't even know. I feel ill, I just want to go home."

"Come sit and tell mama what's wrong."

"You know that for the last couple of weeks I have been talking to that guy?"

"Yes, Mr. Sexy Voice."

I hate that she calls him that. I told her one time that he has a nice voice and every since then she calls him Mr. Sexy Voice.

"Yeah him. Well he texted me during class today and we were texting back and forth until Ms. Tragger caught me texting."

"Ugh I hate her. I bet she tried to give you detention. I swear she will find any reason to give someone detention."

"She sure is a detention nazi. I talked my way out of the detention fortunately. That's besides the point. He told me to text him at lunch, so while I was in the library I texted him. He ended up calling me, and while we were talking one of his friends came and called him Arch."

"As in Archer. Like Archer Valdez?!"

"Let me finish...here is the kicker he called his friend Jay."

"As in Jayden, best friend of Archer?!"

"Stop! Oh my god, Katie please tell me this is just a coincidence and it's not the same person."

"Would it really be such a bad thing if it was actually him? I mean you have liked him literally forever and now the chance to talk to him fell in your lap."

"Yes, Katie it would! You know what his friend did to me the other day. I just don't know if I can talk to him anymore."

"What, Hailey! Don't be stupid. Has he given you a reason to think that he is not how he acts with you on the phone? Archer and Jayden can be assholes, yes, but they are the nicest of that group of plastic spastics."

"You don't understand Katie. People like him don't talk to people like us."

"People like us? What...respectful, sweet, funny, smart, and beautiful inside and out? Come on Hails, you are just looking for a reason to stop talking to him over nothing."

"I just don't think that I can act the same if it is him. What should I say? "Oh hey are you Archer Valdez? I'm Hailey Dawson. We have gone to school with each other since kindergarten. Did I mention that I have had a crush on you since we were kids?" Yeah no I will pass. I am not going through that embarrassment. I am going to spare myself the trouble."

"He is right, you are too hard on yourself. If you stop talking to him for that reason then you are just as bad as those popular kids who won't talk to you because of your social status. I am not telling you to spill your heart out. Just don't cut him off because you are scared of something that he may not even care about. I mean when you weren't talking to him those five days, he seemed like he really genuinely cared."

"Alright, I'll think about it."

"Good! Now let's get out of here. The bell is about to ring."

I followed Katie out of the art room. I just wanted this day to end. Maybe when I get home I'll see what Jake thinks about this whole situation. I never imagined that this would turn into my worst nightmare. I have a lot to think about. He didn't end up calling me that night, Which was I was thankful for and still at the same time disappointed.