Falling helplessly episode 19

🔥 FALLING
HELPLESSLY 👠

( For his brother’s friend …. 😇 )
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Written by:- Williams Kendall____✍🏽
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🏈 CHAPTER NINTEEN

I woke up Friday morning feeling horrible. I’d tossed and turned until the early morning hours, obsessing over Archer and Oliver’s night out. I knew it was ridiculously unfair to have expected Archer not to go out with his best friend. The two of them barely got to see each other, and going to pubs was their usual choice of activity. But a selfish part of me did want Archer to stay back last night.

If I were being completely honest with myself, it wasn’t them leaving that truly upset me. It was that the goal was to infiltrate a ‘ladies night’. I had spent most of my sleepless hours playing out scenarios in my mind of the two of them wingmaning for each other. Did Archer meet anyone he liked? Did he hook up with them?

I know Madeline said that Kayla and Brit were wrong when they came to USC. But I was convinced now that was not the case. I was in over my head. Last night proved it. Even if Archer didn’t hook up with someone, one day he would. When it happens, he won’t be the bad guy and I won’t be the victim. But I will be hurt. I didn’t think I could move forward with our relationsh¡p the way it was now, paranoid for when that day comes.

These thoughts swirled around in my head while I showered. The hot beads of water pelted my skin like little bullets. By the time I got out, my skin was red but my brain was more clear. There had to be a way I could preserve my friendsh¡p with Archer. I just needed to protect my heart, something I wasn’t able to do when I was 16. I had to pull back enough to put some space between us. Hopefully, that would allow me to sort my feelings out and create more defined boundaries in our relationsh¡p.

The Friday after Thanksgiving was traditionally a home day for all of us. My mom would make a huge pot of turkey soup and we’d spend our time lounging and eating leftovers. Sometimes my parents would invite a few friends over, but it was always relaxed and informal.

With that in mind, I wore light blue ski-ny jeans cuffed around the ankles with rips in the knees. Then I paired it with one of my old Chargers shirts; a grey vintage tee with light blue arms. I quickly put on some natural makeup and dried my hair into their natural curls.

The morning passed slowly. I helped my mom cut veggies for the soup and prepare platters of leftovers for sandwiches. The rhythmic chopping centred my mind as I fell into the easy routine of being in the kitchen with my mom. These were moments I had taken advantage of in my teen years, but now that I was away from her, I saw how precious they were.

Around noon, Oliver’s door slammed open and two heavy sets of footsteps made their way down the stairs. I braced myself just before they rounded the corner into the kitchen, and managed to set my face in a placid smile.

Archer and Oliver came slumping into the kitchen, both with eyes puffed from sleep and wild hair. Oliver greeted us amiably before walking around the counter to pour two cups of coffee. I could feel Archer’s eyes on me as he hung back for a moment.

“Come, sit down, the food will be ready soon,” I said cheerfully as I looked up at him. He walked slowly over to the island to sit down, eyeing me as though I was an animal he was unsure was safe. Mustering all of my strength, I tried to send out peaceful energy as I smiled again and went back to my task.

“So, how was your night?” I asked as Oliver set next to Archer and passed him a mug of coffee.

“Awesome,” Oliver replied. “I can’t believe you guys go back already tomorrow. I might have to come up to USC for a weekend before Christmas.”

I nodded absentmindedly as Oliver recounted a story from last night. He hadn’t mentioned any girls yet so I was only half listening. My mom asked me to go find paper plates so I wiped my hands on a towel and left to the back room.

I had to move several large boxes but eventually, I found the tub with all of our disposable plates and cutlery sitting in the corner of the room. I spun around triumphantly as I grabbed what I needed and almost fell over when a large figure loomed behind me.

“Archer! What the heck are you doing, you scared me,” I chastised.

“Sorry I just… wanted to know how your night went,” he asked as he took a step towards me.

I raised my chin slightly, hoping to convey nonchalance as I replied, “It was great. We played a few games, then I went to bed early.”

Archer took another step, raising his hand to touch my cheek. “I missed you last night,” he said quietly. He was now standing right in front of me, our chests a few small inches apart. The heat from his body radiated into me as his woodsy cologne permeated my senses. “I kind of wish I’d stayed,” he whispered as he moved his hand to drop on my shoulder.

I shot backwards, needing to put space between us to lessen the intoxicating buzzing in my head. I straightened my spine and walked around him, making sure to give him a wide birth to avoid any contact.

“Don’t be silly, you guys needed a boys night,” I shrugged. “Besides it’s not like you’d find any available girls at a family dinner,” I threw over my shoulder—hoping to God I didn’t sound bitter.

When I got back into the kitchen our party had grown. Mrs. Johnson and Annie had replaced me behind the island, and my dad was introducing Oliver to two men.

