My Buddy Archie [1]

00..

Feeding goldfish. You know your life is boring when you look forward to feeding your goldfish in the morning and before bed. Maybe it something about the chaos is brings to their little fishy minds—all of then scrambling for a flake like it could be their last. I wonder what they think about between feeding times. Do they discuss how good the meal was or anticipate what the next meal will taste like? What do they do in that little castle I bought them?

"I'm going crazy," I muttered to myself. With a sigh, I walked away from my fish tank of four and went in my room, yanking on a pair of sweatpants before gathering all my dirty clothes in a hamper. I didn't have work today, so instead the day was dedicated to chores. I was never one for laundry, or chores in general. It was tedious to me. If I had more money, I'd get other people to do this stuff for me.

But I don't. It's just me in this apartment and if I don't clean it, no one will—then I'll be calling the rats my roommates. I'm not dirt poor or anything, more like high quality manure poor. I get by, despite having to ask my brother to help me pay rent—but that was only two times. Other than that, I feed myself well, I stay on top of things and I take care of myself. It's a modest life, but that's better than nothing.

I walked my laundry down the stairs, to the basement floor where the laundry room was and loaded my clothes in the washer. I've learned over the past couple months it was better to just sit down here with my clothes. I don't need anyone coming down here and stealing anything. If another pair of boxers get snatched, I'm going to explode.

"Hey Niall," I looked up, seeing the neighbor under me, Liv, was doing her laundry today too.

"Hey Liv."

"Laundry day?"

Clearly. "Yup."

She had on her usual nurses scrubs. I think she worked in the emergency ward. Her pale grey hair was tied back in the bun I'd never seen it out of. I wondered idly what her life was like. Did she have excitement in it, or was it boring like mine? I'm going to guess the first one since the whole emergency ward thing... That can't possibly be boring.

Once my laundry was finished washing and drying, I walked it back up to my apartment on the third floor. As I approached my door though, there was a strange woman standing against the wall, a baby carrier in one hand and a light green over-stuffed bag in the other.

"Um, hello?" I said once I was close enough to her. She looked at me but said nothing. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Yes, Niall Horan? He's my distant cousin, I need to speak with him."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion, "I'm Niall."

"Oh!" Her eyes got big. "Oh Niall, you look so different now." I didn't say anything. "You probably don't remember me..."

Damn right I don't. I stared in her face trying to find some trait that would say she was related to me; brown hair, blue eyes, dimple chin...something. All this woman had was the brown hair. Nothing else even remotely looked like a trait that was passed down through my family.

"I'm a cousin by marriage. Your uncle Kenny? I'm his wife's cousin."

"Oh..." She gave me an awkward smile before shifting the baby carrier in her hand. "Do you want to come inside?" I offered.

She nodded eagerly. I continued to discretely eye her as I let her in. She does look a little bit like Uncle Kenny's wife, but what is she doing here? I’ve never met her. How did she know where I lived or that I even existed if I knew nothing about her?

My laundry was tossed in my messy bedroom before a joined her in my small living room. I awkwardly patted my thighs as she looked around.

"Um...do you want a drink?"

"No, I'm okay."

I nodded. "Okay..."

She sat on the couch, placing the baby on the floor—still in the carrier of course. I found it strange that she didn't take it out after that, but I didn't say anything. "You have a nice home..." She said distantly.

"I suppose," I shrugged.

"Do you live alone?" I nodded. "All this you kept nice on your own, huh? How old are you?"

"Twenty-one." What does she mean 'all this'? I've lived here for two years and haven't even hung a single picture up.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I...work for Robert Flander Enterprise Holdings."

"Robert Flander?!" He was one of the richest guys in the world right now, of course that name would catch her attention.

I sighed, "I’m just a random person’s personal assistant..." Not even fulltime.

"Oh." Her hands fidgeted in her lap. "So—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt and I don't mean to sound rude, but why are you here?" There, I said it. No more Mr. Nice Guy, I don't have time for this. She getting on my nerves with all this small talk.

"I...I need to ask a favor of you Niall."

Excuse me? "What kind of favor?"

"A big favor. Because I have no one, literally no one else to ask. You're my last chance and I really need your help."

"Well...what is it?"

She sighed and glanced down at the baby. Oh no... "I need you to watch Archie—"

"Whoa, whoa, what?"

"Just for today, Niall. That's it. I have a job interview across town and I have no one else to watch him. Please Niall."

"I...I can't watch a little baby like that. It's like two days old! How am I—"

"He's two months old actually. I swear Niall it's only for today. He doesn't even do anything except sleep and eat."

"And poop. I don't want to clean up baby sh--"

"Please Niall. I'll get on my knees and beg you if that's what you want. Please."

I glanced from her to the baby, "You don't have anyone else who can look after him? Not one person?"

"No."

"So you came all the way here from wherever you come from? You searched for me so I could watch your two month old for a couple hours?"

"Yes."

I ran a hand over my face trying to asses this situation. A complete stranger is dropping their baby off with me, someone who she had to look up to find. And a real baby too. A baby that can't even do anything, can't look you in the eye, can’t play. She's dropping him off here with me, to watch for the day.

"When will you be back?" I sighed. I was only giving in because of the fact that he was a little baby. He'll probably sleep this whole time and I won't even have to worry about him.

"Around seven tonight."

Seven?! "Fine."

"Oh Niall," she jumped up, practically sitting in my lap as she hugged me. She smelled like cigarettes. "Thank you so, so much. You have no idea how much you're helping me. Thank you."

"Uh...sure." She rushed towards the door. "Hey wait! What's your number? What if something happens? How do I feed him? What's your name?!" The door was slammed close before I was even finished. This whole situation was giving me a bad taste in my mouth.