Chasing Jupiter ✔️

Eleven

After quickly throwing on a cropped sweater and boots I go into Alex's room grabbing a pair is sweatpants and a sweatshirt before running downstairs. Archer still sitting where I left him on the couch. I throw him the clothes demanding him to change as I lace up my untied boots.

"Ready?" He nods following me out of the house. We hop in my car and drive off towards our destination. "Where are we headed?" I quickly glance at him smiling. "You'll see." I shift gears accelerating the car.

I drive here so often I could do it blindfolded. I found this spot not to long after I got my license. I had a bad day and was driving off some of my anger when I found it. Ever since then, when I need to get away from the world I come here. My safe space. My little unknown corner of the world. Laci doesn't even know about it.

Nobody does.

I'm not going to lie, bringing him to my spot. But I've grown so close with him I can't help but trust him.

The drive is short, only fifteen minutes. Nobody knows it's here, at least not anymore. The road was closed off due to falling rocks, and was deemed to unstable. But me being me I wanted to know what was up here. When we pull up the view takes my breath away. As it always does. "What is this place?" He's not even looking at me. He's looking at the view.

My view.

My secret view that I've never shared with anyone. We both get out of the car taking in the view. I run to the wicker basket I have placed under a tree at the edge of the cliff. I brought it up here a month or so after coming here. I figured since I was here a lot I would keep some stuff here.

Grabbing my thick blanket from inside and two pillows I lay it out on the edge of the cliff, before walking back over to Archer.

"This, this is my secret spot." He looks surprised at my words. "Why are we here?" I thought about it and the answer wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. "I don't know really. I come here alot to think. It's my home away from home. The only place in the world where I can run away to and nobody can find me. It relaxes me. Being up here all alone. Nobody knows where I am, it's just me and mother nature."

"Well it's not so secret anymore." He nudges me in the side. "That's okay. It can be our little secret." I nudge him back. "Okay." He breathes out. I slowly grab his hand walking to the cliff, I sit down in the same spot I always do, urging him to sit down. He sits next to me, our legs dangling over the edge.

We don't talk, we just sit there side by side staring at the endless view of trees and waterfalls in front of us. Almost as if he isn't thinking about it he intertwines our fingers together. I look up at him confused, a blush rising to my face. He isn't even paying attention. He's just lost in thought staring ahead. I smile to myself laying my head on his shoulder. My stomach flutters again, stupid butterflies.

We stay in that position so long my butt goes numb. But I didn't care. I was perfectly content disappearing with him for a few hours. We sit in a comfortable silence. Once the sun sets he pulls me back to lay down. Arms wrapped around me as we stare at the stars. I knew I made the right decision coming here. Sharing my secret spot. Come to think of it I guess it was no longer just mine.

It was ours.

*****

"Archer?" I whisper, propping myself on my arm to look at his face. A surrender burst of confidence in me, getting ready to tell him how I felt. But he didn't respond. I turned my head to look at him. He was asleep. He looked so peaceful as he slept. Not happy, not angry, not anything, just peacefully dreaming away.

Oh well...

I'll tell him another time I guess. A frown finds my face, and my sudden confidence dwindles. Crawling back into a deep dark hole in my stomach. I guess it wasn't meant to be. At least for now in this moment I could pretend he's mine. I continued to stare at his sleeping figure, carefully brushing stray hair off of his forehead imagining what it would be like to be able to hug him whenever I pleased. Or to kiss those full lips of his. The more I thought about it, the more reality crashed on me that it wasn't real. A single tear slips out of my eye.

A stupid fucking tear.

Archer and I were just friends. I'm still in highschool for gods sake. I've always said I wouldn't date in highschool. I have to much to look forward to in life. I'm only a few hundred dollars away from buying my shop. Then it would be countless hours fixing it up to how I wanted it. I didn't have time to be falling for a guy who three months ago I could barely breathe the same air as, let alone be friends with. And now look at me, I'm my secret spot wrapped in his arms and... crying?

Besides after graduation we would go to college. I'd stay local, getting my automotive and business degrees. He would go god knows where getting a degree in his field of choice. It's what the plan has always been. So why does the thought of Archer -a guy who I've known for only three months- leaving, upset me so much.

*****

I didn't even know I fell asleep until I was being shaken awake. "Jupiter!" I jolt up. "Huh?" Looking around I realize we're still at the cliff side. "What time is it?" I question, worried I'm breaking cerfew. "It's nearly three am, we fell asleep." Shit.
We both jump up running to my car, I throw the blanket and pillows in the backseat, not bothered to fold it and put it in the wicker basket like usual. I quickly start the engine backing out onto the cracked frontage road.

We race back to town, breaking many speed limit laws. Once we pulled into town I slow down to the legal limit. Not wanting another speeding ticket. Dad would be even more pissed than he probably already was.

Peeling into the driveway we both hop out rushing up to the house. The front door flies open. "Jupiter Anne Miller, care to explain where you have been." My dad's angry voice snips out. "I- I was-" Archer cuts me off, "It's my fault sir. I got some bad news today and Jupiter was just trying to cheer me up. We went up to the cliff where the races are held and talked. We must have fallen asleep." The lie falls off his lips so smoothly I almost believe it. And I was there with him. "Is this true Jupiter?" I look up at my dad nodding. "Yes, we came back here after school to work on our project. He seemed really out of it so I decided that we should go somewhere. Get out of the house, get whatever is bothering him off of his mind. I'm sorry." I couldn't bring myself to lie to my dad. So I didn't say where I took Archer. He had already done the lying for me. "Okay, well it's late. And a school night. Don't let it happen again." He turns to Archer. "You remember where the guest room is right?"

Archer nods. "Good. It's to late for you to be walking home. I got some old clothes that should fit you for tomorrow, or you can borrow some of Alex's. I'll leave them on the counter on my way out. Get some sleep kids." With that my dad turns and walks into the house.

We both stare wide eyed towards the empty doorway. "That went better than I expected." I mumble. "Uh-huh"
We both walk up the stairs together, quietly. Once we reach my bedroom door I turn to Archer. "I'll see you in the morning I guess." He nods. "Um, goodnight." As I open the door he grabs my arm. I turn around, he looks conflicted. Like he wants to say something, or do something. With our close proximity I can feel his breath on my face. My eyes flick down to his lips. If we were a couple inches closer I could press my lips to his. He takes a deep breath before speaking.

"Thank you again for today."
"It was no problem really. Did it help?"
"More than you will ever know."
"Well good. I'm glad to be of service."
"Goodnight."
"Night."

I walk in my room feeling slightly disappointed. I should have told him! I had the perfect chance right there.

Stupid!

Maybe that's the thing though. Maybe this is a sign from the universe that Archer and I are better off friends.

I cried myself to sleep that night.