The Unknown Road

15 - Archie

"Alright there Mike Tyson?" I ask, laughing.

"Wha...?" He tries to sit up but he doesn't have total control of his limbs yet. I lean back slightly and help him sit up, so we're both sitting on the pavement. He leans forward and puts his head between his legs and for a moment I think he's going to be sick.

"You tried to start a fight, so you got us both kicked out," I clarify.

"Aw man, did I?" He slurs, but he does at least sound like he's sorry. I'm not though. It gave me an excuse to get out of there. "Where are we anyway?" He looks up and down the deserted private road Callum lives on.

"Oh, we're just outside the house still. You got heavy."

He drops his head in his hands. "Jeez, did I pass out again?" He groans.

I laugh, "Yeah."

He leans back slowly and puts his head back on the pavement, groaning every so often while I look out in front of me. My mind is gliding over Tessa, and I'm about to ask if he's ready to move on, when I hear a loud snore erupt from behind me.

"Fuck's sake..." I roll my eyes as I stand up, brushing myself off and lifting him over my shoulder again. "Guess I'm carrying you, then."

***

AS I WALK DOWN the road, my mind races through the last year and how I'd missed the signs.

Did she feel that way before I starting dating Dee? She may have, but I don't want to be so big-headed and assume she must have, only to find that she didn't like me at all that way, and that I'd read all the signs completely wrong.

Dee and I had got together at the beginning of 5th Form, and I didn't even really know how it happened. It just did.

We were at a party, and I have no idea why she chose me, I still don't, but we ended up kissing on and off all night that night. Most of the boys could only dream of it, so when she picked me out of a line up I just went with it, thinking it would all go back to how it was supposed to be on Monday, back to normal.

But the next thing I knew, she was parading us around school holding hands, kissing me in hiding places at break time and telling everybody that I was her boyfriend.

Now, at the time I didn't mind. Who didn't want to have Dee as their girlfriend? And the more I got to know her, the more I didn't actually mind spending time with her, particularly as she was a welcome distraction from what was going on at home at the time.

I think by that point I'd realised I was never going to get the girl I wanted, as she hadn't shown any interest other than friends, so I thought why not?

But the summer just gone, and then this term, she'd been acting like a completely different person.

She used to be kind to all my friends, and she didn't ignore Millie. But now she didn't give any of them the time of day, and she constantly puts Tessa down for no reason. I don't think any of them cared really, but I cared. I didn't like anyone being treated that way, but it was worse when it was my friends.

***

I HAVE TO STOP a couple of times to put Matt down on the way back to his.

I could have rung for a taxi, but with him being unconscious and potentially going to be sick, I didn't think it was a good idea. It's technically not far of a walk, but it feels a lot further when you're carrying someone.

The next time I take a break, I'm outside Loughton Library. Their house is at the top of this hill, so I have to catch my breath before attempting to climb it if Matt's not walking.