Don't Call Me Baby

9 | YOU BELONG WITH ME

It's been exactly ten minutes since me and Archer parted ways and I'm already regretting it.

I know, I know. It was a stupid decision to just let go of him when I'm aware that even if we don't proceed with the relationship thing, I'd still be heartbroken anyway.

There seems to be no right answer, no right way to save both mine and Archer's hearts.

So the only thing I can do is lock myself up in my room, throw myself on my bed and stare dumbly at the star-covered ceiling. The yellowish light that the stars emit makes my racing mind less anxious, although the thoughts and memories still come crashing in waves, merciless and cruel to my already broken heart.

Right now, I wish I never really met Archer Finn and I never really found myself attracted to him.

I can't blame myself, though, because at first it didn't seem like something that incredibly life changing; I never thought he would be my first love...

It was a bright, warm day in the middle of October, completely non characteristic for my small town near the Atlantic ocean. Every student in my school was gossiping about the new guy in town and how hot he was. As a fifteen year old girl, whose sexual interests hadn't crossed the line of reading smut stories online about her favorite book characters, I didn't really find any appeal in the 'new hot guy' aesthetic, nor in real guys in general. People in my school always failed to impress me in any way so I doubted the new addition would be any different.

After lunch that day I was quietly rummaging through my locker, trying to find a lost pen, because the current one had oh-so-conveniently stopped working right before my math exam. Annoyed and pretty uncomfortable by not being able to reach the top shelf of my locker, I started cursing under my breath, seemingly angry at the entire world. This attitude complimented my already emo image where a band tee and raccoon-inspired eyeliner were my staple. I had a particularly bad taste in fashion because my only cool pair of jeans was the one with the rips on the knees and I couldn't wear them to school because of some stupid code that for some reason only affected the girls. 'This is a learning institution, which doesn't tolerate any distractions and because half the people who study here are horny guys who can't keep it in their pants, girls shouldn't wear anything that reveals more than their ankles and wrists!' Alright, it wasn't exactly what principal Mavron said when we first entered high school, but it was pretty close.

"Need help with that?" I suddenly heard a voice behind me and a person who was admirably taller than me was looking at me with curious eyes. I hadn't met that person before which meant that this was surely the new guy in town. I had to admit that he wasn't ugly, but his physical features weren't what really made him special in my eyes. Instead it was something completely ordinary to anyone who isn't me.

"Do you need help? I saw you struggling to get to the top shelf and I decide to see if I can help." At first I looked at him with suspicion.

Why was he so nice to me?

Was he making fun of my height?

Somehow those questions faded away when I scanned his expression and found no mockery in his eyes. There was no catch or trick behind this, he genuinely just wanted to help.

And let me tell you, genuineness isn't something that any of the other students here possess.

"Yeah. I could use a hand. I'm searching for a pen because I have a math exam next period." I blurb out and mentally slap myself for being so obviously nervous and embarrassed to have needed someone else's help for something this dumb.

He noticed my reaction but only waved it away with a soft chuckle that for some reason made my cheeks turn pink.

This guy almost ennerved me with how genuine and open he acted. I could read him like a book and that sucked, because I couldn't find anything troubling in his demeanor.