Exactly one summer, seven weeks, seventy seven days later, I was sitting in the park I decided to go one night two months ago. I was sitting on the swings and Archer was on the table, the same way we met. Our situation has gone full circle. This is where everything started, will end, and will come back.

Archer and I decided it was only right for us to stay here today.

"You know, you never really told me."

"Told you what Elizabeth?"

"What animal you want to be. I told you I wanted to be a bird."

"What other animal can spend their entire life with you?" He asked.

"Another bird, brownie."

"Then that's exactly what I want to be." Only Archer would say something like that and only I would accept it as a valid answer.

"Archer." I walked up from the swing and took something out of my back pocket. "Here, a flower." He chuckled a little before taking it and placing it in his wallet.

"I can't believe I'm leaving tonight." Archer took my hand in his.

"I can't either stranger. This whole summer was next level of amazing."

"Are you excited to start filming?"

"Really fucking excited brownie."

"Language Elizabeth." I rolled my eyes and leaned into him. I kissed him gently and longing for more. Even if time felt as it stopped with Archer, deep down I knew time didn't stop for anyone; not even us.

The sun was doing it's daily spin and soon the moon will push it out and the darkness that embodies the night will take place instead.

"I don't want you coming to the airport with me tonight." I traced his face with my finger.

"Why?"

"It's hard leaving you, if you're there, I would never leave."

We stayed at the park for the rest of the day talking about anything and everything. We saw the birds flying over us and we saw the mood come out of its hiding place. And we saw how time waits for no one.

It was time to leave if Archer wanted to make it to his flight. All I wanted to do was curse mother nature for making us leave, for separating us. I wanted to try and change our destiny, fate, and life. But I couldn't.

"It's only three years Elizabeth."

"It sounds like forever."

"Three years, one hundred fifty six weeks, and one thousands ninety five days to chase our dreams."

"Very poetic Archer."

"Shut up"

"Don't be a stranger, stranger" I said looking at him straight in the eyes.

"Never Elizabeth" It felt like a promise. I felt secure that we wouldn't get lost in the horrible world we call life. "Wherever the hell life takes us." He said, placing his hands on mine cheeks. I didn't even give him trouble for not asking for a curse pass.

"Forever." I responded and he leaned down placing a kiss on my lips. Not rough, but slow. It was like our first kiss all over. We were both trying to memorize our skin, our touch, our smell for the first time. That kiss felt like a promise. That we were forever. No matter what. No matter if I became a famous Hollywood star and he became a famous singer and painter. We would always come back to each other. Three years from now Archer and I will come back to this park right here and destiny, fate, and life will tell us: I told you so."

And then everything went black.

You and I. We're the perfect example that not all soulmates are meant to be. Sometimes forever meant forever in memories. We had the perfect story, just not the happy ending.

It was the one summer type of love, but it was the best type of love. It came out of nowhere and I found myself wanting to run away from it, but something told me to hold onto it.

Archer and I made a promise. But life had another plan. I went and became a famous actor and he didn't make it as a singer. Slowly I lost the memories of that summer. They were replaced by other ones.

But they were there. I remembered him and all those adventures every summer. We made a stupid promise to see each other after my contract was over. It made sense at the time, because we both knew we needed each other and we would find ourselves again.

But maybe in another life we would have gotten the ending we deserved. Maybe in this life we were supposed to be a fleeting memory. I showed Archer how to view the world and he showed me the simple beauty behind everything.

Three years ago I asked Archer if he believed in multiple realities and I remembered he said yes. So right now in another reality, me and Archer are seeing each other again after three years falling back into the endless black hole love is.

So here I was back in the white cold room. The sun hit my legs. I opened my eyes once again. This time it was harder. They felt heavier. My body was extremely tired.

"Miss Elizabeth." I recognized the voice, but couldn't place a face on it. "Mister Archer is here to see you." But I didn't respond. It was getting hard to breath. My chest felt heavy. Maybe my eyes were playing games with me, but I saw him. The same boyish grin. The same messy hair, the same brown eyes with their addicting whiskey look.

"Maybe in another life Elizabeth." I heard someone say.

"Maybe in another life, stranger." I might have responded.

Something inside of me told me I was able to fulfill my dream of being a storyteller, that deep down, someone got to know what really happened between us. That someone got to know the story behind two strangers who decided to take on the world one summer night.

They say that when you die you have seven minutes to relieve your favorite memories. You have seven minutes to enjoy life one more time. I always questioned who was going to be in my last seven minutes. Was it going to be multiple people, was there not going to be any one. Were the moments just going to be me in deep thought? Or was it going to be first grade when I asked the girl who is currently my best friend for a crayon.

I always wondered who was going to invade my seven minutes before death, little did I know it was the stranger I met the summer of 21.

Archers POV

I can't believe I went to see her last night. As soon as I heard what happened I drove to the hospital. Of course they thought I was a fan trying to see her, but her mom was there. She let me see her. Even after all those years she recognized my face.

I will never forget her face. So pale and tired. She had so many bandages yet she looked as beautiful as ever. Her brown hair was longer than how she usually had it.

"Maybe in another life Archer."

"Actress Elizabeth Skye dies after a tragic car accident. Yesterday night, Elizabeth was getting home after a long day of shooting. It was raining heavy and she wasn't able to see the car. We send condolences to her family. After her career took off thanks to her hit character Cherry in-"

I turn the radio off not wanting to hear anything else. I can't believe she died. There's no way she died. But she did. It's been all over the news.

She got her big role in acting. I couldn't be any prouder of her. I remember watching every single episode noticing how happy she looked. Her big brown eyes would show it. I would smile just by seeing her.

I ignored the idea of being a singer. Nothing really came out of it. I'm going to art school and this is my senior year. Her contract for the show ended after season three. It was a huge success, but she wanted some free time. We were supposed to meet again this summer. We were supposed to get together.

We mutually decided to not see each other. It would be harder for us. She was all over the world filming for her show and I was in New York busy with my art. We would text once a month. We promised each other not to be strangers.

I waited for her and she waited for me.

But now she is gone and the only way I can keep her alive is through my art.

I look around my small studio and observe all the canvas. All of them have drawings of her filled with memories we shared or dreams I had. But there's a really special one I'll never forget. I remember drawing it on paper, but once I moved here, I redid it on a huge canva. It was the night we were at my house, and I drew her with the bird over her.

A bird. She always wanted to fly and be free. She was all of that. Elizabeth Skye was the bird and I was her little one that she taught how to fly and feel free. She took me out of my comfort zone and showed me what freedom and love was all about.

And now as I look up at the stars just like that night I drew her in my room, she isn't by my side, but instead she's the star that shines the brightest as she looks down at me.

the story of elizabeth skye and archer luca

and the summer of 21

a/n
Please don't hate me. This was always the plan. I wanted to write a young, beautiful, sad romance and I'm really proud of it. Did you see how everything connected? In another life, Archer and Elizabeth end up together after three years. But not in this one.

Thank you for everyone who has commented, like, and shared the story. I appreciate all of you, even my ghost readers:)) Make sure to share this story on social media and tag me so I can see it:)

I can't thank you enough.

Socials:

Tiktok: bookswithmonica
Bookstagram: bookswithmonica
Main insta: monica.rodriiguezz

Make sure to follow me on all my socials and wattpad so you can get notified for future projects!