Ch-5: Forget her?

Archie's POV:

“I’m sorry to say this, Archie! I don't want Miley’s ghost haunting our lives. If you can't let it go, how will you love me with all your heart? Just forget her, okay?”

Emily’s soft voice reached my ears, carrying a hidden warning right before she hung up.

"Forget her?" I scoffed under my breath.

"How can I do that?”

I leaned back against the couch and I reached for my whiskey glass again.

The room suddenly felt too suffocating, but I didn't want to leave. I hadn’t stepped outside since last night, since Miley…

I shut my eyes.

And suddenly, the clicking of ice in my glass faded into the sound of distant laughter from my childhood nightmare.

I felt like I was seven again, lying on the ground with my knees and palms scraped and stinging.

"Why don't you get up and show us!?”

I could hear their cruel laughter, but I forced myself to stay down. If I didn't move, maybe they would get bored and leave.

"Coward! Look, what a spineless wimp this rich kid is!”

I wasn’t rich. We had just moved to the city, but they didn't care about that. These seniors just wanted someone to push around, and for today, that loser was me.

A sharp kick landed on my side and I rolled onto my back, gasping as the sky tilted towards the brick walls of the schoolyard.

I was holding my breath, waiting for the next kick, when I heard a clear voice;

“If you touch him again, I’ll make you regret it!”

A girl.

She was standing at the edge of the circle with her arms crossed, staring straight at the leader.

“Oh yeah? And what’s a little girl gonna do?"

The tallest boy laughed, but Miley stepped forward, marching straight into his space. The boy grinned, leaning in.

"What? You gonna stare me down or—"

CRACK!!

She headbutted him. The boy howled, holding his nose as blood had started to spurt out of it.

The others froze, eyes wide, unsure whether to run or jump her.

But Miley didn’t wait. She grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet, and we ran without looking back!

It was only after we reached the school gate that she finally let go.

"You should learn how to fight back!”

She turned and walked away, but I just stood rooted to my spot, watching her.

Awe-struck.

From that day on, I trailed behind her like a shadow, pulled by an invisible string. And soon, I found out that there was nothing she wasn't good at: good grades, excellent at sports and arts, and always ready to help everyone.

But just as easy it was to fall in love with Miley, it was impossible to imagine her with someone like me.

Until that incident at the cemetery…

RRRING!! RRRING!!!

The sudden trilling of my phone pulled me out of the dark spiral of memories. I didn’t even check the caller ID before I answered the call, desperate for any distraction from these thoughts.

“Hello?"

“Man! Archie, I just heard about Miley… I’m so sorry.”

It took me a second to recognize Mike, one of my college buddies.

“I was actually planning to call and congratulate you on the engagement but… hell! I never thought Miley would ever commit suicide.”

My mouth went dry. Suicide?

‘What the hell was he talking about?’

Before I could react, Mike barreled on.

“I wouldn’t have believed it's our Miley, if I didn't see it on the news. I called you as soon as I saw the headlines."

Suddenly, it clicked.

Mr. Godfrey must have asked the press to run this headline, with some bullshit backstory to cover up Miley's fall and keep Emily’s name out of this mess.

“Yeah.” I finally managed to choke out.

“It's really hard to believe.”

“I know you must be distraught, but… uh… are you doing okay?”

“I’m… doing as well as you can expect someone in my position to be. She never even told me she was going through a mental crisis, and that's what hurts the most.”

I blurted out whatever came to my mind, but it wasn't a complete lie.

Because that's how Miley was.

She was too fixated on maintaining her image of perfection; it's like she was a robot programmed never to be tired or expose her weaknesses to anyone… not even me!

Everyone else admired her perfection from afar. But from up close, it was the most suffocating thing for me– even though she was the one wearing the thick mask of perfection.

“She was always so optimistic and encouraging, I can’t even imagine how this happened. I mean, you guys were so perfect together! Remember how Tammy used to say that if you ever broke up, that's the day we'll all stop believing in love! But damn, none of us thought it would end like this.”

Mike was trying his best to fill the silence, and all I could do was accept his sympathy… but if only you knew, Mike!

If only you knew how fed up I was with her at times.

I loved Miley! I looked up to her, I admired her– but I could never make her mine.

She gave me her promises, her polite affection, but not herself. No matter how many times I tried to win her over with gifts, with time, with patience and reassurance… the most I ever got from her was a kiss!

Despite everything, she insisted on saving her virginity until the wedding night.

Just like she insisted on being exactly who she was at all times, even at the cost of making me feel like I wasn’t good enough.

But to the world, we were the golden couple. What a fucking joke!

“Hey, man…”

Mike spoke again.

“I don’t think you’re in the mood to talk right now, I totally get it. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. And hey, if you ever want to talk about Miley, I'm here.”

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

“Take care of yourself, and Emily was well. Miley was always the tough one, but Emily was always too sensitive, she must be taking it hard. Poor thing! You should check on her, Archie. She’s got no one else.”

I cut the call without replying, and my mind reeled straight to Emily.

The screen lit up, showing an old photo from prom, which I was planning to present during my proposal speech last night.

I was standing in the centre: Miley on my right, Emily on the left.

Miley was graceful and dazzling in her blue gown, confidence radiating from every inch of her. On the other hand, Emily’s face was pink enough to match her dress!

That photo was taken just a year after I met Emily for the first time.

Back then, she reminded me of a mimosa: gentle, sensitive, and curling up at the slightest hint of a touch. She was painfully shy, but also… kinda cute.

The more I got to know her, the more I realized there was so much more to her personality.

When Emily opened up, she was sunshine!

With her bright eyes and warm smile, she listened to all my worries, even the silliest ones, like they were her own. And then, she'd share all her worries, like she trusted me enough to solve them for her.

Compared to Miley, who would rather die than tell me that she needed my help, Emily felt like a breath of fresh air.

Of course, I found myself talking to her more and more, sharing more of my happy and sad moments with her.

I told myself we were just good friends, but I myself didn’t believe it. Which man could resist being adored like that?

Miley was my moonlight: perfect and soothing, yet distant. But Emily! Emily was red roses in full bloom: fragrant and tempting, just waiting to be held.

I didn’t want to abandon either of them; no matter how much Emily pushed me.

How could I just leave my first love? She was flawless and elegant. She would be untouched and pure until I claimed her on our wedding night… and damn if that thought didn't get me horny as fuck.

But while Miley was my prize, Emily was my secret addiction.

We'd started sleeping together behind her back, and I would be lying if I said the experience wasn’t satisfying. Emily's desperate hunger for me, her sinful little moans and praises in bed… it made me feel like a God!

And besides, I wasn't the same scared little boy anymore. My deals with the mafia were paving the way to the top, and my family’s business was thriving.

Archie Watson was becoming more influential and powerful!

The same kids who used to kick dirt in my face now bowed their heads when I walked into a room, their fathers shoving them forward to apologize and grovel for contracts.

Money was my armor, and I didn’t need anyone to protect me.

Even Miley had ended up needing my help.

She had asked me for a loan, and of course, I gave it. Not out of pity, but like an investment into our future.

Emily had already told me about her inheritance. Miley's mother had left behind a trust, which she would receive once she married… and technically, that money was mine too, as her future husband!

After all, why shouldn’t I have both? A wife for status, and another one for passion.

But in just a blink, everything fell apart.

I never thought Miley would find out about us. I never thought she'd attack Emily.

I never thought I would kill her.

“Miley didn’t make it. The doctors tried their best, but…”

I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall.

Miley was gone… and she was never coming back.