The Change (The Alliance #2)

Chapter 10

Mia's POV

I'm seventeen today.

I feel older, sometimes you forget that your still only a young teen while your fighting the government and being a symbol of the Alliance. But nonetheless, I'm seventeen now.

I'm surprised Adam and Dana remembered today was my birthday. I walk outside and they already have my breakfast ready. They tell me happy birthday and Adam said he would sing if I wanted him to. I said no.

"Have you guys seen Archer?" I ask, and they both shake their head no.

"I didn't see him at all last night. I tried to stay up until he came, but I fell asleep. His bed sheets were the same when I woke," Adam explains.

Dana's eyes grow wide. "Your saying he didn't come back at all last night?" She asks, and Adam nods.

I quick eat my breakfast, now worried about Archer. Maybe he actually got hurt when I pushed him down the hill. I tell Adam and Dana I'll see them later, and I head over to the hill. Not there.

"Archer." I whisper, more irritated than ever. Why did we have to fight yesterday? Why do we do this to ourselves? Get mad at each other for stupid reasons. I annoyed him again, and he started blaming me for everything. I pushed him down a freakin' hill...

What's wrong with me?

"Archer?" I call out, looking at the woods. The woods. Where someone threw the knife right at him.

Shit.

"Archer!" I yell, running down the hill and into the woods. I search for a sign, any sign, of him being here.

"Mia?"

"Archer!"

"Mia, it's me." I look behind me and see Casper, his hands up in defense. I run a hand through my hair. "I thought you were Archer."

"I heard you calling his name. Where is he?" Casper asks, looking at me with those green eyes.

"I don't know. We had a fight yesterday, and I.."

"You what?" Casper asks, his jaw clenching.

"I pushed him down the hill, and-"

"What the fuck where you thinking? You pushed him down the hill? Did you just walk away after that? Where is he!" Casper's almost shouting, and fear runs through me immediately. Seeing Casper mad, it's scary as hell.

"I-I don't know. No one has seen him after that," I say, and Casper takes a step forward, his hands in a fist. I take large steps back, avoiding the trees and branches. "Don't get mad at me. I didn't-I didn't mean to."

"I'm not mad at you," Casper sighs. "I'm mad because that strange man probably took him this time. He's gone." Casper turns in a circle, looking at the ground. "See anything? Footprints? Blood?"

I shake my head no, not even noticing the tears falling from my eyes. My vision grows blurry, and I lean against a tree from falling.

"Mia, are you-"

"It's my fault." I say, but it comes out as a whisper.

"No it's not."

"Yes," I cry, my whole body shaking. "It's my fault. I killed him, he's probably dead. It's all my fault."

And it is. One hundred percent my fault. I pushed him right into the trap. Right down the hill and into the woods. And then I walked away, not even glancing back to see if he was okay. What if that man was working for the government?

The government might have Archer again.

"Oh god," I whisper, grabbing the sides of my head. Just the thought makes me sick to my stomach. I thought we were safe now, I thought nothing would happen to us.

"Mia, you should get out of the woods. Maybe they want you too." Casper's large hands are on my shoulders. I nod and start walking away, not able to control my tears.

Why Archer? Why me? Why us?

"Why," I say, my voice quivering. "Why does this-this have to h-happen."

"I don't know. But we should tell Dave..."

"No!" My voice is sharp, loud. It even startles Casper. "We can't. He could still be fine. Just-don't tell him, please? I'll tell him."

Casper stares at me, and soon nods. "Alright. But if you don't tell him when you should be telling him, I will. He's my friend, whether he likes it or not."

"Thank you." I say, and Casper goes to the shooting range.

What horrible birthdays Archer and I have had.

He was at the government on his birthday. I never even said happy birthday to him yet. And now, he's not here for mine.

But maybe he's still okay.

He got away with the strange man the first time, he could do it again. Maybe he's just lost somewhere, or isn't even lost at all. And I don't want to tell Dave, he wouldn't do anything about it anyway. Besides, if the government really does have him, they would kill him, they wouldn't waste their time trying to get both of us anymore.

No, he's fine. Archer is fine.

Because it always ends up that way. We both end up fine. Not great, not good, but fine. And we're both fine with being fine.

What if he's not fine?

"Stop," I say, yelling at my thoughts. I can't jump to conclusions, I can't assume Archer is okay, but I can't assume he's not either. I have to keep looking for him...

I go back down the hill and into the woods. Casper is right, I shouldn't be here, but I don't care. Archer would do the same if I was missing.

Because right now, I realize something.

Archer means the world to me, and I didn't even know it. If he dies, I don't know how I could even go on. After all we've been through, I can't just lose him.

Because I love him.

HELLOOOOOO!!!!!

So this chapter is kinda short, but hey, it's still a chapter!!!

It was also kind of a filler chapter, sorry! I hope you still enjoyed it tho!

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