The Alliance (The Alliance #1)

Chapter 13

Archer says he's fine, but I'd be stupid to think that he actually is. But I sit there, watching him sleep, which is rare. He almost never sleeps. Weird to say, but he's the one who probably watches me sleep. But as I stare, emotions run through me.

He's the one who got me into this mess.

I never wanted to blame him, but I'm so scared for my life I have no one else to blame but him. Tomorrow, Sarah will kill us, and Archer won't be able to save me or himself anymore.

Archer made me leave my dome, made me go on this mission, made me risk my life to die for something I barely even understand yet.

Gosh, I should hate him.

But why can't I?

I stare at his face, innocent as I've ever seen it. His face is still covered in blood, his hair falling over his forehead perfectly, which seems almost impossible.

But then I see those blue eyes.

Startled, he quick sits up and stares at me wildly, taking deep breaths. His eyes grow wide, glancing at me then looking at the ground.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Liar."

He smiles, but I can tell its fake. He runs his hand through his hair nervously. I see his hands are shaking.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a nightmare." He spits out, shaking his arms, then the rest of his body. Man, I wonder what the nightmare was.

"Usually people like, you know...scream and stuff when they wake up. You know?" I ask.

"I don't know. I guess my body just..freezes. Like its paranoid and I can't breath. I can't scream, I'm in too much shock."

I nod. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nah. But I do want to talk about why you weren't sleeping," he says.

I find myself glaring at him instantly, and Archer raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe cause Sarah is going to kill us tomorrow?" I spit out. "And that I've realized your the one to blame?"

"Mia.."

"How stupid was I, right? To just go with your dumb ideas. All you do is go into a deadly situation and hope you make it. And you bring me along. I don't know if only boys do this, but I don't really like almost dying. It isn't fun, Archer. None of this is something to just relax about. Sarah is going to freakin' kill us tomorrow, and it seems like you don't give a crap about it! About you, about me!" I start to choke on my tears. "We're going to...d-die. Why..why did you d-do this?" I don't even know what I just said, but Archer seems to understand everything.

His shoulders slouch, his eyes a duller shade of blue. I can tell he feels horrible right now. But instead of admitting it, he gives me a glare.

"You had a choice to go on this mission, you know," he growls, looking somewhat annoyed.

"I felt forced. Because of you!" I spit out, but then he almost laughs.

"You felt forced, because of me? Mia, you barely even know me. Your fault you left with stranger."

"You think I don't know you? What are you even saying?" I say, surprised at his words. Of course I know Archer.

"You barely know a thing. Not anything important, anyway."

"What the hell are you talking about?! Your saying you don't know anything about me, then?" I ask.

"I know that your depending on me to save you. You just automatically assume that this whole thing is my fault, and that I have to save you? What the hell do you want me to do? I'm a freakin' teenager like you, and you think I can handle this and get us out. Maybe I act like I can, but inside I'm feeling the same hopelessness as you. I'm scared out of my mind about what tomorrow will bring. I can't save us every time, there's no guarantee."

Tears pack up in my eyes. "I guess your right." I whisper, a tear falling from my eye. "I know nothing about you." I face away from him and lay down, closing my eyes.

"I never wanted to hurt you." I hear him whisper after a while. I don't think he wanted me to hear it, but I'm so angry and scared, I want him to feel the same way.

"Too late." I say, and I eventually fall asleep.

***

I see Archer sitting upright when I wake, staring at the gray wall in front of us. I sit up, but he doesn't acknowledge me.

Oh yeah, we got into that fight.

I'm not even sure if I'm still mad at him, I really didn't mean all the things I said. I just hope he didn't mean the things that he said either.

"Hey, I really didn't.."

The door opening cuts me off, and I see Sarah walk in with two guards. She stands at our cells.

"I've decided theirs no point in another interrogation, so, let's just get to the last part." The guards open our cells, and I gasp.

The last part. The dying part.

I look at Archer, waiting for him to punch a guard, or even at least curse at Sarah or something. To fight, like he always does.

But he does nothing.

He doesn't fight when the guard drags him to his feet, and walks him out of the cell. He just stares at the ground.

Is it my fault he's like this?

Is it what I said to him last night?

Guilt piles up inside of me. I never knew I could hurt Archer like that, he never shows his pain like this. Or maybe he's showing his guilt, I can't tell.

Sarah opens the door and we walk outside.

"Huh, not a word from you yet today, boy. Why the long face?" Sarah says, but Archer doesn't react. I do, her words make me sick.

"You'll be talking soon enough. You'll probably last almost until sundown," she says. Fear fills up inside me. The least she can do is give us a easy way out.

I glance to my right, and see a figure standing not too far from us. I open my eyes wide. Is that...

It's Ashley.

She stands there, paranoid. She stares at the both of us, her arms shaking. I can't look at her worried face, I look down instead.

"Sarah! Major! Sarah, wait!" I suddenly hear after a while. I see Ashley running toward us, her face filled with fear. I finally see Archers face rise.

"What?" Sarah asks, annoyed.

"I think..I think there's something wrong on the south side of the dome. I saw people," Ashely explains. Sarah's face turns pale. "Okay, I'm coming. Keep them there." Sarah says to the guards, and she runs. Ashely runs behind her, and glances back at us. She quick nods, then leaves again.

She's saving us.

Archer seems to figure that out faster then me. He swings his elbow at the guards face, and frees from her grip. He kicks the guard holding me, and I push her to the ground. Archer grabs my arm and starts sprinting towards the exit. We don't slow down one bit after we past the exit. Not for a good ten minutes. We finally slow down, and eventually stop.

Our heavy breathing fills the silence. After a while, I finally look up at Archer, who was already looking at me. I see that smile across his face. That slight smile that makes me feel safe.

Water fills my eyes, of relief and happiness. I smile back, a tear falling from my eye.

And then I walk up and hug him, but he already had his arms spread wide, inviting me in. I rest my head on his shoulder, forgetting all that has happened. Forgetting everything.

Because Archers embrace makes me forget about everything. Helps me forget about everything.

HEY YALL!! Another chapter, whoop whoop!! So I REALLY need your guys's opinion! Do you like the story so far? Hate it? BE HONEST! Please feel free to comment or whatever, you'd be surprised how much it helps me! Even if you aren't voting or commenting, thanks for reading!!! THANK U 👍☺️