This week has been one of the worst weeks I've ever had.

I took Archie to the park on Monday and it's now Friday and he still hasn't spoken to me. I'm so confused, usually when he's in one of his moods, he'll be angry with me for no more than an hour and he'll get over it. But this time it's different. Mum and Lee haven't quit fighting all week, and I haven't even been able to spare Archie from hearing it all go down; he's refused my attempts to take him out anywhere and won't speak one word to me other than "leave me alone". 

What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't exactly invite Harry round when my parents were practically screaming at each other at home. I know he would've felt just as uncomfortable as I would and I just wanted to spare him that. He seemed like a great guy, and I couldn't invite him into my crazy, messed up life. Well messed up at the moment.

I was currently at college, last period of the day. Mr Crossman was blabbering about something or other, and I couldn't really remember at which point in his lecture that I had zoned out at. It took me a few moments to even realize what lesson I was in too. I've got way too much on my mind to be dealing with college right now, I need some sort of escape.

I felt a tap on my shoulder then, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Ali standing behind me. Ali was my best friend. We'd been best friends for only two years now but she was like my sister, and I could honestly tell her anything. If I had the choice she would move in with me quicker than she could no. Though if she had the choice, she'd whisk me away from my mental family and we'd go live somewhere sunny where she could tan all day, with no worries in the world. But sadly, she can't. Well technically we can since she's legally an adult (me being 2 weeks away from my 18th birthday), but there are complications.

There's Archie. Archie will always come first. No one loves him more than I do, not even Mum or Lee, and I would do anything and everything, just to spare him from being hurt. Especially at this age. He pretends as if his Mum and Dad fighting is the most normal thing to be happening in a 9 year old's house, but I know him too well for that. He's holding back, and at some point he's going to let out all he's feeling, everything he's ever wanted to say to them, or me. And I want to be there for him when that happens, I just want him to know that theres at least one person who cares about him.

"Babe, you've been sat here for almost 5 minutes, I thought you left when the bell went so I went looking for you and realized you hadn't gotten very far" she said smiling down at me. Then I noticed the whole classroom was empty. Had I really been so engrossed in my thoughts that I'd sounded out the bell going and had become completely oblivious to that fact that everyone had left?

"I guess I was too wrapped up in my thoughts" I said grabbing my back from under the table and swinging it over my shoulder. I looked over at Ali, to see she had a sympathetic smile on her face. She knew what I was thinking about, she always does. 

Ali was quite the opposite of me, looks wise. She had beautifully naturally light blonde hair, which she never really did much to, since it was naturally wavy. She had shimmery grey blue eyes that literally sparkled. She was one of the most gorgeous girls I'd ever known. No, she was the most gorgeous girl I'd ever known, not to mention the kindest.

"I can see that. Hit me with it, whats up?" she said as we made our way out of the classroom and made my way to my locker. 

"Things are bad at home again. Archie still isn't speaking to me-" 

"Wait Archie still isn't speaking to you? I thought he would've forgiven you by now. I know he's stubborn but come on" she said surprised.

"Yeah well I was kind of a bitch by not letting Harry come over, so he has every right. He doesn't deserve to have to listen to Mum and Lee bad mouth each other all the time" I said, letting out a deep breath.

"Neither do you" she said looking at me with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I said suspiciously.

"Like what?" she said pretending to be confused.

"Like you have something amazing to tell me..."

"Well I do have something to tell you. It's not amazing but it will definitely benefit you." she said her smile growing by the second.

"Spill" I said putting a few books in my locker and grabbing my turquoise scarf.

"Well you remember Jacob Moore? Well he's having another party and I know you need to get out of the house for a bit so why don't you come along?" she said her smile touching bother eyes now.

"I want to Ali but you know I can't leave Archie alone at home whilst hell's breaking loose just below him" I said with disappointment.

"Bring him over to mine for the evening. He can hang out with Daisy, they haven't seen each other in a while" she said, the smile still not leaving her face.

Daisy was Ali's younger sister. She wasn't much older than Archie, I think she was about 11 or 12. She look identical to Ali. The same blonde, curly hair but she had bright green eyes. They were inseparable like me and Archie. Daisy and Archie had been friends ever since me and Ali first met. Though there was a slight age difference, they were like the best of friends. Archie always asked me if he could come over to Ali's with me, just so he could see Daisy.

