I'll Protect You (Original Version)

I Legolas You.

Park

My birthday was in four days. Thanksgiving was tomorrow, the 22nd of November, and two days after that, I would become eighteen.
I'm such an old crone.

To many teenagers around this vast world, it meant freedom. Adulthood. The ability to take charge of yourself and to be taken seriously (not all the time, but more than when you were sixteen). You were off to college or finishing your senior year (unless you were a genius and graduated early).

To me, it meant that if Archer didn't figure out his case soon, my father would be coronated and he would sign my name down as the crown princess.
                It also meant another thing, but I couldn't speak about it. I couldn't even bring it up to escape my throat. I felt like Ariel from The Little Mermaid who lost her voice. Because I've barely spoken the whole time Archer was talking about his game plan.

"You look like you're contemplating death," Archer finally sighed, looking at me with a pointed look. "You can't avoid talking about this. You can't avoid everything, Sparrow."

"Watch me."

"She spoke!" Archer snorted, putting down his pen. He really shouldn't sketch out his plans with a pen. What if he messed up? You're always supposed to use a pencil, and then outline with a pen. Then again, this was Archer I was speaking about.

"Look, you know what you need to do. So instead of sitting here and throwing a silent tantrum about a decision you agreed to, get up and get what I need. And take Darkwood with you, I think he's gone crazy."

Alec was currently sitting on the couch, watching reruns of Gossip Girl, almost on the brink of tears as he watched Nate and Blair together, while Chuck stood outside the door. He was screaming and clutching his pillow, furiously denying what was happening in front of his eyes.

I think he lied about the reruns--I think this was his very first time watching Gossip Girl.
        I looked at Alec and rolled my eyes--thank the lords my grandmother didn't marry his grandfather or else I'd be related to this freak.

"Call the house phone if you need help," Archer said as I stood up.

"Like I need help," I scoffed, walking over to the couch. Archer shouted something about my shoulder and I scowled. He was never going to let me live that down. Man, I really shouldn't have gotten shot.

"Let's go," I said to Alec, who was indeed on the very edge of tears as the episode ended.
               "I hate this show," Alec rasped, running his fingers through his black hair. "I can't believe people actually like it."

"Then you wouldn't mind me spoiling everything? Gossip Girl is actually--"

"I'M NOT LISTENING! LA LA LA LA!" Alec shouted, running away from me so he could go get changed. Normally, I would've chased after him, shouting at the top of my lungs every possible heart-stopping event from that show. But the thought of what I was about to do shut down my humor for a while and I plopped down on the couch, my pink ear buds turned up pretty high while blasting mopey Taylor Swift music.

Actually, I wasn't--I was listening to Korean pop music for some reason. Zen must've downloaded all these songs (one hundred and fifty, to be exact.)

After a few minutes, Alec emerged, wearing a dark blue hoodie exposing his black t-shirt. Darkwood had no variation of colors from his wardrobe at all--he only owned one brightly colored shirt, and that's because he accidentally dyed it pink in the washer. He was busy rolling the hem of his too-long dark jeans over a pair of grey sneakers when he caught me glaring at him.

"What?"

"You have no variation whatsoever, it irks me," I said. Alec and I were going to go say goodbye. Minnie, Zen, and Vincent knew I was leaving soon, but they were always in the loop. No, James, Josh, and Mark (even Sophia was coming) didn't know that this was probably the last time I was ever going to speak to them.