Chapter 26: Chapter 26

❝CHAPTER 26.❞

"You didn't read beyond chapter 25, did you?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I'm barely done with it." I sighed. "I don't get how the seesaw theory works in some instances," I said as I flipped through the book.

"So," He inhaled. "You know how you said there were many plot holes?" He asked and I nodded.

"These plot holes, they're called gaps. It's like a wrinkle in time and that's when the seesaw theory takes place. Without balancing it, the seesaw tips towards the heavier, more recent side. Like the memorial the lover held, that was a gap." He says and my eyes snap to his.

"I thought you said there wasn't a memorial?" My eyebrows furrow in confusion and Archer winces but only for a brief second before he's laughing.

"Right. I meant when his lover accepts him after she's brought to the cabin." He carries on, ignoring his blunder. "These gaps are when Ark is two versions of himself and so when something good happens in the first version that is clearly portrayed, an opposite effect takes place in the second." He said and I tried wrapping my head around it.

"But, so far we've only seen bad things. They're constantly arguing and his lover even left the cabin. Where is the good side?" I asked, reading through the lines on the book and I realise that Archer's watching me silently.

I shift my gaze to his.

He smiled at me for a second, eyes piercing through mine, "You'll get it soon." He nodded assuringly.

"Oh, wait." I feel the dots in my mind connecting, "We've not seen the good things because that's the missing parts of the story. The second version?" I said with uncertainty and looked up at him for confirmation.

"Something like that." He licked his lips. "But, there is a way to balance out the seesaw." He said, looking at me.

"So there won't be any bad or good sides?" I frowned.

"Mmhmm." He hummed, wanting to go on.

"Forget it, I think we're done for the day." I sighed, leaning back as I massaged my forehead. "We've been at this for hours." I groaned, plopping my head onto his shoulder.

I hear him chuckle.

"How do you do this?" I look up at him, chin resting against his shoulders.

"I don't know, it comes naturally." He smirked. "Oh, but you can't read the ending."

"Why not?"

"I need to explain to you how to balance it out first. Then you can read it." He said, clearing his desk.

As I helped him, an idea popped into my mind. I haven't brought up the key yet. "Hey, where'd the key go?" I asked as I looked into the wooden box. There were still a few pieces of paper in the box so he wouldn't notice that some of them are missing.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Must've lost it." He simply said, taking the wooden box from my hands.

My brows knitted whilst I stared at him. Why would he lie about something so insignificant?

• • •

"Hey." Lina chimed as I entered the apartment.

"Hey." I let out softly, locking the apartment door.

"You okay?" She asked, sensing my mood instantly.

"Not really, Archer just lied to me," I said and she frowned.

"About what?"

"Something stupid, which is why it upsets me. If he's lying about this, what else is he lying about?" I asked, plopping myself onto the couch next to her.

"Hey, don't think that way." She said, shaking me lightly. "You know what, it's late and you're probably overthinking things with Ark. Let's talk tomorrow when you're well rested." She said as she stood up.

"You're probably right," I said, close to a whisper as I stood up with her. And then her words hit me. "Wait, what did you just say?"

"We'll talk tomorrow."

"No, not that. What did you call Archer?" My heart's pounding against my chest painfully.

"Oh, Ark. Jace called him that all the time, I guess it rubbed off on me."

Archer Rutherford Kane. Ark. ARK. No way. There's no way.

Lina misinterprets my expression, "I told you, no questions about Jace." But I wasn't confused about her relationship with Jace. I was confused with mine and Archer's. "Anyway, Jax and I are meeting for lunch tomorrow. Do you want to join us?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I have plans, I'm going-" I paused, thinking if I should tell her. "Somewhere." I brush it off as I entered my room.

I was going to find out what laid behind that door in the cabin.

• • •

I sit down in class, all frazzled. I stood up all night thinking about Archer and his connection to the cabin. I pull out our literature text and stare at the book. What was his connection to the book?

Chadwick sits next to me and for the first time in months, he speaks to me. We haven't spoken since the night I saw him with Lina and honestly, I was fine with it. I never planned on making friends here.

"Okay, I hate to ask." Chadwick starts, thrusting his hand into his hair. "Has Lina talked about me, at all?"

"What?" He snaps me out of my daze.

"Lina. She's been giving me the cold shoulder ever for a couple of months now. I thought-"

"Lina doesn't do relationships. I thought she made that clear." I say because Lina's never one to lead a guy on.

"She did, but I just thought she felt like there was something more between us-" He continues speaking and I sigh. I never understood the boys that hoped for more when Lina made everything crystal clear.

I made sure she did after the first few guys constantly bugged me about it. It looked like making things clear wouldn't stop me from getting pestered though. "What are you even reading?" Chadwick stops his rambling the moment he catches the book in my hands.

"Our literature text." I scowl. How the hell was he doing so well when he couldn't even recognise our literature book.

"That's not it." He says and I looked at him, perplexed. He must read the confusion off of my face because he pulls out his book. "This is our book. Vintage Love 1931. I have no idea what version you're reading."

I stare at the book in my hands. Archer wouldn't have given me the wrong book. Unless he meant to? I had no idea what was going and as soon as Archer enters the class Chadwick goes silent, so do the rest of the students.

My eyes follow Archer's and he looks to me and smiles like he always does before class and for the first time, I don't smile back because it feels like I'm looking at a stranger.

I don't pay attention in class because there was no point. He was teaching the class a whole different book which is why I was always confused in class and things just didn't add up. Which is also why he tutored me privately.

He was teaching me something completely different. The moment his class ends, I try to walk out with Chadwick but Archer speaks before I could.

"Hey, do you want to grab lunch after I pack up my things?" Archer asked from his desk.

"I can't, I'm having lunch with Lina." I lie because I can't have him thinking something's wrong. I had to figure this out before he tells me his version of the truth.

"Oh, alright." He frowns a little. "Come over tonight then." He said leaning against his desk so that his face was inches from mine.

"I will." I nodded and before he could press his lips against mine, I turn my cheek to him. I couldn't do it. I couldn't kiss him knowing he was hiding something from me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, probably noticing my tense form.

"Yea, I'm just tired. I'll see you tonight, okay?" I gave a quick peck on his cheek, trying my best to act normal and then I leave the lecture theatre hastily.

I got into my car and drove up to the cabin. I don't know how fast I go but I reach there in minutes. As I stepped out of my car, a chill runs up my spine.

My legs carried me to the door, one foot at a time whilst my fingers wrapped around the key that laid in my hand. My skin brushed against the cold, rusty metal as shivers ran down my spine.

I took in a deep breath and exhaled, stuffing the key into the padlock. It let out a high pitched screech as the metals rubbed against each other. I unlocked it and the padlock fell to the ground with a loud thud.

I jumped slightly at the sound but recollected myself.

I pushed against the wooden door which creaked loudly as it inched open. I stepped into the room the was tinier than I had imagined.

I scanned the room, heart beating out of my chest. The moment my eyes landed on a few items, my body went cold.

• • •

ARCHER'S POV

I sat at my desk, clearing my table. I placed my papers in the first drawer and shut it close, the action causing the second drawer to move out.

"What the-" I stared at the open drawer the moment I realised someone had broken into it.

I instantly yanked it open and dug through it, dreading the results. "Shit!" I spat as I kicked it close, the whole table shaking with my frustration.

I fished out my phone and punched in the numbers. "JP, she found it. She found the key." I let out, my breath shallow.

...

A/N: also *wink wonk* Chapters 17 & 21 are important just saying.