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My Arch Nemesis in my Bed
My Arch Nemesis in my Bed
Author: Fallenwild

Chapter 1

Author: Fallenwild
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-05-15 09:28:12

I hate Luca Archer with every cell in my body.

This thought pulses through me as the final set of the championship match begins, the school gym is nearly drowned by the roar of the crowd which threatens to make me deaf. Every where is packed to capacity with everyone on their feet as the referee blew the whistle.

"Come on, Ethan!" I yell, my voice disappearing into the shouts and noise as my boyfriend receives the serve, setting it up perfectly for his teammate.

But it's not Ethan the crowd is watching or even rooting for.

"ARCHER! ARCHER! ARCHER!" The chant builds as Luca springs into the air, his body suspended in that seems to defy the law of gravity. His arm swings in a perfect arc, palm connecting with the ball with such force I swear I can feel it from the sidelines.

The opposing team dive for the ball few seconds too late. The ball slams to the floor, leaving a stunned silence before our side of the gym erupts.

"God, he's incredible," Naomi squeals beside me, clutching my arm. "When he jumps like that? It's like watching some kind of superhero in action."

I shake her off, scowling. "Ethan set that ball up perfectly."

"Yeah, but Luca's the one who scored." Naomi's eyes follow him across the court, along with every other female gaze in the vicinity. "Besides, how can you not appreciate that?"

I don't answer, because what could I possibly say? That no matter how precisely he spikes a volleyball or how perfectly his dark hair falls across his forehead when he's sweaty, I will never see what everyone else sees when they look at Luca Archer?

Nobody would believe me if I told them that Perfect Luca Archer, the volleyball star, straight-A student, and owner of the kind of smile that makes teachers forget to assign homework is actually the spawn of Satan.

They'd never believe that the same guy who helps old ladies with their groceries and volunteers at the animal shelter also steals the last of the milk, leaves his disgusting wet towels on the bathroom floor, and has spent the last decade of my life making it his personal mission to make my life a living hell in every possible way.

The first day he moved in, he took my bedroom because my parents thought he "needed his space" after everything he'd been through. Whatever that meant. They never actually explained what happened to his parents, only that they had moved abroad for "work reasons" and decided an eight-year-old boy would be better off staying with friends than uprooting his life.

Lucky me.

From that day on, it was war. He'd correct my math homework at the dinner table. I'd beat his time in swim practice. He'd win the science fair. I'd get the lead in the school play. If I got an A, he'd get an A+. If he made the honor roll, I'd make sure to land the scholarship they only gave to one student per year.

It’s been ten years so far. Ten years of looking over my shoulder, of grinding my teeth every time my mother said, "Why can't you be more like Luca?" Ten years of him leaving his dirty dishes in the sink because he knew I'd cave and wash them first.

Ten years of pretending we're strangers at school, because it's easier than explaining that the guy half the girls at Westlake High crush on lives across the hall from me.

"Lily." Naomi nudges me, breaking my spiral of hatred. "The game's over. We won."

I blink, realizing I've missed the final point. The scoreboard confirms it: 25-23. Another victory for the Westlake Wolves, another chance for Luca Archer to be hoisted onto someone's shoulders while my boyfriend sulks in the corner.

Speaking of Ethan.

I hurry down from the bleachers as the team huddles breaks apart, pushing through the crowd toward where Ethan is chugging water, his face still flushed from exertion.

"You were amazing," I tell him, reaching for his hand. "That set in the third…"

"Don't." He jerks away, tosses his towel to the floor. "Just don't, Lily."

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Ethan's voice has that edge it gets when he's about to take his frustration out on whoever's closest. Usually me. "Did you even watch the game? Or were you too busy staring at your not-brother like everyone else?"

My stomach drops. "That's not fair. I was watching you."

"Yeah? Well, Coach wasn't. Scouts weren't." He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. "Nobody was. It's always the fucking Archer show."

"Ethan, come on—"

"I need to shower." He's already backing away. "Don't wait up. Going to Tyler's after."

He storms off, leaving me standing there with his discarded jersey and towel at my feet. I shouldn't pick it up. I shouldn't always be the one cleaning up after him, making excuses for his bad moods. But I do it anyway, because that's who I am. Lily Graves, fixer of messes I didn't make.

