How... by Bethany Cook (primary phonics .txt) 📕

He knows he doesn't have much time left... But he wishes to spend it with me. He has become weak and unable to walk. His beautiful eyes still glow with the light that started when I met him. I bring a knife to his throat and tears rush down my cheeks as the knife slices through and he smiles as the light fades. Death is cruel, but life is crueler... I will soon join you... Soon...

 "Lydia? This is where you were... all this time?" He walks over to me and Archer quickly points the gun towards him. Blake smiles at him as he walks closer to the barrel of the gun until it is right against his forehead. "Government scum." He mutters and brings the gun down until it is pointed towards the floor.

"Stay... stay away from me." I walk backwards into Ace and he looks down at me with his one good eye. Blake continues to walk towards me until we are almost touching and I can feel our breaths mingle into one. He strokes my cheek and softly kisses my forehead. He places a stay hair behind my ear.

"Come back to us..." He whispers, "come back to me..." I look into his bright blue eyes, as he smiles down at me.

"We have nothing... I..." I kiss him on the cheek and walk over to Archer. He hugs me tightly. I start to cry into the fabric of his shirt. He gently strokes my hair as I hear muffled talk between Ace and Blake.

"You have nothing to worry about... my sector girl." I look up at him as a ghost of a smile appears on my face. "You know how much I hate to see tears in your beautiful eyes." He wipes the tears from my eyes and lifts my chin so he can kiss me.

"I love you, Archer." He kisses my forehead.

"Love you too, sector." I then hear heavy footsteps towards us as Archer lets go of me. He picks up his gun and aims it behind me, I turn around to see Blake with a gun pointed at me. I press the barrel against my forehead, and look up at him. His eyes have turned a deep grey as they look at Archer.

"Shoot... no one cares about me anymore... if you love me, kill me." I whisper. He lowers the gun as I take it from him. I walk over to him and hug him. "One day...I'll come back." I let go of him and smile up to him. Then i walk away. I don't know where I'm walking, just...away. Then I feel a pair of hands grab my shoulders. They're Ace's. I breath a sigh of relief as I wrap my arms around his neck. He smiles and blushes. "My beautiful Lydia... I've hurt you... a lot... but you still forgive me..." I kiss him... Why... I don't know. Then I break away quickly. 

"Sorry... I really shouldn't have done that... don't tell Archer." I look up at him as he smiles down at me. 

"I knew you still had feelings for me. I'll keep it secret... My beautiful Lydia." I blush and walk away. I wish I didn't blush. I feel like a traitor to ,not Archer, but myself. I need to stop letting myself go like that...

Archer takes me into his arms and I wrap my arms around his neck. He kisses me softly as I pull him closer, he then pulls away slowly and looks at his watch. I grab his wrist and look. Time to visit Ace. "Are you sure you're alright going alone?"

"Yes, I am the only one he will trust." I wish what I was telling him was true. I know it's not, Ace knows it's not. But Archer, he doesn't. I kiss him on the cheek and walk out the door. Then, I start to run. Running, I don't notice Ace is already there and crash into him. We fall over and I lay flat against the floor with Ace positioned just above me. He looks down at me and smiles. We stay there for a minute and then he sits up. He stands up and pulls me with him and I almost fall over. He laughs and leads me back to his room. In the sunlight his eyes shine like emeralds as he looks down at me. I kiss his cheek and start towards the bathroom but he grabs my waist and pulls me back to him. I blush and look down. "My beautiful Lydia, why do you continue to lie to Archer?"

"Because, it would kill him." I look up at him, "he doesn't deserve it."

"Well he doesn't need you. Does he?"

"What does that mean?"

"I'm just saying, there are tons of girls waiting to be with him." He looks down at me, "and look how many girls are lined up for me..." I remove his arm from around my waist. Then walk into the bathroom to get a bandage. When I walk out, Ace isn't there. I'm scared, would he have done that? Without a second thought I reach for the door handle only for the door to be flung open. Archer and Ace stand in the door, Archer's brown eyes filled with anger and hatred. In that split second I feel my heart stop as I collapse to the floor. "Lydia, what have you done?" Archer asks in a small voice. This was why he was scared of me. He was scared of this. He pulls me up and shows me something. It shines in the sun. A ring. A blue and black gemstone ring made of gold. "Archer... I...I..." He opens up my hand and places it in my palm. "Are you happy now, Lydia?" 

"I'm sorry... Arch, he convinced me to do it... I didn't want to but..."

"Enough, Lydia..." He whispers. "We're done." He then walks out of the room. Ace walks up behind me and hugs me from behind.

"Get off of me!" I shout and untangle myself from his grip. I run out of the door after Archer. I reach the door of his room, and open it slowly. He is stood on the balcony and is looking out. I walk up to him and touch his shoulder. He looks around at me and then looks back. "Leave."

"No, Archer... I won't."

"Isn't Ace's eye hurting him or something. Go help with that."

"Archer, I love you. Ace told me that apparently you had tons of girls waiting for this to happen so they could be with you."

"That's true, but I hate them all."

"Why?" In that moment he looks at me and smiles, he stands up straight and stares at me lovingly. I blush as he kisses my forehead.

"Because, they aren't you..." I put my arms around his neck and kiss him. He pulls me closer to him as I hear thunder in the distance. He laughs as it starts to rain and he pulls away. He places his forehead against mine as we laugh. "What was the ring for, Archer?"

"I love you and I want to be with you, forever." I hug him and rest my head against his chest.

"I love you too, I need you. So I accept." He laughs and strokes my hair softly.

"Thank you. Thank you so much.... my sector girl." I kiss him on the cheek and drag him inside. We sit on the edge of the bed as he kisses me, his fingers trace my spine as he reaches the end he grabs the fabric of my shirt as his hands shake. I reach down and pull off my t-shirt and then his. I fall back onto the bed and Archer follows, laying above me. He kisses me as if I will break and his hands shake as they stroke my hair. I smile and laugh softly at him. Even Ace wasn't this careful. "I won't break, Archer... just don't worry about it..." With that, he kisses me harder, then breaks away. He looks down at me with his brown eyes and smiles.

"I could love any one of those other girls, but it wouldn't be the same as you... you make me scared, happy, safe and horrified all at once. You're beautiful Lydia... and I love you." I look up at him, blush and smile. Laughing, he sits up and then lays down next to me. I turn over to see him as he smiles and puts a stray hair behind my ear. He reaches into his pocket and produces a ring. The ring he gave me in Ace's room. Taking my hand, he kisses my forehead and places the ring on my finger. I look down at it and smile. "I've broken way to many promises in the past." I whisper, "This is one I'll try to keep..." Then I curl up to him and fall asleep...

I wake to see Archer gone from my side. After a moment of panic I hear the bathroom door open and see Archer standing there with a smile. Archer is wearing a navy blue suit which leaves me to think something is going on. At the end of the bed I see a dress. Gold and turquoise colors shine from the dress as I stand up and walk towards it. "Nice dress."

"Glad you think that, because I'm not the one wearing it." I smile at him as I pick up the dress. He walks up to me and hugs me from behind.

"This is for the wedding, right?" 

"Yes, I love you Lydia... I want you to be happy."

"I already