I'll Protect You (Re-Edit #2, 2016)

Always have a Sparrow to do the impromptu risk taking

dedicated to JoannasBooks for the lovely banners!!

* * *

Logan

James slammed something onto the surface of Logan's desk, causing several students sitting around them to jump in the air. One boy even fell out of his seat. Logan, however, just stared at his friend with a raised brow and an enormously peeved expression. 

"What?" he sighed, setting down his pen. 

"Read it," James commanded, removing his hand from whatever he was hiding. Logan removed his glare and glanced down at the orange sticky note. His heart dropped as he recognized the handwriting and he took his feet off the desk to sit up a little straighter. 

It may have taken me seven years of laziness, but I told you I would beat you, didn't I? -- Captain Park Sparrow

Logan was torn between a smile at the doodle of herself on a pirate ship or punching something due to the familiarity of her handwriting and how it resembled that stupid letter she had given him a month ago. 

He could hear her saying this, a victorious light in her eyes, triumph soaking her voice. 

"What's this for?" Logan struggled to ask, his voice almost catching in his throat. 

"The winter finals," answered James. It was strange to think that once upon a time, if Alex Finch had dared to beat James Mayfield, James would've started a war with her, an action Alex Finch would've met with unlimited enthusiasm. The two were a terrible pair at keeping peace and amazing at causing calamities. 

Now James looked unbelievably proud of the girl he once hated. How strange was it that Park could so easily weave herself into everyone's lives then remove herself just as effortlessly. 

"She got first place, Logan," James grinned. "First place!" 

"How'd she even write the note when she's not even here?" Logan asked. 

"She wrote it in advanced and gave it to Minnie just in case she beat you," he explained. "You're second, obviously. Alec--I mean, Rivers got third. Zen placed fourth, Minnie landed fifth, and I got sixth."

"Sixth?" Logan repeated, his tawny eyes widening. "Come on, Mayfield, how could you have let Alex Finch of all people beat you?" He laughed as James turned red. "You've let yourself go."

"Coming from the boy who's been moping around after a girl for an entire month," James shot back. Logan tensed immediately at James' words and he quickly got to his feet. He gathered up his notebooks and pens, shoved them into his bag, then headed down the steps of the lecture hall. 

It was the last day of class before the holidays started, so the professors were much more lax than usual. It was the last period of the day, and many students had already left the premises, so Logan waved goodbye to Professor Karyn before heading out into the corridors. 

"If you're so upset about her leaving," James called out from behind Logan, "why don't you go after her?"

"That is a brilliant solution!" Logan snarled, stopping by the stairs. "Let me just go after the girl who's about to be engaged and practically cut me off without saying goodbye to my face. Let me just show up on the palace doorsteps. Then what do I do, James? Am I supposed to give some heartfelt speech about how much I still want to be with her? There's no point in me going, the door will just be slammed in my face."

"You should really lower your voice," someone spoke up, ending Logan's tirade of frustration. Both boys wheeled towards the speaker and saw Sophia standing a few steps below them, her blue eyes wide as her gaze flickered between the two.