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supposed to save her when she did shit like that?

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    This time of night, the complex was quiet save for faint music drifting from the occasional apartment. The pool’s glow drew him in like it was the last light in all the world. He didn’t stop at the gazebo this time. His fingers curled around the chilly metal bars of the enclosure, face rested against it while he watched Evan in the process of his nightly laps.
    Back and forth, back and forth.
    A lot like his life, it seemed. The ebb and flow of the tide. Nothing was ever stagnant. Not his family life, not his schooling, not even his friendships or feelings for Vivian. Sometimes he hated her. Sometimes he loved her so much he couldn’t stand it.
    Evan didn’t notice him until he’d finally surfaced and headed for the steps. His eyes locked on Archer and—no shock, no nervousness, surprisingly—he grinned before swimming to the edge closest to where Archer stood.
    “What’re you doing out this late?”
    Good question. Archer couldn’t tell him he was lonely, that he didn’t want to be in his empty apartment. The burnt cupcakes in the fridge reminding him of Vivian. The pants she had forgotten on his bedroom floor and the spare toothbrush in the bathroom.
    He took a breath and forced all thoughts of her out of his head with his exhale. The residue still made his heart hurt. “Watching you, apparently. Why don’t you use the school facilities? They’re heated.”
    Evan folded his arms on the concrete ledge. “I do during practices, but it’s hard to concentrate. Everyone screwing around and stuff. No one has ever bothered me here.”
    “I’m the first, then.” Archer wasn’t sure why he felt guilty for that. Of all the things in his life to feel guilty about… “I can go.”
    “No, no.” Evan released the edge and made for the steps, out of the pool and over to the fence. “Company is different from being bothered. I never mind your company.”
    I’m terrible company, he almost said. Not out of self-pity, no, but simply repeating what most everyone had told him at some point or another. “Does that mean you’re done swimming?”
    The answer was ‘no.’ He always swam later than this. Always. But Evan said, “Yeah,” and offered him another of those grins. It morphed into something a little shyer. “Do you have plans tonight, or does ‘walking’ about sum it up? Is Vivian waiting for you?”
    Archer considered carefully. If he said he had other plans, Evan might ask what . He could always say he intended to go home and catch up on sleep, but… Okay, maybe he was a little curious. Besides, he felt spiteful enough to let someone in on the fact she was back with Mick. “Vivian went home to make up with Mickey.”
    “Sorry.” Evan frowned. He drew back to fetch his towel. No comment, though. Archer wasn’t sure he’d ever hear a cruel word come out of Evan’s mouth about anyone. Evan slipped his t-shirt on, draped the towel around his neck and slipped out of the enclosure. Archer met him at the gate, shoving his hands into his pockets.
    “Since you’re free… Do you wanna come over?” Evan toed his bare feet against the grass, head down. “I’ve got a pretty impressive movie collection. And games, if you’re into that kind of stuff.”
    Archer frowned. Like hell if he could figure Evan out. Bubbly and self-assured one second, awkward and shy the next. Back and forth, again and again. Archer’s emotions mirrored it. Evan annoyed him, Evan interested him, Evan was infuriating—and then calming. All in the same breath. Accept? Or go back to his too-empty apartment?
    I don’t know what I’m doing.
    He tipped his head back, looking to the sky for an answer. The moon hung over Evan’s head like a spotlight. He sighed.
    “Sure. I like movies.”

Tuesday, September 30 th

    Vivian was a no-show at The Grove all weekend and into the following week. No surprise there. And, apparently, she hadn’t been there for a number of nights