The Way I Love You

CHAPTER 19

~We play dumb, but we know exactly what we're doing.

He just left me there with thousands of unanswered questions. After the rain that night, Archer made me forget about everyone I had ever crushed on. I had never felt such a strong desire for something to happen as I did when he was about to kiss me.

Was it all a dream? Could it be true that Archer was about to kiss me? We've been friends for a while now and I know he doesn't talk to others as much as he does with me, but I'm curious if he could be feeling something more. Does he have mixed thoughts and emotions about me like I have about him?

I want to know so badly!!!

Ever since that night, I haven't heard from him or seen him much. We were all busy preparing for our final exams and studying at home. The more I couldn't see him, the more my thoughts were consumed by him.

Finally, I finished my exams and can now visit him. He'll likely be with Luke who will also join us.

Unfortunately, everyone came there except Archer. I dint want to look like I cared about where he was, so I dint ask them.

All of us went to our usual hangout spot. It had swimming pool, table tennis, badminton court and everything else. We first played table tennis, then badminton and ended up in the swimming pool.  

I did not go into the swimming pool. I am not even a little interested in swimming, even though everyone were there inside. Emma tried to convince me to get in, but eventually gave up. I just stood there watching them."

And whaap! Someone just threw me into the pool.

"Oh my god!!!!" I shouted, wiping off the water over my eyes. I looked over and there was Archer standing and laughing.

He was standing there with slippers, white shirt and black sports short. His hair was sweaty and messed up. I was relieved that finally I got to see him. I smiled looking at him.

"YOU IDIOT!" I angrily made my way out of the pool and chased him, he ran across the pool. I finally caught him and tried to push him into the pool. But obviously man was a footballer how could I just push him like that?

"You can't push me" He said laughing hysterically. Beating his thighs with his hands. I started to tickle him and tried pushing him into the pool, but it was a flop. He carried me as I was trying to push him and he threw me into the pool once again. 

"Noooo!!" I screamed as I fell, I gave him a continuous death glare and he was still laughing there

"Come on bro, you too get inside the pool. We'll play volleyball." Mason called him.

"nah, y'all play. I have to go change." He said.

"he's just scared because he doesn't know how to play volleyball." I said just to make him get into the pool.

And then he looked at me, smirkingly removing his t shirt, his gave intensely fixed over mine. God! looked so fine. I tried real hard to look anywhere else except his shredded well-defined abs that were glistened by the rays of the sun falling over him. And how his eyes deep grey eyes were sparkling as the light hit him. He truly was charming as hell. 

"Oooooooo" everyone went like that as he removed his shirt.  

He dove right into the pool next to me.

"Like what you see?" He asked with a smirk.

"Shut up, I've seen much better."

We divided teams and Archer was in the one opposite of mine.

"I don't know how to play volleyball you say uh?" he told me.

And he went on smashing the ball and gaining a point for his team and giving his smirk.

Can he please not be good at something.  

We continued playing the match, which obviously ended in the winning. After the match all of us went to change. I saw Archer standing in the front, facing backwards so I called him.

"Where were you till now?" I asked.

"wasn't I in the pool with you?" he asked back.

"Idiot, I meant before that."

"oh, I had gone out." He said.

"where?"  

"just here, somewhere around." He replied.

Okay if he doesn't want to tell then no problem. I just walked off from there and he ran and coming in front of me.

"Claire." He said coming in front of me.

"what?" I asked looking at him.

"Umm-" He said while playing with his hair.

"Claire! Come here fast!" Luna called me.

"What?" I asked Archer again.  

"Nothing. Umm what are you doing for summer?" He asked.

"Nothing much, going to take up a course or something, you?" We talked as we walked till where everyone was.

"What course?" He asked.

"Going to search." I replied.

"Hmm, well don't you want to learn how to play football?" He asked.

"And how do you know I like to play football?" I asked back.

"I know everything." He replied by giving a smirk.

"Oh really?" I asked.

"Yes." He replied in a playful manner.

"Aren't you going for further football training?" I asked.

"Yup. I'm going to Barcelona."

"The whaaaat??!!" I was so shocked and surprised at the same time.

"that's so cool!!" I told him.

He laughed and asked why was I shocked, and I told him that Barcelona is one of my favourite places. I literally love that place.

"Is that because of football?" He asked.

"Yes!! Why else would I like it?" I replied.

"How are you going to go, alone?" I asked.

"Nah, with my dad. He lives in England." He replied.

"He's from England?" I asked.

"Yes." he replied.  

I just stared at him. He knows I have no words at this point. Cause England Seriously? I love that place.  

"Again surprised?" He asked while laughing.

Now I get where he gets that bit of British accent from.

"Hell yeah! I mean England seriously?! That is so cool!!" I told him.

"Let me guess you like that too cause of football?" He asked.

"Obviously and also the accent, architect, culture, its truly an elegant place" I told him.

I like how he was just smiling and looking at me while I was telling this and nodding his head agreeing with me.

"When are you leaving anyways?" I asked him.

"Tomorrow night." He said.

"Oh."

"Well happy journey then." I said.

By that time Emma walked in and so we left.

The one week without seeing him felt so long how am I going to spend one month like this?

It made me feel special that Archer told me and talked to me about something other than teasing and I couldn't take that convo out of my head. The flashbacks of the night when it rained will always live in my mind rent free.

Cause I seriously don't know what the hell that was. And after that it has made a different kind of feeling between me and him.  

Something that's more than just friends.