Page 4 of Blake University HBCU Chronicles: Archer & Destiny

That made Archer pause with a look of amusement.

“How long you known?” He asked, his voice calm but dipped in venom.

Archer was ready to knock his father out, it wasn’t something that would be a first for him.

“Long enough.” Sr’s jaw flexed.

“Then why you wasting money still paying for a dorm that I just use as a prop and storage space?” Archer tilted his head.

“You hope I snap out of it? Or you just scared that your empire might crack if people find out that this perfect son you painted me out to be prefers slanging drugs over law books.”

“You’re going to lose everything. You keep this up, Archer, and I swear I’ll cut you off…Completely.” Sr. balled his fist, ready to chance it all by knocking some common sense into Archer’s face.

Archer stepped forward, too close, his voice dropping dangerously low.

“Do it, I dare you.” He sneered in Sr’s face.

He wasn’t talking about his father cutting him off, he wanted him to hit him so he could show him just how much of an unseasoned pussy he really was.

“Archer, sweetie.” Karen’s voice cut through the tension.

“Your father’s just worried about you…we all are.” Karen’s voice held fake concern.

She was Archer’s so-called mom. Archer caught on early and had to discover on his own that Karen wasn’t his real mother. He said something about it when he was ten years old. Sr. beat him for disrespecting who he claimed was his real mother. Archer wasn’t stupid, there was no way two fully white individuals couldcreate a kid that looked more black than white. He let them fake it ‘til they made it, like they did with everything else.

They both turned to Karen, who was still standing in the doorway. She clutched her Tory Burch bag like it would shield her from the truth that hung in the air. She despised everything about Archer; the feeling was mutual from Archer as well. He was the kid that got sent to live in his own apartment at the age of fifteen — secretly. He was also a reminder of how much of a dog her abusive, shitty husband truly was. For the money and the title, along with all the perks, she endured it all when it came to Archer Sr.

Karen learned a long time ago to get with the program and stroke her weak-minded husband’s ego.

“Oh, I’m fine, just getting my education and a little head on the side whenever the fuck I feel like it.” Archer snapped with a sadistic smirk that tugged at his lips.

Karen stepped past the threshold of the door and slammed it. Her eyes darted to the pill tray on top of his desk then back to Archer. She took in his blood-shot eyes, the red a stark contrast to his pale blue irises, making them look discolored. Shaking her head, she tooted her nose to the ceiling and fake coughed like she was choking from the smell of weed.

“Well, he gets that wildness from her anyway—” Her lips clamped shut quickly but it was too late.

Archer’s smile curled mockingly, he looked over at Sr. and chuckled dryly by how pale his face got.

“Her, huh?” He repeated, dragging the words out like a blade.

“So, what I already knew was true?” He bit his bottom lip then looked back at his father for answers.

Sr. turned to Karen with a pissed off look on his face.

“Karen.” Sr. hissed out.

“Fuck all of that!” Archer’s voice cut through their awkward stare down.

“You lied to me my whole life.” Archer laughed.

All he could do was laugh through all the disappointment his father gave him.

“This white bitch, you paraded around like my mother, feeding me legacy dreams and country club hand me downs was just a fucking place holder and?—”

“Archer!” Sr. cut off Archer’s hurtful words.

“You’re my son, and I love you…Karen is your mother! She has?—”

“Fuck that and fuck you! I ain’t shit but your mistake that you kept in the dark long enough to believe I’d never find the fuckin’ switch!” Archer’s voice elevated, which pissed him off for getting out of character.

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