I bend to retrieve it, and as I straighten, I catch sight of him. Luca. He's standing at the center of a circle of admirers, his arm draped casually around Amy Peterson's shoulders, but his amber eyes that sometimes look almost gold are fixed directly on me.

He doesn't look away when I catch him staring. Instead, one corner of his mouth lifts in that infuriating half-smile that makes me want to either slap him or—

No. I shut that thought down before it can form.

I turn to leave, but of course, I can't escape that easily.

"Picking up after Prince Charming again, I see." His voice carries across the now-emptying gym as he disentangles himself from Amy and jogs over.

"Go away, Archer." I mutter.

He falls into step beside me, smelling of sweat and something wild that makes the hair on my arms stand up. "Poor Ethan looked pretty upset."

"Shut up, Luca."

"Just making conversation." He takes the jersey from my hands before I can stop him. What's eating your boyfriend's ass? Besides his obvious mediocrity."

I snatch it back. "Jealousy doesn't look good on you," I snap, shouldering my bag. "Shouldn't you be busy being worshipped by your fan club?"

His mouth curves in that dangerous half-smile. "Why? Jealous you're not a member?"

"I'd rather swallow glass."

"Always so dramatic, Lilypad." He steps closer, using the nickname he knows makes me want to commit a felony. "Are you sure you don't want an autograph? I could sign something personal. Your bra, maybe?"

I feel heat flood my face. "Touch my bra and I will make sure you lose a hand, Archer."

"Promises, promises." He's standing too close now. "So, trouble in paradise?"

"None of your business."

"Considering I have to live with you, your mood swings are very much my business." He tilts his head. "After all, if anyone's going to make your life miserable, it should be me. I've earned that right."

"Go to hell."

"Save me a seat." He winks, then glances at the jersey in my hands. "Don’t tell me he gave you that to wash. That’s tragic even for you, Lilypad."

I scowl. “You’re jealous.”

“Please. Just hate to see you waste time on someone who’s not worth a single thread of that jersey.”

I roll my eyes, ready to snap back, but Luca’s already turning away. For once, he doesn’t drag the fight out, he just jogs off, leaving me with the last word that never leaves my mouth.

I sigh and made to shove Ethan’s jersey into my bag then I pause.

The scent is faint but it is unmistakably vanilla and floral. And it is definitely not mine.

I glance toward the locker room door, then back at the towel in my hands.

No. I'm not going to be that girl who jumps to conclusions based on a scent. Maybe he hugged someone. Maybe it brushed against someone's gym bag. Maybe I'm overthinking this because Luca decided to plant seeds of doubt in my head.

And that is typical Luca, always finding new ways to ruin my life.

I stuff the towel in my bag and head for the exit. The championship afterparty at Tyler's house starts in two hours. I'll talk to Ethan there, when he's calmed down. When we're both thinking clearly.

I tell myself this is nothing as I shower and change at home. Tell myself I'm being paranoid as I blow-dry my hair. Tell myself I'm letting Luca get to me…again as I apply lip gloss in the mirror.

But I can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong.

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  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 66

    I slipped through the back door while Lily was still running down the street, probably crying her eyes out. Good. That’s what needed to happen.I took the stairs two at a time, trying not to think about the times I’d climbed them to sneak into her room. The nights I’d listened for her parents’ footsteps before creeping down the hall to slip under her covers and hold her until she fell asleep.That was over now. Had to be over.My room looked the same as always, but it felt different knowing I was about to strip it bare. I pulled my duffel bag from the closet and started throwing things in without much thought. Clothes, toiletries, the few books I actually cared about. I took the volleyball trophies on the shelf and the photos pinned to my bulletin board. Let Mr. and Mrs. Graves wonder what happened to their perfect foster son. Let them think I was just another ungrateful kid who ran off without explanation.My phone buzzed on the dresser, and I already knew who it was before I looked

