Archaic

by Regan Ure

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang. My house was starting to feel like a train station. I opened the door and Stacy bounded in with my overnight duffel bag and jacket from last night in her hands.

  "I want all the details," she said excitedly as she dragged me to my room. "I want to know everything. Don't leave a thing out."

  She sat expectantly on my bed.

  "It was nothing."

  "Nothing? You went home with Jared Walker! That's not nothing." She made it sound like I had gone home with some celebrity and not just a guy from our school.

  "We kissed and made out. And that was about it." I saw from the expression on her face that I hadn't given her enough details.

  "How was it?"

  "It was okay," I replied, unsure of how to describe it. How could I describe a kiss that hadn't actually happened? In reality there had only been an almost-kiss to prove a point. Asshole!

  Stacy sat there and blinked.

  "Just okay?" she asked. My description was clearly not living up to his reputation.

  "It was great. He was a good kisser," I lied as well as I could. Stacy smiled, happy with my answer.

  "So are you guys, like, together or was it just a one-off thing?" she prodded. I didn't have an answer to that question. He'd just said to tell people that we hooked up, he hadn't said anything about an ongoing thing. Problem solved.

  "I think it was really only a one-time thing."

  "You're so lucky," she gushed. "He's never been seen with a girl other than Felicity. So the rumors are wrong, if he's hooking up with you?" She looked at me for confirmation.

  "Apparently." I felt a knot in my stomach. Felicity. I hadn't really thought this whole situation through. Although Jared insisted that there was nothing going on between him and Felicity, I was pretty sure that she still had a thing for him. My life was getting more and more complicated by the day. One thing was certain: tomorrow was going to be interesting.

  Stacy stayed until nearly dinnertime, talking about the previous evening. When I finally changed the conversation away from Jared and myself to her and David, she told me about how much she really liked him but she wasn't sure he felt the same. They both openly flirted with each other, but neither of them seemed brave enough to cross the line and make a move on the other person.

  "You're not the shy type, so why haven't you made a move on him yet?" I asked her.

  "Normally I'm anything but shy, but with him I am. I'm a little old-fashioned. I want him to make the first move. Just hope I don't die of old age waiting for him," she said and sighed. "I wish he'd drag me away to make out like Jared did with you."

  If only she knew that it was a lie and nothing had happened between us. And despite wanting to dislike him, I didn't. There truth was I liked him a lot.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The next day at school was completely and utterly nerve-wracking. When I arrived at school, everyone stopped and stared at me. They'd all probably heard about Jared and me and they were trying to figure out what Jared saw in me. In their shoes, I'd be contemplating the same. At least that was the only reasonable scenario that I could think of. Unsure of how to deal with all the unwanted attention, I tried to ignore everyone and continue as normal.

  Kennedy had wanted more details about Jared and me. Under her curious gaze I lied as well as I could, hoping she, along with Stacy--who was standing beside her with a similar look on her face--would believe me.

  "Did it give you butterflies?" Stacy asked with a dreamy expression.

  Everything about him except that smug mouth of his gave me the butterflies.

  I nodded and she said, "That's so romantic."

  And I wanted to roll my eyes. Even though I was pretty sure I was developing a crush on him, it didn't mean I was going to fall at his feet like some lovesick puppy. I remembered how he'd almost kissed me, and that had been anything but romantic. There was no reason to add to the lie that was Jared and me. In a few days everyone would forget about it and move on to something else.

  I made my way with Kennedy and Stacy to our first class of the day, which was English. I was nervous as Jared would also be there, and I was still unsure of how to act around him. I decided to ignore him and act like nothing had ever happened. Kennedy and Stacy took their usual seats on either side of me while I nervously tapped my pencil against the desk and tried not to focus on the classroom door. I didn't even have to see him--I wasn't sure how it was possible, but I could feel him as he entered the classroom.

