Forked Roads Back

30 - ARCHIE

WITH THE SUMMER MONTHS now in full swing in New York, it's hard to believe a full year of college is now over.

After such a rocky start, the happiness I now felt at listening to my sister and my friends to enjoy a summer off instead of forcing myself into summer classes was now helping me feel vaguely normal for the first time in a long time. Having caught up my credits by taking extra classes in Spring semester, I was back on track, so I decided to take some to allow myself to be a normal kid for once. Well, normal for me.

Since that football game almost five months ago, things are different. I'm embracing life, and for the first time, I'm actually allowing myself to move forward. Classes start up again in two weeks time - despite it still being the middle of August in New York City and as hot as hell - and I decided I didn't want to spend a year alone in my apartment.

After what Ollie told me about his dad and his family, I knew I'd found a friend, so when he let slip he was still trying to find a place to live for his second year, I offered him my spare room.

With Ollie being Ollie, he pretended to take a moment to think about it, but I wasn't surprised when he called me an hour later to say he'd move in. That was a week ago, and so far he'd kept his promise about what he'd said about being clean. He was anally so... with one example of me catching him cleaning the toilet bowl with a toothbrush. But I didn't mind. I mean I told him he didn't need to do that - at which he was relieved - but now that we're both settled, the two of us feel like we can take on the world.

He had bad news over summer. His girlfriend Aurora got offered a dance scholarship to CalArts - right across the country - so the two of them had decided they should take a break. Ollie had assured me he was fine, but every now and again I catch him looking at pictures of her, or writing a text to her before deleting it.

I knew how he feels. Ollie and Aurora had been together since they were fifteen, and had been through so much, and there's no way a person can switch off that many emotions just like that. Hell, it was coming up to nearly two years since Matt died, two years since I left, and I still have those moments. It's tough, but I now know not to shut people out. And I wasn't letting him give up altogether either.

"Hey, I was going to go meet Lara for a coffee later if you want to join?" I ask, grabbing my keys and zipping them into my running vest.

He's still in his pyjamas, but now that I know it's just an Ollie thing and not an Aurora-related thing, I'm not so worried. The man is always in pyjamas, sometimes even in class.

He looks up from his phone but shakes his head. "I'm actually going to see a movie," he answers. "The great thing about living in the actual city now is the Art cinemas."

"Okay cool. Well just text me if you change your mind okay. I'll be back in a bit."

He nods and waves as I head out the door, ready to go on my daily run in the sweltering heat.

Most people think I'm crazy waiting for the hottest time of the day, but I find the routine helps. As my feet hit the pavement to the beat swelling in my headphones, I run out all the frustrations and thoughts I have swirling around my head. It helps, because by the time I get back home, my thoughts are always clear.

Nearly an hour later, my chest is heaving as I open the building door, and Alex gets up when he sees me.

"I never understand the crazy people who run in the sun," he tells me.

I shrug. "Streets are emptier when it's hot," I tell him.

"Whatever you say Boss," he laughs. "Erm, I'm really sorry, but there was someone that came by to see you while you were out a couple of days ago. I only just remembered."