Chasing Jupiter ✔️

Sixteen

It's official. Archer was ignoring me. Ever since the night in the truck bed he's been different. He won't talk to me, we haven't met to work on our project. It's just been radio silence. I've tried to talk to him at school and he just brushes me off with one worded excuses.

I guess I thought things were different...

It's only been a little over two weeks and I miss him.

The bruise on my face finally healed, but the bruises on my heart weren't so easily repaired. Thankfully my mother hasn't tried to contact me. Of maybe she did and just couldn't because I blocked her number. But she hasn't shown up at my door so that's a plus. Alex on the other hand has been taking time every day to send me a message asking me how I'm doing. Sure some of his messages came in at three am but again, he could be half way across the globe and I wouldn't know. I still feel extremely guilty for walking out that day. I mean I hadn't seen my brother in months, and I only got to see him for that day. And I left...

It's December 16th. My birthday. My eighteenth birthday to be exact.

Something I had been so excited for since I was little, I always wanted to throw a huge birthday bash for myself. Instead of wanting to exactly that I just wanted to be alone. Dad even called me out of school, he can clearly see that I haven't been myself. "You're sure you don't want me to stay home with you?" He had asked. "No dad I'm fine really. I'll probably be out most of the day anyways. I need to take a drive, get in the right head space. I can't keep missing school this close to semester finals." He just kissed me on the head promising to take me to Olive Garden for dinner.

Even the mention of dinner made me think of Archer. God I was pathetic.

*****

I spent the better part of my morning beating up my punching bag. But even that wasn't helping. It was cold outside. But I needed to go for a drive. I needed to clear my head. I put on a black sweater, ripped jeans, my vans, and a beanie. I wasn't in the mood for makeup, so I kept my face bare.

A text dinged through my phone. A huge part of me was hoping it was Archer. I knew it wouldn't be him. My chest contracted, disappointment flowing through me when I confirmed it wasn't. It was Laci.

L: Happy birthday!!!! Where are you!?
J: Not coming to school.
L: Is everything okay???
J: Fine. Just a lot on my mind.
L: It's Archer... Isn't it?

I don't reply, shutting my phone off throwing it on my bed. I run out of the house, leaving my phone. I wouldn't need it anyways.

I pause getting, my handle on the Jeep door. My car sadly has been put away for the winter as racing season was over and my car couldn't handle the snow. Glancing at my front yard a memory hits my brain.

Archer carrying me over his shoulder. He throws me on the ground. "Archer what are you-" Archer throws the leaves at my face. "Did you really carry me all the way up here to throw leaves in my face?"

I jump in my jeep, slamming the door. I really need to get out of my own head.

*****

I drove up to the field, where the races were held. I couldn't bring myself to go the my secret mountaintop. I was trying to avoid thoughts of Archer. And now my spot is consumed with memories of him. Pulling up I'm reminded of the night we met.

"Watch where you're going!"
"Me?! You're the one who slammed into my shoulder. Watch where you're going asshole."
A small sad smile plays at my lips. Things were so different back then. Simpler even. No crush, no feelings, no heartache. My only concern was my car, winning races, and saving money for my shop. Things were so different now.
I came here trying to avoid thinking of him. But as I park my car, he's still the only thing on my mind. I just wish he would talk to me. I thought we were friends. He was my best friend next to Laci. Did I do something wrong? Why can't things go back to the way they were before? Why am I feeling this way?

I'm sitting here parked staring at my name plate in front of me, glancing over I see his sign. And I think back to Halloween.

"Don't worry, I won't let you trip Arch."
"So where you parked is fine and dandy-" I walk around behind him grabbing the blindfold untying it. "- but I think a this spot would be better." I pull the material off of his face.

I shake my head turning my face towards the field, trying to shake his face out of my mind. It doesn't help.

"Well princess." He holds out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

Being here wasn't helping. Everywhere I looked I thought of him. I hated it. Four months ago I didn't even know he existed. When I did meet him I hated him. And now, well now he was always on my mind. Letting out a huge sigh I started my Jeep and began driving.

*****

I didn't even know where I was going. I passed by the local Olive Garden and more memories flash through my brain.

"Is this the part where you admit you're an ax murderer and kill me?"

I step on the accelerator, my Jeep slipping a bit on a patch if ice. I needed to get out of here. Why was he everywhere!

Driving past the school, I still only see him.

"Well a princess always gets what she wants right? Unlike you though some of us can't afford everything on daddy's credit card."
"Listen here fucker. You DON'T know me. You don't know my life so don't go around assuming anything about me. GOT IT!"
"Crystal clear partner."

*****

Pulling up to my little mountain top my mind goes to two weeks ago.

"Laci called  me in a panic, after your dad called her asking if you went to her house. Everyone has been looking for you for hours. Wondering where you could be. Then about an hour ago your dad mentioned that maybe you might not want to be found, and just need some time. And it hit me, I knew you were here."

Even in my special spot all I could think about was him. I jump out of the Jeep slamming the door. I walk to the basket grabbing the blanket, still neatly folded inside of it, deciding I won't need the pillows.

When I reach the cliff I don't lay the blanket down like I usually would. I wrap it around my body sitting down cross legged. My head falling into my hands.

I just want my brain to turn off, at least for a little while. At least on my birthday. I never wanted to be that girl. That one stupid girl in all the movies, and all of the books. The one hung up on some stupid guy. Hoping that they would magically come to their senses and fall in love with them. It just hurts.

If life were a movie Archer would come up with some grand gesture to tell me he feels the same way I do.

Something like serenading me in front of the school, or kissing me in the rain, or even something as simple as looking me in the eyes when we're alone and pouring his heart out to me. We would kiss, fall in love and have our happily ever after. If my life were a movie he would be here right now, apologizing and confessing his feelings. And some sappy bullshit song would be playing in the background.

But my life wasn't a movie, and this was real life. We were real people. He was the closed off 'new kid' a complete mystery wrapped up in a enigma, who had some sort of issues going on. I was the girl who cared more about her cars than anything else. The girl with a crappy upbringing.

*****

I spend the next god knows how long staring out into the view, tossing rocks over the edge of the cliff. Watching them fall, turning into tiny specks of nothing. In a way I felt like those rocks in that moment. A tiny speck of nothing. I had become so focused on my rock throwing that I stopped thinking completely. Not about my birthday, not about my mom, my best friend, not about cars, not even about Archer. All I was thinking about was rocks.

I was officially going insane.

In fact I was so focused on my rock throwing I didn't even hear footsteps approaching me. "Princess?" Great now I was hearing him. I let out a cynical laugh. "I'm going certifiably insane." I hiccuped a giggle. "Jupiter!" No that was definitely his voice. I whip my head around so quickly, I thought I gave myself whiplash.

"Archer?"