In 27 Days (Watty Award Winner 2012)

Chapter 26

Archer placed a finger under my chin and tilted my face up towards his so he could press his lips against mine. Never mind the fact that we were currently standing on the curb outside JFK and there were tons of people walking around us. I sure didn't mind.

"You know, if you say good morning like that every day, I won't mind," I said dazedly when he leaned back.

"I'll make a note of it," Archer said, smirking. "Have a good day, Hadley."

I gave an exaggerated eye roll. "Have a good day, Archer."

Archer gave a laugh, leaning down to kiss me again, then turned and strode off through the front doors.

"So, he must be a good kisser, 'cause otherwise you wouldn't be blushing like that."

I glanced over my shoulder and gave Taelor a wary look as I walked inside JFK. She had a huge smirk on her face and looked all self knowing, walking along beside me.

I shrugged, clearing my throat. "He's alright."

"Oh, please," Taelor snorted. "He looks like he has amazing lips."

I stared at Taelor in amazement. "I thought you thought he was ugly."

Taelor gave me a look akin to staring at some leech. "Ah, that would be a no. I think he's weird, not unattractive. On the contrary, he's quite attractive."

"Yeah, well..." I trailed off, looking away from her. "He is."

Thankfully the home room bell rang right that second, preventing any other awkward conversation that had been about to happen.

I was thanking my lucky stars for that one.

I bid Taelor goodbye and walked off for Mrs. Anderson's German classroom.

Mrs. Anderson had been a little more normal of the late, ever since my conversation with her last week. She was in the habit of giving me a smile whenever I walked into home room and every so often she would say "Keep your chin up, Hadley!" when I passed her in the halls.

It was actually nice, having a small bit of encouragement now and then.

I waltzed into home room with my head in the clouds, remembering the feeling of Archer's lips against mine.

Yeah, he really was one hell of a kisser.

I barely listened to Mrs. Anderson's announcements. I was too lost in my own thoughts.

I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, if things went well between Archer and I until next Monday, then everything was going to turn out just dandy. From what I could tell, relationships were always a bit rocky in the beginning, weren't they? And Archer and I weren't really what you could call a normal couple or whatever. There was a good chance we weren't going to make it, I knew that much. But I wanted to be with him so badly I was willing to take that chance anyway.

Wasn't he?

I gave Mrs. Anderson an energetic wave and a bright smile as I left room. I floated my way along the hallways, ignoring the weird looks I was getting from the people at their lockers. Hell, I didn't even mind that I was going to chemistry - the next worst class besides geometry.

But all that flew out of the back of my mind when a man walked through the class room door, brief case in hand, looking very pleased to be here.

"Hello, class. I am Mr....Smith. I shall be your substitute today."

It was Havoc.

Silence in the chemistry lab fell immediately and the entire class stared at the guy who called himself Mr. Smith. He waltzed into the room like he owned the place, dropping his brief case onto the desk, and reached around to grab a piece of chalk off the chalkboard. He scrawled the name Mr. Smith on the board in elegant script, dropped the chalk, dusted off his hands, and turned to the rest of us with an eerily wide smile.