It is a lawn party, meant for friends and family, but the paparazzi and press are already hounding the entrance. 

I stop in my tracks, my fear of crowds settling in. 

'Problem?' Archer asks. My face must've lost color.

'Uh. Nothing?'

Archer shrugs, not satisfied. He takes a few steps forward, but I stay rooted. 

They are going to talk. They are going to ask about Tristan, and my mother and her baby. They are going to ask how I feel about it. I am going to hesitate over my words and it would be worse than face planting the red carpet at the Emmy's.

Yeah, that happened.

 'You are clearly not okay.'

It shakes me how much he can read me. I am not much of an open book, which is evident from the fact that I have little to no friends. But none read me like Archer does. Not even Tristan, now that I think about it.

Tristan had always mocked my fear. He always mentioned that my fear was irrational, considering that I was born into the world of cameras and gossips. I don't know, but something tells me Archer would not react the same way.

'I'm afraid of crowds.'

Archer smiles, and it's beautiful. It's way better than his signature smirks, and he looks ten times hotter. 'All of us are.'

I shake my head. 'They are going to talk, Archer. They are going to scrutinize and dissect me, they will find the wreck beneath all this makeup,' I gesture to my face. 'They'll realize that I'm pathetic and awkward and - '

'Desperate for love?'

I punch him in the arm. Archer chuckles, lightly. 'Kaitie, no one's going to dissect you. Besides, we can ditch this party the moment you get uncomfortable. We can go to McDonald's and order McBurgers.'

'And fries.'

'And fries,' he agrees. 'Remember, they only know what you want them to know. You hold the power here, sweetheart.'

I smile at him, and take his hand. He links my fingers with his, and gestures forward. 

'After you, m'lady.'

When I step up in front of the flashing cameras, my hand held firmly within Archer's, for the first time in my life, I feel beautiful. I feel confident and proud, something I never felt with Tristan. It never felt important with him, but I can't help wonder how many trivial things I have neglected while I was with him.

Archer is right. I hold the power here.

I turn and pose, smiling for the cameras, as Archer graces my side, giving his sexy smolder. 

'Kaitie McBarrow!Who are you wearing tonight?'

'Kaitie, over here! Are you and Mr. Miles a couple?'

'Why break off things with your previous boyfriend?'

'Is Sienna McBarrow in a relationship with someone else?'

I smile softly, tucking my hair behind my hair.

'Archer is a really good friend of mine.' I look up at him, and he is beaming down at me. 'Tristan and I broke up, but please respect our privacy. As about my mother, it's best if you hear it from her. We are here as a family to support her decision.'

'Why hasn't Jeremy McBarrow shown up then?'

Jeremy hasn't shown up? Shit. 

'Jeremy is a bit busy nowadays, though he informed me he would try to make it on time.' 

'Mr. Miles, what do you think about Kaitie?'

Archer grins. 'She's a fun person to be with.'

I am anything but.

'She is strong and beautiful. She is passionate about the things she love. I feel privileged she chose me as her date tonight. It cost me a fortune though.'

The paparazzi laugh, and we move into the confines of the lawn. 

People turn to look, and I spot some of the old, familiar faces. It's the same schedule again, over and over. Meaningless talks, fake emotions. 

They ask who Archer is to me, but the truth is, I don't know. Something has shifted between us, and I think it's a love-hate thing. 

I am talking to someone, congratulating her on her new release, when my mother grips my shoulder. 

'Kaitie. I thought you weren't going to make it!' She smiles, and leans in for a hug. Her nails dig into my skin, and she growls in my ear. 

'What is Archer doing with you?'

Of course. 'He is my date, mom.' I whisper back.

'What about Tristan? I told you to apologize to him.'

I pull back, fixing a sickly sweet smile back on my face. 'I will always be there for you, mom. Let me grab a drink, okay?'

I manage to get away before she sinks her claws into me again, and I spot Archer at a corner, drinking. 

'There you are,' I say, plucking the drink out of his hand and downing it in a single gulp. 'It's getting boring.'

Archer frowns. 'Really? I'm having the time of my life.' He winks at a group of models, setting them off chirping like excited birds.

'Shut up.'

'Hey. Wanna dance?'

'Dance?'

'You deaf?' Archer straightens his coat. 'Shall I have this dance?'

I take his hand on a whim. What do I have to lose?

Archer guides me to the dancing couples and we sway to the song. 

I'm not a perfect person
There's many thing I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

Archer's eyes pulls me in. They suck in me in like a vortex and they feel familiar. His grip tightens around me as he pulls me closer, aligning my lips with his. 

I let out a sigh, before I throw my hands around his neck, melting into his kisses, into him. He burns me up and I let him. Raw passion runs through me, unchecked and wild. 

Our tongues meet. Everything feels hot, and I don't want to stop. I am way too into it, that I can almost hear him in my head. 

I've missed this.

I kiss him with everything I had. I let him kiss me, and heal back my broken heart.

That is, until he is ripped away from me. 

Tristan pushes Archer backwards, before grabbing my hand and storming out of the lawn, dragging me behind him.

'Tristan!' I exclaim. 'Let me go.'

He doesn't listen, as he pulls me away like a madman, not caring that his fingers were gripping my wrist tight.

The next thing I know, Archer is tackling Tristan to the wall, punching him in the face.

'She said to let her go.'

Tristan tries to hit back, but fails. I grab Archer by the arm. 'Archer, don't.'

Archer relents, but murder glints in his eyes. He looks dangerous, far more dangerous than Deanne. 

'Touch her again, and you won't be alive.'

Tristan spits blood. His face is a mess, but he grins gruesomely. 'She is my girlfriend, bastard. You were kissing another man's girl.'

'You lost her when you fucked with her, you pathetic excuse of a man.' Archer pushes him against the wall with one hand. A muscle throbs in his jaw. 'She is with me now, and I am going to treat her like a queen.' 

'Because.' Punch. 'She.' Punch. 'Is.' Punch. 'One.'

He lets go of Tristan, who subsequently slumps to the ground. Archer then proceeds to take my hand, pulling me away from the party.

He looks murderous, and I can feel the anger rise out of him in waves. But I know, that he is the only person who can't hurt me, so I let him take me away from all my problems.

And he does.

/*\*/*\