by Louise Rose
But it seems like I wasn’t going to get that time out after all.
“Ivy!”
As soon as I walk into the usually quiet common room, Milly comes running at me from the other side of the room.
“Hey Milly.” I try to smile like I mean it, but seeing my friend only reminds me of her brother and what might have been if things had been different.
“Your party was amazing,” she gushes. “I tried to come and talk to you, but every time I got close, someone asked you to dance and I didn’t want to get in the way. I’m really glad Archer got to have the first dance with you. I know how much it meant to him. He can’t stop talking about it and how he hopes you enjoyed the party. He talks about you all the time, you know.”
“He does?” It is hard to imagine the usually quiet Archer being so open about his feelings with his sister.
“He really likes you,” Milly tells me. “I know you’re still trying to get over the boy you dated at boarding school, but I really think you should give Archer a chance.”
“The boy at boarding school?”
“Yes. Archer told me all about him, how you broke up with him when you knew you were coming to the Academy because you didn’t want to do the long distance thing. That you aren’t ready to date anyone else just yet. That’s right, isn’t it?”
I have to tell her the truth about her beloved brother, that he made a pass at me and I turned him down because of our history. But something in me wanted to let Archer keep some self-respect with an explanation of why I wasn’t interested.
“I don’t like to talk about it,” I say.
“I understand,” Milly smiles. “But honestly, you should give Archer a chance. He’s so sweet. I know he has this big, mean exterior, but underneath it all he’s just a romantic softie, believe it or not.”
Thinking back to our kiss, I can believe it.
“Archer! Archer!”
I cringe, as Milly spots her brother coming into the room and beckons him to join us. Luckily, he sees Milly, but ignores her.
“Archer! Archer! Over here!”
Archer knows his sister well enough to know she isn’t going to let it go, so he eventually comes over, avoiding looking at me as he sits next to Milly.
“I was just telling Ivy here that she should give you a chance and go out on a date with you,” Milly says.
“What have I told you about interfering in my love life?” Archer coldly replies. “Ivy doesn’t need you bothering her about me.”
“It’s okay,” I say. “Milly’s given me a different perspective on things and I was thinking that maybe the time’s come for me to get over… Derek.”
“Derek?” Archer raises an eyebrow.
“You know,” says Milly impatiently. “The guy she was dating at boarding school, the one you were telling me about.”
“Oh yes. Derek.” Archer smirks and tries not to laugh. “Derek the loser. So you think you might be ready to move on?”
“Maybe,” I shrug. “I was thinking about what you said last night and I guess the time’s come for me to accept that my life’s changed for good. I need to move on and accept how things are. Which means being the representative of House Archaic my dad wants me to be… and starting to date other guys.”
“Is that so?” Archer tries to keep his tone casual, but he isn’t a good enough actor to cover his obvious interest.
“It is,” I nod, taking a deep breath. “Which is why I was thinking that if a certain someone were to ask me out on a date, maybe I would say yes this time.”
“Oh, my god! We’re going to be sisters!” squeals Milly before Archer can say anything, throwing her arms around my neck.
“We haven’t even gone out on a date yet. Heck, Archer hasn’t even asked me on a date yet.” Gently, but firmly, I pull Milly’s arms away from me. “Don’t go picking out that bridesmaid dress just yet.”
“Of course you’re going to go on a date,” she says. “And you’re going to have the best time and fall in love and realise you two are perfect for each other.”
Archer and I exchange an amused glance.
“Why don’t we just start with a movie?” he suggests.
“Sounds like a plan,” I smile.
Chapter Twenty
Ivy Archaic
Ever since I agreed to go on a date with Archer, I can’t tell who is more excited about it–me or Milly. In fact, it is probably Milly, who went completely overboard on how great her brother is, how great I am, how great a couple we are, how great it is we had finally realised we are made for each other, great, great, great!
It seems my father shares Milly’s opinion, although he isn’t quite as over the top about it. When I ask his permission to go out with Archer, he nods his approval.
“You can do worse than ally with House Knight,” he says. “Archer’s a man with ambition. The two of you can be quite the power couple. Still, it’s early days. If he tries anything inappropriate, let me know and I’ll make sure he regrets it.”
I guess that is my father’s way of showing affection, but it’s creepy. Whatever happens between me and Archer, there is no way my father is hearing about any of it.
Even Isabella appears to want to get involved in making sure my date with Archer goes well. She takes me on another one of our shopping trips and helps me pick out the right outfit.
It takes me ages to decide on the right look. I want casual but sexy, dressed up without looking like I am trying too hard.
In the end, I go for a pair of high-waisted black leather trousers with a bright red top which has straps criss crossing over the back. I find a lipstick in a matching shade and I love how it looks against my pale skin. I decide to leave my hair down, straightening it out so I look like I mean business.
Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I nod with satisfaction. Yep, I have hit just the right note. Archer is going to love the way I look, but it sends off an air of ‘yes, I’m gorgeous, but push your luck and I’ll bite your hand off.’