“Ahhh sweetie come meet my coworker,” My dad extended his arm for me to walk to his side. I looked up at the two men and knew they had to be related. They both stood somewhere around 5’10 I’d guess with burly arms. They had smooth tanned skin and matching olive eyes. Both men stared down at me with smiles adorning their full wide l-ips. The only difference was that one appeared 20 years older than the other.

“Lotty, this is our newest accountant Rick and his son Manny. This is my daughter, Charlotte.”

I smiled politely at both men as we shook hands. Rick asked my dad a question about the construction of our house, and suddenly I found myself alone with Manny.

“So, you’re a Chargers fan hey?” he asked with a sly grin.

“Everyone in this family is, so be careful with your next comment,” I joked.

Manny raised his hands in mock surrender and let out a musical laugh. “No, no. They’re great. I mean, when was the last time they made it to the playoffs though?”

“2018 thank you very much,” I sassed.

Manny’s eye’s lit up and his l-ips quirked in amusement, “Well I have to respect a fan who is at least devoted.”

“Foods ready!” my mom called out. Manny followed me into the kitchen where we all lined up to dish our plates. Since it was casual my mom let the young people take our plates into the living room while the adults and Annie ate around the table.

I settled into the loveseat and put my bowl on the coffee table in front of me. The three boys all followed close behind me, balancing their food. Oliver took the recliner right away and Archer moved to follow me to the small couch. Before he could though, Manny stepped around the coffee table and settled next to me. He flashed me a cheeky smile making me think he knew what he was doing. Archer redirected to the couch adjacent to us with a scowl passing over his face.

“So,” Manny drawled, “Where do y’all go to school?”

“Charlotte and I go to USC,” Archer added stiffly. I narrowed my eyes at his rude tone. He didn’t need to be a jerk just because Manny stole his s₱0t.

“I’m not in school, not my scene,” Oliver smirked.

Manny dropped his head back and shook his head incredulously. “No way! You guys are Trojans?”-he nudged my shoulder-“I don’t think we are allowed to be in the same room. I’m a Bruin.”

“Archer is the Trojan,” Oliver joked. “He’s the quarterback.”

Manny looked at Archer with a slow appraising nod, “No kidding. I probably should have guessed, you have that All-American thing going for you. I could see you married to Giselle Bundchen in a few years.”

Archer’s mouth twisted in annoyance as Oliver and I laughed at the joke. “So, you go to UCLA?” I asked before Archer could snap back.

“In my senior year,” Manny nodded proudly. He lowered his voice and smirked, “Guess that means we’re neighbours.”

The glint in his eyes brought a blush to my cheeks. “I guess it does,” I said softly.

“Ugh gross,” Oliver said loudly. “No flirting with my sister.” I broke the heated eye contact with Manny to look over at the other two boys. Ollie shook his head in mock disgust, lightening my embarrassment.

A darkness rolled off of Archer’s shoulders that I didn’t fully understand. I don’t think he appreciated being the butt of Manny’s jabs but he didn’t need to glower so intensely. His jaw was locked tightly and his l-ips were thinned as though he were physically trying to keep himself quiet.

Manny didn’t seem to notice the reaction he was causing as he laughed easily with Oliver. The rest of the afternoon passed amiably. I sat back for most of it, happily listening to Oliver and Manny pass the s₱0tlight back and forth. They were very similar, both keeping the tone of the room jovial as they told humorous stories.

Their humour was even able to outweigh the dark cloud that Archer sat under. He spent most of the day staring at his phone screen or watching football highlights on tv. I felt bad that he was clearly not enjoying himself, but I resisted the urge to pull him away. I tried to remind myself that if I wanted to be genuine friends I needed to put distance between us.

Soon Rick came into the living room to tell Manny they had to leave. The three of us all stood to walk them out, meeting my parents in the foyer. Rick and my dad chatted about work on Monday while Oliver and Manny did some weird bro handshake that all young guys somehow knew. Archer barely granted a nod as Manny said goodbye to him.

Turning to me, Manny gave me a secretive smile and gestured for me to follow him outside. The sun was setting, painting the sky with strokes of bright pinks and oranges. I hadn’t put shoes on so the cold grass tickled my feet as I followed Manny down the lawn to his dad’s car.

“So, what’s going on with you and the All-American?” Manny smirked.

“W-what?” I stuttered.

He c-cked his jaw as he let out a low laugh, “I’m a guy, I can tell when I’m pissing on someone else’s territory.”

I scrunched my nose at his off-coloured comment. “You mean me? Archer and I are just friends.”

“Ouch,” Manny bared his teeth as he s-cked in air. “You friend-zoned the poor guy?”

“I didn’t friend zone him… It’s just—I don’t know,” I finished lamely.

He smirked as he looked over my shoulder and took a small step closer to me. “So, can I get your Instagram or something then?”

My cheeks heated up as I nodded unsurely and gave him my handle. I wasn’t sure if Manny was still in joke-mode or not, but my Instagram seemed innocent enough.

