Dark, grainy rocks crunched under their feet as they walked. Side by side, Eva glanced to her right, noticing how tall Wade was growing. Last summer he'd grown almost seven inches, and standing beside her friend now Eva suddenly felt small.
Wade, noticing her silence, was the first to speak since leaving the schoolhouse.
"What's getting at you Evy, you've been so quiet today – it's not like you."
Eva shrugged, and found herself telling him that nothing was wrong.
She knew he wouldn't believe her; he didn't, but he didn't press her. Instead he did the talking, filling the space between them with warmth as Eva began to feel the tension slip from her.
Shaking her head she smiled at Wade as he went on talking.
"You always know how to cheer me up, don't you Wade Mellark."
Wade just grinned in reply, blushing as he began pointing out the good things that had happened that day. He made sure to carefully leave out the fact that the once beautiful day had turned stormy and that Ebony Hart, a girl in their grade who was particularly spiteful, had been a little more rude than usual that day.
Wade had not always been her friend. They had come to know each other years before, both grieving and broken.
Wade's father, the owner of District 12's small bakery, had died in the same epidemic that had killed Eva's older brother. His mother, Ceely Mellark, had been pregnant at the time with Wade's younger sister Gemma and had been left alone with three other children to care for and the bakery to run. Tragic as it was, Ceely never let her grief get the best of her and quickly began to pick up the pieces. She kept the bakery going, gave birth to her last child, and always managed to keep everything in order. She was strong, one of the strongest people Eva knew.
Eva and Wade met in the worst of places. Eva's brother and Wade's father had died on the same day and in turn were buried on the same day. Several other families had flocked the somber, overcrowded cemetery, also here to bury a loved one. In all the crowd however, it had been Wade that she saw. He'd been young, only six years old – no older than she was – but Eva had watched as his older sisters clung to him and his mother clutched his thin shoulders as if she might fall down.
Later, once they were both in school again Eva had been eating lunch when a shadow fell over her. Looking up, there was Wade, a sugar bun in his extended hand.
"Want to share?" He'd asked that day.
She'd agreed, and they'd been friends ever since; helping each other get on and live life.
They continued their conversation as Eva began to push her troubles to the back of her mind. She lost track of time, and before she knew it, she was standing just a few yards from her front door.
She knew she should go in, her father would need her help today; when she'd left that morning her father had been tending to Old Mrs. Hastack, who'd been complaining of her arthritis.
Eva knew her father could get along without her for a while so before she could change her mind Eva turned quickly, grabbing Wade's arm and heading in the other direction.
"Where are we going Evy, don't you have to be home?"
Laughing him off Eva dropped her books by her back door as Wade did the same.
Taking off quickly, Eva ran off in the direction of the meadow, her skirt whipping around her legs as she ran.
Wade, who'd been just behind her easily made his way to her side as they reached the place where the Town met the Seam. He gave her a questioning glance, his eyebrows raised as if to ask "the Seam?"
Eva just rolled her eyes, sprinting ahead and taking the lead, gasping as Wade quickly caught up with her. Ignoring the glances of the procession of dingy miners heading home after a day's work, Eva ran on.
Before long they reached the meadow and Eva stopped short as she caught her breath, her chest heaving with exertion. Beside her, Wade too was breathing deeply, confusion written across his brow. He didn't wait long to speak.
"Why are we here?" He said, casting a quick glance in my direction.
"Does there have to be a reason?" She replied, still out of breath from running.
Wade shook his head, folding his legs as he sat down in the soft meadow grasses, picking idly at a blade of grass between his two fingers.
"You've been acting a little strange the past few weeks Evy." He said matter-of-factly.
"You've been happy one minute than sad the next, always looking off like you're seeing something no one else sees. You've been distracted and unhappy and… well, I just don't know how to help you."
His eyes were cast down, and he seemed suddenly content to look at nothing but the blade of grass in his hands. She opened her mouth to deny his accusations, but he stopped her quickly.
"Don't try to deny it Evy. Just tell me – what's on your mind. I can't help you unless you tell me."
Eva sighed deeply, letting her legs give way as she collapsed in a heap beside her friend. She let her eyes zone in on a tree far in the distance, beyond the fence that lead to the forbidden forest. She closed her eyes, taking another deep breath as she tried for an instant to picture the meadow home in her mind.
She couldn't.
"I'm tired of this Wade." Said Eva softly, despair creeping into her tone.
"Tired of what?" Was Wade's inevitable reply.
"I'm tired of this place!" This time, there was an edge to her voice that she didn't quite like, but she continued anyway.
"I'm tired of District 12, of the Town, of school, of Ebony Hart – of death – of the Hunger Games, of fear…"
Closing her eyes, Eva could feel tears threatening to make an appearance.
"I'm so tired of being afraid, afraid that someone I love will be taken away."
She paused a moment, letting this thought, being spoken aloud for the first time, invade the air as it truly became real.
"Wade," Began Eva slowly.
"Yeah Evy?" He replied slowly, still letting himself digest the reality of the words Eva had spoken.
The silence between them lasted only a few moments, but it was so deep that Eva was sure she could hear the air around her.
"Wade," she began again.
"Do you think… do you think that happiness is impossible – that no one can really be happy forever…"
Eva trailed off again, letting her words fall freely into the open air.
She stole a quick glance at Wade, and saw that his gaze was calm, but intense. She watched as he opened his mouth to speak.
"You know what I think Evy," He said, taking care to make sure the words were the right words.
Reaching across the empty space between him, Eva looked down to see him take her hand in his before looking back to his face.
"I think, that happiness is just what you make it – you can find it anywhere, if you try."
Eva looked away from him, shaking her head softly as a sad smile touched her lips.
"I knew you'd say something like that."
Wade, unsure whether this was good or bad, stood slowly, brushing off his pants as he looked at the sky above him.
"We'd better get back to town, my mother will be looking for me – I was supposed to help with the bakery after school – and I know your parents will be waiting for you too.
Eva nodded sadly, letting Wade pull her to her feet before they both began the walk to town.
They were halfway there, but not yet through the Seam when Wade spoke again.
"I want you to know Evy, that I'm always here for you – I'll always be ther-"
A noise cut him off before he could finish, a sweet heavenly noise that filled Eva's hears and made her heart skip a beat.
Both Eva and Wade turned towards the direction of the street across from them; following the sound with their eyes before quickly found its source.
Pick thrown over his shoulder, mouth open in song, was a boy Eva had never seen before. His hair was black as the coal that coated his clothing and his face, beneath all the soot, was clear and handsome. But even so, Eva found herself drawn to the sound that came out of his mouth.
A ballad; soft and pure, full of love and innocence. The young man's voice flowed effortlessly, flawlessly over the notes, hitting every one perfectly. Eva had never heard anything more beautiful.
He turned suddenly, never faltering in his song once, but their gaze met. His clear grey eyes met her wide blue ones, and Eva caught her breath.
Just as soon as he'd come, he was gone, disappeared around the corner, far from sight. Eva was pulled out of her trance, unaware that she'd stopped walking, as Wade pulled at her arm.
"Evy, we'd better hurry, it's getting late."
She nodded dumbly, following Wade out of the Seam and into town, looking back over her shoulder for another glimpse of the singing boy but finding nothing.
Nothing but the sound of his voice, still echoing softly across the way.
