Accidentally Good & Bad

Chapter 23

This- this is how I die.

The dreaded school has arrived, my friends. Goodbye. Sayonara. Adios. Aloha.

"Manhattan, open the car door and get out. Go to school!" I turn my head from staring out the window, already planning my funeral, to look at William Griffin. I pick at the straps of my black overalls and shift my white t-shirt underneath it.

"Hmm," I hum slowly, dragging out the m, "Rather not." I throw in a cheeky grin that makes Will smile against his will.

"Hattan," Will warns me. I twirl my two boxer braids and begin to think of some deadly disease that could make me get out of school.

"But you see, I have - erm - bird fever! Yeah, totally!" I nod my head furiously. "And my head hurts oh so much!"

"Manhattan, you know I love you, you're  basically my sister, but you're an idiot. Bird fever affects your stomach. Get out the car!" 

I curse under my breath and slump deeper into the passenger seat of Will's sleek black Lexus. He openly curses and gets out of the car. I grin triumphantly, thinking I've won until my own door opens. Will leans over me to unbuckle my seatbelt and lifts me out of the car. He sets me down by the trunk so he can race back to the car, close the door, and lock it.

"Will!" I whine, uncaring that I sound like a 8 year old.

"You're more difficult than Lillia!" Will exclaims, speaking of his 6 year old little sister.

"She is an angel!" I protest, defending her.

"There's something you and Archer both agree about. How about you two talk about that after confessing your love for each other?"

I gape at Will before glaring daggers at him. "Real slick, Griffin." 

"Come on, Hattan! Let's go!" Will groans. I open my mouth to say some sarcastic remark back but instead, I yelp as he grabs my arm and drags me off toward the school. 

"I hate you," I mumble, mostly to myself. But Will, with is crazy hyper-hearing hears me.

"You love me!"

"Do not!" 

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do-"

"Are y'all done arguing like children yet?"

Will and I stop our arguing to turn to stare at a very amused looking Parker. His arms are crossed, his signature backwards grey snapback on, and classic black Ray Bans. His grey v-neck defines his toned body and his black and white flannel shows off strong arms. Black skinny jeans and black vans complete his look. Parker yawns a little, his v-neck riding up. 

"Park, what's that?" I ask, pointing and squinting at ink written on- I'm not even kidding - his 'V-Line'. 

"Nothing!" Parker shouts very loudly, grabbing the hem of his shirt and yanking it down. I cross my arms now and glare at him.

Will chuckles amusedly next to me. "Parker, she was bound to find out. Just tell her!" 

I let out a loud gasp and turn my deadly glare onto Will, who throws his hands up in surrender. "You knew?" I demand. He shrugs in return.

Parker lifts up the hem of his grey v-neck, barely, to reveal scripted writing tattooed onto his defined v-line. It's in cursive, and takes me a moment to read. I gasp, yet again, "Is that my name?" There it is, my name on Parker's skin? Forever!

Parker shrugs. "Yeah. I got one for all of us." He slides off his flannel, throwing it so it hangs off my face as he displays his other two tattoos. On his forearms are tattooed wings, but on a feather larger than all of the others; are names. On his right arm is Will's name, and on his left is Archer's . It's pretty spectacular. 

"I got some too," Will pipes up. As I toss Parker back his flannel, I command Will to show me. 

Will pushes the sleeves of his crewneck up to reveal wings too, Parker's name on his left arm and Archer's on his right arm. Then he - GET THIS - takes off his shirt completely!  Passing girls stop to drool at Will's display of rock hard abs and arms. His jeans hanging low on his hips show the thick band of his Calvin Klein underwear. Will does the same thing, tosses his shirt to hang off my face. I take it off quickly to search my name. It's engraved into his skin right where the center of his chest is, an arrow running through the letters. 

As I give Will his shirt back, I smile at the two of them. "Aw, you guys this is so sweet!" They grin cheekily at me but the grins slip off their faces when I glare at them, for maybe the billionth time this morning. "And y'all left me out?"

"We didn't think you'd be into this stuff!" Parker defends them. 

"Of course I would!" I scoff.

"Hey, guys."

I turn around to see Archer, looking straight down at me. His blonde hair is messy, but still neat as if he had gelled it but was running his hands through it nervously. He's wearing his signature white v-neck with a colored pocket on his left breast, skinny khakis, and black Vans. I see that unlike the other boys, he's flaunting his tattoos instead of hiding them. He has the boys' names on the wings like the others, but I can't find my name.

"Looking for yours?" He asks me softly. I can't seem to comprehend words today, so instead I silently nod. He tugs down his shirt collar to reveal my name in cursive on his collar bone. He lets go his shirt collar quickly, but I don't miss how the n in my name curls off into a small outline of a heart.

"I want one," I tell Will and Parker.

"Manhattan-" Archer begins.

"I'll see you guys after school," I say right when the bell rings. I walk off quickly into the school, hoping to disappear to first period.

"Thought you could escape me?" A husky voice whispers in my ear when I pause by my locker. I jump up, hand on my heart, panting as I turn around to see my 'attacker'. Archer. Of course. Dandy. 

"I was hoping too," I answer honestly, newfound confidence surging through my veins. I lift my chin, meeting Archer's dark eyes.

"And why is that?" Archer smirks. 

"Why do you think?" I challenge him.

"I think it's because of a certain," Archer begins slowly, pausing for effect, "kiss that happened, somewhat recently." 

"Oh really!" I mock surprise, sarcasm dripping from my words. "And why is that?" I cross my arms and cock my head to the side, favoring the left.

"Because you wanted it, but are too afraid to admit it." 

Confidence drops out of me and out the door, making it's way to the planet Venus. I drop my gaze down to our shoes, admiring our Vans and Converse. 

"Manhattan." Archer uses a single finger to lift up my chin and bring my face mere centimeters from his. "Is there anything you want to say to me?" 

"No."

I break from his grasp, sliding out and walking to first period. 

"Manhattan!"

I can't help the big smile breaking out onto my face. 

Archer Scott you will be the death of me.