the other boys ⇨ jarchie

11

jughead.

"archie! are you okay?" i ask, offering out my hand to him. his eyes flutter dramatically and then they close. i open my mouth to repeat my words, but i'm cut off by a sharp whistle that echoes around the frosty field.

"stop the game!" coach yells, running over to archie, who is now laying dangerously still. he shakes him, checks his pulse, and gives him a hard slap across the face.

"yes coach, he is unconscious," i say, crossing my arms.

coach stands up, gazing at the other boys who have now crowded around him. "who is responsible for this?"

the boys all look from one another, confusion and fear littering their gazes.

"it was chuck," i say bitterly, looking at the caramel skinned boy. "archie was trying to talk to me and he knocked him to the ground."

chuck's dark brown eyes widen, and his jaw is agape. "what the hell? i didn't do anything, coach i swear!" he strides over to me, his teeth gritted. "you're fucking dead, jughead."

i put my hand on my forehead dramatically. "oh, really? i'm shaking in my boots!"

"alright you two can sort this out later," coach growls, "but for now, i want jason and jughead to help me carry him to the nurse's office."

this is the second time he's had a concussion, it's quite scary. the impact of him falling on the ground must've made him faint. i hope he'll be okay.

"you boys stay here. and for the love of god, don't make a damn fool out of yourselves!" coach yells to my classmates.

as jason and i pick him up, jason gives me a friendly nod. jeez, for an 18 year old, archie is heavy as fuck. it's nice to know that coach doesn't see me as a girl though, since he did pick me to carry him. i know it's not an appropriate time right now, but he looks so peaceful when he's sleeping.

and he looks hot.

once we reach the main doors to the school building, coach throws them open, walking with so much purpose that's it's admirable.

"what's got you so worried, coach?" jason asks.

"what do you think, you idiot? archie's one of my best players. and i'm worried about him, this isn't the first time he's passed out on school grounds," coach says back, annoyed.

"sorry," jason mumbles.

we all bustle into the nurse's office, and her eyes widen with alarm. "what the hell happened?"

coach lays him on the blue couch at the far side of the room. "concussion."

the nurse stands up from her desk. "oh dear, again?" she slowly walks over to the couch where archie lays unconscious. "you go back to teaching, coach. i'll take care of this."

"could i stay please?" i say, looking nervously from teacher to teacher.

coach nods his head. "if you must."

i saunter over to archie. his eyelids are twitching like crazy and he's pale in the face. i put the palm of my hand onto his cheek and he feels cold.