How to Stay Afloat

~32: Where She Has Her First Fight With Him~

CHAPTER 32: 

Where She Has Her First Fight With Him

~~**~~

"Why didn't you tell me about your scholarship?" I repeated the words when he didn't answer me the first time.

His expression grew stone cold.

"How do you know about that?" His words were like ice. I could feel my heart sinking into the pit of my stomach.

My hands curled into fists. "Seriously?" I demanded. "That's how you choose to respond?"

I scrambled off the bed. My body trembled with anger.

Archer stood up, his huge frame towered over me. For the first time, I found our height difference absolutely infuriating.

"How else do you expect me to respond?" He demanded, and although his voice was soft, I could tell that he was angry.

His words were my tipping point. I could feel my anger spike. I was too angry to talk rationally right now. I needed to walk away before I said something I regretted later. I turned away from him and started towards the door. But as soon as I pulled the door open Archer's hand planted firmly on the wooden surface forcing it closed. I felt the heat of his body against my back.

"Where do you think you're going?" His furious voice demanded.

"I'm too angry to talk to you right now." I gritted out.

His hands grasped my waist and he turned me to face him.

Archer's arms caged me in. His head bent down to look at me. He still looked angry but his eyes were softer.

"You know that no matter how angry I get I would never do anything to hurt you, right?" His voice was hoarse.

My eyes widened at his words.

I swallowed. I knew that already but hearing him say those words out loud seemed to heal something inside me.

Tears blurred my vision as I nodded up at him.

"I need you to say it, baby." He murmured.

I swallowed thickly, "I trust you, Archer." I whispered.

"Good." He responded. His hands on my waist tightened. "From now on, no matter how angry either of us gets, we don't run away from arguments." He stared at me intently, waiting for my response.

I could only nod.

"Now, I want you to think carefully before answering me." He spoke evenly, "Why are you so angry I didn't tell you about my scholarship?"

I could feel the hurt and anger I'd felt earlier returning. "Because-" I started to say but suddenly felt like I couldn't say the words out loud.

Archer's expression hardened once again, "Because what?" He demanded.

When I didn't answer he let out an exasperated sigh and stepped away from me. He ran his hand through his hair in agitation.

"God damn it, Fallon." He breathed out. His eyes locked on me, his gaze intense. "Why don't you ever want to discuss our future?"

"Are you kidding me right now?" I scoffed in disbelief. "I've told you like a thousand times what I plan to do in the future, how I want to leave Long Beach and go to Florida to see my brother and maybe even consider settling there-"

"You've talked about your future Fallon, not our future." Archer's voice suddenly cut me off.

The roaring anger I'd been feeling earlier suddenly died down, replaced by shock and disbelief.