There is a knock on my door and Isabella pops her head round it when I tell her to come in. “Archer’s here for you,” she smiles.
Grabbing a small backpack with my phone and purse inside, I head downstairs to see my date and my father shaking hands, a smug grin on both their faces.
“Ah, Ivy. Good to see you being punctual.” As I approach, my father strides towards me, arms outstretched to enfold me in a hug. Keeping his arm around my shoulders, he walks me back to where Archer is standing.
“As I was saying, Archer, my Ivy is the most precious thing in the world to me,” my father tells him. “If I hear anything about you not treating her like the lady she is, anything at all, you will face the wrath of House Archaic.”
“Don’t worry, sir. Ivy means a lot to me. I’ll take good care of her.”
I feel like miming putting my fingers down my throat and puking at the way Archer is buddying up to my father, but, like a good girl, I just smile.
“You’ve got your phone with you, in case there’s any problem?” Dad asks.
“I’m a teenager. Like I’m going to go anywhere without my phone.” I pat my bag to reassure him. “Come on Archer. We’re going to need to hustle if we want to catch that movie.”
“Don’t stay out too late,” my father calls after us, as we head out. Archer held the door open for me and my jaw drops when I see what is waiting outside.
“We’re going on your motorbike?”
Archer’s pride and joy sits in the driveway, minus the sidecar this time.
“What–are you expecting a limo or something?”
“Well… yes. Isn’t that what most boys use to get about this town?”
“I’m not like most boys.” Archer goes and picks up the two helmets hanging from the handlebars, passing one to me. “So do you want a ride or do I need to call a limo?”
He doesn’t need to ask twice. I send up a silent prayer of thanks that I hadn’t done anything creative with my hair as I put on the helmet and
hop on the bike behind him. I put my arms around his waist, enjoying the feel of his body against mine, as he turns on the engine and revs it.
“Hold on!” he calls back, as he kicks off the stand. Gravel spins up behind us as the wheels turn and the bike lurches forward.
I close my eyes, revelling in the sensation of freedom riding a bike always gives me. If I try hard, I can imagine we are heading out of this town and off to somewhere new, maybe even back to see Katy and tell her what really happened.
“You alright back there?” Archer calls over his shoulder.
“Oh, yeah.” He can’t see my grin, but I can’t keep the happiness out of my voice. This is just what I needed after being little more than a prisoner for the past few weeks.
“I’ll go the scenic route then.”
I don’t think it’s possible for my smile to get any broader, but I can’t help it as Archer takes us down winding country lanes, away from the town, to show me more of the area. King Town itself seemed quite small from a few miles away. Nobody seeing it from this distance would think there are four feuding families living in uneasy peace together.
All too soon, Archer turns the bike back towards the town and out to a section I hadn’t visited before. However, instead of taking us to the local shopping centre where the cinema is, he drives us to a pair of electronic gates with a sign next to them which reads ‘House Knight.’
“What are we doing here?” I ask, as he reaches forward and taps in a code on a keypad to open the gates. “I thought we were going to see a movie?”
“We are,” Archer says as he drives through the gates and up a long driveway which ends in the middle of a sprawling complex of buildings.
Parking the bike in front of one of the houses, we climb off and take our helmets off.
“Welcome to my home,” says Archer, stretching his arms out to indicate the whole complex.
“It’s… nice.” And it is. Unlike the other House leaders’ homes which are large, impressive demonstrations of wealth, this is more like a mini village within the town. The houses are pretty redbrick dwellings laid out in such a way that each has a private little garden area with no other building overlooking them.
“My parents live in the main house which is further up the drive, which you’ve seen and visited through the other gate.” Archer points vaguely in the direction he means. “They had this little complex built for the staff a few years back. There’s a gym and a pool and even stables for the horses. I prefer to live here with the staff than up at the house like Milly does.”
He takes out a set of keys and unlocks the door. Beckoning me to follow, he leads me into a very chic, modern home. The door opens straight into the lounge, which is minimally decorated. It looks more like something out of an interior design magazine than someone’s home.
“Do you want a drink?” he offers. “Seeing as you’re all legal now.”
“Sure.”
He walks over to the back of the lounge and through a door into what I assume is the kitchen area. He comes back a moment later with a couple of beers.
Passing one to me, he says, “So, you still want to see that movie? Or just hang out?”
I laugh. “Be honest, Archer. There is no movie, is there? We wouldn’t be here if there was.”
“Okay. Movie it is.”
I frown a little, as Archer gestures for me to walk with him. To the left of the lounge area are stairs leading up. Heading past them, he opens up a door underneath to reveal more stairs leading down into the darkness.
“Like I’m going down to some creepy basement with you,” I laugh.
“Come on, Ivy. You’re perfectly safe with me.”
Not so sure about that, but I know Archer wouldn’t risk upsetting my father, so I went with him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Archer flicks a switch to turn on the lights and I gasp when I see what is waiting for us.
“Shocked?” Archer treats me to one of his rare smiles, making a dimple dance in and out of his left cheek, as I slowly walk into his home cinema.
