Page 21 of Blake University HBCU Chronicles: Archer & Destiny

TWO WEEKS LATER….

Students flowed out of the west lecture hall, laughing and peeling off in every direction. Destiny rolled down the stone path in her electric wheelchair with her copper brown coils bouncing. Skin kissed by the light, a small smile played at her lips. She felt good, her body still carried its aches, her knees still stiff from either sitting too long or the random spasms that came through. But the weight in her chest, the loneliness, the shame, and anxiety, felt quieter now.

It had been two weeks since she gave Archer her body. Since he held her like she was his. He continued to treat her like she wasn’t too much or too fragile to love. Even though they hadn’t done it again, they were still close and very intimate with one another. Destiny liked the fact that he didn’t press her for it, instead, he took the time to get to know her and spend a lot of time with her.

She rounded the corner near the main quad, adjusting her chair’s speed as she headed toward the busier part of campus and then stopped. Her breath caught in her throat as she eyed Archer beneath the old tree that split the grass courtyard. He was dressed in loose jeans, a crisp white shirt, and all white airforce ones. His light brown skin looked like it glowed from the sun, and his hair wasn’t brushed down in waves.

Archer got a fresh taper on the sides with short, dry curls sitting atop his head. Those pale blue eyes sparkled from where he stood. One hand in his pocket, the other held a paper bag of takeout. Destiny looked down at his feet and blushed at the folded gray picnic blanket already spread across the lawn with two chilled bottled drinks resting under the shade.

He looked up as she approached, a small, crooked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Destiny blinked and then smiled; it felt like her heart was flipping in her chest.He remembered….The both of them had been busy, but Archer still made it a point to see her every day. He told her that he was done with college and that he was gearing up to confront his father about everything so he could figure out who his biological mother was.

All of his personal issues didn’t stop him from confiding in Destiny and getting her advice.

“You stalking me now?” She giggled.

Archer walked up slowly, meeting her at the edge of the pavement. His smile was contagious. When he looked at Destiny, it made her chest ache in a way that it has never ached before.

“If that’s what this is called.” He chuckled.

“I figured we’d eat in the center of campus. It’s something you mentioned, and it makes sense to me…” His words trailed off as he looked at students walking fast but taking seconds to glance over at him and her.

“I want all these mutha fuckas to know that you my woman. If they fuck with you…I’ll?—”

“Archer, don’t be mean.” Destiny cut him off.

“Don’t cut me off, I don’t like that.” Archer mocked her.

They both shared a laugh together.

“Plus, I owe you.” He got serious.

“You owe me?” Destiny frowned slightly.

“You let me hold your whole world in my hands weeks ago. I want to feed you and be what you need. I want to always make you feel special. I’m not sure how to do all of this ‘cause it's new. But I listen to you, Destiny. I’m learning you, too.” He admitted.

She was stunned speechless. She looked past him at the blanket in the grass. It wasn’t much, just a small set up. The thought is what counted the most to her. Something about it all made her eyes sting. She wanted this, something simple, something normal. To sit in the grass like the other students, to share food and catch a vibe. She didn’t want to be reminded every second that her body made the world feel further away.

“I don’t think I need to get low on the grass, though. Just being here with you feels good.” She smiled.

“I brought a ramp pad, but you know I like picking you up and feeling you in my arms. It’s whatever you comfortable with.”

Destiny turned slightly and sure enough, there it was. A portable mat in his backpack. It was the kind that locked over uneven ground to give her wheels traction on the grass.

“You really think about everything, don’t you?” She whispered.

“For your safety and comfort…yes.” He smiled down at her.

“Plus, I think about you…a lot.” He added, making Destiny blush hard.

Minutes later, they were settled in the center of the lawn. Destiny was seated comfortably on the ramp pad next to him. Archer passed her the subway sandwich he bought for her, along with a small bag of baked BBQ chips. The sun warmed her arms as students passed by with curious glances but said nothing. A couple of the female students that had something going with Archer looked at them a little too long with hunger and jealousy in their eyes.

Archer kept his attention on Destiny because with her, the world seemed far away. Destiny felt seen by Archer, not for her chair or her condition, but for her. Their knees touched, his pinky brushed hers… heat ignited between the both of them.

The chemistry between them was raw, electric unlike anything he’d felt before. She hadn’t even been in his life long, yet her presence already felt carved into him like something ancient and familiar. There was something about the way she looked at him knowingly, like she could read in between the lines and know what he was feeling without him even having to say it.

He noticed that her eyes always lingered on his lips when he talked. Every time they were near each other, his chest tightened with anticipation.

“This is romantic, I love it.” Destiny broke their silence that was filled with possibility.

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