Beside Him

Chapter 7// The enemy

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Archer King. Long time no see, buddy." I guy with light brown hair and light brown eyes said, clapping his hands together while his face adorned a boyish grin.

"Jay, you saw me yesterday." Archie dead panned.

Jayden smiled softly. "I know, but any minute without you feels like a decade." He whined and Archie rolled his eyes.

"I can bet any amount of money that you don't even know how long a decade is." He replied.

Jayden opened his mouth to speak before closing it again, and smiling sheepishly. Archie roled his eyes, amusement radiating off him.

"Oh- hello there, gorgeous." Jayden said, suddenly turning to me as if previously unaware of my presence. I couldn't pinpoint where, but I felt like I knew him from somewhere.

"Hi, I'm Rivi." I grinned, extending a hand. Jayden's eyes went wide and he locked his jaw, looking at Archie with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Archer." He said angrily and Archie looked away. Then he cleared his throat and looked at me again with the same grin from before. I blinked. "It's lovely to meet you Rivi. I'm Jay."

I smiled, letting the previous thing go.

"Hi Jayden."I grinned and he frowned playfully.

"Please, non of that Jayden stuff from you, sweet cheeks. Call me Jay." He said and then he narrowed his eyes. "I feel like I know you from somewhere."

I nodded. "I feel like I know you too." I said thoughtfully.

"Her full name is River Harrison. She's the head cheerleader of Costell High. She also does the art and music competitions every year. You know her because you lost to her last year." Archer said, seeming bored.

Jay's eyes went wide. "Oh...sh*t. She is not gonna get along with Lil-" before he could finish, 3 other guys made there way over to us. One of them I recognised immediately and, as if on impulse, my posture hardened.

"Lancelot." I said quietly, my jaw locked and my head high.

He looked me up and down before tilting his head to the right. "I didn't think you'd still look so hot outside of that cheerleader outfit." He said and I narrowed my eyes.

"Shut up, Lance." Archie piped in, rolling his eyes.

Lance's lips tilted up. "What? We don't have to be enemies all the time, Archer. Only in a match." He said, amused.

I gritted my teeth. "Costell Wolves don't make friends with Greenwhich bitches." I dead panned.

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Oh come on, baby. My enmity isn't with the head cheerleader. My enmity is with the star quarterback." At this he gave Archer a dirty look.

"I'm Kyle." One of the other guys said, sticking his hand out for me. I shook it, my expression softening.

"Rivi." I answered. Kyle's eyes drifted to Archer and he raised an eyebrow. Then he shook his head and smiled at me.

"Lovely to meet you." He said and I nodded in agreement.

I looked to the third guy who'd arrived who looked simply bored. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and I couldn't help but smile. Archie was right, Callum was most like him.

"Right- we should get going. The match is about to start and we don't wanna have to wait another half an hour." Jay said, clapping his hands together.

"Good, now we have even teams." Lance said, shooting me a wink which made me wanna shoot him a bullet.

"I bagsee Rivi." Jay said and I smiled.

"Wait, where's Lill?" Lance asked and everyone looked at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Now, don't over react but Lilly is--" Archer started softly, as if talking to a very delicate person.

"Hey, guys." An annoying voice which I could recognise in my sleep squeaked.

"F*ck." I muttered under my breath, seeing Lilly James come and stand beside Archie, automatically clinging to his arm like the annoying leech she was.

As soon as she saw me, her expression hardened before becoming proud, as if she knew something I didn't.

"I'm glad you listened to me, Archie." She whispered in his ear. My jaw dropped as I narrowed my eyes at Archie.

"Bitch." I whispered to myself, my glare dedicated to Archer.

Archer's head snapped to Lilly with a hard look. "Don't call me that." He snapped in a voice that got even me scared.

Lilly pried herself off of his arm and came to stand in front of me.

I gritted my teeth. This w***e.

"Rivi. How lovely to see you." She said in an obviously fake tone.

I smiled sweetly. "I would say the same but that would be lying. And I was taught not to lie." I said holding up three fingers. "Scouts honour."

"Oh yeah? By who? Your w***e of a mother?" She snapped. All traces of humour disappeared from inside me as I looked at her.

I rolled my hands into fists. "If you ever, ever talk about my mother again, you'll regret ever being born." I growled. She looked scared for a second before she plastered on a smile.

"Why do you care? The b*tch hates you anyway. I mean, everyone knows the only reason that they're even rich is because she was shamelessly selling selling her selling her body to men--" I didn't let her finish. I lunged at the head cheerleader of Greenbitch and clocked right at her jaw

I felt somebody try and rip us apart but god knows I wasn't having it.

She was screaming and I was too. Her from fear and me from anger.

"Who-- the f*ck do you think you are? Do you even know anything about her? Who gave you the right to talk about my mum like that, especially considering you've slept with every guy from not only your own shitty school but also from mine." I screeched, pushing against someone's chest as they tried to pull me away.

"River." Archie whispered in my ear. I almost immediately calmed down when he swung me over his shoulder.

"Archer, put me down. Let me f*cking yank her weeve out." I said, punching his back. And then, as I always do when I'm beyond pissed, I changed languages. " ¿Que piensa esta perra que es? Ella me dejó y juro a Dios que asesinar a su asqueroso culo." (Who does this b***h think she is? Let me at her and I swear to god I will murder her disgusting ass) I screamed angrily in Spanish.

I felt Archie tense beneath me. I took a deep breath in, realising that all the boys were staring at me in awe. Rolling my eyes, I continued kicking against Archer as Lance helped the b*tch up.

I almost grinned looking at the damage I had caused. A chunk of her weeve was lying on the ground, her fake eyelashes having fallen out and placed against the top of her cheek. Her makeup was dripping and her lipstick had smudged.

" Lo digo otra vez, puta. Que mierda te atreves." ( Say it again, you w***e. I f*****g dare you.) I muttered to myself with a victorious grin. She glared angrily at me before spitting out some blood.

I cringed at the sight. I leaned back and whispered in Archie's ear. "Ok, you can let me down now. I'm calm."

He tensed but did as told. I noticed his eyes were darker than usual and his body more tense and rigid.

Then I turned to the rest of them. Jay broke out into a grin as Lilly walked-- or limped-- away.

"I think I love you even more now." He said in awe and I smiled.

"Thanks, Jay Jay." I said dramatically.

Kyle broke into a laugh and even Callum had a small smile on his face.

"The only reason we even keep her around is because Archer's in love with her." Lance said, rubbing his hands together.

I bit my lip. Then I shook my head and glared at Archer with a small playful smile.

"Archie?! How could you do this to me? I thought you loved only me!" I shouted dramatically and wiped an invisible tear.

Archer cracked a small smile in my direction before walking away.

Blinking, I ran after him with the other four behind me.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked, skipping lightly beside Archer as Jay pulled me into a side hug, placing a kiss to my temple. I hugged him back, earning a dirty look from Archer. But it was Kyle who answered my question.

"Paint balling."