  He strolled in casually and walked past me, sitting down behind me. I fidgeted anxiously, feeling the heat of his gaze on the back of my head. I just sat there, unsure as to whether I should greet him or just ignore him. It felt like the easier option was to keep my eyes fixed in front of me. It also didn't help that Stacy and Kennedy kept looking back at him during the lesson. I was about to walk out with my friends as the bell sounded when I felt a hand wrap around my wrist. I paused, gulping at the feel of familiar fingers on my skin, and turned to see Jared holding my wrist.

  "Hi," he said, looking intently at me and smiling. His smile made my knees go weak.

  Stupid girl, I thought aggressively in my head. Don't let him affect you so much!

  But it was like one smile from him turned my insides to mush.

  "Hi," I greeted back, almost nervously, and wet my lips with my tongue.

  My friends looked at us and then decided to make themselves scarce. They would be drilling me about this later. All the other students had left the classroom already so that left us completely alone. His smile disappeared and he released my wrist. He'd been putting on a show in front of my friends and the rest of the students.

  "Did they believe the story?" he asked calmly as he ran his hand through his hair. His tousled hair fell back into place.

  "I think so..." I replied, slightly unconvinced. I held my backpack strap a little tighter.

  "Good," he replied, and without another word he turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving me standing there on my own.

  I felt dejected.

  I knew that the whole hookup thing was a cover-up for the truth. He knew it and I knew it, but I couldn't help the feelings that surfaced whenever he was around me. A glance from him set the butterflies in my stomach fluttering and that damn smile made my knees go weak every single time. Yes, he'd proven on Saturday that we had chemistry, but I had to find a way to ignore those feelings because I could never act upon them. I took a deep breath and psyched myself up.

  You can do this, I kept chanting in my head as I walked to my next class.

  At lunchtime I walked into the cafeteria. I glanced toward Jared's table and saw Felicity sitting with Neve. Neve's attention was on Felicity as she was talking, but Felicity had her gaze fixed firmly on me. I could tell by the anger on her face that she'd found out about Saturday. I turned from her glare and walked toward my usual table.

  I saw Andrew with his back to me sitting at the table with Stacy and Kennedy sitting opposite him, leaving the only space for me being right beside him. My friends looked up when I got to the table.

  "Hey, there," I greeted them, putting my things down on the table.

  I could tell from their excited expressions that they were dying to find out what Jared had said after they had left, but they couldn't ask with Andrew sitting at the table. That led me to my next question. Why was Andrew sitting at our table instead of at his own?

  "Hi," they all greeted back. I sat down next to Andrew and he smiled...I liked his smile.

  "Did you have a good time on Saturday?" he asked. I got an apple out of my bag and started to nibble on it.

  "Yeah, it was good," I replied. I was unsure if he was genuinely asking about the party, or if he was asking about what had happened when I left the party.

  "Where did you and Jared disappear to?" he continued to question me as he fidgeted with his soda while keeping his eyes intently on me. I wasn't sure why he was asking. Kennedy gave Stacy a look and they mumbled something about hav
ing forgotten something somewhere and they both got up and left. I couldn't blame them, because this conversation was certainly getting awkward.

  "We went back to his house." I looked straight into his eyes and lied like I was supposed to.

  Tension filled his features as his jaw hardened and his gaze dropped to my hands. It was then that it dawned on me: he liked me. I was in unknown territory and didn't really know how to handle this, so I nervously nibbled my apple as I waited for him to say something.

  How had my life gotten so complicated? It felt like, just as I managed to sort out one problem, two problems appeared in their place. I couldn't tell Andrew the truth, that nothing had happened between Jared and me. No matter what, I had to protect Jared's secret, and that meant I had to sit next to Andrew and lie to him even though it was hurting his feelings. I felt horrible. I was going straight to hell for this.

  "So... are you guys dating now?" He struggled to ask the question. His eyes moved to the can of soda in front of him. He was so different from his usual teasing self.

