Chasing Jupiter ✔️

Seventeen

"Archer? What are you doing here?" I slowly stand up from my rock throwing, facing him. My blanket still firmly wrapped around my shivering body.

"Laci found me at school..." He trailed off. Knowing Laci, Archer probably got screamed at.

He looked cold, only wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. His ears were bright red, same as his cheeks. His lips were slightly purple, and his hands were stuffed deep in his pockets. I didn't see his car, or any car but mine for that matter. "How- how did you get here?" He shrugs looking embarrassed. "I walked." What! "You walked!" I rush over to him giving him my blanket, which he gladly accepts. "You fucking idiot why would you do that?" I shout, shoving his shoulders causing him to stumble slightly. "Af-after Laci yelled at me I stormed out of the school. I knew a w-wall would clear my head. And I guess I ended up here..." He trailed off. The school was at least a thirty minute drive from here. He must have been walking for hours.

"I um... I also wanted to make sure you were okay... Laci was really upset that you weren't there. Claiming you were in a 'mood' and it was my fault or something. I tried to call to check on you. For her I mean. But uh.. you didn't answer so..." My face fell. I don't know why it hurt that he only wanted to check on me for Laci's sake. "Well I'm fine..." I didn't even know what to say. He nods turning to leave, he places my blanket on the hood of the Jeep walking away.

"So that's it huh?" I spoke without thinking. He stops, still turned away from me. "You're just going to leave. With absolutely no explanation as to why you've been ignoring me?" I growl. I can't tell if his body was shaking from anger or the cold. I knew I was angry, pissed actually. One minute he is ignoring me, the next he cares. His mood swings are giving me whiplash! "I came to see if you were okay. You look fine to me, now I'm leaving."

He started walking away again. But I wasn't having it. I'd get him to talk one way or another. From the looks of it, I'd have to push his buttons until he snaps. "Typical." I scoff, he stops again. "What?" It's working, I can hear the anger in his voice. "Typical Archer, one minute you're my best friend, the next you're just gone." I pause, taking a deep breath. "So GO! Leave! Just like you always do!" He pulls his hands out of his sweatshirt pocket, hands balled into fists. "Leave just like everyone else does!" He's close to snapping I know it.

Did I really want to pick a fight right now? Yes. Yea I did.

"Why do you even care huh? Why come all the way up here to 'check on me' when you knew you were just going to leave? Why waist my time? Or is hurting me just something you enjoy doing!" He whips around, nothing but fury on his face. I knew I just delivered the kill shot, and a definite argument was about to ensue. But I didn't care. Arguing with him was better than the radio silence I was getting. I take a slow deep breath knowing what I had just gotten myself into.

"You think I don't care?" His booming voice echos around the clearing. "I know you don't!" I don't know why I continued to push his buttons, maybe for my own sick pleasure of him feeling an ounce of the pain I'm feeling. "How?!" I could feel his anger radiating from here. "If you truly cared about being my friend you wouldn't shut me out and act like I don't exist for weeks!"

Archer storms up to me standing nearly nose to nose with me, I look up at his face glaring at him. This reminds me of the night we first met. When I kneed him in the balls.
"You don't get it do you!" I was seriously getting flashbacks with his screaming. "Get what? How am I supposed to get it if you don't tell me what I'm supposed to get?!" I tried to shove him. But he was prepared for it this time, so he didn't budge. Instead he grabbed both of my hands pinning them between us. "This isn't working Jupiter!" He went from screaming to growling, almost animalistic. "What isn't working? We aren't anything to work anyways!"

Archer turns and begins walking away again, he only makes it five steps before stopping. Huffing and puffing, his shoulders were shaking. He turns around and I could see it, tears in his eyes. I just didn't know if they were tears of anger or sadness. Taking three long strides and he was back infront of me, towering over me again. Pretty much chest to chest only a whisper of air between us, I had to look up to see his face. "I can't do this anymore princess." If it wasn't for the close proximity, I wouldn't have heard him. His voice cracks, he sounds so broken. "You can't do what Archie? I don't understand what you are talking about. I get it, during the races and everything Ive always been able to predict the next move but-" I huff. "But you're not a car archer and I'm not a mind reader-"

He put his hand on my waist; shutting me up from my tangent. I look down shocked and confused. Before I could start again he tugs my body flush with his. A gentle squeeze if my waist I look up into his clover eyes. My heart hammering in my chest, I knew there was no way he couldn't feel my heart pounding out of my chest. I almost forget how to breath.
Instinctively I lick my lips when his eyes dart down to them. Once again the clover orbs hold me captive. His hand on my waist trails up my body to hold my cheek. My breathing is out of control at this point.

Noses touching, he mumbles. "We can't be friends anymore Jupiter." I couldn't even open my mouth to question him before my whole world lit up in fireworks. I was going to question what he meant. We'd been doing perfectly fine at being friends; I think? I mean I was dealing with my own emotions but I would never let them ruin our friendship. But the moment his lips pressed to mine, I knew he was right. We can't be friends. Without my permission my hands find their way to his hair tugging it, causing a throaty moan. That was all it took for Archer to pick me up by my ass and slam me against the nearest object.

Was it a tree? My car? I didn't care, I put everything I had into kissing him.

Kissing Archer.

Tears began falling without my permission. Why the fuck was I crying?

Permanently engraving the feeling of his lips on mine into my mind, body, and soul. A bite to my bottom lip causes me to moan loudly. My lungs are on fire, I don't care. All I care about is the feeling right now.

I gasp for air as he pulls away, quickly turning into a moan when his lips touch the soft spot on my neck. "Archie!" He bites down causing yet another moan. Rolling my head to the side to give him more room. Peppering kisses up my neck, across my jaw, and finally one last long peck to the lips he pulls away resting his forehead on mine.

There are no words for the perfection that was that kiss. Its not my first kiss, but God I wish it was. This was way better than that game of spin the bottle in the seventh grade. "That was better than I imagined." I let out a breathless laugh at his words. "You're right." I nod.

He smirks opening his eyes. "About what princess?"
"We can't be friends." I slam my lips back to his before he can question me.

*****

"So is this why you haven't been speaking to me?"

We were sitting at the edge of the cliff, both wrapped up in the blanket. "Yeah... Not my brightest move I'll admit. But it was getting so hard Princess. Being around you and not being able to hold you, to kiss you, any of it. So I decided to back off, hoping the feelings would go away." So this whole time he was feeling the same way as I was. "We could have saved ourselves alot of trouble if we just talked to the other." I let out a breath laugh. "Well at least we know now." He grabs the tip of my chin bringing me in for a toe curling kiss. Once again leaving me breathless.

"I guess it we should just make up for lost time then."