For once I'm early! Don't get used to it though, I just started on the swim team and school starts next week. I might start uploading on Sundays. That actually sounds good. Start expecting chapters on Sunday afternoons, rather than Tuesday mornings.
This chapter doesn't have anything to do with the Games. It's entirely focused on You's identity. You might cry, but probably not.
The Starbucks is small and nice. There are about ten tables sitting outside, they are all empty except for one. There are three almost identical girls and a boy. The girls all have dark hair that vary from pixie cut, to a bob, to past the shoulders and curled. The boy is older than them, he has dark blond hair and is oddly attractive.
You instantly recognize the girl with the pixie cut as Psycho. She is wearing a white shirt dress with leggings and a light blue bowtie.
Taking a deep breath you force your legs to move towards the table. Psycho sees you coming and trips over her chair in her excitement.
"Hi," she calls, disentangling herself from the furniture, "You must be that girl I've been messaging."
You nod, terrified by this girl and her obvious sisters.
"Do you want some coffee?" She asks, "I'm not allowed to have it, but I can buy you some."
You look from her to her sisters. The one with curly hair is texting and the one with the bob seems curious. The boy looks bored and keeps checking his watch. Psycho looks eager to please, she has probably never met a fan in person.
"No thank you," you say finally finding your voice.
"Come on," she says, "You came all the way out here just to meet me, the least I could do is buy you something to eat."
She genuinely wants to buy you something. You can't help but internally squeal at how adorable she is, almost like a puppy.
"Lets go to Albertsons," she says, "they have sushi." Before you can answer she looks at her siblings and yells, "Yo Beast, we're going to Albertsons."
"Don't get murdered," the boy, Beast, calls rather apathetically.
Psycho motions for you to follow her. You follow her away from Starbucks. "So," she says, "Do you really think my writing is good?"
"Brilliant," you say.
"Is there something else that you came to talk to me about?" She asks.
You swallow and nod tentatively.
"I knew it," she cries, "You were written into my stories as unpublished subtext."
You cock your head to the side in an unspoken question. Her smile widens as she grabs your hand and half drags you around back of Albertsons. You hear it. The sound that was so familiar to you just a few weeks ago. The TARDIS materializes in front of you and Psycho. The Doctor steps out. His bowtie is slightly crooked.
You look at Psycho, she is quite literally about to piss herself with happiness. Her blue, green, grey eyes are wide with amazement.
The Doctor looks from you to Psycho. "So are you real yet?" He asks.
You shake your head.
Psycho finds her voice quickly. "No she's not, but I need your help to create her."
He steps out and ushers both of you into the TARDIS.
Psycho takes a quick look around before reaching into her small bag and pulling out a notebook and purple pen. She flips through pages filled with looping purple cursive. "Don't read those," she says, "I don't want to release more souls onto the planet earth."
"So why do you need me?" The Doctor asks.
"Because I can't actually see her," Psycho says, "It's like she's there but she's not, so I don't know how to describe her."
"Alright," he says, "What do I do?"
"What do you think her name would be?" Psycho asks, purple pen at the ready.
"Marina," the Doctor responds without a second thought, "Marina Haywood. But her friends would call her Mari."
"Great," Psycho says, "Now what does she look like to you?"
"Big blue eyes, curly reddish hair, very straight features, also tall and skinny," the Doctor says, "Why do I need to do this?"
Psycho looks up, exasperated. "You can see her clearly because you have the TARDIS. I can't, my siblings can't. We're blind to whatever she looks like. Personally, I always pictured her with long blond hair. Now, next question..."
"I have a sister," you say suddenly, "Terra Haywood. Our dad wanted to name us after the elements. I just graduated from high school and I currently work at the Starbucks where we met."
Psycho is scribbling furiously in her notebook. You watch as she dots the last i and crosses the last t.
Memories have already come flooding back to you. Blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. Walking a small chocolate lab puppy you named Brownie. Laughing with Terra about how no one could spell her name. Psycho's brother, Diggory Grey, asking you to homecoming freshmen year. You remember Psycho like a little sister.
"Your name's Astrid?" You ask, looking at Psycho.
"Do you like it?" she asks, "I wanted you in my life, so I wrote you in. Diggory, Arabelle, and Alice will never know about this, to them you were always there. I'll know though. You're the older sister I always wanted."
You pull her into the tightest hug known to man. "I love you Astrid, Psycho, whatever the hell you want to be called."
"There's still a question though," the Doctor calls, "I need a companion." You had almost forgot he was there.
"I'm eighteen, so I could," you say in contemplation, "but, I have a life now. I have Diggory, and Psycho."
"I thought you'd say that," he says, "It really was fun, solving the case of the imaginary girl."
You swallow. You want to travel, and see the universe you now exist in, but you want to spend some time with the family you now have. "I'm sorry Doctor," you say, "But I have people who need me."
He nods, looking like he's about to cry. "It's alright." he says, his voice is tight, "perfectly understandable."
"Can I at least have a hug?" you ask, knowing it is quite possible that you'll never see him again.
He nods. You hug and with that, you are out of the TARDIS. You watch with Psycho as it disappears. A tear rolls down your face. You just had the chance of a lifetime, and you let it slip through your fingers. You wonder if you should have gone with him. Deep in your heart you know you've made the right decision. You turn to Psycho.
"Do you want that sushi now?" You ask.
She laughs. You start back towards Albertsons when she suddenly stops. "What?" You ask.
"My notebook," she cries, looking crushed, "I left it in the TARDIS."
"I'll get you a new one," you tell her, "one just like River's."
She looks saddened but follows you to Albertsons.
You are now Marina Haywood, graduate of Peninsula High School, girlfriend of Diggory Grey, sister of Terra Haywood, daughter of Alfie and Jane Haywood. You are Marina Haywood, and you exist
The week passes by as the happiest one in your memory. Everything is brighter, more solid. The pictures on your walls make sense, your dog jumps on you whenever you walk through the door. Terra gets in a fight with you for no reason. Things are normal.
Tuesday you are home alone, surfing the channels for something good to watch when you see it. You thought it would be over, yet you are drawn to it. The show is still a part of you, you realize, it always will be. You are going to watch it until the very end. With a press of a button, The Fandom Games continue.
I actually took the liberty of combining all the submissions I gathered for Marina.
Don't forget to vote someone away. Those left are: Rory, Amy, Eleven, Donna, Rose, Jack, and Ten. May the odds be ever in your characters favor.
-Psycho
