"We should have a Friendsgiving!" Is the first thing out of Laci's mouth as she plops down in her chair at the lunch table. Promptly scaring the shit out of me.
It's the Monday before Thanksgiving. We only have today and tomorrow for school, then the rest of the week off for the holiday. It's also been two weeks since I showed Archer my secret spot. Two weeks since I fully decided to swallow my crush and just be friends with him. And god how I have hated myself every day for doing so. We have been solely working on our project since then. I try to keep the physical contact to a minimum.
No more hugs and being thrown over his shoulder.
Well... as much as I can fight being thrown over a 6'3" man's shoulder. I don't want to get my hopes up. I've been spending more time hitting my punching bag, getting my feelings out. And even more so than that, I've spent every day at my cliff side thinking and reliving the moments we've shared together.
"A Friendsgiving eh!" Archer cuts off my inner monologue, making me jump with a small shriek. When did he get here? "I'm down, Jupe, Archer you in?" Mac chimes in. I look at Archer not knowing what to expect. He smiles at me. "We're in." We say at the same time. "Oh yay! This is so exciting! I'll invite Jacob, Mac you can bring Harper, Mike and Steffy, and J you should invite Alexander! He usually comes home for Thanksgiving right? And Archer feel free to invite whoever you want." I can't help but laugh, my heart breaking at the same time. "I'm afraid Alex won't be coming, his deployment got extended. We won't see him until Christmas." She gives me a sad smile, squeezing my hand across the table.
Alex was my older brother, five years older than I am. I don't get to see him very much as he's special forces and almost always deployed to undisclosed locations of the world.
Throughout the conversation Archer was quietly observing. "Okay so I was thinking we could do it Friday, since we all agreed no racing over holidays. The after we could go for a cruise or something." We all agree, in situations like this it's best to just let Laci do all the planning. Having learned our lesson the last time we tried to argue with her.
*****
School passed quickly, none of us actually paying attention. Laci had made a group text for the Friendsgiving.
It's settled, after Laci's amazing planning skills we would have 9 people at our friends giving.
Laci, Mac, Archer and myself. Laci invited her older brother Jacob, who was bringing his fiancé Morgan. Mac invited his siblings, Harper and Mike, who were his older twin siblings. He also invited his younger sister Steffy who was a year younger than us. Archer and I didn't have anyone to bring so we are just bringing each other.
Laci's words not mine.
Laci was currently laying on my bed making a master list of who was bringing what. Archer on the other hand was currently trying to show me his master skills of the handstand. He was epically failing while I was laughing my ass off videotaping him.
"Come on Archie just admit that you can't do a handstand and we can move on." Archer lost what little focus he had and tumbled over with a loud thud. "You messed up my concentration!" He exasperates. "No you just suck at handstands." Archer grabs the closest thing to him, which happens to be my slipper and chucks it at me. Successfully hitting the camera.
"Okay you two, before you break something come here. I think my list is done." Laci cuts off what would have been a slipper fight. We both flop on the bed next to her looking at the list. "Archer I'm not sure what you're good at making, or what you want to bring so your spot is blank." Laci points out. He scans over the list, "I can make a pie." Laci types it down, getting very giddy about our upcoming event.
Friendsgiving List
Laci- potatoes and gravy
Jacob- corn and dinner rolls
Morgan- chicken wings
Mac- Mac and cheese
Harper- drinks and cranberry sauce
Mike- green bean casserole
Steffy- napkins, plates, and cutlery
Jupiter- sweet potato casserole
Archer- Pie and whipped cream
"Did you give Mac macaroni on purpose?" I bust out in giggles, Laci gives me a knowing look. "Looks great to me Lace. This will be great!" I give her a squeeze as she forwards the message to the group chat. "Quick question. Who are all of these people?" The thought never occurred to me that Archer wouldn't know who anyone was. So Laci and I explained to him all of the siblings and significant others.
"Okay and who is.... Aaron? No... Andrew. Wait no... Alex? And why can't he come?" He was trying so hard, it was cute. "Alex is my older brother, he's special forces. He was supposed to be home for Thanksgiving but his deployment got extended." Archer doesn't say anything, just wraps an arm around my shoulder in a side hug. I tried my best not to stiffen in his hug.
*****
Thanksgiving came and went as usual. Dad never really did anything after mom left. So we ate turkey tv dinners and watched football. I even showed him some of my racing videos that Archer has helped me make. We FaceTimed with Alex. Very relaxed. The holidays just werent the same since mom left.
It's now 11:30 am Friday, the sweet potatoes are in the crock pot, and Archers pie is in the oven, as his oven at home was broken. "Hey Arch, I'm gonna go change. If I'm not down in five will you stir the crock pot?" I shout running upstairs, not bothering to wait for his response. We had to leave at noon so I had thirty minutes to get ready.
My hair was already wavy from braiding it the night before. I quickly pulled half of it into a messy bun up top, letting the rest of my hair fall down my back in waves. I thankfully did my makeup before Archer got here, so I wasn't in a major rush.
Laci had sent us a dress code. Why we needed a dress code for Friendsgiving I'll never know. But over the nearly 16 years of friendship with her I've learned not to argue, you just listen. Girls were expected to wear dresses, guys a button down shirt and slacks. Ties were also 'suggested' so in Laci's terminology it meant required.
I stripped out of my clothes, throwing on a sparkly red spaghetti strap dress. The strap ripped as I was pulling it over my bum. Not having time to fix it, I quickly ripped it off running to my closet to grab a new dress. "Princess did you want me to-" I screamed as Archer walked into my room, his eyes going wide. "Archer out!" He quickly slammed the door shut. My cheeks flamed red, knowing he clearly saw me in my red lace bra and underwear set. "Now is not the time to freak out." I mutter to myself. God how embarrassing!
Finding a black three quarter sleeve with a black and white plaid skirt I threw that on instead. I paired it with black heels, and some silver pin earrings. I decide to take my time getting dressed. Not quite ready to face Archer after the whole almost seeing me naked fiasco. After fiddling with my bun for far to long I check the time. We have ten minutes until we have to leave and I still need to put toasted marshmallows on the potatoes. I just hope he doesn't say anything.
I walk down the stairs as slowly as I can, taking far to long to look at the pictures that have been lining the staircase for years. I can see Archer in the kitchen leaning over the open oven. I walk into the kitchen and beeline for the crock pot. "I... Umm... I already put the marshmallows in, I ho-hope that's okay." By his stuttering I would guess he's just as embarrassed as I am. Great...
So that's what he must have been trying to ask me. God I feel like an asshole now.
"Um.... Yeah that's fine. I was just about to do that. What else needs to be done?" I decide not to bring up what happens upstairs. I'm to embarrassed. "Nothing, I think we're ready to go." I just nod, unplugging the crock pot and start walking to the front door.
Archers tie was crooked, which wouldn't fly with Laci. I set down the crock pot walking over to him. "Let me fix that for you." Without looking him in the eye I gingerly fixed his crooked tie. Smiling to myself, I finally looked up at him to see his eyes already on me. "There all better." I whisper, awkwardly clear my throat grabbing the crock pot.
"Here let me get that for you."
He leans down from behind me opening the door. "Thanks." I awkwardly clear my throat.
It's gonna be a long day.
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Jupiter ✔️
Teen Fiction"I'll always be there for you." "Always?" "Always." ********** All her life it's only been one thing for Jupiter Miller. The thrill of being behind the wheel. She's never cared about boys, or falling in love. Or any of that other teenage garbage. Sh...
