My Buddy Archie [1]

07..

“Sleep over at Livy’s.” Archie cheered as he skipped up the steps, those disgusting steps in our old apartment building. It was making me cringe to be back here again; I didn’t miss it at all. “Niall?”

“Yeah?”

He slipped his hand in mine as he climbed another stair, “What time will you pick me up?”

“Late tonight.” I looked down at him, “Why?”

“Because I have to do something.”

I chuckled, “What do you have to do?”

“It’s a secret.”

“A secret from me? That’s no fun.”

“Don’t worry,” she said with a casual shrug. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

“What?!” I laughed.

“I promise.”

“Alright, fine. When I’m older.” What could he possibly be up to? I brushed it off as we got to Liv’s door. “Knock.” I told him. He went on to tapping his little knuckles against the dark worse, faded from how many times she scrubbed graffiti off it. The door flew open and she let out a squeal like I hadn’t just talked to her yesterday.

“Niall, Archie! Come in! Come sit down. Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“We’re good Liv,” I playfully rolled my eyes as Archie and I stepped in.

“So, tell me about your big plan tonight. On a Tuesday. Must be something crazy to be on a Tuesday!” She honestly meant that. There wasn’t a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Apparently to her, doing something during the week was just crazy insane.

“We’re going to rob a bank and then I’ll probably skydive or something.”

Archie gasped, “Whoa!”

“I know, right?” I chuckled. “How cool am I?”

“Sometimes you’re cool.”

“Sometimes?!” He only nodded before wandering off, probably searching for one of Liv’s cats. I stuck my tongue out him though he wasn’t looking, then turned back to Liv. “We’re just going to a bar for a couple hours. I’ll be back to get him around eleven. Hopefully he’ll be asleep by then.”

She grinned, the wrinkles around the corners of her mouth flexing. “Will your girlfriend be there?”

“What girlfriend?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, “The teacher girl.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. Just an acquaintance at the most.”

She groaned and crossed her arms, “Okay, well what about her friend that you’re supposed to be meeting?”

“I haven’t met her. I don’t know what she’s like.” I rolled my eyes and pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek. “Quit grilling me. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow when I call you.” When I pulled away she gave me the ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’ nod. “Then you and my mum can gossip about me to your hearts explode.” She let out a laugh before calling Archie to come say goodbye to me.

I crouched in front of him, placing my hands on his shoulders. “You know the rules right?”

“Be good?”

“Yeah, be good and don’t try to stay up late, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And if she makes veggies I want to hear about you eating them all.” He wrinkled his nose, making me laugh. “Alright, I’ll see you later.” I leaned in to kiss his forehead and wrapped him in a hug. “Love you, buddy.”