A Lifetime to Learn

Chapter 10: You Took A Stick For Me So I Guess That's The Same

"Right, do you want to come in?" He asked and I thought about it for a few seconds. I thought about all the different ways me entering his house could go, and I decided against it after weighing the pros against the cons. I shook my head and noticed a frown tug at his lips, but he just nodded. 

"I have to make it quick anyways." I told him honestly, not wanting to worry my parents and the others more than they probably already were. "I just." I coughed, not knowing exactly where I was going with this, "I just wanted to know um, where we stand?" 

"We're on my driveway idiot." He smirked, knowing full well that's not what I meant. 

I groaned and smacked his arm a little harder than I initially planned, a slight wince escaping his mouth. "Like, after last night." I whispered nervously, looking around to make sure that no one had heard me. When my eyes reconnected with his, he looked frozen. He stood like a statue but I could tell that he was concentrating hard on something.

"You know-" His voice came out raspy so he cleared his throat and tried again, "You know how you have to make it quick? Would you mind if I made it a little less quick, I need to show you something." I looked back at my house and shrugged when I figured I had an hour, nodding and letting him take my hand. 

 "Where are we going?" I asked as I climbed into his car. He didn't say anything, just pulled out of the driveway and began down his street towards the main road. 

After about five minutes we were in the middle of the woods. Oh my gosh why do things like this always have to happen to me? "Don't look so frightened." Archer said, his voice full of no humour, "I'm not going to do anything to you."

I nodded, following his lead as he got out of the car and began walking towards the middle of the woods. This is like that scene when Bella follows Edward and explains that she knows he's a vampire. With that thought, I began to slow my pace and put my hands in my pockets, walking like Edward did as he followed Bella, but in this case, as I followed Archer. 

We were probably smack dab in the middle of the forest when he stopped and turned around, sitting on a log that looked as though it had fallen years ago. I took a seat next to him, the wind sending a chill down my spine and the dampness of the log making the situation even worse. "You don't remember this do you?" 

I shook my head, not knowing how I was supposed to remember being in the middle of freaking no where ever. "What's so special about it?" I asked, turning towards him only to realize that his eyes were already aimed in my direction.

"It's the place I fell in love with you." 

I began to laugh nervously at his statement, hoping that he was just messing with me. I nudged his shoulder playfully, but no sign of amusement even flashed onto his face. I felt a lump in my throat which I instantly gulped down, my palms becoming sweaty and my heart racing as I sat next to him. I swear if he didn't get up, I probably could have filled a bucket with my sweat.

But thankfully, he was off of the log and leaning against the tree across from me in a few seconds. "Do you remember when Adelyn, you, and I used to pretend we were like Indiana Jones? After we watched that movie it was all we could dream about. Being explorers." He smiled, putting his knee up on a near by log and pretending to look through a telescope. 

I smiled at the memory, finally realizing the relevance of this forest in relation to our childhood. "But what does this have to do with-" I started but soon realized that I couldn't even get the 'L' word out of my mouth.

"Love?" He asked to which I nodded. "Well one day, when we were exploring the forest for the first time, I tripped over this log right here." He smiled, kicking the log that he had once perched his leg onto. "But I didn't get hurt, and do you remember why?" 

I looked down at my pants as though I could actually see through them. I remembered exactly what happened. 

*Flashback*

"Just because we're girls doesn't mean we can't explore just as well as the rest of you!" I yelled, grabbing Adelyn's hand and running further into the woods, away from Archer who was being the pirate. 

"I'll get you!" He screamed. 

Addy and I chuckled as we ran, the leaves crinkling as our feet made contact with them. Soon the movement of running just became a second nature. I suddenly heard the snap of a twig and knew that he was getting closer. We both kept laughing as we reached the lightning circle.

Well, that's what we called it anyways. A few months ago there was a giant lightning storm that had knocked six trees down to form a circle like shape. It's where a lot of older kids would meet now and have parties or whatever. "Do you think we're safe here?" Addy asked, panting and placing her hands on her knees. I looked back and saw no sign of Archer. I also couldn't hear oncoming footsteps so I just nodded.

We both crouched behind a tree, and soon enough, Archer came into view. We were about to run away, but I instantly noticed that his balance was off. He was running, but not in a straight line and his feet were fumbling over every inch of the uneven ground. I had an extremely bad feeling and shot up from behind the log, just in time too. 

He tripped over the large fallen down tree and I held my arms out for him. Thankfully, he wasn't hurt, but the stick impaling my leg afterwards proved that I was.

*End of Flashback* 

"I never thought anyone cared about me that much." He told me honestly, his eyes softening as they met mine, "They say people take bullets for other people that they care about, but you took a stick for me so I guess that's the same." He smiled, making his way towards me again and kneeling in the cold leaves.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. It was just a game anyways." I told him, shivering as his hand brushed over the scar where the stick has pushed through my leg. 

"I know, and I've loved you ever since. Every single thing I said to be mean to you was in hopes that you would notice me. Looking back on it, I know it was a stupid move to pull as I was hurting the one I care about most, but I am just a guy." He shrugged, his hand moving up my body and cupping my cheek gently. "When Adelyn and I had to move away I was heart broken. I was scared that when I got back you would be in the arms of some other guy because I mean look at you, you're fucking perfect!"

"I'm not-"

"Stop interrupting me." He chuckled, his hand putting itself firmly over my mouth, "But when I saw you in that bathing suit, in my house. All of the feelings I thought should have left came rushing back. You're not just Adelyn's best friend." The words he had said before finally were in context for me. He didn't mean I was something different, but he meant I was something different to him. "And when I kissed you. When I finally found the fucking courage to stop that bottle and kiss you, I was scared. Scared of what I was feeling, scared that all I would be to you is trouble. The last thing I want to do is hurt you Carmen." 

"So where does that put us?" I asked nervously, my mouth literally dry from leaving it hanging open so long; my heart beat in overdrive.

"I know where I want it to leave us, but where do you?" 

"I don't know I guess I want something more?" 

"Oh god I was praying you'd say that." He smiled, yanking my mouth against his for the first time in what felt like forever. 

Maybe this wasn't a game after all.