♡

Caroline Peach didn't want to be thinking about Harvey Kinkle in any other way than as a friend. However, she was beginning to realize she had no control over her feelings.

Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about romanticizing a boy she hardly knew. It had been, what, a mere week or two since she met Harvey? Since the puppy-dog-eyed boy gave her a tour of the school and she caught herself hoping she'd have a couple of classes with him. And she did. She was seeing Harvey all the time now, and Caroline was not complaining.

She figured she must be developing this pathetic excuse of a crush on him due to the fact that he was always in such close proximity to her — figuratively and literally. Maybe she'd have to start focusing on some of the lesser cute boys in her classes and try and get Harvey out of her head. Besides, it was pretty clear that he was crushing on Sabrina... but Caroline couldn't help but hope it would go away. Despite all these emotions, he was still looking handsome as ever as they drove out to Susie's farm.

Caroline leaned her forearm against the window of Harvey's truck as she tried not to steal another glance at the brunette boy driving. Since it was getting later in the evening (and Caroline knew that Johnny would be staying late at the office), Harvey picked her up after they both got some homework done — Harvey was wearing a grey sweatshirt and Caroline her fuzzy faux fur jacket. The inside of his truck was warm, but the chills going down Caroline's back kept her from taking her jacket off.

"Are you okay?" Harvey asked.

For some reason, that reminded her of a time not too long ago when she was sitting next to a certain redhead in his own truck while they were driving at night. Caroline hated that she was thinking so much of him now that she had moved. She blinked, but in her head, she was angrily throwing the memory of Archie Andrews against a wall like a glass vase — breaking it in the process.

"Yeah," Caroline said, turning her attention to Harvey for a moment.

No, the little voice in her head argued. You're thinking about your best friend's boyfriend. You're thinking of your friend. Archie was nothing but kind to you and you're thinking about how... how he held you when you were crying when Chuck Clayton dumped you. How he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and said you'd always be his best girl...

Stop it.

Think of someone else — anyone else.  Her idea proved to be hard when her thoughts started drifting to the serpent with whom she spent the night with their legs tangled in between sweaty sheets.  Maybe that's all Caroline was really craving — company.

She had led everyone to believe that she was innocent when in her gut, she knew she was far from it.  Even though Caroline wasn't super close to Betty, she could tell that the blonde had a paralyzing crush on Archie, which is why when she lost her special card to Archie, she kept it to herself.  No need for it to get out and make things worse, right?

Only things did worsen.  When Veronica moved into town, she may have gained a new friend, but she also allowed Archie's heart to open up.  It was her fault, she knew it.  She never wanted to push a title or relationship with Archie mostly out of fear that a relationship would only add stress to their lives.  She shuddered every time she imagined how her father would grill Archie should she invite him over for dinner, study dates, or when he'd pick her up for a trip to the movie theatre.  Instead, she settled for remaining his friend, and keeping the friendship was important (or so she told herself).  She settled for parked cars and janitor closets and sneaked into his room sometimes after the games.  It was easy since her parents never went to them and therefore didn't realize where she'd go afterward.  She settled for friends with benefits with the picture-perfect guy, the guy who was too good to ruin, and in the end the only person she ruined was herself.

What is wrong with you?

Caroline instead focused on what was sitting right in front of her; Harvey. She focused on him, how his side profile looked, and how his jawline really stood out. The streetlights illuminated his facial features. He looked damn good in soft lights, the ones that were more silver and white than gold and tan. Scratch that, Caroline saw him during the golden hour the other day and he looked amazing then, too.

You're doing it again.  This is bad.  Oh, damn it.  Why did the bad have to feel so good?

Caroline gulped, taking her gaze away from him. She didn't really want to, but she had to, or else her imagination would run wild. No, she couldn't be responsible for what she'd come up with.

♡

"Why didn't you tell us about your uncle, Susie?" Harvey stood facing her, who was seated next to Rosalind at the dinner table in Susie's farmhouse.  Caroline fiddled with the sleeves of her jacket nervously as she stood next to Harvey.

"Because my dad doesn't want us talking about him.  Also, your dad owns the mine that made him sick," Susie retorted while Harvey nervously twiddled his thumbs and glanced at the staircase.

"What did Jesse see down there?  Did he ever tell you?" Harvey asked.  Susie and Rosalind both shook their heads, then the bell rang throughout the house, sending chills down Caroline's back.  The four turned their heads up.  "Is that him?  Can I go talk to him?" Harvey placed his hand on the baseboard of the doorway leading to the staircase.

"I dunno, Harvey," Susie said in a monotone voice.

