Jayden and Emily fall in love with each other, but more and more problems arise. First, Ji sends them into the wilderness, then Mia becomes jealous, and the worst part is that Emily and Jayden don't trust each other enough to say that they love each other.

First fanfic

Chapter One

"Okay, Rangers, I need to talk to you," said Ji to the Rangers, who had just finished training.

"What is it?" asked Jayden as they sat down in the living room.

"I think you ought to get to know Nature better," answered Ji.

"And how do we do that?" asked Mia.

"You're being sent into the wilderness for two weeks. However, if you're going to survive, you must work together as a team."

"What?!" everyone was shouting now.

"But Ji, you can't be serious!" They were horrified. Now everyone was speaking in a mess of objections, all except Emily.

"Emily, say something as well!" Mike exclaimed, surprised that she still hadn't said anything, since Emily was usually the most talkative of all of them. However, Emily simply remained there with open mouth and made no sound.

"Em, if you want, we'll listen to you," assured her Jayden. Tears ran down her cheeks. As Mike saw this he rose and moved quickly over to her and gave her an reassuring embrace.

"Why are you crying, Emily?" Ji wanted to know. But again, no answer. Mia stroked her little sister on the back.

"Everything's okay, why are you crying?" she asked her softly.

"Has something happened?" joined in Kevin. Mike became furious when she gave no answer herself and pulled away from the embrace.

"You know what, quit it, crybaby! We can't help you if you act so stupid!" shouted Mike hysterically. Her eyes filled even more with tears and she ran to her room.

"Mike!" Kevin hissed angrily.

"I'm sorry. It seemed simple so I lost it!" Mike answered. "I'll go look after her."

"No!" shouted Jayden, raising his voice even further. "You've said enough!" Everyone froze, including Ji, when they heard the emotion, fury and concern in his voice. "I'll go," Jayden spoke again quickly, and with those words left the room.

"Em?" he asked as he gently knocked against the door. "Can I come in?" Still, no answer. After a few seconds of waiting, Jayden pressed down on the door handle and opened the door. "Em, what's wrong?" He sat down beside her on the bed. Emily had buried her face in her hands. "Mike didn't mean it like that," he made excuses for Mike.

"Jayden?" Emily sobbed.

"Yes?"

"Can you hold me?" she asked hopefully. She'd thought he would laugh at her or run from the room, but instead he pulled her into his arms. She pushed herself close against his strong chest and listened to his slow, reassuring heartbeat.

In the sitting room

"Okay, that was weird," said Kevin, breaking the awkward silence.

"I've never seen Jayden so emotional," answered Mia. "Have you, Ji?"

"No, not so far," Ji replied. After another minute of silence Mike rose to his feet, told them,

"I'll go see what they're doing," and fled the room in the direction of Emily's. He peeped through the crack between the door and frame and froze at the sight of Jayden and Emily in an embrace. Mike closed the door and ran back to the others in the sitting room. "SHE HE THEY'RE BOTH " Mike gasped, out of breath.

"Mike, sit down for a moment!" said Mia, pressing him into one of the chairs. "So, say it again, but this time slowly," she continued.

"Emily and Jayden were sat on the bed HUGGING EACH OTHER!" Their jaws dropped.

"He's holding her?" Kevin asked, disbelievingly. Mia clenched her fists furiously.

"Jayden? Jayden Alexander Shiba? Our Jayden? And you don't believe this was just your imagination?" Ji couldn't grasp it, he'd never seen Jayden hug anyone except his father.

"This isn't normal," said Ji. "We'll look!"

Meanwhile, with Jayden and Emily

Jayden pulled away from her and looked deep into her green-brown eyes. His heartbeat doubled at the sight of her. She was so beautiful!

"So, Emily, why don't you want to go into the woods?" he asked. Emily swallowed dryly before she began,

"You still remember The Hunger Games?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and you also know that I lived in one of the poorer Districts?"

"No."

"Well, now you know. So I was chosen." Jayden's eyes widened, but Emily continued before he was able to speak. "My sister did it for me that first time, when I was eight and she didn't know for sure if I would have survived. She won, but I'm still afraid of the blood that has flowed." Jayden nodded.

"I understand." He took her back into his arms once more.

Ji and the others were already stood at the door and had listened to everything. Mia wanted to go in she could listen to this no longer but Mike held them back and whispered,

"I want to see if it goes further." Everyone listened tensely.

"But why, then, are you afraid of the wood?" asked Jayden.

"The whole thing was played in the woods," she was caught up in tears again. Jayden pressed her closer to himself he liked the nearness; it was a wonderful feeling. Jayden had never felt this warm. Was it love?

"I'll go in now and see how they react to it," Ji said.

"Okay," everyone whispered. Ji had thought that Jayden would tear himself loose immediately if he saw him; it was with this thought that he went into the room. Jayden was gazing thoughtfully out the window and Emily's face was still against his chest, so neither noted Ji stood in the doorway. He cleared his throat to get their attention. Emily wanted to turn her head from Jayden, but to Ji's surprise she pressed back against his chest instead. She remained quiet and listened again to his heartbeat. Jayden turned his gaze from the window to Ji and threw him a look without speaking. Ji nodded and sat down next to them on the bed. They remained together like that for about ten minutes before Jayden moved from the embrace and said,

"Ji, do we really have to go into the woods?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because your parents also did this."

"But Ji, Em's afraid after "

"Jayden, you must go, it is an old tradition. I know Emily has worked through a lot, but you must do this!" Emily just watched them.

"I know, but wait, where do you know this from?"

"I heard everything " but before he could finish the sentence, the other rangers entered the room.

"We heard everything," Mike corrected him.

"Yes, and we're so sorry for what you've gone through, Em," Mia continued. "Em, we know how you feel." That was the last straw for Emily her parents had said exactly the same thing to her, but they had never tried to make it better. They'd never comforted Emily or told her they loved her; her parents always said they understood, but really they never understood in the end.

"No, no, no, no, you don't know what I feel, except maybe Jayden. Nobody has ever said to me they loved me or has comforted me, NOBODY! You think you know everything, but you know nothing, nothing at all!" The rangers couldn't believe their ears they'd never seen Emily so furious. Jayden wanted to go to her, to say that he loved her, but he simply didn't dare.

Emily, you must do this, if not for us or your parents, then for your sister," said Ji. "And yes, Jayden has gone through this, so he may say he understands." Ji got up and made to leave the room, but was stopped by Emily's voice.

"Okay, I'll do it," she said meekly.

"Good. Rangers, packs your backpacks tomorrow we begin." The rangers nodded and left the room. Jayden briefly stopped in the doorframe. He wanted to say to her that he loved her, now, but his legs carried him on out the room.

With the boys

"That was crazy!" said Mike. "I've never seen her like that, have you?" Kevin and Jayden shook their heads. "Oh, and Jayden? I had no idea you were such a white knight," Mike teased him.

"Be quiet," said Jayden, unable to hide a smile.

"Hurry up and pack, Lover-boy, otherwise we'll be late."

"Okay, Mike, now you are DEAD," said Jayden, smiling nastily.

"Dude, don't do anything you'll later regret, you still need a gree-" but Jayden rushed at him before he could say any more, Kevin laughing loudly at the sight.