Chapter 5

Archie arrived home to the familiar sounds of his mother bustling about in the kitchen, the clinking of utensils and the rhythmic chopping of vegetables filling the air. 

Grace was in the midst of a phone call, her voice animated as she multitasked, whipping up a meal with practiced ease. But as soon as she caught sight of Archie, her phone slipped from her grasp, forgotten, as she stood frozen in shock.

“Hey, mom”

Hurrying over to him, her hands reached out to cup his face, her touch gentle yet urgent. “Archie, what happened to your face?” she exclaimed, her eyes scanning his bruises with concern. 

Archie watched as his mother enveloped him in a warm embrace, her worry palpable in the way she held him close. Despite everything he had been through, all he needed in that moment was the comforting presence of his mother.

A small smile tugged at his split lips as he soaked in the warmth of her embrace. Grace might not be his biological mother, but she had filled the role of a mother with unwavering love and care. 

Her worry slowly began to give way to frustration, Archie couldn’t help but chuckle.

Grace’s patience wore thin as she whipped him with a bunch of spring onions in her hand. “Does this look like a joke to you, Archie? You didn’t come home for two nights!” she scolded, her maternal instincts kicking into high gear. 

Archie winced playfully as she delivered another light smack, feigning pain for a dramatic effect.

Undeterred, Grace returned to the task at hand, her hands deftly chopping vegetables.

“I was mugged,” Archie offered, attempting to downplay the severity of the situation. 

Grace’s reaction was immediate, her eyes widening in shock as she absorbed the gravity of his words. 

“But a good samaritan took me to the hospital, that’s why I couldn’t return your calls.”

“Oh, thank goodness you’re safe,” she breathed. “You should invite him over for dinner, to thank him properly.” But Archie shook his head, his voice shaky as he fumbled for another lie. “He left early, I couldn't find his number either.”

“Oh,” Grace nodded in understanding. She pulled a plate of steaming casserole from the microwave and slid it across the table. “Eat up, you look like a broom. Your dad would be late for dinner anyways.”

With a grateful smile, Archie dug into the food, savoring the familiar taste of home-cooked comfort. The meal laid before him looked far more appetizing than the dismal fare he had been served in the cell.

A knot of unease tightened in Archie’s stomach at the memory. Neither of his parents knew the truth about his recent ordeal, nor his revoked scholarship.

Before he could stop himself, the words spilled from his lips. “I don’t want to attend that school.” 

“What? Why?” Her tired face etched with worry, his mother’s eyes searched his as he struggled to find the right words. 

Guilt washed over him instantly. “Cause...I got a scholarship at another school,” he managed to muster a smile. 

“You don’t like Williams College?” her concern is evident in her voice. 

“No, I mean yeah, it’s just...” he searched for something to say, his mind racing. “I just really like this new school. I’m hoping for a fresh start.” 

Grace opened her mouth to respond, but a sigh escaped her lips instead. “Well,” she shrugged, “That sounds fine. As long as you’re happy.”

“Thanks” Archie forced a large mouthful down his throat.

With a coffee cup in hand, she raised it to her lips before striding out of the kitchen.

“Wash the dishes.”

The lecture had ended, and Archie swiftly swung his bag over his shoulder with a sense of urgency. He was already running late for his appointment at the Dean’s office.

As Archie navigated through the bustling hallway, the elegant architecture of the school buildings enveloped him in a sense of grandeur. Gleaming marble floors reflected the soft glow of overhead chandeliers. It was nothing like his former school.

The sound of giggling caught his attention. He noticed a group of girls whispering amongst themselves, their eyes flickering in his direction. Suddenly, one of them broke away from the group and approached him, her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders.

“Hey, do you have a minute?” she asked, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. 

She was pretty, Archie noted but pretty like Sierra. The kind that would spend hours in a boutique and end up not buying anything because ‘it was not to her taste.’ The kind that will throw money at all of her problems because that’s the only way she was brought up.

Archie gave himself a mental shake, judging rich people had become a habit, at this point.

“Sure, what’s up?” he replied, masking his apprehension with a polite smile.

“I’m Tia” Then she gestured towards the girls behind them and they waved eagerly at him. “That’s Ashley and Jade.”

“Archie” he returned their wave, his eyebrow raised with suspicion. 

“You should sit with us during lunch,” she suggested, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I’ll... keep that in mind.”

With a polite nod, he turned away, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity swirling inside him. He wasn’t accustomed to this kind of attention. As he continued down the hallway, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 

Maybe this new school wasn’t so bad after all.

Without warning, Archie stumbled over something, his momentum sending him crashing to the ground. Laughter echoed around him as a group of boys approached, their mocking voices taunting him.

“Need a pair of glasses, nerd?” one of them sneered, squatting down to his level. Archie gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him.

Brushing himself off, he rose to his feet, his resolve hardening. He fought against the burning urge to get back at them. This was the same thing that got him expelled, it wasn’t worth it he noted to himself.

Archie calmly gathered his scattered notes on the floor, ignoring the menace before him, but they pushed him to the ground again.

“Here let me get that for you” The bully picked up a note and stretched it towards him. But before Archie could reach for it, they ripped it into half, right in his face.

“What’s wrong with you?” Archie snapped, grabbing their collar in his hands.

“What’s the matter with you?” Archie snapped, seizing their collar in his hands.

The assailant shoved him to the ground and gripped him tightly. “What’s a nerd like you doing with those girls, huh?” He delivered a blow to Archie’s face. Then came another, and another.

The rest of the group motioned to their friend. “Ash, someone’s coming.”

Ash delivered one final punch before releasing Archie, a devilish grin crossed his face. “We’ll pick up where we left off later.”

A surge of anger coursed through him, but Archie refrained from acting on it. He was fed up.

Everywhere he went, it seemed he was destined to be a punching bag.

If he fought back, he risked being labeled the aggressor, but if he didn’t, he appeared weak.

As Archie reached out to retrieve his books, his bully shoved them further away with a callous kick.

With gritted teeth, he leaned in closer, only to have them pushed even further from his grasp. The bullies laughed and mocked him as Archie chased after his book.

At that moment, a pair of pink sneakers strolled into his view.

Ash’s face lit up as soon as he spotted the girl. “Hey, Bailey.” His grin turned flirtatious as he sized her up. “Nice ass.”

“Shut it, Ash,” she retorted.

She squatted beside Archie, reached out for his note and handed it to him. It was only as they both stood up that he got a glimpse of her. 

She was the epitome of beauty, the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Her hazel eyes sparkled with warmth, she extended her hand towards him. “Hi, I’m Bailey, but you can call me Bae.”