The Other Side Of Fear[1]

Chapter 13

Archie held my hand the whole drive. I didn't know where we were going; once again he seemed to be surprising me. I hoped it wasn't another crazy, adventurous date because I was still getting over the last one.

'Are we about to skydive or something this time?' I asked him with a smirk.

'No,' he chuckled. 'This time I'm keeping it simple.'

He pulled up and nodded his head out of my window and I frowned as I noticed we were just on a street in a nice, modern neighbourhood and had stopped outside a quaint, little home.

'Where are we?' I asked.

'My house,' he smiled.

He stepped out of the car and I felt the nerves move inside me. Why would he bring me here? Did he want me to meet his Dad? It seemed so soon.

I stepped out of the car and followed him up the path to the front door. He unlocked it and we stepped inside to a tiny hallway and I followed him into the lounge which was quirky with it's wooden flooring, leather sofas and a huge array of guns across the walls. I stared around at them and heard Archie laugh a little.

'They're just replicas by the way,' he said.

'They're cool,' I blushed.

He smirked and stroked my cheek with his thumb.

'Who's that?' I asked, as I spotted a picture of a younger Archie with another young boy.

'That's no one,' he shrugged. 'Just a childhood friend. Come on.'

I followed him out of the room and up the stairs, along the tiny, narrow hall and through a door at the far end. As we stepped inside, I bit my lip nervously knowing this was Archie's room. It wasn't how I'd pictured. I'd expected it to be all football theme but it was completely neutral and plain. Magnolia walls with just the one football banner above his single bed which was made up neatly with blue, tartan bedding and the rest of the room looked empty with the simple double wardrobe facing the window and the desk right in the corner.

'You're very...tidy,' I said.

He laughed and lay on the bed.

'Join me,' he reached out his hand.

I did so, laying next to him and feeling butterflies as he pulled me into an embrace.

'Where's your Dad?' I asked.

'Work, probably,' he shrugged.

'Oh, I thought that's why we were here,' I said.

'You want to meet my Dad?' he said, in a confused tone.

I suddenly felt embarrassed. I had thought that's why we had came but now it seemed like I had thought too much into it and it certainly was too soon for that judging by his tone.

'Well, I don't know,' I said, blushing. 'If you had wanted me to, of course, I wouldn't mind. That's your choice.'

'Well, of course I would love you to,' he said. 'He would love you. I just thought we would have a little privacy that's all. Next time he's home I'll bring you around to meet him.'

'Okay,' I nodded, feeling flattered by the offer.

Archie placed his fingers gently on my chin and tilted my face to look at him. He didn't wait long to move to me and I closed my eyes and welcomed his kiss. I felt my heart pound and my stomach raving with butterflies as our mouths moved together and Archie gripped me tighter and I moved to press my chest against his. He pulled us down so we were lying on our sides, facing each other and never breaking apart and we continued in our embrace for what felt like forever but not long enough before he broke away from me.