Kevin Luver- So sorry it took me so long to update. You know this story doesn't interest me much. Sorry.

Exodia Himself- Sorry, not going to add you to the story. I have enough problems with Erika in it, I'm not going to add more people. The only person I might bring into it is Evan because he was at the meet.

Hex of the Unseelie- Thanks for the advise! I'll try to do that this chapter! Thanks again!

elfofeternity7- Thank you so much! Please keep reading and updating your story! Totally love it!

***A/N- Ok, finally an update. I figured out how to

Center, underline, and italicize!


Aren't you all so proud? LOL I probably won't be updating this story much anymore, I've lost all interest in it. It only appeals to people who know me personally and that's not that much, and I have a feeling that it's really boring to read how I would act, what I would think, etc. I'll try to add more description and not put as much of my thoughts into it so you can concentrate on the plot. Think of it as a random girl named Sam and her best friend Erika suddenly appearing in Mirkwood. Maybe that will be more intresitng.So sorry it you really liked it, but this will probably be the last update for a while. I'm trying to concentrate on my Pirates fic. Please go read that! Enjoy the chapter!

Dedicated to Hex of the Unseeile for reviewing. Thank you!

Chapter 8- Preparing for lunch


"What did you guys do?" was Erika's response as soon as the door had closed behind me.

"What?" her question was so sudden, it scared me.

"Did you kiss him?"

"No, I hugged him, though. I don't know why; I think I just blacked out for a second and he caught me. Does that count as a hug?"

"Not really. Do you want it to?"

"I don't know! I'm so confused right now! There's this totally hott guy who escorts me everywhere around the most beautiful place I've ever been. I've danced with him, and I've 'hugged' him, and I've talked with him like he's a boyfriend, but I just don't know."

"Well, you know I'm the absolute worst person at giving advice, so I'm probably not the best person to ask."

"But you're the only person! Come on Erika, what do I do?"

We sat in silence for a while, thinking of what to do. I was lying across the bed, Erika sitting in the vanity chair. We stayed this way for around twenty minutes, until...

"I have a guess."

"That's the best I've got right now. What?"

"I know it sounds really lame, but talk to him."

"Talk to him? I just spilled my heart to you, and all you say is talk to him? Do you honestly think that will work?" "I don't know, but it's worth a try."

I sighed deeply. Talk to him was not what I was expecting. Actually, I wishing for anything accept that. "He's coming to pick me up for lunch; I'll talk to him then."

"Well, that's in about half an hour, so you won't have to wait long. Do you think you'll actually be able to talk to him? I mean, you do have that talking-to-guys problem."

"Well, thanks so much for your support," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words. "Yes, I think I'll be okay."

She shrugged and walked over to the vanity to comb her hair. I went to the bureau and looked at the dresses in it. If I'm going to have to wear dresses, at least I get to wear these, I thought, pulling a purple satin one from the rack.

"That one's mine," Erika said over her shoulder. I looked over to the vanity, where she had been watching me in the mirror.

"Then which one would you suggest for me, oh Queen of Fashion?"

She placed her brush down and walked to the cabinet. The sorted through the dresses, pulling out dresses: one black, one white, two green, and one red. "One of these. Probably not the white one and you wore green yesterday, so those are out." She picked up the offending dresses and placed them back in the bureau. "You pick; the black or the red?"

"I've never liked red on me, just doesn't work. I guess the black."

"I've never seen an elf wear black before; do you think it's only for a funeral or something?"

"It could be. Are you sure these are the only dresses I could wear?"

"Hold on, let me check real quickly." She ducked back into the bureau and came out a moment later with a triumphant smile on her face, holding a deep blue color dress. "You are wearing this, and no questions." She threw it down on the bed and placed the others back. "We'll wear these nice ones for dinner tonight, keep what you have on for lunch. You can really wow him at dinner. But at least let me comb your hair before lunch."

"Can't I just do my own?"

"I want to style it."

"No,"

"Sam, come on. I owe you so much, and I'm trying to help pay it back, and you just won't let me. Sit in the chair, and I'm going to style your hair."

"How about you sit in the chair and style your own hair? I don't really care how I look at lunch."

"But you have to talk to him at lunch, and he'll take you more seriously if you look nice."

"Says who?"

"Ok, real life example: you are having dinner at the White House because you just won the 100 freestyle in the Olympics-"

"Awesome!"

"-not that that's ever going to happen, but bear with me."

"Thank you ever so much for your never-ending support. I feel oh so loved."

"You're welcome. Now, let's say you show up at the White House wearing jeans and a tank top with your hair looking like you just woke up. Do you think Bush would take you seriously?"

"Well, does he expect foreign leaders to take him seriously when he shows up in a cowboy hat?"

"Sam!" she sighed and shook her head, rolling her eyes up towards the ceiling. "See what I have to deal with?" she asked the sky.

"Erika, we're in Middle Earth. That means you have to complain to Valar."

"Fine, do your own hair! Just don't say I didn't warn you when he stares at you in a strange way because your hair looks terrible."

I shrugged and picked up the brush on the vanity. I brushed it quickly and carefully pulled it back into a half-pony tail. I took a look in the mirror and quickly fixed all the little hairs that were out of place. "I turned to Erika with a knowing smile on my face. "And that didn't even hurt, like it always hurts when someone else does you hair."

She was sitting on the bed with a slightly angry face on. Her mouth opened to say something, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door. I walked over and opened it.

Aldayondo was standing on the other side. He was standing tall, his blonde hair falling just past his shoulders. His muscular figure was tall, reaching an inch or two above my head, a height I had not noticed before. His tunic and leggings were tight fitting, letting every muscle show without being cloaked by the baggy clothes that were so popular in our time.

"M'ladies, I have been asked to escort you both to lunch. Are you ready?"

"Just about," Erika said. She took one last look in the mirror before stepping past me and taking Aldayondo's out stretched arm. For reasons unknown to me, I hesitated a moment before taking his other arm and being led down the hall.

***A/N- So, there you go. It's not that I don't like writing, I love it. I just don't think this story shows that I can actually write something half-worthy of being read. I don't even have a plot lined up, and was just playing this by ear. I want to get more of 'I'll Love You Always' up soon, because I've had multiple people ask when that was going to be done. It will be soon, no worries. Well, I'm going out to lunch. Please review! Later Dayz! -TKF :-D