𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏' ≛ m. kelso ✔

≛ chapter six

JUNE 1978

Archie watched his reflection in the cafe's glass window as he combed his hair to the side. A little blue wildflower that his younger sister had insisted for him to give to Juniper hung out of the pocket of his leather jacket.

A taunting voice floated down the street from behind him. "Hey, Stone!"

Archie turned and cracked a smile at the sight of some of his friends. "Hey, losers!"

The two boys jogged up to him, the taller of the two blowing his blonde hair out of his eyes as they zeroed in on the wildflower. He stepped forward and plucked the flower out of Archie's pocket. "What's this?"

"Penny gave it to me," said Archie, hoping to avoid the teasing that would inevitably come.

A smirk quirked up at his friend's lips. "So you're wearing it to the cafe where Juniper works and fixing your hair in your reflection?"

Archie scratched the back of his neck. "Fuck off, Becker."

The other boy, a slightly shorter brunette with freckles dotting his face, tilted his head to the side. "Are you, perhaps, planning on giving June that flower?"

Archie rolled his eyes. "Are you two really going to bug me about this?"

"Well, Russo," Becker smirked, ignoring the question and resting his arm atop his shorter friend's head. "I think Archie here is going on a date."

The boys watched with amusement as his eyes flitted between them. "You know what? Fine, yeah, I have a date with her right now, so if you'll excuse me-"

Archie snatched the flower back and ignored the chortles that arose from the two as he stepped into the cafe.

"You're taking hours in there!" Lucy hollered from behind the counter with no regard to the customers inside the shop. "It's Archie, he won't care much about your outfit!"

"I'm coming, okay?" Juniper yelled back from (presumably) the bathroom.

"Oh, hey, Arch," Lucy laughed after spotting him. "She's almost ready for you."

He could barely conceal the smile that was fighting its way onto his face. "Cool."

And there she was. Archie's suppressed smile formed into a full grin as he watched June step out of the bathroom, nervous as all hell, but beautiful nonetheless. She was smoothing out her skirt - something he noticed she often did when she was anxious. He couldn't help but beam at the idea that he had such an effect on her.

"Hey," he smirked, holding out the flower. "For you."

June raised her eyebrows. "A flower? You're getting awfully fancy, aren't you?"

"It wasn't my idea," he chuckled. "Penny picked it."

Juniper bit her lip. "Well, if Penny picked it, I'll have to have it for myself."

"Good," Archie said. He tucked the stem of it behind her ear so the flower stuck out, matching almost perfectly with her tight-fitting overall-dress. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, carefully slipping her hand into his and ignoring the calls of "have fun!" and "but not too much!" from Lucy.

The pair walked down the block, as the place they were going to wasn't far from the cafe. After stopping by the door of the quaint bakery, Archie opened it for June. "After you," he joked.

Juniper curtsied playfully before stepping in and finding a free table. "The Cake Corner?" she asked as he sat down across from her.

It was a small bakery that they had gone to together multiple times when Lucy was out with her boyfriends. They had come to cherish it as something they shared, a sort of sanctuary that was only theirs, despite the other customers who frequently came and went.