I'll Protect You (Original Version)

The destruction damage of a white shoe

Normally, I'm super good at chasing. I aced physical education. I was incredibly fit for my age. Why? Try living with Archer. Exercise was one of my first words. 

But then I remembered that I was up against the prodigy of spies. Like, Tom Cruise of Hollywood. Any spy can say his name, and everyone will know who they're talking about. And he didn't earn the title through relations. He was a genius in the field of agents, and was fondly spoken about by the agents of XYZ.

It was natural that running away from him was more difficult than usual. And, come on. Running in these flats? Say hello to Godzilla blisters by the end of today.

In the end, those flats became my downfall. We were running by this corridor with the entire wall made of windows, facing one of the most luxurious Cimerian gardens. A marble balcony, complete with small guardian gargoyles awaited us outside.

As I ran past, my shoes fell off. Just like Cinderella. But that princess had it easy. A glass slipper had just magically "slipped." She didn't even trip, or stagger. No cuts or bruises. No, a glass slipper simply fell off her feet.

But me? This princess accidentally kicks off her flats in a desperate to get away from a not so happy "prince" and surprise, surprise! She gets to fall after twisting around and slamming her palms into wood. 

I hate you Cinderella.

Someone sat me upright, carefully taking my wrist and examining it. After he saw that my skin had been scraped and was bleeding, he took a look at my heels. Logan sat down next to me and gave me a comforting squeeze on the hand.

"You look alright," he said softly. He rubbed my ankle, raising an eyebrow, silently asking me if it hurt. I shook my head. But something was sending cold shocks up my skin, like mini electrocutions  at once. I realized he was holding my hand at the same time.

Our eyes met for a moment before Logan cleared his throat and jumped off. He held a hand out, offering to help me up. I batted it away, afraid that if I held his hand again, I would be shocked beyond recovery. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, shuffling from foot to foot, his arms crossed as a defense. I ran my fingers through my ponytail, totally screwing it up before I nodded stiffly. We--or I--had to get out of here. Being alone with Logan?

It may be Spice Girl Pepper's dream come true, but it certainly wasn't mine.

Someone else in the hall coughed obnoxiously. It sounded like a young boy, awkwardly intruding on his parents making out. 

"Sorry!" Logan and I both chorused, whipping our heads to one of the corridor. And my jaw dropped open.

He had grown taller, almost to my height. His shoulders had become much more broad and he looked a lot less scrawny than usual. His hair, which had been a light brown before, glowing like forest in the sun, was now as dark as Archer's and mine. It fell in a shaggy cut, his bangs kissing his lashes, giving him a shy, adorable look that went perfectly with his bashful smile. 

He wore his usual clothing, which was a dark pair of jeans, the sneakers that he loved to splash in puddles so he could run around the palace to anger Mother. A blue plaid shirt was buttoned up all the way to his neck while a black hoodie covered the rest of him. 

"Jasper!" I cried. His bashful smile turned to an all out grin as I ran towards him, quickly crushing him into a hug. 

"Hi, sis!" he managed to choke out under my grip. I wouldn't let him go though. I did loosen my hold, but I wouldn't let go. Two years I spent not listening to him talk about the books he discovered in the Cimerian Archive Hall. I hadn't debated with him on our political system for two years. I haven't snuck out to the North Tower to drink hot choclate and exchange ghost stories in two years.