I knew closing the door was a mistake. I sat down on my bed and next thing I knew, Emerald took the solitude as invitation to do whatever she so desired. Apparently, that meant pushing me onto my back, straddling me as seemed to be her customary opening move now, and before I knew what I was looking at, stripped off her own shirt. Why this made me feel weird, outside of the speed in which it all happened, is anyone's guess. Perhaps her "openness" with me after such little time to know me, made me question a lot of things. I hadn't seen anything when she showed herself the first time. This time though, she wanted me to. Her face was one of flaunting. My eyes opened wide at realizing what I was just, quite literally, thrown into. But then my eyes loosened up and I gave her what she wanted, which was me to see what she was flaunting. So, I stared, not all to appease her, but in the end I felt good too. Even just a sight. The skin on her shoulders flowed and dipped down into the crevasses in between her collarbones and bones of the shoulder. Her skin at the top ridge of the shoulders was glowing with the reflection of the lights above us. The front of her was in slight shadow, but nothing was concealed. She looked threatening in the shadow, but... it had an effect. Her arms were dangling lifeless at her sides, the fingertips toying with the edges of my shirt. Her chest looked smooth and soft as the light wrapped around her neck and slightly made her chest glow. The light ran rampant on her breasts, making them the forefront of her image. She's not bad at making them obvious, isn't she? – Are you complaining? They weren't easy to ignore, they were impossible to. They weren't from the realm of fantasy, but they were humble, in a sense. As much as my mind wanted to let go, I knew now wasn't the time. I don't know if there ever would be a time again... No. Not now. There's things that are much too impor- Oh, you know you don't want her to stop. – Yes, but... It's not rig- So what? What the Capitol is doing isn't right either. At least enjoy your last few days alive. - … But, I'm not sure if I am enjoying this as much as I could... I could hold out for – For Zalia? You could simply have both. Who is stopping you? Emerald already loves you, and if you chase Zalia enough, she will too... You could be quite the little Casanova. – But, I don't want to be that kind of person... I'm not going to allow it.
"Emerald," I reached up and placed my hand on her chest, above her breasts. "Enough... not now..." I gave a look of regret, because I was feeling it.
"Ohh... " She said and dismounted me, much to my relief. She backed down without much taunting. I gulped hard, trying to calm my own hormones, which were in a frenzy.
"Okay... so... Your strengths?" I started.
You just experienced one strength of hers already, is there much left for her to add?
"Well, I'm just an average girl who went to school in District 7. I'm nothing special." she sighed.
"There has to be something.
"... Ummm... Let me think." she muttered, sliding her shirt back on.
"I guess I'll tell you about my strengths then. Maybe it'll make you think of something. Let's see... I am stealthy at moving in the woods, after being a scout for the lumber company, I developed some stealth skills, as well as being decent at climbing trees. I could decently survive on my own in the woods, at least for a little while. I am pretty good with hand weapons, nothing too impressive, but I could hold my own. Ummm... "
"You're a good kisser..." Emerald mumbled.
"What?" I questioned quickly.
"Nothing."
Does she have a one track mind, or is she still on?
"... Right... Outside of that, nothing really comes to mind. Just be honest with her about me... All you need to do now is tell me about her, and tell her about me. I'll plan out the rest. Outside of that... I have nothing else to say. Unless you thought of a strength of yours, I'm done."
"Okay, I can do that." She seemed cheered up a bit.
"Why not go try to find her room now. I need to begin thinking of where to start."
"Okay!" She skipped from the room.
For just being denied, she took that rather well. – Looks like it, but I wonder how honest she is going to be with her. Don't you think she just thinks I denied her because Zalia is now in play? – It's possible, she could. Although, if she does and Zalia then rejects the alliance right away, you'll know Emerald is to blame for not passing your skills off as more than satisfactory. – I suppose...
For now, all I can do is wait, and hope that I can meet her alone sometime.
I closed my eyes and laid out on my bed, hands behind my head in a relaxed position. My mind was processing each Tribute, categorizing them into "Threats" and "Non-threats". There was a group beginning to form of "Unknown" as well. I felt like I was playing a mental chess game, remembering who does what and what isn't going to help or hurt. Most of the Males from the Districts were in "Threats", minus the annoying few and the injured. The injured where in "Unknown", in fear of underestimating them. The young and the few I saw as honestly weak were in "Non-threats". I then considered how the Tributes saw me. There was Daren, who I couldn't forget was staring at me in the dining room earlier. Was it of jealousy or just observing? I thought about everything else that happened. Tara is surely on my side, from standing up for her against Vince. If need be, she could be of some use, if she can stay in one piece. The cheering rose to mind. I don't know if Zalia and I earned any "kudos points" for punching Vince's lights out, but it certainly showed Zalia as being strong and certainly no pushover. I don't exactly know if that makes my job harder, or doesn't change it. People may leave her alone, in fear of having an ear ripped off or something. The rest of the Tributes know I don't let any shit go unnoticed, and I act on it. That may spark some intimidation, but, I'm not sure. Right now, I don't think anyone suspects an alliance, but I am weary still. There's the quiet few that could be masterminds in disguise. My mind kept bringing up tracks of thought, then shrinking them away when another issue came to mind.