There is a large screen covering most of one wall. A large bed with plenty of cushions is laid out opposite it with a well-stocked bar to the right. Next to the bar is a sweet trolley laid out with share bags of all my favourite sweets. There is even a popcorn maker and a candy floss machine.
“I don’t know about you, but I hate going to the cinema and hearing all those people talking,” says Archer. “I much rather watch a film in the comfort of my own home and not put up with listening to someone’s running commentary about what they think’s going to happen next and which character’s going to die.”
“True, true,” I nod. “Not to be ungrateful, though, but I was really looking forward to seeing the latest Ryan Reynolds’ movie. You can’t get the latest releases at home.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Archer looks incredibly pleased with himself. “Dad’s got a lot of connections within the movie industry. He can get me any film I like at the same time it’s released, sometimes sooner. Help yourself to snacks. I’ll go and start the film. Even better–you won’t have to sit through the trailers.”
“But the trailers are the best bit!” I protest. I am aware I am being deliberately ornery, looking for problems when really I should be grateful that someone is going out of their way to make this an amazing date. I am still adjusting to this new way of living. I mean, who gets to see the latest films like this?
“You want trailers? Sure. Help yourself to whatever you want and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be with you in a sec.”
Archer goes behind a screen which hides the projector while I grab a large bag of peanut M&Ms. A moment later the lights dim and the screen counts down from three to one.
I perch on the end of the bed as Archer comes out and casually jumps on it, legs outstretched. He pats the bed next to him with a grin that could melt hearts.
“Come join me, Ivy. I don’t bite.”
I lay back next to him, fluffing up the pillows before settling in. Ripping open the M&Ms, I place the bag between us.
We sit in silence as the trailers start up. There is a new Marvel movie coming out which looks good, and a thriller about a girl who is kidnapped and kept in luxury by a mysterious stranger with a hidden agenda.
As I watch the trailer, I shake, the plotline a little too close to the bone.
“Hey. Are you okay?” Archer puts his arm around me, pulling me towards him to comfort me.
“F-fine,” I sniff, trying to hold back the tears. The last thing I want to do is to cry in front of Archer. Damn, I’m a really terrible date.
“It’s okay to not be perfect and in control all of the time. We live in a fucked up world and we have to find peace where we can. You may be locked in that house and feel trapped…but so do I. So do all the kings of the academy. We are all as trapped as you. I’ve got you, Ivy.”
Archer gently runs the back of his hand down my cheek, placing it under my chin to lift my head up to face him. He kisses me lightly on the lips, then moves up to kiss away the single tear trickling down my cheek.
“You’re safe with me,” he whispers.
He may be telling the truth, but the last thing I want from Archer is safety. I want to be dangerous, push the boundaries, do what feels right, regardless of whether it is the right thing to do. When someone is trapped…pushing the barriers is the only way to escape.
Impulsively, I reach up to pull him towards me, kissing him hungrily. For a moment, he holds back, then he returns my kiss, holding me tightly.
But then he pushes me away.
“Ivy… We shouldn’t do this.”
“Why? Because you’re scared of my father?”
“No.” Archer grins sheepishly. “Well, a little. But no, it’s more that I really like you, Ivy. I mean, really like you. You have no idea how much I regret the way we met. Sometimes I think about how things would have been if you’d just been a new girl at school. Everyone would want you. Romy would turn on th
e charm as usual, wanting to be the first notch on your bedpost. But I want to be the one to catch your eye and sweep you off your feet.”
“Wow,” I say. “Milly is right. You really are a romantic at heart.”
“You got me.” Archer shrugs. “I just don’t want to do anything unless the timing’s right. I think we can have something special together. I don’t want to rush you. I’m no Romeo.”
“No. You’re really not.” As he speaks, I see him in a new light. Gone is the tough guy image. This is the real Archer.
And I want him.
“Let me get you another beer and I’ll restart the movie. I think we’ll skip the trailers this time though, okay?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Archer puts the movie on again, coming back to the bed with a couple of beers. He holds his bottle up against mine.
“To us!”
“To us,” I echo, taking a sip before snuggling down, resting my head against his chest to watch the film. The pair of us share the M&Ms, our hands sometimes touching when we reach for the bag. It’s sweet–and the last thing I expected from someone like Archer.
The film is typical Ryan Reynolds, a comedy where he regularly breaks the fourth wall to talk to the audience about how dumb it is for him to be playing a dead guy trapped in the body of a hamster. It is popcorn for the brain, but it lets me escape the mess that is my life for a couple hours.
As the credits roll, Archer moves to go and switch the lights back on, but I reach out to him.
“No. Leave it like that.”
Archer shrugs and comes back to where he has been lying a moment before. I rest my chin on his chest, looking up at him.
“Thank you,” I say.
“It’s just a movie,” Archer replies.
“It might be just a movie to you, but it’s been a breath of fresh air for me,” I tell him truthfully. “This is just what I needed. It’s funny. If you’d said to me even a week ago that I would go on a date with you and enjoy myself, I’d have laughed in your face. But now, all I’m wondering is…”
