I really tried to get Mr. Undersee involved in this one. I do hope you like it. (:

Father switches the television off. I sigh, completely hopeless, even if the Games haven't officially started. Then, I feel an emotion I never felt before. Yet it's quite obvious. Rage.

"Are you all right, dear?" Mother asks me.

"Yeah, I am, what do you care anyway?" I snap protectively. I have no idea why I am so defensive all of a sudden. Father shoots me a warning look.

"Listen, and listen good, young lady," he warns. "If you snap again, you would not be allowed to go out of the house." Father, irrational, cranky, mean Father. Imprisonment at home? For snapping? What the heck?

But Mother is a little more merciful. "Hush, Patrick. Just send her to bed early," she tells him. Mother can be dramatic, yes, but she knows when to play nice.

"Fine," Father grumbles. "But just because you asked, Maya." Mother gives me a look. A why-don't-you-leave-this-to-us-adults-and-go-to-your-room look. I willingly obey.

I tuck myself in and close my eyes. Yet sleep does not come due to my head ailments. So I crawl out of my bed and quietly creep past my parents' room. I climb down the stairs, careful with my steps. I trudge to the door, and open it, just a bit. I head out, shutting the door behind me.

I roam around for a while. Most of the townspeople are already asleep, so they probably won't see me. But soon, the town's clean streets are too little for me. I wander out of town, and into the Meadow.

I have only been to the Meadow once, where I picked wildflowers for Maysilee's birthday. It's a sanctuary I like to think of when I'm sad. The darkness soothes me. I stray around the Meadow, seeing nothing but silhouettes of plants and trees.

But then I see a bizarre silhouette. It looks like a boy, sitting down, head on hands, elbows on knees. I approach the silhouette. Maybe I'm hallucinating. Maybe this is just an effect of the headache. I probably am hallucinating. Who would be out here in the middle of the night?

"Hi," I whisper. "Good evening."

He looks at me. So I'm not hallucinating. Great. I haven't gone mad yet. "Hello," he whispers back. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm admiring the moon. Isn't it beautiful?" he says with reverence. He looks at me. "I'm Gregor Undersee." He holds out his hand for me to shake.

I shake it. "Maribelle Donner." I reply. He smiles, and goes back to admiring the moon, which is somewhere between a full moon and a half moon. I decide to stay and admire it with him.

"Do you know about constellations?" he asks suddenly. I shrug. Honestly, I don't know a thing about constellations. It just was never a thing I was interested in. Until now. "Well, I love constellations. See, that one's the Big Dipper." Gregor points to a group of stars forming a ladle. My head relaxes a little.

"And that one's Orion," he says, pointing to another group of stars. I sigh contentedly. He looks at me strangely. "You seem to love constellations."

"I never noticed until now." I admit. He chuckles. His laugh wafts through the cool air, like music. I love it. "The moon looks strange today. I've never seen it before."

"That?" he asks lightheartedly. "That's a gibbous moon. It's wonderful, isn't it?"

We go back to staring at the night sky. Gregor's platinum blond hair is silver in the moonlight. Then, he turns to me. "So, Mayabelle, make a wish."

"It's Maribelle." I reply. "And why would I make a wish? My wish is already coming true." I gasped softly, and clapped my hand over my mouth. Gregor just laughs, so I add hastily, "You know, staring at the night sky…couldn't see it in my backyard."

"Mine, too," he confesses. "It's getting late, Maribelle. Shouldn't you be getting home? Your parents would be worried sick about you."

"What about you? I can't just leave you here!" I reply, very irritated. "Your siblings, your parents would be worried." There. That should convince him. Nobody, as far as I know, does not care about their family.

"I'm an only child. And anyway, do you really think I'll let you walk home alone?" he says. "Who knows what could happen." He stands up. "I'll walk you home," he adds after seeing the look on my face.

"Wait, Mar," he says. Great. I have a new pet name. He kneels to the ground, and takes something, which he hides in his pocket. "All right, let's go." We were at the back of the Meadow, so it's a long way to the entrance.

"I loved how your sister performed," says Gregor. Jeez. Why'd he have to bring it up now? He knows it affects me. Gregor knows a lot of things. What doesn't he know, I wonder?

How hard it is to lose a sibling. Gregor is an only child. He does not know how hard it is to lose a sibling. Of course, there is still a chance that Maysilee will win and return victorious, but what happens if she doesn't?

"You don't know how much it hurts," I reply darkly, but holding back tears. "I don't want my sister to die. It's my fault if she does. I should have volunteered for her."

Gregor does not look surprised. "I-I know how you feel. One time, my mom's ring got stuck on the roof, and my canary tried to get it. But it was eaten by a hawk. Don't ask how the ring got there. But the point is, I should have been the one to get the ring," he says. I stand there, stunned. How could he compare my sister to a stupid canary?

He sees the look on my face. "Oh, um, but my canary's death is nothing compared to your sister's pain right now," he adds hastily. "And anyway, you couldn't have volunteered, Scarlett wasn't asking for any."

"You're right, I suppose." I reply gloomily. He couldn't possibly understand. "But what if Maysilee dies?"

Gregor looks at me. "That would not happen. And even if that happens, you'll get over it, right?" he asks hopefully. He places his arm around me. "She can do it. I know it. Your sister's resourceful, and very talented, at that…" he trails off.

"Gregor, it's getting late, you should go home now. I'll take it from here," I interrupt.

"All right," he says casually. "I'll see you tomorrow, same place, same time?" I nod readily. "Here, take this flower," he adds, taking a primrose out of his pocket. "I'm very sorry about your sister, Maribelle. Good night." And he walks away, just like that.

I sigh, and head home, which is easily, what, five, ten meters away? I quietly open the door, and creep back to my room. The soft rug is heaven to my feet. It's so good to be home once again. I fill a vase with water, and place my pink primrose in it.

I crawl into my bed, and drift off sooner than I expected. My head hurts considerably less, and my dreams are much sweeter.

I dream of the Meadow, actually. Gregor is in it, surprisingly. It involves flowers and primroses and constellations and even moons. I wake up, feeling wonderful, and relaxed.

Until I saw a pair of angry faces looming over me.