Disclaimer: I don't own The Chocolate War
This switches POV's a lot... so... yeah.
Archie Costello.
Invincible, unbeatable, nonchalant, ingenious Archie Costello.
My best friend in the world.
How I hate Archie Costello.
With every drop of passion that is humanly possible to fill ones mind, I distain him. I would laugh at his death. I would smile as I watched him lay defeated, drowning in his own blood.
I would do anything to be like Archie Costello. If I could ever have half his talent, I would be forever grateful to the world. If I could have his mind… that tender, compassionate, mind…
That evil, hating, selfish mind.
He is… the enemy. My best friend.
---
My dear Obie.
Confused, gentle, obedient, Obie.
Sometimes I hate Obie. I know that he hates me.
I would take a bullet for Obie.
Obie: Who tried to kill me. Obie: Who sat quietly, hating every atom building up my body.
I was alone in this cold world… the world that I have sculpted with my own two hands. My artwork. It was so true to me once that I would never be able to trust my own shadow.
I would trust Obie with my life.
Even though I am so sure that he wouldn't hesitate to throw it in the trash. He's already tried.
---
He stole everything that I have ever had. My life. My soul.
And he gave me what I now have. If it hadn't have been for Archie Costello, I wouldn't have known anything. I would have still been that freshman, quiet and secretive, slinking along the walls of Trinity like a shadow.
And he made me something.
Whatever he made me, I despise. I despise myself for becoming his canvas, and letting him paint my personality with his own creativity.
---
I love to watch Obie squirm. I love to watch him suffer at my fingertips. I can't help but to torture him, just to see the shattered expression in his eyes. That pain he feels… I feel it too. It's loss. Something I know about.
---
There is barely anything that I enjoy more then to watch Archie in over his head in his own ideas. I am breathless with pleasure when he corrupts in flames in front of me. But grander, is to watch him rise from the ashes.
---
I would die before letting Obie down completely. I just like to hold him on my string, so close to the ground that his breath bounces off the floor. But I will never let him fall.
---
Archie never let me down. And as much as I hate to say it, everyone else has. That is why he is my best friend. Because he keeps me from falling. I hate myself for depending on him…
---
The two boys, both sitting silently in the gym, pondering their thoughts, looked at each other. The last day of school was nothing to celebrate. Everybody was terrified of the obvious dictatorship coming the next year.
Simultaneously, Archie and Obie got to their feet, washing the last of their thoughts out of their minds.
Obie fingered his notebook one last time. It had been his own sidekick since his sophomore year. Obie had said that he had wanted a notebook as soon as Archie has said that they were going to start a secret society. Archie had bought this notebook for him…
"So…" Obie said softly, hatred and misery and contempt and love all mixed into his voice, "What now?"
"What do you mean?" Archie answered, his voice offering nothing.
"What… what do we do?"
"You are an adult, either heading off for college or getting a job, Obie, why are you asking me?"
Suddenly, Obie was overwhelmed. No one would be there to tell him what to do anymore. "I guess I'll see you around, Archie?"
Archie Costello said nothing, only looked back with tenderness and compassion as he left the gym.
And Obie realized, for the first time in three years, since he was a faceless freshman, he was truly alone.