I don't know

24

Archie walked into his science lesson 15 minutes late. He didn't really like science or his seating plan. He only went as he knew Lucia would probably have his head if he didn't. And Anthony.

'You're 15 minutes late, Archie.' His teacher stated, and the whole class' attention turned to him.

'Sir, you must be Sherlock! How did you figure that out!' Archie exclaimed, imitating his brain exploding with his hands. Half of the class started laughing, most of them Archie's friends.

Mr. Baker glared at him, '15 minute detention after school, Archie.'

Archie rolled his eyes and shrugged at his teacher as he walked to the back of the room and began to sit next to Finley.

'Nope. Archie, come sit here next to Maya.' Mr Baker said, pointing to the seat next to Emily's ex best friend. He looked at Emily from the corner of his eye and saw her fidegeting at a bracelet she had on, looking down at the floor.

'Sir, come on! I'll sit next to anyone else! Anyone!' Archie said as he scoured the room and looked for any empty seats. 'I'll even sit next to Jude!'

Jude obviously did not want to sit next to Archie. He was glaring at Archie and moved up to the edge of his seat.

'Now Archie.' Mr. Baker said, his eyes poring into Archie's soul.

Archie pouted before walking over to Maya and sitting down at the end of his seat. Maya smiled as she tossed her hair over her shoulder.

'I don't want to sit next to you either.' She said, exchanging looks with her best friend. Archie ignored her as he rummaged through his bag and realised he didn't have a pen. Oh well, at least he had his book.

'Oi, Emily! You got a pen?' He asked. Mr Baker had heard him and handed him a pen. Archie sighed in defeat, taking the pen his teacher gave him. Honestly, he heard all about those American teachers  who shipped two people together. He was yet to see a teacher like that in British secondary school.

He then pulled out The Secret of Crickley Hall and handed it to Emily, who was sitting behind him. She smiled, out her pen down, and took it from him.

'You liked it?' She asked as she put it back in her bag.

'The end kinda traumatised me.' Archie replied, grinning a bit. He then turned back to writing the date, knowing Mr. Baker was staring at him yet again.

'Trust Emily to have such a big book.' Maya laughed to her friends. 'She's also probably going to drown in that skirt. Why is it so long?' She said, but she didn't try to be discreet with it. She said it loud enough for everyone in class to hear. A lot of them burst out laughing as if Maya had said the funniest thing in the world. Archie stared at Emily, waiting for her to say something. But she didn't.

She continued writing the starter down as she twirled her skirt around in her hands. Archie wanted her to say something. She couldn't let these girls keep pushing her down.

~~~

Anthony was in his nearest supermarket, trying to act normal as he could. Cam was getting his cast taken off, and Sierra and Sydney were shopping with him, Sierra obediently holding Anthony's hand, and Sydney was trying to find an escape route from the trolley She had kept dawdling off, so Anthony dumped her in the trolley so he could keep an eye on her and shop.

Strangers kept giving the girls kind smiles and Anthony sympathetic glances, and as much as he appreciated them, they didn't help much. At the end of the day, he still had triplets to deal with. If only twins didn't run in both Ally and Anthony's families.

'Anthony James, is that you!'

Anthony turned away from the different types of bread. Why were there so many types?! It was Elizabeth, his classmate, and ex.

'Eliza! How are you?' He asked, shaking her hand. Elizabeth smiled at him and shook his hand. She then looked at the girls.

'I'm good, thank you! Twins? With Ally?' She asked, grinning. She was always a bubbly soul and had broken up with Anthony because she felt he was too in love with Allison for her.

'Yes. Well, they're actually triplets. There's another one. That's Sydney and Sierra. Cam is my son, and he's with Ally getting his cast taken off.' Anthony rambled as Sierra waved shyly at Eliza.

'Oh! How's Ally?'

'She's great. She became a criminal lawyer a few years after we graduated. We actually got divorced around 7 months ago.' Anthony said. Sydney began to whine, so he began rubbing her cheek gently.

'I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked.' She apologised as Anthony reassured her it was fine. Before the silence became awkward, Amthony spoke up.

'Well, I best get going. This one's getting cranky.' He said, gesturing to Sydney. 'Do I still have your number?'

'I changed it a few years ago. Here's my business card.' She said, delving through her purse and handing him a card. 'Give me a ring.'

'I will. Thank you.' He said as she smiled at him once more before she walked away. He examined the card that read...

Johnson Wedding Planners

We make your special day worth it.

Contact Elizabeth Johnson at +44 ***** *****

Anthony grinned as he put the card back in his wallet. He needed to socialise more. His only best friends were Damon and his ex-wife. How weird is that?

'Daddy, can we please please go home now?' Sydney asked, standing up in the cart nearly squashing the bread. Anthony grabbed the bag and placed it on the other side of the trolley so Sydney wouldn't squash anything else,

'Sorry, Mel. We've still got quite a bit to do.' He said, as Sydney pouted before sitting back down. Sierra grabbed Anthony's hand again, that he had accidently let go when he was talking to Eliza.

'Who was that?' Sierra asked, looking up at her dad.

'A friend of mine.' He replied. Sierra was happy with that as she shrugged and let go of his hand and began talking to Sydney through the grates in the trolley.

Anthony shook his head before getting out his shopping list again. It felt good reconnecting with Eliza. She had changed so much since Uni. She was more confident in herself.

And Anthony, for some reason, liked that.