After 2 hours, I had concluded that we weren't in a terrible place. Over the next few days of training, I'll re-organize my threat lists several hundred times every day. There was the call for lunch at 2:15, I didn't want anything, since breakfast was later. I made my way to the dinner hall, to see Emerald sitting with Zalia. I suppose two girls weren't much of a threat together, so I let her action slip unnoticed. I grabbed a small plate of food and sat down a table away from Zalia and Emerald, back to them. I was trying to hear what they were talking about, but they were speaking low. I wonder if Emerald went ahead and talked to her before the after dinner arrangement. She'd be hitting the ground running then. – Sounds like they are gossiping. Girls are girls after all. Although, there's only so many people left to gock at and comment on. I doubt it's about the Games.
I sat by, raising my arms to stretch every so often. When I was done, I returned the plate and left the room. I returned to my room. I didn't pay any attention to any of the Tributes at lunch. I wasn't going to give the same glances around the room that I had at breakfast, that is just obvious. To keep myself from going stir crazy, and over thinking any of the tributes, I slid onto the floor, wedged my feet beneath the edge of the bed, and did 5 repetitions of 15 sit-ups each. I broke a slight sweat in the middle of the 4th repetition. After that, I flipped onto my stomach and did 4 repetitions of 10 pushups each. Wasn't much of a work out; I was pretty strong in my arms. I got to my feet and rotated each arm about 5 times in both directions and did a few other exercises. I didn't push myself on anything. Sore muscles are something I don't want. After the workout, I fell onto the bed, and just closed my eyes and rested. I hovered on the edge of sleep for a while, a few hours actually. I heard some knocks on my door, but I didn't reply.
I did hear the call for dinner. I woke up a half hour before the call came, and began to become paranoid on what Emerald was doing now. I hope everything was still fine concerning the alliance. If anything, I wanted it stronger. I wanted Zalia lured in so much that she can never tear away, and she'd be mine until we died.
I rose to my feet and yawned, then stumbled to the dinning room. This time Emerald was by herself, Zalia wasn't in the dining room at all. I grabbed my food and sat at the table across from her.
"So, how's things?"
"She's good. Want to talk later? My room this time?"
Oh boy... I thought going to my room was bad... I'll be ambushed walking through the door.
"That can be arranged." I whispered.
"Awesome." she whispered, concealing some evident happiness. Although, it was out of place, and not normal. It was too much like she had something dastardly in mind, not of jittery happiness like normal.
She's up to something. You don't think – It wouldn't surprise me if she was still on from after breakfast...
"Okay. Anyway, notice anything about the other Tributes?"
"Haven't been paying much attention. Although, Zalia did punch out that little kid from District 2... Pat Hetic was his name; said the girl from District 2. She seemed glad to see him gone. Zalia is earling quite the reputation."
"Of which she needs to stop... Girl from District 2? What is her name?" Emerld took a deep breath and sat straight up and rambled,
"Rosilia Elena Alexandra Franchesca Sarah-Ann Deloria Annabelle Delemonto..." Emerald stopped and inhaled. "The third."
"Are you joking?" I gave a look of surprise, yet one of disbelief.
"Nope. But call her Rose for short."
"That should have been easier without nearly passing out."
"That's what she said."
What the? Did she really?- I think so...
I gave Emerald a raised eyebrow.
"... Zalia... I mean, that is what Zalia said." she smiled in embarassment. I rolled my eyes, giving a slight smile. We spoke a little, trying to keep quiet though. Dinner passed.
"I'll meet you in 15?" I whispered.
"Sure. Sounds fine. Knock 5 times rapidly when you get to the door." Emerald spoke.
"Oh, aren't we the security guard now. Sure." I joked them walked away.
I returned to my room and took a quick shower in the bathroom there and slid on a new change of clothes and underwear. A black pair of loose fitting pants, and a tighter dark red short sleeve. I the peeked out my door, saw the empty hallways at least 100 feet in either direction. I crossed the hall and knocked 5 times rapidly.
"Come in." I heard Emerald I turned the handle, hearing the click. Emerald was sitting in an armchair on the other side of the room, fully clothed, luckily for me. I walked to the center of the room and stood at the foot of the bed.
"Hey, Zex." I heard a voice from behind me. Fear paralyzed me for a second. I stared at Emerald, but focused on what was behind me. Emerald rose to her feet and walked towards me, coming within 3 feet of my front.
I heard the door close, and a click of a lock. I swallowed nervously, trying to hide it. I glanced over my shoulder to see it was Zalia... giving a small, coy smile. After shutting the door, Zalia kept her eyes on mine, and walked towards me slowly and stopped about as far from me as Emerald was. I turned to face Zalia.
"What's go-"
Zalia winked, and I felt two hands grasp my waist and Zalia's reach for my shoulders.
What did I just walk into?
