My Buddy Archie [1]

31..

Bucky, Archie and I all took a simultaneous sip from Capri Sun pouches. We were all spending our Saturday at Bucky's house (well, it's mostly his house), just for a change of scenery. Sometimes the three of us hang out for some guy time because truthfully, a lot of our time was split between our girlfriends and work. And our kids--though Bucky and Kim were merely looking into getting a dog together. Nonetheless, it was nice to just have some time to just be lazy.

"Why do they have a beach underwater?" Bucky muttered, tilting his head. "There shouldn't be a lagoon underwater."

"Huh," I grunted. "Never really thought about it."

"Niall?" Archie cut in.

"Yes?"

"Where's Connie?"

I sipped my Capri Sun, "She's at the Hampton Hotel. She should be back soon."

"Okay."

"Why is she at the Hampton Hotel?"

I looked at Bucky, "She dances there."

"She does?" His face screwed up with confusion. "You know she used to dance?" Ah shit. I didn't know Bucky was still unaware that Connie started dancing again. "She started again?!" I sighed and rested my head back against the couch.

"Don't tell her I told you."

"Have you watched her?"

"No," I glanced at him then stared at the ceiling. "She said she doesn't like people watching her."

Bucky sighed, "Yeah."

"You seriously never watched her dance? Never?"

"Don't tell her I told you, but I did once." I raised an eyebrow at him. "We both got our licenses like, a couple weeks before. And she would always take my mum's car on Sundays but never tell me where she was going. And that was weird because we told each other everything. So one day I followed her with my buddy Liam and--do you know Gemma's brother Harry?"

I shook my head. "Well he was with us too. We followed her to the studio, then down some halls and stuff, then looked through the window and...she was in there dancing. And--she's like really good dude. I wish I could describe it."

"Did she see you?" I asked, completely entranced by this story. I could easily picture the two of them at seventeen--Bucky scampering around and stalking his sister, while Connie thought she was sneaking away. The image came to me effortlessly.

"Nah we left. I felt bad for looking when she didn't want us to." I didn't know what to say so I looked up at the ceiling again. "Kim bakes...that's her talent. Like I'm pretty sure she'll be the next Betty Crocker."

I chuckled, "Where are my samples?"

"I'll remember to send some over next time she makes something." He laughed before looking down at Archie, who'd fallen asleep half leaning on me. "He really just falls asleep anywhere doesn't he?"

"Basically," I chuckled.

----

----

Connie let out a shriek as another clap of thunder erupted outside. I laughed at her, and the way Archie looked back at her from the window like she was crazy for being afraid of a storm. It almost was constant downpour the past couple days and Connie didn't like it one bit. Especially when there was lightening.

"Should he be sitting so close to the window?" She asked anxiously. "He could get hurt."

"Nothing is going to crash through the window, Connie."