The Roaming Archer (NaNoWrimo13&14) Complete

The Race Began

My heart throbbed with gladness. Knowing Angel was safe and well made me happy. Overjoyed actually. Her little "fun" with me and Pete was in fact, fun. I cared none for her ways of knocking me out in the head. She had fun. A great time of fun. I'm happy for her. I felt my heart well out within me as she talked about how much fun she had scaring us like that. Even though it hurt, and I was exhausted, I could be no more happier. Something about her made me feel..

belonged.

We sat by the campfire and I watched it flicker. Her eyes blazed far more than the fire and took over. She was on fire. Her eyes smiled extensively and my heart stopped. Why? I don't know.

I've never looked at her like this. Just enjoying her company as she spoke. Not really paying any attention to her words. I guess I missed her.

I didn't want to admit that at first, but it really isn't the same without her. A calmness fell over me, right when I found out she was fine. I guess..she just..

We've been friends for so long and it never occurred to me how much she really meant to me.

She may be the leader of the group now, but I'd rather have her leader than have her missing. If I were the leader, I'd rather give her the leadership than have her missing. After all, we are all leaders. Us Roamers. We're all leaders. Everyone is a leader. They just have to choose what kind of leader they want to be. It doesn't matter who you are. Someone is always looking and you may be an example to them. Seeing Angel as she is, she truly is a natural born leader.

She faced me and smiled. I smiled back. Couldn't help it, and I won't stop it.

I started to wonder what we should do now, what we all should do now. We're all eighteen already, Angel seventeen. Funny she's leader. I just smiled all over again.

But what do we do now? I wonder what's going on in that little mind of hers. She seems to have it all figured out.

Pete tapped my shoulder.

"Yea?"

"We'll be going back now. Everyone is probably searching for her."

I looked to Angel to see to her approval. She just stared at me with smiling eyes and after a couple of seconds she nodded.
~~~~~
I wondered what Neil was thinking at this moment. He looked at me with his brown eyes that matched his brown hair, but his eyes showed no sign that he was listening to what I was saying. His eyes looked at me oddly, but in a kind way. A look that I could not quite understand. It was nice, but very agitating and I didn't like it.

It didn't really matter anyway that he didn't know what I was saying.

It was mostly irrelevant.

Pete tapped my shoulder and stopped me from my rambling and my confused stare towards Neil.

He smiled dreamily when my eyes met his. "We better get to the others. They were worried sick for you." His smile turned into a ridiculously happy face.

I can tell Pete liked me. Not just because he is smiling at me right now, or because he was over excited to find me and all. I've already noticed the little signs throughout our friendship. Even during the time I first met him. One example was when, I saw his wide eyes when he first saw me work the bow and arrow. If I knew any better, he had a crush on me during that first day of school.

I was a toddler. But it never really occurred to me as a threat. It helped me become friends with Neil. He made it easier to hang out with them that first day of school. But now that I see his dreamy eyes again, it's making me realize he still likes me.