"District 12, where you can safely starve," I read in my head. A notice came up on my kindle. "Your battery is running low and your kindle will soon shut down. Please connect to power source." It said. I heard my mom talking on the phone in the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure, we can watch him for a few hours, that'd be great!" I overheard her. She hung up the phone and walked into her room.
"Who was that, Mom?" I ask, stopping her.
"That was Nick's parents; they're visiting someone in Rochester, Iris. He'll be here in fifteen minutes, so get ready," She said and then continued to her room. Nick's coming? I thought, astonished. I gulped and then made my bed. I brushed my hair and teeth, humming a happy tune. I got a quick bowl of cereal and then went outside.
"Luna….!" I played with my Husky and she chased me around the house. In the front lawn, I heard a car coming up the hill. Quick and nimble, I climbed up the crab apple tree in our lawn. I stood on the branches and stood to a three-branched fork in the tree and leaned against the trunk. The car pulled into the driveway and I made myself noticeable by jumping to a lower branch. I grabbed a skinny branch and hung there and eventually dropped to the ground as Nick got out of the car.
"Hey!" He said and then turned around to greet my mom. I slowly walked over to where he was standing.
"So we'll come and pick him up at about five o'clock. Thanks for taking him!" Lizz, Nick's mom called. I felt Nick's gaze on me but pretended not to notice as Lizz drove away.
"Okay, I'll make pancakes for breakfast and then call you in. It's a beautiful day out so go run around!" My mom said. I pulled my pocket-knife out of my pocket and gestured for Nick to follow me. When my mom went inside, we were already walking to the back-yard. My dog barked and jumped around our legs. Finally, Nick broke the silence.
"I was thinking since the Hunger Games movie is coming out…. Maybe…. We could... go together?" He asked. I took a deep breath. At age thirteen, my mom won't let me.
"I really want to see the movie, but my mom won't let me go with you…. I don't know why, but for some reason she won't let me…." I say. "I wish I could, though…. I want to…"
"Okay… uh, where are we …. Going?" He asked, looking embarrassed but sad.
"I broke to a run and said "follow me!" My legs couldn't stop myself as I raced down the hill. Eventually, I could slow down to go through the thorn thicket on the way to the Secret Forest. I saw a daisy and picked it. Slowly as I walked, I picked the petals saying in my head.
He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me! Daisies never lie. I was still walking down the hill when Nick asked, "Where are we going?"
"In here," I stopped and pointed to a dark, piney forest. I beckoned him forwards and we stepped inside. The nettles made our steps silent. The dead saplings creaked in the wind. An occasion crow called with no answer.
"This place is spooky!" Nick whispered. I nodded. I swerved away from the natural trail and hiked upwards, following a shiny object. I was standing over it. A wine bottle. I picked it up and brushed it off.
"It's just a wine bottle!" Nick said, shaking nettles out of his light red hair. I looked at his freckled face and shook my head.
"Look. Encrusted in the bottom, it says 1789. It's not 'just a wine bottle!'" I said, showing him the antique bottle. He gasped and I said, "Last winter, me and my brother made a lean-to here. Do you want to see it?" He nodded and I lead him away.
At last we reached the bracken and pine covered fort and Nick just muttered, "cool!"
A beam of light made me stagger backwards. Nick was sitting on the forest floor and I was leaned against a tree, shielding my eyes from the brightness. The light subsided and I helped Nick to his feet.
"Look!" I said, pointing to the entrance of the fort. A warping blue wave rippled across it.
"A portle!" Nick said. Before I could speak, he jumped forward.
"NICK!" I yelled. I ran through the portal and found myself in a computerized room. A big screen was in front of me and Nick, too.
Quickly, I walked over to him.