"That's a good idea. He needs to be with people other than his family." I said thinking about the idea.

"please please please" Ali said deliberately adding an annoying whining tone.

"Okay fine, I'll come" I said letting myself smile along with her now.

"Yes! yes yes yes, you have to come round mine so we can order pizza and-" she screamed excitably.

"woah woah Ali hang on, I need to pick Archie up from school first and get him ready to come round yours. I'll come over in about an hour" I said reassuring her.

"Okay okay, I'll see you later at mine babe" she said waving me off as I walked the opposite way out of the school gates and down Main street to Archie's school. Thank god everything was all walking distance from where we lived. Although I had my drivers license, I never seemed to drive that much. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

"Wear something hot;)" -Ali

My god this girl is crazy, but I chuckled anyway. I turned the corner of Main street a turned into the school entrance. I spotted Archie within seconds, standing with Lucas. I called his name, but he didn't seem to hear me. I shouted it now, and he turned and spotted me too. He didn't give me the dismissive look he had been all week but he didn't exactly look pleased to see me. He walked over to me, and didn't bother to stop walking. He strode straight passed, me following.

"You can ignore me as much as you want, but I've got a surprise for you" I said attempting to better his mood.

"I don't want a surprise from you" he said, not looking at me.

"You'll change your mind when you hear what it is-" I began.

"I said I don't want it" he said sharply. My stomach dropped slightly, but my hurt was quickly replaced with anger. 

"Listen Archie" I stopped walking and put my hands on his shoulders to stop him from walking "You can't be mad at me forever, I know it was unfair of me to not let you have Harry round, but I had my reasons and you just need to except them. But I will not let you be this rude to me" 

I didn't shout I just simply made my voice stern. I've never shouted at Archie, but he knows that when I talk to him like this, I mean it. Sometimes he thinks he can get away with things easily with me, but not this time. With Mum and Lee fighting 24/7, me and Archie really need each other.

He didn't reply for a little while, but his face softened and his head dropped. I'd obviously got through to him. " I'm sorry Gemi, I'm sorry" he said, his eyes glossing as if on the break of tears. I couldn't be mad at him for more that 30 seconds.

"Archie, no it's okay" I said pulling him into a hug. He clung onto me, though he still didn't cry. He never cried, ever.

"So you wanna know what the surprise is that I have for you?" I said taking his hand in mine as we started walking home, back down Main Street and turning off onto Kingsland Road. 

"Yeah" he said looking up at me happily.

"Well I'm going out tonight but you can go round a friends house" i said 

"Harry's?" he said hopefully. I never realized how much he liked Harry, I mean they'd only met once, but Archie seemed to like most people.

"No, Daisy's tonight" I said hoping he wouldn't get disappointed. I was successful.

"Yay, I love Daisy" He said smiling widely, showing his gappy smile.

I was so happy he was happy. And that he wasn't in a mood with me anymore. After a little while of walking in silence, something playing on my mind, just kind of blurted out.

"Archie, why did you like Harry so much when you met him? What did you like about him?" 

"He likes Batman like me. And he is so cool at drawing things. He showed me his drawings of superman and loads of other superheroes" he said all very quickly with his slight lisp.

"When did he show you his drawings?" i asked curiously. When did Harry see Archie when I wasn't there?

"He's Lucas's older brother" 

Well that explains why they got on so well. 

"He showed me some of his drawings when I went over to Lucas's yesterday, he drew one of you too Gemi" he said squinting against the suns rays.

I was so surprised that i took me a few moments to reply. Harry drew me? Why? When? I wasn't sure whether I was flattered or slightly creeped out. I was certainly confused.

"Did he now?" I said trying to act as cool about it as possible.

"Yes. He said he saw you in the park a few times before we met. He said you were pretty, and he wanted to draw you. I have no idea why he said you were pretty" he said cheekily.

I decided try play off my embarrassment. "What did you just say Archie? You cheeky little bugger!" I said chasing after him down the street. I caught up with him and swallowed him up in my arms spinning him around numerous times. We laughed so much our stomach's hurt afterwards. 

We both walked up the front steps to the front door together, still laughing. That's when I heard them, inside, shouting at each other. Again. I looked down at Archie, and his face still had a ghost of his smile on his face,  he stood there expressionless, as we entered the house hand in hand.