In the bustling cafeteria of Williams college, Archie found himself standing alone at the counter. His friends had already settled down at their usual table, their laughter mingling with the clatter of trays and utensils. He fumbled through his worn wallet, counting out the meager coins with a sinking feeling in his stomach.The cafeteria attendant, a woman with a perpetually bored expression, glanced at Archie with thinly veiled disdain. “Running short again, Archie?”Archie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as he tried to summon a response. “Uh, yeah, just a bit short today,” he muttered.“I’ll get you the rest later,” he began, his voice trailing off as he tried to meet the attendant’s eyes. But before he could finish his sentence, her expression darkened.“You think you can just waltz in here and expect a free meal?” she snapped, her voice laced with venom. “We’re not a charity!”Archie’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, his heart pounding in his chest as the attendant raised h
“Sierra!”Archie’s rage boiled over at the sight of Tommy’s kiss with Sierra, his voice echoing through the tense air. “Take your hands off her, Tommy! We need to talk.”Tommy’s grin widened, a mocking glint in his eyes. “You really don’t take a hint, do you, Archie? Your girlfriend doesn’t want you.”Archie turned to his girlfriend. She fluttered her manicured fingers at him. “Hi Archie”“Sierra, we need to talk.” His voice cracked with desperation. Sierra tilted her head, her glossy lips curling into a patronizing smile. “Not with your broke ass,” she scoffed, her disgust evident in her lowered lashes.Tommy saw the look on Archie’s face and it fed his satisfaction. “Yikes, now isn’t this painful to watch” He hopped to his feet and pranced towards him. He stretched out his arms, forming a makeshift camera frame with his fingers and one eye closed, then gestured towards the camera guy. “Hey, Elliot, looks like you’re missing out on some Hollywood shit!”Ignoring Tommy’s taunts, Arc
The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows that danced against the cold, concrete walls of the room. Archie sat slumped in a metal chair, his face bruised and his uniform bloodied, his body ached with every movement.The police officers circled around him like vultures, their eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. “Thought you were tough?” one officer sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “Why don’t you show us the way you bullied the mayor’s son, huh?”Archie opened his mouth to say something but he was silenced with a blow to the stomach. He winced as the sharp pain shot through his battered body like lightning.The officer was about to land him another blow when his pocket vibrated. He hesitated mid-swing, a look of annoyance flashing across his face as his phone rang. With a muttered curse, he stepped aside to answer it, leaving Archie sprawled on the cold, hard floor, his body trembling with pain.As the officer conversed in hushed tones, the rest of the
Archie stood rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the imposing figure before him. After everything he had endured in the recent days, nothing seemed to surprise him anymore. “Please, get in,” the man commanded, gesturing towards the black van parked nearby. Archie’s eyes flickered towards the vehicle, noting the three other men dressed in identical suits seated within its confines.He broke into a maniac laugh then shook his head, “No way, man. I’m not getting in there.”But the hefty man remained unfazed, his steely gaze boring into Archie’s with unwavering intensity. Goosebumps prickled along Archie’s skin, a sudden sense of unease settling over him so he did the first thing that came to mind. He turned to his heels but before Archie could escape, the man’s strong grip closed around his arm, dragging him towards the waiting van. With a swift motion, Archie found himself being bundled into the vehicle, the door slammed shut behind him before he could protest.After many hours of b
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
Ashley seethed with fury as he watched the interaction between the two of them, but he held his tongue, opting not to respond.“Come on, let’s go,” he muttered to his friends, gesturing for them to follow him as he stormed past them.Just as he turned away, Archie caught his gaze, and Ash made a threatening gesture, dragging his finger across his throat.“Ignore him,” Bailey said, her voice calm but firm, redirecting Archie’s attention back to her.“People like this are pretty hard to shake off,” Archie remarked, his gaze drifting thoughtfully to his notes. “You can ignore them all you like, but that only gives them more reasons to bother you.”“Well, that’s not how it works over here,” Bailey countered.“Oh, really?” Archie retorted. “Well, I tried ignoring them and I earned a free facial massage as a reward.” Bailey burst into an infectious laugh, her brown hair falling and brushing against her face. She held her both sides as she started to wheeze.“I like you. What’s your name?”
Bae’s eyes twinkled with amusement as she watched Archie approach their table, his focus solely on balancing the two steaming cups of coffee. There was a certain charm in his concentration, a kind of authenticity that drew her to him.He wasn’t like the rest. He was more...normal.“He’s hot,” A girl remarked, her eyes lingering on Archie with obvious interest.Her moment of quiet observation was interrupted by the sudden intrusion of a redhead from across the booth. Bae’s attention snapped to the girl, her initial admiration for Archie melted away as she quickly composed herself, her voice taking on a casual tone. “Maybe, I don’t know.” she replied with a slight shrug.The redhead pressed on, undeterred by Bae’s nonchalant response. “Does he have a girlfriend?” “I don’t know...” Bailey’s voice trailed, she had just realized that she knew nothing about his personal life. It had been a week already and she was the least proud to admit that she still called him ‘newbie.’“Incoming.”
As the sun dipped low in the sky, the air buzzed with anticipation. Spectators quickly filled the stands, their voices blending into a steady hum of excitement. Bailey took her seat among the crowd, her eyes fixed on the field below. “I pity him,” one of the cheerleaders suddenly chimed in, her voice cutting through the buzz of the crowd. She beckoned to the rest of the squad, her tone laced with certainty. “Ash is definitely going to pound the new guyBailey ignored her mates, she remained silent, her gaze unwavering as she watched Archie with hopeful anticipation.On the field, Archie and Ash stood facing each other, both cladded in uniform. Their eyes locked in a fierce rivalry. Tension crackled in the air as they waited for the next whistle.As the referee’s whistle pierced the air, the match sprang into action. Ash wasted no time, swiftly grabbing the ball and darting across the field with lightning speed. His teammates rallied around him, creating a wall of defense that Archie