AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘A bit like acrylic nails,’ Amelia chimes in, and Jess shoots her a smile.
I silently remove myself from their conversation. From this table. From this stupid, smelly city. I pick up a menu and grimace as it sticks to my fingers, but I rifle through it anyway, mind still trained on Archer. How he braces his elbows on the table and leans forward, smiling at Jess, and how Jess—and even Emmy—laugh at whatever bullshit he’s offering.
It’s the purr in his words and the glint in his eye that has me signalling for a waiter.
‘But we haven’t even decided yet,’ Jess mutters.
‘Yeah, well, I’m starving, so.’ I shrug. I turn to the waiter, ignoring Amelia’s withering stare. ‘Can I have the green curry vegetable patties with Thai noodle salad and a side of chips, please?’
Archer raises a brow. ‘Chips and salad?’
I shrug again. ‘Salad won’t fill me up, but I need something healthy and green.’
They order, but I can see they’re annoyed at being rushed. I feel worse for it. But as soon as the waiter leaves with our orders, they’re back to ignoring me. Archer talks to Emmy and drawls on and on and on about his day at work.
‘We’re working on an immersive project,’ he says. ‘Similar to VR, but it’s our world. Where you can do anything or travel anywhere without actually doing it. Other players can join as well, and it’s just like hanging out with your mates. Think of it as this world, but without laws, where you can still find hidden weaponry and ammo and boosts and level-up.’
‘Seems like a step back for the next generation, though,’ says Em. She sips from her diet coke, and something tells me she’s deliberately ignoring the way Archer’s mouth flattens into a thin line.
‘How so?’ Clipped, sharp words.
‘I mean, when I was little, I played in my garden and wet the soil with a hose pipe and made mud pies. And there was this caravan park across from where I lived, and me and my friends would steal pliers from my dad’s toolbox and cut open the fence and clamber through into the park, and we’d mingle with the holiday makers until they went home. And we’d roll down the big sand-dune and sledge down it onto the frozen water at the bottom of it, and every day after school, me and my sister would scrounge a couple quid off our mum and race to the dancemat.’ She takes a sip from her drink. ‘What I’m saying is those were some of the happiest moments of my life. Carefree and wild. None of this teach-your-kids-to-stay-home-all-day-and-be-quiet-and-thank-the-lord-they’re-not-out-doing-drugs-or-being-young-or-making-memories crap. Do we really want to teach the next generation that an immersive world game is normal?’
‘Imagine the obesity crises it would cause,’ Jess chimes in, and Em nods—too enthusiastically.
A muscle ticks in Archer’s jaw. ‘Those are things we’re considering—‘
Em waves down a passing waiter, cutting off Archer completely. ‘Can I have a drink refill? Please and thank you.’ She looks at me. ‘Fran?’
‘Can I have a medium white wine, please?’ I hand him my empty glass. ‘Thank you.’
Amelia stares at Archer, and I realise something: Jess wasn’t flirting with him at all. Jess and Em have made Archer feel comfortable, included, enough so that he’s opened up about work, about something he’s passionate about. And Em’s shut him the fuck down.
And my best friend’s stare… She’s daring Archer to say something about the drink I just ordered. Knowing he won’t say shit to me with an audience.
But I can’t help but feel only dread. I know I’ll pay for this later, when Archer and I are alone.
Amelia should know better than to goad him like this.
I clear my throat. ‘How would the travelling thing work, though?’ I ask him. ‘Would you, like, board a plane butnotboard a plane?’
For a long, stretched minute, I don’t think he’ll answer. He meets Em’s unflinching challenge—and then he smiles, settles back against the booth, and says, ‘It’s still in the works. But that reminds me.’ He tips back the rest of his beer but holds onto the glass as he says, ‘I’m going to Miami with the boys next week.’
I’m not sure I heard him right. ‘What do you mean?’
‘A lads’ holiday. Just me, Sean, Olly, and Isaac.’
My appetite vanishes. Everything stops—my heart, my brain, the rise and fall of my chest. Time. Sean—party boy and strip club fanatic. Olly—also party boy and strip club fanatic with a portion of I’ll-try-any-drug-once on the side. Isaac—also party boy and strip club fanatic with a portion of I’ll-try-any-drug-once on the side and a tang of if-she’s-hot-I’ll-bang-her. And Archer…
Miami. Known for its pristine beaches and non-stop nightlife and its blistering heat. Heat, which means girls in bikinis. Lots of girls in bikinis. If Archer checks out Jessica here, in her skirt and jacket, what the fuck is he going to do when faced with beautiful women with their flawless bodies on show?
And I’ll be stuck here. Not knowing.
I sip from my wine before managing to say, ‘You never said anything about this.’
‘Slipped my mind.’
‘You never told me,’ I whisper.