Rick came down the driveway then, calling for Manny to get into the car. I waved them both off, enjoying the cold evening air as I watched them drive away. I wrapped my arms around myself as I turned back to the house. An absentminded smile played on my l-ips as I walked towards the door. I didn’t think any of Manny’s jokes were that serious, but I was proud of myself for today. I hadn’t been the life of the party, but I’d successfully socialized with a new person in a way that I never could before going to USC.

“Enjoying yourself?” a cold voice cut through my wandering thoughts.

“Dang Archer, you need to stop sneaking up on me.” I grabbed my heart as I noticed him sitting on the porch chair.

Archer ignored my fright, standing up to stride over to me. He shook his head slowly as he rubbed his jaw. “I don’t like him.”

“Well, you didn’t really give him a fair shot did you?” I snipped. “If you’d stopped being grumpy for five minutes you might have noticed Manny was a pretty nice guy.”

He laughed humourlessly as he ran his long fingers through his hair. “Come on Charlotte. Don’t be naive. He just wants to get laid.”

I flinched at his harsh tone. Archer’s eyes softened as he sighed, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Why do you even care,” I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

Archer’s warm hand rested on my cheek, bringing my face up to meet his. My brain went fuzzy as I got lost in the warmth of his dark chocolate eyes. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it like that,” Archer’s said quietly. He refused to let me look away, but the raw sincerity in his eyes was overwhelming.

The hand that had rested on my cheek dropped to my jaw as Archer ran his thumb along my bottom lip. My breath hitched as the small touch sent a flutter of nerves to my stomach.

“You just have no idea.” Archer’s voice was thick with restraint.

His gaze flicked to my l-ips as his thumb stroked again. The calloused pad against my soft flesh sent goosebumps down my arms. His once warm eyes were dark as they lifted and bared into my soul. “What you do to… men.” His husky whisper weakened my knees.

“W-what,” I breathed.

I almost fell but Archer’s other hand settled on my h¡p, pulling me closer to him. “What you do to me,” he added on a breathe. The hand on my jaw shifted. His fingers left trails of tingles as he slipped them back slowly, under my earlobe and into my curls.

The world dropped away at that moment. Everything around us was a blur, the only thing I could clearly focus on was Archer’s eyes locked on my own. There was a silent question as his face dropped lower, but I didn’t know how to answer it. The only sounds I could hear were our heavy breaths tangling together and the drumming of my pulse in my ears.

Archer’s face was so close to mine, I could taste the peppermint on his breath.

“Charlotte,” he breathed as his fingers tightened in my hair.

I gulped, needing relief from the tension holding my body, but my inexperience paralyzed me. I lifted a shaky hand to his chest. His heart pounded rapidly against my palm, letting me know he was just as nervous as me. I allowed that to fuel me as I moved my hand up, stretching on my toes to rest it on the back of his neck.

In tandem, he slid his fingers from my h¡p to splay across the curve of my lower back, steadying me. My tongue darted across my lip catching Archer’s dark gaze. I don’t know if I pulled, or if he pushed, but finally, our l-ips connected.

My eyelids dropped closed as Archer claimed my mouth. The k-ss was slow, as though we were both content with savouring the waves of pleasure that washed over us as our l-ips pressed gently together. We could have stayed like that for hours, I’d never know. But soon, slowly, Archer began to m-ssage my l-ips with his own.

My wh0le body quivered with nerves and excitement at the new sens-tion. Archer’s fingers on my back shifted to trace my spine softly. The silent act of comfort warmed my heart as I tried to relax and meet his movements. Heat pooled low in my stomach as it reminded me of our ballroom dance classes. When your partner steps forward, you step back. Tentatively attempting to take the lead, I slipped my bottom lip below his and s-cked gently.

A deep gr-an slid from the back of Archer’s throat, surprising both of us enough to pull back. We stood there frozen, eyes locked and breathing heavily in each other’s arms.

I felt like I was supposed to say something as he stared down at me, chest heaving. But what could I say that would match what I just experienced?

Reality crashed into us as the front door swung open. Archer and I jumped apart like we’d been stung as Mrs. Johnson and Annie walked out of the house. Silence wrapped around us as Archer’s mother took in our shocked state. She raised one eyebrow at her son before turning to me with a small smile.

“If you don’t want your father or brother to know what you were doin’ out here, I suggest you go straight up to your room. You have guilt written all over your face, sweetie.”

Archer let out an embarrassed sigh as my face darkened a deep red. Words were still escaping me as I flicked my gaze between Mrs. Johnson’s kind smile and Archer’s apologetic grimace. I finally just had to escape as I squeaked a goodbye and ran in,side.

I didn’t stop until I was up the stairs and in my bedroom. I slumped against the cold door as I lifted a finger to press against my swollen mouth. The residual heat was like an imprint of Archer’s l-ips pressed to mine.
Good lord.

Good freakin’ lord.

I just k-ssed Archer Johnson.

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TBC

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