Beside Him

Chapter 19// You Smell Like Heaven

When I was a child, I was always prone to falling over my words whenever I was nervous.

As I grew up, I took up other nervous habits and basically the stuttering disintegrated- thank god for that.

But now, as I stood in front of Archie who was looking at me with a tilted head and narrowed eyes, I knew I would not possibly be able to get out one semi-normal sounding sentence by the end of this conversation.

"You're avoiding me." It wasn't a question. He narrowed his eyes further as I opened my mouth and closed it again. "Are you afraid of me?" His voice, although primarily cold had a hint of something else in it- panic.

I shook my head, not trusting myself with coherent words.

His bottom lip went between his teeth as he stepped closer and I stepped back.

"Liar." He breathed out. "You are afraid of me." He said and, though practise was obviously done to make it seem otherwise, his voice had that edge to it. He was almost frightened by what my reaction would be.

"I'm not-" i stopped to clear my throat and then resumed. "I'm not your property."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't like oranges." He replied. I frowned now.

"What?"

"What?"

"You- what?"

"You answered me with something irrelevant, I did the same." I sighed and placed my hands on his chest to push him away.

All he did was raise his own to keep mine there, trapping my miniature looking hands between his gigantic ones.

My one hand was placed directly above his heart and, as I raised my head to meet his eyes, its pace increased rapidly to the point where my own started to match it.

He leaned forward, his nose resting on the top of my head and we both took deep breaths in in unison. Christ, he smells of heaven.

"You smell of heaven." He said and my eyes snapped open, heat rushing to my cheeks. Can he read my mind?

"What are you doing to me, River?" His chest rumbled as he spoke and I gritted my teeth, my eyes snapping shut at his words as for one moment I allowed myself to enjoy what his touch was doing to me.

"You're so f*****g beautiful, River. So. f*****g. Beautiful." He exaggerated each word with a feather light kiss on my forehead.

I gulped, trying to get some moisture in my mouth as it dried up.

"I need to tell you something, princess." He said suddenly, the disappearance of his touch making me suddenly very cold.

"O- ok." I stuttered, slapping myself mentally. I opened my eyes slowly as the heat left my cheeks at last.

Then I winced. I'm River Harrison for god's sake. I don't blush.

Sh*t, Archie what are you doing to me?

"I-" he paused, ran a hand through his hair, closed his eyes and then opened them again to speak. "My mum and your mum worked togeth-"

Before he could finish, we interrupted by the very easily recognisable voice of Penelope King (as her name now seems to be).

"Rivi-" she paused and looked at Archer with those big doe blue eyes of hers. Then she grinned. "Hey, Arch." She said overly enthusiastic with a wave.

Archer sighed, his lips twitching up as he regarded his step-sister's outfit.

She'd borrowed one of my outfits when the Kings had come over to spend time with Lolly and Pops, Archer staying in my room while I dolled up Penn to the best of my limited ability.

She looked absolutely stunning in her red charcoal dress that reached my calf's but went just above her knees. The dress was a loose one from many years ago when I was in my 'River' phase. But her... hot damn my girl looked absolutely stunning as the dress hugged each of her curves to the perfect potential.

I adorned her lovely full lips with red lip stick, allowing her pale-ish skin tone to stand contrast to it, applying makeup and eyeliner as well as some basic eye shadow and foundation to complete the look off.

She had to run over and grab her own heels considering mine were a size or two too small, and honestly, Penny looked beautiful.

"You look gorgeous, sis." Archer said, ruffling her blonde hair to which she glared and slapped away his hand.

"Don't touch, Arch." She snapped and he rolled his eyes, shooting me a wink as a way of saying thank you. I smiled in return, getting Penny to sit on my bed as I ushered him out and told him to pick us both up for yet another party at 10. This time, it was Jackson's party.

Yeah, remember that?

2 hours. Perfect. I'm so gonna snag myself a boyfriend by the end of tonight.

Watch me, King.

"Are you excited?" I asked her, holding a khaki dress in front of me as I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Yes I am. And that's so not the dress." She replied, cuddling Taco.

I threw it back into the pile and picked up a sky blue one. "Looking for a boy today, Pen?" I asked and she shook her head at the dress before replying.

"Maybe. I don't know. I've got nothing to lose."

My eyes widened after a moment of trying to understand what she was saying. I threw the dress down and practically attacked her on the bed, shoving Taco off as I sat directly in front of her in my pyjama shorts.

"When and how. Details right now."

"Three years ago."

My eyes widened again, mouth falling open. "You lost your v-card at 15?" I asked in slight jealousy.

And I'm here... damn I need to get laid.

"Are you gonna call me a slag behind my back?" She asked and I glared.

"b***h please. I have been trying to get in your brothers pants for years. If anything, I'm the slag."

Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement as she laughed slightly. "Well, it was on my birthday. And... yeah, it just happened, I guess. It was with an older guy, with one of my older brother- blood related bother's- friends actually. I was at my first ever party and he was just there looking all hot and he was so nice and funny. I don't regret it but it's a little awkward cause him and Archer don't get along."

I nodded with a slight grin, getting up with a kiss on the nose to Taco, who barked lightly in affection.

Then I went back to my closet. We continued conversation, me getting juicy details as I tried different dresses on.

Then I groaned in despair, knowing I wasn't gonna end up wearing any of these dresses.

"We're going shopping next weekend." I said to Penny as I picked out another outfit.

I picked out a white pleated skirt that was just a teensy weensy bit too short and a white checker ed crop top, throwing on one of Jay's white hoodies that I totally hadn't robbed when he wasn't looking.

After putting the outfit on I put on my white vans, with white ankle socks and a diamond (not real, chill) anklet.

Then I walked out, spinning at Penny who winked and whistled. "If I was lesbian, you'd be my first choice." I flicked my hair and smiled over my shoulder.

Then I sat at my mirror desk and stared blankly at my hair.

What to do, what to do?

"I'll do your hair." Penny said, unstrapping her heels and then running up to me.

I sighed and leaned back, closing my eyes as she did her magic, the music playing behind us and covering the silence.

"All done." She said at last, stepping away and inspecting me once more.

I opened my eyes, looking at my hair. She'd rolled back my front hairs in some weird, complicated waterfall(?) braid and, as I turned my head to the left, I saw how it actually made my hair look pretty awesome, allowing the natural highlights to stand out.

"Perfect, Penn. I owe you." I said, still looking at my hair.

She had a talent, I could see that much.

I applied some simple baby pink lip gloss and then contemplated putting on perfume.

You smell like heaven.

I left it, taking Penny's hand and dragging us both down the stairs, me in front with Taco by my side and her behind me.

Archer's eyes travelled at a very slow pace right from my toes till the top of my head, narrowing slightly at the hoodie and then meeting mine, darker than before.

"We should get going." And with that he turned and walked out, ignoring his parents as they yelled at him to 'take care of the girls'.

I rolled my eyes and followed him, seeing him close his boot and then thrust something in my hands.

I frowned and raised it, my eyebrow lifting as I saw it was a hoodie, exactly like Jay's that I was currently wearing.

My head flicked up at his next words.

"Wear mine instead."