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"Em?"

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"Em?"

"Em, it's time to wake up"

I forced my eyes open to find Archie towering over me like an ancient statue. His wide shoulders filled the entirety of my vision, his red hair almost blinding to my sleepy eyes.

"I'll be up in a minute" I mumbled, rolling over to the other side of the bed. I could feel Archie sit down beside me, the mattress sinking from his weight.

"We're all supposed to be heading out," He quietly told me. "You're the only one who hasn't gotten up yet" He informed me.

"You guys can go, don't worry about me. I'll be up soon" I mumbled in response, once again rolling to face Archie.

He was sat against the headboard, his arms crossed across his chest. "I'm not allowing that" Archie replied in his typical older brother fashion, without looking down at me.

At some point in the years we'd known each other, he decided that he would take the role as an overprotective older brother.

"Not without you telling me what's wrong" He added. Now he was looking at me, his freckles spread across a worried expression.

I rested my head on my hands. "There's nothing wrong" I responded, smiling sweetly, and very faked, up at him.

"You're a terrible liar." Archie replied, staring up at the ceiling with wondering eyes. Apparently the ceiling was more interesting than me.

Irritated, I decided to answer his question truthfully, to throw him off guard. "I told Lando about my illness last night" I announced.

Archie snapped his gaze down at me. His eyes were harsh for a second, but they softened once our eyes locked.

"Isn't that a good thing?" He asked softly. We never really spoke about my disease unless it was necessary. That was what I wished. That way I could force my brain to forget about it.

"No," I answered bluntly. "I completely broke down" I admitted, feeling Archies fingertips brush along my cheek.

"That doesn't have to be a bad thing" Archie responded, looking at me with my most hated emotion... pity.

"Maybe, but everything will most likely change now" I paused. "He'll realize that I'm too much work, he'll be scared to talk to me" I said, feeling my head sinking deeper and deeper into the pillow.

Archie frowned at me, brushing his hand gently across my forehead. "He'll be scared to even touch me" I mumbled, digging my face into the pillow.

"As much as I feel for you, I do not need to hear about that" Archie playfully said, causing me to softly laugh.

"I didn't mean it like that" I responded, throwing a spare pillow in his face, just causing his grin to grow even larger.

"And besides, you're my gay best-friend, you're supposed to gossip with me about guys" I playfully told him, causing me to get the pillow thrown straight back in my face.

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