While Caroline could see why Harvey was so eager to talk to Jesse, she didn't feel all too thrilled about the idea herself.  She bit her lip as Harvey pleaded, "Susie, please.  I saw something in the mines, too."  Susie turned to Rosalind, who looked more hesitant than confused like Susie.

Harvey turned to Caroline, eyebrows raised as if to ask if she were up for it.  She sighed.  "Suddenly, I wish I had stayed at home like Lina."

The rest of Susie's house was dark.  Dull moonlight shone through the thin curtains in the window on the way up the staircase, watching over the teens as they made their way upstairs.  Susie was leading the four, Harvey and Caroline behind her with Rosalind trailing in the back.  They were almost on the second floor when the bell rang again.

Susie pushed the old wooden door open, a nasty creaking noise filling the room as she slowly stepped into it.  Caroline's stomach turned.  One by one, they piled into the room.  Harvey licked his lips and cleared his throat.  "Mr. Putnam?" he asked the man laying on the bed.  He only breathed heavily in return.  "I'm a friend of Susie's," he turned to look back at the girls huddled together by the doorway.  Unconsciously, Caroline grabbed onto Susie's right forearm.  Susie placed her own hand on Caroline's in an effort of comfort.  Rosalind stood on the other side of Susie, equally as scared.  "Susie told me you used to work in the mines, and... that's how you got sick."

"Harvey, careful," Caroline said softly, watching as the boy took a seat on the chair next to the bed.  Susie patted Caroline's hand twice.

He glanced at her, his face lightening at the sight of Caroline holding it together for him.  He gave her a warm smile before clearing his throat again.  "I've been down there, and... I'm wondering if maybe you saw what I saw," Harvey stared down at the man.  "And if you'd be willing to talk to me.  Or I could do the talking, and you could just maybe ring yes or no?"

Not even a second after he spoke, the man jumped into a sitting position, yelling at the boy in front of him.  In a raspy voice that sounded inhumane, he said, "He's going to eat your souls!"

He grabbed Harvey by the shoulders and threw him against the wall behind him.  Sweat trickled down Caroline's back as she yelled out for him.  Harvey gasped for air as he fell to the floor, Mr. Putnam falling down on top of him.  The three stood in shock at the men wrestling on the carpeted floor.  Jesse had Harvey in a chokehold, the younger boy going pale as he struggled.

"Harvey!" Caroline screamed again, this time raspier and trembling at the sight before her.  She didn't understand what was going on, but she understood she didn't like the way it made her feel.  She understood that Harvey, her Harvey, was close to death.  Susie grabbed onto her arm, Rosalind snaking her arms around Caroline's waist and using all their weight to keep Caroline put.  Caroline turned her head left and right, the heat from her jacket catching up to her.  "Grab that!" she yelled to no one in particular, motioning to a jar on the dresser near the door.

Susie broke away from the other two girls, grabbing the jar and smacking Jesse over the head with it.  His body went limp, falling to the side of Harvey.  Harvey panted and coughed, crawling to the bed and propping his body against it as he could finally breathe again.

Caroline sniffled, using the sleeve of her jacket to wipe her nose.  Her mascara was smudged under her eyes as a couple of tears trickled down her cheeks.  "Oh my gosh..." she mumbled.

Rosalind released her grip from Caroline's waist and instead stroked her hair with her hand, equally as terrified.  "You good?"  Caroline nodded, turning to Harvey as they all looked at him confused.

"Harvey?" Caroline asked.  While she meant for it to come out strong and comforting, it came out as a low squeal.

Harvey stumbled to his feet.  "Hey, hey," he breathed heavily, grabbing her arms and making tired but direct eye contact.  "Don't cry.  Hey, Peach, don't cry," he said.  Caroline's lip quivered, looking at his disheveled appearance.  Caroline was pissed he still managed to look handsome.  This made her cry more, seeking shelter in between his arms.  She melted into him as he continued consulting her.

"I don't even know why I'm fucking crying," Caroline sniffled into his sweatshirt, which now had a couple of teardrops soaked into his chest.  He rubbed her back gently as the four made their way back to Susie's kitchen, which was now Caroline's favorite part of Susie's house.  "I'm so sorry, Harvey," she said quietly, feeling bad for crying when he was the one who was attacked.

He shook his head.  "It's alright," he said.  "I got you."

Though she was still crying, rubbing under her eyes roughly with her sweaty fingers, she managed to croak, "I got you, too."

♡

SWEET CAROLINE ;
a lil bit of caroline struggling w her hormones (;