  I shook my head silently. "No, we aren't dating. Things are...complicated."

  "So what exactly is going on between you two?" he prodded. His eyes settled back on my hands, which were still fidgeting with my apple. It was like he couldn't look at me while he asked these sensitive questions because the answers could hurt him.

  "Nothing, really. We made out and haven't made any plans to meet up again. It was a one-time thing." I shrugged, hoping it would help. His eyes lifted to mine. I guess it had.

  "You wanna go out sometime?" he asked, "so I can show you around town and maybe get a movie or something?"

  I liked Andrew because he made me feel safe and comfortable. I was at ease with him. Being around Jared was different because he pulled fierce emotions from me that made me nervous, even though I knew that nothing would ever happen between the two of us. It would be easy to agree to go out with Andrew and see what happened, but deep down I knew that I didn't feel anything more than friendship for him.

  "I don't want to give you the wrong idea," I said. "I like being around you and would love to go out sometime. But it would have to be as friends."

  There was a moment of disappointment before it was replaced with one of his signature smiles.

  "Sure, I can do friends," he said. The burden on my shoulders lightened.

  "Great," I replied with a smile, feeling better that I'd been honest with him up front.

  "Are you allowed out during the week?" he asked, his eyes watching me expectantly.

  "Yeah, it should be okay. My grandmother isn't very strict. As long as she knows where I am."

  "Are you free tonight?" he asked.

  I smiled at him. "Yes, tonight would be good."

  The bell signaled the end of lunch and Andrew walked me out of the cafeteria. As I walked out, I saw Jared watching us. I'd done my part; I'd lied about hooking up with him to protect him.

  "I'll pick you up at six," he said as he walked with me to my next class.

  "Six is good." I gave him a nod.

  "I'll see you later, then," he said as he left me at my class.

  After school had finished, Stacy and Kennedy cornered me for details.

  "Whatever you are wearing, I want some, too," Stacy remarked, looking convinced that my perfume was the reason for all the attention I'd been getting from the opposite sex.

  "So what happened with Jared?" Kennedy nudged me as we walked out of the school entrance.

  "Not much, he just wanted to say hi." It was close to the truth.

  "Just hi?" Kennedy asked, looking unconvinced.

  "Yup." I shrugged, hoping they would drop the subject.

  "And Andrew?" Stacey was now the one questioning me.

  "He asked if he could take me out tonight." Both of my friends didn't look surprised. They'd realized before I had that Andrew liked me.

  "And?"

  "I said yes," I answered as I stopped and looked at them for their reaction. "But only as friends."

  "Why just friends?" Stacy asked. "He's cute and so into you."

  "I just don't feel that way about him." It wasn't something I could force. It was there, or it wasn't.

  "So what's happening between you and Jared?" Kennedy asked.

  "Jared made it clear it was a one off," I explained as I fiddled with my bag's strap. Stacy threw her arm around my shoulder and pulled me toward her car.

  "It's his loss."

  Stacy dropped me off at my house. I'd forgotten to ask Andrew where we were going, so I wasn't sure what I should wear. I didn't think I could really go wrong with a T-shirt and jeans, and I would smarten it up with some nice sandals. I brushed my hair and left it down. It hung in waves down to my shoulders. I put on a little lip gloss and I was ready by six.

  Anne hovered by the front door, so when the doorbell rang she was the one to answer it. I think she was more excited about me going out than I was.

  "Hi, you must be Andrew," she greeted him as she ushered him inside.

  "Yes, it's nice to meet you," he greeted back.

  It was a relief to see Andrew as casually dressed as I was. He was wearing a button-up cotton shirt rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of jeans. He looked cute.

  "Where are you taking Ava tonight?" Anne questioned him.

  "Dinner or a movie, or both? Whichever Ava is happy with?"

  Anne smiled. I could see that she approved of him. "Okay, well, whatever the plan, have fun." And with that she rushed us both out of the door.

