16. FALSE PROMISES
16
FALSE PROMISES
Harvey
We pull the chairs and sit. She watches us over her cup of – if I had to guess – some kind of latte. Summer is not so much a hardcore coffee snob but give her a latte and she will…
Fuck. No, not right now. Damn.
"How are you guys doing?" she asks in her small, but clear voice when she places the cup down.
A little of the light brown liquid is on her lips and fuck I want to rip this table in two so I can lick it off her. She licks her lips quickly and looks away. I look at Caleb and the bastard is almost drooling. We both saw the same thing then.
This is not starting out as platonic as we agreed on. Fucking Summer. Why the fuck does she always have to look so…so fucking…alluring. Fuckable really but we’re trying this platonic nonsense.
But this isn't about us and her, it's about Arch.
She agreed to be friends with him, and we can't crowd that. He can have her, but she’s got to be at ease that we won't try to squeeze ourselves in her life. That is the main reason for us coming here.
We agreed last night, and it was unanimous. Arch and his mental health are more important. It fucking sucks, but it is what it is.
"We are good, Summer and how have you been?" Caleb answers when he has collected himself.
"I am well. Just, uh… the hospital." We all nod.
Silence befalls the table for a few beats.
"So, the reason we are here is…we want to give you reassurance that we won't try to crowd you,” I say. “And we understand you are just here for Arch. And we appreciate that." There's no use dragging this longer.
Hurt flashes in her eyes before she drops her gaze to her latte and picks it up. She lifts her eyes once more, but she is collected and nods before her lips kiss the cup again. Her lips fold and I'm probably seeing things, but they bounce in slow motion as she rakes through her bottom lip with her teeth as her face twists in thought.
My cock strains in my pants. Fucking Summer. How does she always do that? Turn even the most mundane things into a show. Or maybe I just see it that way. Regardless, I promised to let this go, and she is fully dating that asshole now and knowing Summer, she plans on being faithful.
You need to let this go. She isn't coming back to you. Let it go.
"Thank you for saying that."
I don't know why I was hoping she'd say 'No, I can be friends with you too. We can be friends like we used too. I missed you guys as well.' But I guess we just take whatever she's willing to give.
"You are welcome," Jaden says.
I see a ghost of a smile on her before she takes another sip of her drink. Her phone rings and she silences her alarm. I look at the clock on the wall. 9 a.m. Time to go see this fucker who almost gave all of us heart attacks.
We rise and she walks to the counter to pick up a small box. Probably treats for Archer. Why didn't we think of that? Maybe because Arch is coming home with us, we didn't see the need. We were going to have pizza later or sushi from the restaurant he likes.
We walk with her in silence and find the nurse in his room, but she looks like she was leaving. We greet her and she leaves us.
His eyes land on her first and he visibly relaxes. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how much power she has over us. Does she know?
Does she care?
"Peach, you came." He sounds like he can hardly believe it.
Is he twinkling? I smile to myself.
"Morning, and yes I did. I told you I was. And I brought you something." She places the small box in his lap and goes to his open arms, and he closes his eyes as he relishes her.
They pull away and I make my way to the window. I look out to the hospital's beautifully manicured garden. Some patients are going for morning walks, some accompanied by staff and some alone in their hospital attire, looking all levels of diseased.
"Well, we are here too, shit," Jaden says and there is chuckle.
"I don't give a shit about you, just my Peach here."
Silence rings loud.
I am almost too curious; I want to look back. Did he make it awkward for her by 'revealing' his desire to still have her back?
I smirk to myself. Idiot. This one is going to get dropped again if he is stupid. Summer doesn't want to hear any of that shit.
Caleb clears his throat. "When are you getting discharged? I don't like being here any longer."
"I am waiting for the discharge papers then my sickness doesn't have to be an inconvenience to you, asshole," Arch shoots back.
Well, would you look at that. One night with Summer and he is already on his way back to health and talking shit.
"Hm, these are really good. Thank you, Peach."
"You're welcome," she says.
After his doctor sees him one last time, he gets his discharge papers and medication, we leave the dread of the hospital. I drive us back to the house and it is mostly her and Arch speaking in low tones. It is silly of me to feel a little jealous of my friend, but I wish that that was us too.
"So, how is Logan? Didn't cry too much about last night?" Caleb asks after he expels smoke next to me in the passenger seat.
I arch an eyebrow his way.
"My boyfriend isn't any of your concern, Caleb."
The collective tense in the car is so pulpable. I never thought I'd hear her seriously refer to someone else as her boyfriend. It’s like it is really is opposite world and I am watching my life's version of a horror.
I park the car outside and we get out. The street is mostly empty. It's a Friday, most students are in class, and some are still recovering from the Thursday shenanigans. The party always starts on Thursday lasting till 5 a.m on Monday.
Jaden and I help Arch inside and Caleb and Summer follow. We take twice as long ascending the stairs.
"If you would let us just carry you, we'd be there much sooner," Jaden complains.
"And I will shove my foot up your ass if you lift me off the ground, asshole," Arch answers.
"You have too much pride for someone who was dancing with the devil just a few hours ago," I say as we get to the landing.
"Go fuck yourself."
Fucker. I push his door and we walk in. The bed isn't made and it's a little messy. Not messy like normal people, just a few things are out of place, we should have known something was really wrong. But none of us came to his room.
We just went to bed and left earlier without checking. Summer walks in front and moves the duvet. We place him on his sheets. She goes to his closet, and she fishes out fresh linen.
"Please go over there so I can change this." She looks at him, only him.
"You don't need to, Peach. They can do it." He doesn't look at any of us either, just her. Their gazes soft for each other.
"Nonsense, I want to. Now move, chunky."
We all chuckle. He gets up and he goes to the chair where Caleb situated himself. With a glare to our friend, Caleb moves, and he shakes his head.
"Okay, I will be downstairs, I need to eat. Will a ham sandwich be enough for his highness, or does he want something else before he takes his medication?" Caleb asks over his shoulder.
"Peach, is there anything you want?" Arch asks her in all his gentleness as she removes his linen.
I stay rooted in place. I don't know why, but I just want to watch her. It's been a minute, and this is probably going to be one of only times I have a valid excuse to.
"Fruit salad if you can, please. For us both," she says.
Caleb nods, stopping at the door.
"None of you coming to help?" He looks at me and Jaden.
Jaden is sitting on the desk, on his phone. He only raises his eyes to glare his 'no.' I don't answer and Caleb rolls his eyes and disappears.
Me and Arch watch Summer as she changes his sheets and duvet and his pillows and fluffs them for him. She gives Jaden the old linen and he jumps off the desk and heads out to take it to the laundry room. Pulling Arch, she takes him to the bed. I don't even want to breathe loudly as I watch them exist naturally around each other.
"Don't you have a few classes? You don't have to be here with me, they will look after me." Arch says softly as they sit next to each other.
"No, I…I want to stay. At least until you sleep." She places her hand on his and he visibly calms.
The scene heats up my chest and I find my feet moving straight to the door. I am done looking at this.
"You can say you are leaving, asshole. No need to be rude." Archer says from behind me, and I stop.
"Thanks for coming, D. Have a great day."
I leave.
I don't even have it in me to be smart right now. My chest heats worse as I head to my room. Grabbing my laptop bag, I head downstairs.
I need to be out of here with them two and their bubble of… I don't even fucking know what it is, but I know it's a promise of something we aren't getting back. I don't want to be around for it to take me back to what I lost.
What we all lost.
"Whoa, aren't you going to have lunch?” Caleb says behind me. “I'm making—"
But I don't stop. I need to be out of here.