The Rest Is History | ✓

23 | the old wound

a/n: please listen to the song above: little do you know by alex and sierra, before reading this chapter

To say the following days were unbearable would be an understatement.

When I'd left Archer in that room at night, I hadn't considered the fact that I'd have to spend five hours with him the following day.

And the day after that. And the day after that.

It was miserable. We were both miserable, and staying trapped in a room together for such a long time certainly didn't help. He continuously tried to win me back, or at least get me to talk to him. I maintained stony silence for the first two or three days, then even I couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Archer," I turned in my chair, towards him. "It would be great if you didn't constantly bother me and it would be even greater if we could maintain some civility for the sake of our job as Heads. Inside this study I can talk to you about everything regarding our work, nothing else. But outside this study, we're strangers."

He looked stricken. My heart lurched.

"Vi, please. Please don't do this."

"Don't you dare call me Vi."

"Alright, Vivian, whatever you want, but please, for Christ's sake, don't do this. Please, can we just be friends? I promise, I promise I won't ever hurt you anymore. Ever."

"You can't promise things like that, Archer."

He swallowed, hurt evident in his eyes. "Please."

I sighed. I didn't know how long I could hold my guard against those bewitching eyes. Those goddamn eyes.

"Look, I need space, okay? You can't expect me to suddenly be friends with you again right after all this. I need space, and I'd like it if you respected my choice. After some time, we'll see if things get...better between us. Or not."

He gulped, then nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll respect it. I'll give you space. Whatever you need. But just know one thing. You're the best thing that happened to me, Vivian, and I'm not gonna let you go because of my own stupidity. I will keep on trying."

He gazed at me for a long moment, and then went back to his work.

I didn't know how to respond to that. So I went back to my work as well, two perfect strangers in a painfully crowded room.

°

"Viv, come here."

I looked at Angie and Beth, who were seated on Beth's bed, after supper. Kate was combing her hair into a ponytail by her mirror.

I went over and sat down beside them. "What's up?"

"No, you tell us what's up. Between you and Archer."

My shoulders tensed. I shook my head. "I don't know what's going on. He was going on trying to get me to talk and be friends again, but I successfully ignored him for a few days, until I couldn't. Then I told him I needed space for some time, and he said okay. That's all. Now we're back to ignoring each other and being all awkward when we have to talk for some work."

Angie sighed. "Look, Viv, we all know how much he hurt you by not believing you. He deserves every bit of this punishment he's getting right now. But how long do you think you'll be able to ignore him? You both spend five hours together in the same room. Alone."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Then how will you deal with him?" Beth asked. "He's not the type of lad to give up very easily."

"Viv," called Katie from her dresser. "Do you feel you'll be able to forgive him one day?"

I looked at her. "I don't know, Katie, it's too soon to tell. Maybe I'll forgive him, and we'll be on good terms again. Or maybe I'll carry this bitterness around for the rest of my life."

"Do you think it's worth it? To be so bitter? I'm not saying you should forgive and forget now, definitely not. But I think with time, you should give him a chance. I mean, make him work for it. But if he earns his chance, then give it to him."

I didn't know if Katie was right. All I knew was, all my heartbreak and feelings and hurt had come rushing back and it felt like a fresh wound.

Too raw to heal just yet. And too soon to tell if it would heal at all.

a/n: short chapter but we need to give some time to viv. it's not that easy for her, is it? hard to forgive, but hard to ignore the boy with the heart eyes either...