  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 65

    I’d thrown myself onto my bed and cried until I couldn’t anymore, until my throat felt like I’d swallowed glass and my eyes were so swollen I could barely see. The pillow was soaked and my face felt puffy and hot, but the tears had finally stopped coming. Now I just felt hollow.I kept replaying his voice saying those words. “You weren’t supposed to hear that, but since you did, I guess it saves me the trouble of figuring out how to bring it up later.”“The bet was Tyler’s idea.”I grabbed my pillow and screamed into it again, but no sound came out. My voice was completely gone.My phone buzzed on my nightstand. I reached for it without thinking, hoping maybe it was him calling to tell me this was all some sick joke, that he hadn’t meant any of it. But it was just Naomi.“Girl where are you?? Your coworker said you left work early and you’re not answering”I stared at the text until the letters blurred together, then turned my phone off.I rolled over and buried my face in the comfort

  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 64

    I stepped out from behind the shed, and they both turned to look at me. Maya’s expression shifted to something that looked almost pleased, like she’d been hoping I would overhear. Luca’s face went completely blank, all the warmth and affection I was used to seeing there just… gone.“What are you doing here?” he asked, and his tone was so casual, so unconcerned, that it made everything worse.“Are you for real? Is that seriously what you’re going to say right now?” I was shaking all over, fury and heartbreak warring in my chest. “That’s what’s important here? I brought you lunch, you bastard”I looked at him, waiting for him to deny it. To tell me this was all some misunderstanding.Luca looked at Maya, then back at me.“You weren’t supposed to hear that,” he said simply. “But since you did, I guess it saves me the trouble of figuring out how to bring it up later.”“Bring what up? Luca, what is going on? We were fine this morning. You held my hand under the fucking table during breakfa

  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 63

    I woke up the next morning in a good mood with that fizzy feeling you get when everything in your life seems to be falling into place. Luca had his scholarship, we had our plans, and for the first time I felt like we were actually going to make this work.I was eating a leftover pizza around noon, when an idea hit me from nowhere and scrolling through my phone. Luca would be finishing up with his afternoon group of kids soon, and he’d mentioned being too busy to pack lunch. Perfect excuse to show up with sandwiches and maybe steal a few minutes together before I had to get ready for my evening shift at the pool.I bought two turkey clubs with extra pickles the way he preferred them and walked the few blocks to the community center, already imagining how his face would light up when he saw me. Maybe we could sit on the bleachers during his break and watch the little kids attempt volleyball serves.But when I got to the outdoor courts, I stopped walking so abruptly that I nearly tripped

  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 62

    My phone buzzed with a text from Naomi asking how the parents-are-back situation was going, and I was in the middle of typing back a summary of this morning’s mortifying kitchen conversation when Luca reappeared.He was grinning like he’d just won the lottery.“Well?” I asked as he slid back into the driver’s seat.“It’s official.” He held up a packet of papers with official-looking seals and signatures. “Full ride to Washington State University. They’re even covering books and meal plans.”I threw my arms around his neck, genuinely thrilled for him. This was everything he’d worked for, everything he’d dreamed about since he started playing volleyball seriously.“Luca, oh my God! This is incredible! I’m so proud of you.”“It feels weird,” he said, hugging me back. “Like, this is actually happening.”“You deserve this so much. All those hours of practice and training and putting up with Coach Martinez yelling at you—it was all worth it.”He hugged me back, burying his face in my neck f

  • My Arch Nemesis in my Bed   Chapter 61

    I woke up feeling like I’d been wrung out and hung up to dry, which was probably what happened when you spent half the night alternating between guilt about fighting with your boyfriend and relief that you’d made up. The whole thing felt like emotional whiplash, but at least we were okay now.And now I was lying in bed trying to figure out how to face my parents after the mortifying conversation Mom and I were apparently going to have.The smell of pancakes was drifting up from the kitchen, which meant Dad was in a good mood. He only broke out the blueberry pancake recipe when he was feeling accomplished about something, probably still riding the high from successfully navigating Great-Aunt Millicent’s legal mess without anyone getting disinherited or arrested.I dragged myself downstairs in shorts and a tank top, hoping I could grab food and disappear before Mom ambushed me for round two of the most awkward mother-daughter talk in history.Luca was sitting at the kitchen table, scrol

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