Wrong Time

Chapter 11: Hopes

·Grace's POV·

One week over, countless more to go. Everyone is always looking forward to the weekend, but the reason for my cheerfulness is another one, different from the rest. Mine's Archer.

I shouldn't be this attached to him, because there's no future for me by his side. As much as I hate to admit it, he's dead.

My smile suddenly disappeared. The only guy I've felt something remotely close to liking is dead, and we can't do anything about it. Is this even fair?

I pulled my car over, in front of my grandpa's house. I proceeded to knock on the door and wait for him to show up.

"Gracie, it's so nice to see you again honey!"

"You too grandpa. You will be seeing me very often during the weekends."

"How so?" he asked curiously.

"Let's say I see this town from a new perspective. It has grown on me somehow."

"I love hearing that Gracie, not as much as I love the idea of you coming here for the weekends. Wonderful news!" He clapped his hands out of enthusiasm. "Anyway, I was heading to the cemetery, you know, to put a bouquet of roses on your grandmother's gravestone. Do you want to accompany me?"

"You don't have to ask, it's been ages since I last visited grandma. It's time."

After our conversation, we started walking to the local graveyard. I still remember my beautiful grandma. She was so full of life, always happy. Her name was Rose, that's why my grandfather always gived her a bouquet of said kind of flowers on special occasions. It made me emotional seeing grandpa still continuing the tradition every month. I want that kind of love, the immortal kind. Even if death do us part, we will find our way back to each other.

That's not what you think about Archer.

Why is my subconscious so damn annoying? It's not the same! It would be insane if I dated a ghost! No matter how attractive, funny, caring, intelligent and kind he is... With his cold facade and heart of gold...

GRACE, STOP IT RIGHT THERE!

We spotted my grandma's gravestone after two minutes. I left my grandpa to have some time alone with his wife and I ventured the graveyard. In the middle of this place, some kind of huge memorial stone could be spotted. There was something written:

"In memorial of the deceased children during the fire in St. George's Juvenile Correctional on the 31st October 1978"

At both sides of that inscription, all the children's niches were located.

I had to find Archer's.

I read every name on every niche one by one, but I wasn't able to find the one I was looking for. Why wasn't Archer's body here? The rest of his old colleagues were.

I must tell him, maybe he remembers something else about that awful day...

Next thing I did was return to my grandma's grave and talk about everything that's been going on in my life "with her". I don't know if she'll hear me from wherever she is, but it comforts me anyway. It was my grandpa's turn to give me some privacy.

Call it intuition, but if my grandmother had been here, I know she would have understood. She was such a compassionate angel.

With tears threatening to leave my eyes, I told my grandfather that I needed some alone time. He just nodded his head, being as affected as I was. Nonetheless, said time wasn't just to mourn our loss, but to go and find Archer as fast as my legs let me.

                               ***

It took me fifteen eternal minutes to arrive to St. George from the cemetery running. Just as if Archer had felt my presence, he waited for me at the entrance with his signature smirk. I bet he enjoys seeing me so flustered.

Well buddy, the news I have for you are worth the effort.

"Took you long enough." He said to me when I was close enough to him.

"Sorry, I felt like jogging around the neighborhood." I rolled my eyes at him.

Archer couldn't suppress the laughter any longer. It was quite the sight, watching him laughing so carelessly, not minding the tough quest ahead of both of us. And the fact that it was me who provoked that beautiful sound meant everything.

Grace, tell him.

"In all seriousness, I'm glad you're finally here. Not being around you got me waiting with bated breath for the weekend."

"Same here. But now that we're being serious, I have to tell you something."

"Sure, come in."

We headed to our secret spot, somewhere where we knew we were safe and out of reach.

"Tell me those news then."

"It's about your body's whereabouts."

"What about them?"

"You know that your colleagues and you were supposed to be buried in the local graveyard, right?"

"As far as I'm concerned, yeah."

How can I break this to him? Should I do it bluntly? Maybe that's the best way...

"Grace, I can bear it. Don't worry about me, just let it out love." He reassured me, taking my hand in his.

I squeezed it and Archer returned the gesture. That was all the incentive I needed.

"Neither your name nor your corpse are there. I've looked for them around the memorial, but it was useless."

Pure shock appeared on his face, eyes wide open.

"How... We were all supposed to be there..."

"That's my concern."

"Grace... You know what this means?"

"No?"

He suddenly smiled, like I've told him the best news he's heard in a while.

"Just think about it. I don't remember how I died, or even if I really died along with the other people. And now you tell me my body isn't in the graveyard. There's a possibility that I'm not dead!"

Now it was me who stood there gobsmacked. Could it be true?

"Archer, I don't know if that's what happened, as much as I want to believe you."

"This explains a lot love. Give it a shot and have faith, it's the best we've got."

"Do you completely believe it? If you do, so will I." I promised him.

"Without a shadow of a doubt. But there's a way we can be 100% sure."

"Do tell, Archer."

"You'll have to ask my parents. They still live here, and they are our best option right now. Will you meet them?"

Will I? Will I come up with an excuse to ask about their first born and deceased child? But most importantly, will all this end on a good note?

                               *****

A.N: Could it be true? Is Archer still alive? Stay tunned and you'll see ;)
Love,
M³