love bites and dog fights

Chapter One

Archer woke up from a deep sleep with the Sun in his eyes. His eyes went blurry as he sat up to check his phone. Crap. It was a quarter past 11am, he'd definitely overslept. He hated having an early class but it was also his favorite one despite being late or missing it all together often. He hardly saw a reason in getting up since his next class was at 1 and he was feeling completely unmotivated to go.

Eventually, after many scrolls and videos he got up and took a shower. The hot water running down his back felt good and he took mental note of how it felt. He'd been taking lots of mental notes recently, apparently it's supposed to help him stay in the moment. Which he didn't really understand because wasn't he supposed to think of the feelings later? How could that be "in the moment" if he's thinking about the past? He thought about that for a while and then dried off and put on his traditional uniform of clothes. He always wore a plain colored tee with sweatpants, no matter the weather or occasion. He would sometimes spice it up with a jacket but even they weren't very notable. Which was fine with him, he liked going unnoticed. He was less likely to embarrass himself and get shaky if he simply didn't interact.

He looked in the mirror and lightly styled his hair. He didn't really care about his appearance but his mom always noticed if something was slightly off just by the way his hair was styled. Not that he was expecting to see her today, but just in case. His mom was always busy. It didn't bother Archer much but sometimes he wishes he had a more involved mother. His mom was a special kind of distant. She wasn't neglectful or rude, more of a friendly relationship than it was son and mother though. Then again he was in college, he's supposed to be more independent.

He walked back to his room and collapsed into his chair. He should have been more worried about the time to ensure he got to his next class on time but he didn't really care. He launched up his computer and checked some emails, nothing eventful. He sighed and checked the time, 11:47. He felt as though time was moving in slow motion and was becoming increasingly aware of the silence of the house. After some thought he decided he should go for a drive and maybe take himself out to lunch. He tugged on his favorite pair of shoes and noticed that the soles were deteriorating. Great. One more thing to worry about losing.

Not many people noticed Archer's decline over the past year. To him it was significant but it's hard for others to notice when he himself was so unremarkable. Archer knew his mom blamed herself for the state he was in. That made him feel guilty but in many ways it was her fault.

Last year in May, his brother, Easton, was in a car accident. He was killed on impact and the only thing Archer had to remind him of Easton was a dog that Easton adored. After lots of insisting, their mom let Easton bring home a stray puppy named Eden. That dog was everything to Easton. They went everywhere together and caused lots of trouble. Archer knew she was a lot to handle and they were both too saddened at the sight of Eden to really give her proper care and attention. He hated his mom for getting rid of the one thing Easton truly loved other than his family.

Suddenly, Archer felt a tear roll down his cheek. He rarely cried but when he did it always surprised him. He shook his head and started out the door and decided walking was a better idea. He needed the fresh air and wanted to clear his mind. Archer started walking but knew nothing was really going to make him feel better. The Sun was beating down on him and made him feel warm which helped him not cry but he was barely hanging on.

After roughly 20 minutes Archer landed himself at a small cafe. It seemed to be fairly new because Archer had never seen it before. He entered and was greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and bread. He felt comforted by the smell and even willed himself to smile at the lady behind the counter. He decided to order an iced coffee with caramel and a blueberry scone. He found himself a seat near the back of the cafe in a corner by a window.

He loved being in quietly busy places where he could watch people. He often read in cafes and watched the environment change as people came and went. Today there were very few people. He didn't know what to expect out of this setting considering he'd never been there before. It seemed calm and he allowed himself to relax as he took a long sip of coffee. Across the street he saw some kids playing catch with their dog. It made him think of Easton and Eden. He looked away to remain composed.

Easton was Archer's best friend. Easton was shorter than Archer, who stood about 6 feet 3 inches. They often joked about Archer's height calling him "Top Shelf" because he would often help their mom at stores and in the kitchen when she wanted things that were higher up. Easton and Archer were only a few months apart in age but looked drastically different. Archer had short black hair that he lightly spiked and a slight stubble with a dark look in his eyes. Not a hostile look, just an "I've seen a lot of stuff" look. Easton also had black hair but his was a bit longer, falling at his ears. Easton looked so young and innocent. He was very popular back in high school and loved to learn. He had a very young demeanor and seemed more outgoing than Archer.

After a few minutes of deep thought Archer noticed the cafe had gotten busier. There were many groups of people who looked around his age, maybe older. He saw a couple nuzzled in a booth and silently laughed at them. To him love was a scam, didn't matter if it was romantic or brotherly, he always felt cheated. Ever since Easton passed away, Archer's view on life had been much more negative. He saw the clouds in the sky on a sunny day as a threat for rain. He saw flowers not for their beauty but for their soon death. Easton always helped him see the brighter side of things. With out him Archer was stuck to fend his thoughts off alone.

He noted the sadness he'd been feeling since this morning and tried to think of the hot shower. How calm and at peace he felt, how comforting the water was, how nice it felt to be clean. After some time he decided he should head home. He finished his scone and started his walk home.