The Unknown Road

52 - Tessa

WHEN IT GOT TO lunch, I hadn't seen or heard from Archie all day, so I guessed no news was good news.

And when I saw him coming through the door, wincing as he held it open for Rob behind him, I'd never been more glad to see him. Before he sees me checking on him though, I put my head back down and focus on the Ottoman research I have on my laptop screen instead.

He comes and sits opposite me, patiently waiting for me to look up. When I do, I snort. He has aligned his eyes just above the top of my laptop screen, so his eyes and the top of his head are the only part I could see of him.

"Good day so far?" I ask, closing my laptop lid. I reach across the table to cover his hand with mine.

He shrugs, brushing his thumb over my hand before pulling it to his mouth to kiss my knuckles. "It was okay. I was late to everything but I was fine." He beams and leans back in his chair. "I do feel like I want to call your dad now though." He sighs. "I'm exhausted."

I look at him and I can see he's in pain, but before I can tell him he should if he wants, he says something else.

"But I have a double free and then Art last period, so I don't see the point. I can just chill up here."

"Arch, you can still go if you want. Dad would come and pick you up."

He shakes his head as he stands. "Nah, it's okay," he tells me, gesturing with his head to the dwindling lunch queue. "Hey, did you actually hand in our Art project yet?" He asks, changing the subject.

I take his hand as we walk. "Nope. Figured we could do it together. She gave us an extension and we're the last presenters on Friday."

He lets me go for a second so I can get my lunch.

"But we're done right?" I ask as we sit down.

"Yeah we are." He takes a huge mouthful of pasta. "But I have a replacement for one of my cards. I can add it whilst you're in English and meet you in the Art room later."

I narrow my eyes. "Arch, what are you adding?"

He holds up his hands in defence. "It's not that picture from the other day is it?"

He laughs. "No, it's not."

He'd drawn a picture of me asleep. It was so detailed, making me feel like he'd been watching me sleep for hours, but I didn't really want a picture of me asleep on our Art project. Not to mention it was private.

"What have you drawn?" I press again and he pretends to zip his mouth shut.

"You'll see!" He smiles, leaning across the table and kissing me, ceasing all conversation on the topic.

***

WHEN FRIDAY FINALLY CAME around, all of us were really ready for the Christmas holidays.

Dad still hadn't spoken to us about what I'd asked him on Tuesday, because he'd been working, but I felt like I didn't want to push it either. I asked Archie again, but he shut down immediately and went quiet, so it was obviously something bad.

School was becoming normal for us again though. And with Archie's ribs getting better by the day, and less people staring too, by the time we came into the Art classroom, we were in good spirits. Well as good as my spirits could be when I didn't know what picture he was using.

I was about to ask him one final time when Mrs Doctor called our names.

"And last but not least... Archie and Tessa?"