  "Sorry, my gran is a little weird," I said as we walked to his truck.

  "I like her," he said as he opened the passenger door for me. "She's... interesting." He grinned and walked back around the vehicle after I sat down.

  "So what do you want to do?" he asked as he settled into the driver's seat.

  "A movie sounds good," I said, nodding.

  "The movies it is, then."

  The conversation on the way to the movie theater consisted of the reason why I'd moved in with my grandmother.

  Andrew let me choose the movie, which I appreciated. It was toss-up between an action and comedy, though I ended up deciding on seeing the comedy. We got popcorn and soda and made our way into the theater. I settled into my seat next to him and waited for the movie to start. By the time the movie was finished, my sides were sore from laughing. It had been a good movie.

  Afterward he drove me home. It was getting late and we had school in the morning. He walked me to my front door.

  "Next time I get to choose the movie," he insisted as we both stood facing each other on the front porch of my house.

  "Thanks for a nice evening," I said with a genuine smile. Being around Andrew was easy and just spending time with him had taken my mind off all the chaotic thoughts of Jared.

  "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Yeah, see you tomorrow," he said as I opened my front door and quickly disappeared inside my house. I sighed and leaned against the front door. Anne appeared in the hallway in her dressing gown.

  "Did you have fun?"

  "It was nice," I admitted to my grandmother.

  I went upstairs and started getting ready for bed. That night I slept better than I had in a while and I couldn't help thinking that spending time with Andrew had something to do with it.

  The next day at school, my friends wanted to know what Andrew and I had done the night before.

  "We just went to a movie," I told them.

  I told them a little about the movie and a couple of the funny parts that had me clutching my sides with laughter.

  "I've been meaning to see that movie," Kennedy said.

  "I'll go with you," Stacy offered.

  That lunchtime, Andrew stopped by our table.

  "Thanks for an awesome evening," he said, brushing his hair out of his face.

  "You're welcome. We'll have to do it again sometime soon," I said.

  "Next time can we come with?" Kennedy asked.

  "Sure," he rep
lied. "Are you in as well?" He directed the question to Stacy.

  "Okay. But no horrors."

  "Really? No horrors."

  "I second that," I said, adding my opinion. Horror movies were a waste of time for me because I spent most of the time hiding behind my hands.

  "Okay. No horrors."

  He was still smiling when he left our table.

  At that moment, my eyes caught Jared's. I couldn't decipher the expression on his face. Abruptly, he looked away.

  "I think someone is jealous," Kennedy said cryptically.

  "I think you could be right," Stacy agreed.

  I was already shaking my head at them. Why would Jared be jealous? He only saw me as an ordinary human who had discovered his secret.

  "Are you sure your hookup was supposed to be a one-time thing?" asked Kennedy as she watched me closely.

  "Yes, that's what he said." That had been the agreement, hadn't it? Now that I actually thought back, he hadn't actually specifically said those words, but it had been implied.

  "If he'd wanted to continue what happened, surely he would have made plans to see me again, wouldn't he?" I threw the question at my friends. "He lives on the same street as me. So at any time between Saturday and now he could have come over and made plans to meet up. But he hasn't, because he isn't that interested."

  He had come over but it had only been to make sure we had our story straight so there wouldn't be any suspicion.

  They knew I was right. The subject of Jared was closed. I wished I could tell them the real reason for the 'hookup'. The truth would make them realize that Jared wasn't interested in me in that way. The only reason he was having anything to do with me was to ensure I kept his secret.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  After school I was walking to the school bus when Jared's Jeep pulled up beside me, and I stopped as he got out of the driver's side.

  "Get in," he commanded in a voice that didn't leave room for argument. I crossed my arms and shot him a glare.

  "Please," he added in a softer tone before I relented and followed his order. He closed the door shut before he walked around and climbed back into the driver's side. I looked at him expectantly, but he kept his eyes fixed on the road in front of him as he started up his car.