David Archuleta Story: "Archie's Ticklish Day"

The Idols were on tour. It was 12:00 A.M., and Archie was lying in his bottom bunk, Cook on the top. But Archie couldn't sleep. All he could think was what had happened between him and his Idol big bro earlier on and he wasn't happy about it. Though all he could think about was how none of it would’ve happened if he hadn't said what he said a few months back. He couldn't get out of his head the day of the Top 6 Ford Commercial shoot. The Idols were asked what's something about them that no one knows. And Archie's answer...
How extremely ticklish he is. Even slight touch. And how he specifically noted that his neck is one of his most ticklish spots. Little did Archie know what situations he would get himself into just by admitting to his little weakness.

Most of the time his fellow Idol-mates would just touch and poke David, just to tease him. Or put their arms around his shoulders. Sometimes they wouldn't even know they were tickling him. Like at their tour rehearsal interview, when Carly was touching his shoulder. She didn't even realize it, but Archie was completely spazzing from how much her rub on his shoulder tickled him. Syesha had done the same thing a few weeks back. But worse, it was during a live performance. On the Top 3 elimination night, the three of them sang "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", and when Syesha got close to Archie, she put her hand on his neck, while he was singing. So he couldn't even start laughing, he just smiled.

But there were some worse than others. Sure Brooke would try and paint his face, and Carly would rub his shoulders, but one person always seemed to torture little Archie to the extreme...
And that was Cook. He was always touching Archie. Whether was his neck, his shoulders, his face... he was always tickling him. And most of the time, Archie was so spazzed from laughing that he couldn't even protect himself.

Now, Cook is like a big brother to him, and brothers do tease and torture each other. But Archie never seems to fight back. He always just takes what Cook is doing to him. But not today...

It was a day off from the tour, and Archie was hanging out in his hotel room watching TV. When suddenly, there's a knock in the tune of "Hero" on the door. Archie immediately knew who it was. So he gets out of bed and goes to answer it. He opens the door and to no surprise finds a lonely Cook.

"Can I hang with you, Archie?" asked Cook.

"Sure." Archie said, happy to have such a good friend like Cook.

Archie let Cook in and closed the door. Before he knew it, he turned around and sees Cook lying in his bed in his spot with the remote in his hand. "Same old Cook." Archie thought, as he goes and sits at the end of the bed, trying not to get in the way of Cook’s vision.

“What do you wanna watch? asked Cook.

“Anything. I don’t care.” said Archie.

Cook flips through the channels and sees that Access Hollywood is on. He puts it on just for minute to see if there’s any news on his girlfriend Kimberly Caldwell. A second after they start watching it, who comes on?
Who else but themselves!

“Oh, speak of the devils!” Cook exclaimed as he rubbed Archie‘s shoulder.

Archie jumped at the feeling of Cook’s hand tickling his shoulder.

“Ah, turn it off.” said Archie uncomfortably.

“What’s wrong?” asked Cook.

“I don’t like seeing myself.” argued Archie.

“Why, does it bother you?” asked Cook teasingly.

“Uh... well.. it’s just...” stuttered Archie.

But before Archie could get a statement out, Cook interrupted him with,

“Well I know what bothers you a whole lot more... This!”

And before Archie could even comprehend what Cook had just said, he was being cruelly tortured by the touch of Cook’s hands running all around his sides from behind him. Archie turned completely spazzy and started laughing, trying to protect himself.
“S-Stop!” Archie managed to squeal, whuile squirming around the edge of the bed. “C-Cook s-s-sto- !” Archie yelped as he started in another round of laughter as he fell to the floor.

Cook then gave him a break to catch his breath.

“I just love torturing you like that. It makes me feel like more a your big brother.” Cook said joyfully.

“Huh, yeah. Fun.” Archie added sarcastically, just calming down as he got up and went over to the other side of the room, far away from Cook. Then Archie let out a nervous giggle.

“Oh, you trying to stay away from me? Then I‘ll have to come and get you!” Cook shouted.

Cook ran over to Archie. Archie tried to run away but found himself cornered. He looked at Cook nervously, not wanting to get tickled again. Cook stood in front of him, looking at him for minute, thinking about how he could torture Archie this time.

Cook decided to start off subtle, by just lightly stroking Archie’s neck and shoulders, giving Archie a tingly feeling, making him scrunch up and giggle.

“Ok, stop.” Archie commanded.

“No. It’s fun!” Cook said.

“But it’s not fun for...”

And before he could finish his statement, Archie found himself once again spazzing, laughing uncontrollably, and clutching his sides. Eventually, Cook started tickling him so hard, it turned into pain. And it brought tears to Archie’s eyes. Archie, feeling helpless, laughing and crying at the same time, thought quickly and tried anything to protect himself. So as Cook’s hands were attacking his sides, Archie lifted his arm up punched Cook right in the mouth. Cook stepped back holding his mouth, and Archie ran off towards the bed and composed himself, feeling confused about what had just happened.

“What the hell, Archie! I was only teasing ya!”

“Well you took it too far! You always take it too far! All you people do is tease me and I‘m sick of it! Just because I’m so little you people think you can poke me, and pat me, and pinch my cheek, and treat me like a baby! Well I’m not! I’m 17! And just because I’m so ticklish doesn’t mean you people can torture me with it!”

Archie stopped and looked at Cook. His mouth was bleeding. Archie didn’t think he was that strong. He always thought of himself as weak. The sight of the blood on Cook’s mouth brought tears to his eyes knowing that he did that to his big brother. Archie got so upset, he stomped out and slammed the door behind him.

Archie went out to his bus, passing all the other Idols. They could tell Archie was upset. Syesha went over to ask him what was wrong.

“David, what’s...”

“Leave me alone!” Archie screamed, interrupting his friend.

He ran into the bus, now feeling bad for yelling at Syesha, and fell onto his bed and started crying. All he could think about was how he could ever hurt Cook. And then how he could yell at Syesha like that. He spent the rest of his night in his bed crying and thinking, until he heard the guys come in.

“Oh, I can’t believe he did that to you.” Michael said to Cook.

“Yeah that just doesn’t sound like him.” Chikezie added.

“Well... I don’t know... whatever.” Cook said.

Archie turned on his side facing the wall and pretended to be sleeping to avoid the awkwardness of the guys. he heard Cook getting on his top bunk and the rest of the guys get into theirs. Once he knew that they were all asleep, he turned on his back, and just thought about how it all started...

And that leaves us to here:
Archie lying in his bunk feeling the worst he’s ever felt.
Cook still feeling the pain from his mouth and his heart.
And the rest of the Idols still in shock that Archie did what he did.
Archie did some good thinking. It was 1:00 A.M. and he knew what to do. He got up and stood on his bunk to see Cook up in his. He tapped Cook’s shoulder to wake him up. He jumped down and stood by the bunks. Cook wasn’t sleeping though, he was thinking too. He looked down to see Archie standing there with this hurt look on his face. Cook got down and without saying a word, hugged Archie the tightest he’s ever hugged him before. He whispered to him,

“It’s ok. I forgive you.”

“I didn’t even say anything?” Archie said confused.

Cook let go of the hug and said,

“Yeah but, I’m your big brother. Apology or not, I still forgive you and I‘ll always love you.”

Tears filled Archie’s eyes and he hugged his brother back, tighter than ever.

“I’m sorry.” Archie said, getting emotional.

“Let’s just leave it at this. And we’ll never mention what happened today again.” Cook offered.

“Ok.” Archie replied, feeling a little better.

The two then went into their bunks and fell asleep, promising to never mention that day again.