The Rest Is History | ✓

32 | the song

In the next few days, Archer tried his level best.

He respected my choices, never once fought with me, gave me space when I needed, made me laugh a couple of times, and in general, he seemed a lot like the Archer I knew before we broke up.

He was doing everything he could to win me back.

Slowly, but steadily, we went back to almost being friends, to that stage we'd been in before the kiss at the hospital. Over the days, I realised I was naturally getting inclined to talk to him instead of ignoring him, smile with him instead of crying.

I was feeling lighter, as if a weight had been taken off my back. I didn't think about what he'd said to me about winning me back, or that we could never be just friends again. I just thought how good it felt to be back on semi-good terms with him, how easy it all was without all the complications.

He never once said or did anything romantic. He was just being his usual self, the self he'd been back when we were best friends.

At first, it was hard to accept or get used to. I mean, how can you get used to it if your best friend/boyfriend-turned enemy suddenly started acting like your good friend again?

It took me some time to realise, but I noticed how easy it was to be this way. Act like we were friends, on good terms, with no complications, no complexities, no tangled emotions and confusion.

I knew it wasn't realistic or true; just because we acted like life was simple didn't mean it was. But it felt nice to just forget about everything else and be in the moment with him.

This is what I shared with Angie and Kate as well.

"So," Angie began, "You're both now on good terms again? Like good friends?"

I shrugged. "You can say so. I mean, it's not like we've solved all our issues, but he's just behaving so well now, like the Archer who was my best friend and who I fell for. And not just that. Whenever I feel like I need some distance or some time with myself he's giving it to me. He's respecting my choices."

"Well," Katie said, "We'd both love it if you got back together, Viv, but just be careful alright? We don't want to see you getting hurt another time."

My eyes widened. "Woah, who said anything about getting back together? I'm not even thinking about all that yet. I've just pushed my feelings to the side, and I'm only focusing on the fact that Archer and I aren't bickering anymore. That's it."

°

The next day, I was sitting in my Spanish class with two or three other people in the room. I'd arrived a bit early.

Suddenly, the door opened and Archer entered the room. His eyes landed on me.

He strode up to me and looked down into my eyes. "Is this seat taken?" He motioned to the place beside mine.

I looked beside me, then back at him again. He wanted to sit beside me? Fine, I shouldn't be having a problem with that.

I said, "Not really."

He smiled. "Well, then it's taken now."

He placed his bag down on the desk and sat down beside me. A bit closer than what I'd imagined but whatever, I wasn't going to let his proximity affect me. I was just focusing on being on good terms with him, that's all, I repeatedly told myself.

Ms Ramos entered the room and our lesson began.

When about fifteen minutes were left for class to end, Ms Ramos came to the end of her lecture.