District Zero
This chapter written by: XXbuttonsXX, Morbid4everFlaming, W.E.B.P, and Silent Wolf Singer.
Chapter 11: The Beach
Cora's POV
Perrie walks in wearing her bikini with a smile on her face, I smile weakly back at her and look down at my tankini. I don't want to wear it, Carson will be there and I know I will look stupid. Perrie walks over to me and puts it in my hands.
"Get dress," she tells me, I shake my head slowly.
"Don't worry, you'll look great!" she adds.
I sigh and walk into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I hear Perrie and Kristen talking but I can't fully tell what about, that is something I miss about the games. My super hearing, I feel even more insecure when I don't know what people are talking about.
I take my clothes off and quickly put my tankini on. I notice that a scare is noticeable at the top of my tankini. I bite my lip and run my finger across it. That was from when the careers killed me, I sigh, why didn't they get rid of those scars? They got rid of my burns easily enough.
I walk out of the bathroom and smile at them both.
"See you look fine!" Perrie says to me. I shake my head and turn to the drawer to find some shorts.
"Perrie's convinced me also," Kristen sighed passing me; I smile slightly and pull on some denim shorts.
"Ha-have we got any sun cream?" I ask Perrie quietly.
Perrie smiles and nods, "we do," she says.
I smile gently and sit on the bed next to her.
I open the bag to look through the stuff just to check we have anything. When I'm satisfied that we have I close it again and look up to see Kristen walking back to us fully dressed. I raise an eyebrow.
"I have it on underneath," she says, "Shall we go?"
I nod in reply, stand up and slip my feet in my sandals and buckle them.
Perrie's POV
I pick at my Lime green bikini. In all honesty, I didn't feel very comfortable wearing this, I never was a fan. But that one lady picked it out because it 'Complimented' my skin. While I was here, I got a slight tan. Which you get normally in District 11!
I quickly go to the refrigerator and grab a BLT from the night before. I hold onto it like it was a sacred jewel, and follow the bunch. I smirk at Kristen wearing all of her clothes. Doesn't she realize in a sense she'll be stripping? I shake my head, and sigh.
"What is it?" Kristen asks, looking at me with a worried expression.
"Nothing," I sigh.
"Uh huh." she says, perking an eyebrow.
Kristen knew me too well, a little too well. Even though I consider her my sister! We get to the beach to find most of the awakened gang. I look around. Still no Sebastian. I'm wondering when will he awake from his coma? I hope soon.
I look around, taking in my surroundings. The sand is general was burning through my flip flops, while I hopped from foot to foot. Sorry, off topic. The sand was a gorgeous white, looking plush. I wanted to lay my head on it.
I looked off into the distance, seeing crystal blue water. I breath in the salty air, sighing.
"Come on." Kristen says, snapping me back to reality.
Carson POV
I've never been to a beach before. Only heard stories and seen pictures, but now that I'm here, I don't see what all the big deal is about.
Sure, it's really nice. Blue water rushing up on shore and chasing children to get their feet wet. White sand warms your toes as you walk and tickle your side when you lay down. The bright sun shines down and warms your face and tans your back, but, seriously, I don't like it.
Too happy. Too cheery. The sand is itchy and the screams from the little kids are deafening. Besides, I don't tan, I burn.
Daniel laughs as I finish rubbing in the sunscreen on my face as we walk onto the beach. "Oh…" Daniel started in a mock baby voice. "Little Carson needs some sunscreen so he won't get burned?"
I scowl at him trying to hide an embarrass smile, "Not all of us can be a tan skinned person from Twelve, Dan."
Daniel laughed again and the girls chuckled too. Cora held my hand and whispered, "I'll get your back if you get mine."
A small smile spreads across my face and I nod, "Sounds like a plan."
We set up just at the edge of the tide, laying down towels and a basket full of food for later. I sit behind Cora and, while rubbing the sunscreen into her back, listen to Perrie try and convince Kristen to play Marko Polo with her.
"Come on, Kris! Please?" Perrie pleaded with clasped hands.
Kristen shrugged in exasperation, "I don't know how to play!"
Perrie looked as if she were about to explain when a guy walked over and interrupted her, "It's pretty easy, kind of like tag in the water. Only the tagger has his or her eyes closed and to find people you can call out 'Marko' and everyone else yells 'Polo.' If you tag someone then they're it and you start over. It's lots of fun."
The stranger looks about sixteen. He has dark hair that falls over most of his forehead and past his ears. He has blue eyes with a scar running down the corner of his left and skin like he hasn't spent a day inside. He's wearing dark purple swim trunk and is shirtless showing a toned body. With a Frisbee tucked under his arm, he smiles cheerfully to all of us.
Kristen arches an eyebrow, "Okay… thanks. How do you know how to play?"
The guy bounced his shoulders, "Sebastian and I played it all the time in four." He faced Perrie and smiled, "I'll play with you, Perrie, if you let me."
My eyes widen along with everyone else's. Perrie stares at the stranger with curiosity, "How do you…?"
The stranger laughs and holds up his hand to stop her, "I'm sorry. I know how weird it is when you come back from the hunger games and EVERYONE knows your name. I should have introduced myself first. My name is Caspian DeLuna. I'm from district four and I've been watching your games." He held out his hand to Perrie, but she continues to stare at him bewildered.
"You know Sebastian?" She asks. A light glints in her eyes at the mere mention of our crabby friend's name.
Caspian nods, "Yeah, we were best friends… before I got reaped." Another guy a few hundred feet away calls for Caspian to throw the Frisbee. He laughs and holds the red disk up to Perrie, "Hey, you want to play? It's not Marko Polo but, it's fun!"
I shake my head; of course Sebastian would know this guy. He's so friendly and looks as if good times are his favorite times by the way he's so relaxed and happy. I finish rubbing Cora's back and she turns, pecks my lips and whispers, "Thanks."
I nod and turn around, "My turn." I hear her giggle and squirt some sunscreen into her hand. When she starts rubbing my back, I relax significantly.
After a few moments, she leans forward to whisper into my ear, "Can we go swimming later?"
I turn so that her face is inches from my own, "We can do anything you want." She smiles sweetly and we kiss.
Perrie's POV
I stare at him in disbelief. Sebastian's friend? Yea right, enough people have come up to me saying that. Mocking, etc.
"No." I say simply.
Caspian nods, "I get that. No problem." He throws the Frisbee and turned back to me. "Can I play Marko Polo with you then?"
"I'm not playing that stupid game with you." I say, rather bluntly
"I always kind of liked it." Caspian shrugs. He moves his hair out of his eyes and smiled unsure of what to do. "So... what do you want to do then?"
"Hmmm... How about you go over there?" I say, pointing to the guy he was with earlier.
Caspian nods, "Um... o-okay." He smiles weakly and starts walking back to his friend. Before he gets too far, he turns around and waves cheerfully, "I'll see you later! I live in apartment number 324; I think we're in the same building. Come and chill whenever!" He then sprints to catch up with his friend
I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Wait." I say. I was too hard on the guy.
Caspian turns around and raised his eyebrows, "Yes?"
"Wanna get ice cream or something?" I sigh, irritated. Automatically I regretted asking.
Caspian smiles brightly, "Yeah! I know the best place too. It's just down the beach!" He waves his friend with the Frisbee away and held up his arm, as if to escort me.
I sigh. "I'm not taking your arm." I say, already walking.
I turn around. "You're coming... right?" I ask in annoyance
He stands there with his arms folded, "I'm not going with you if you're going to treat me like that. You're pretty, but I don't need to put up with this." He waves good bye and began walking away.
I scowl. "You want to get ice cream or not?"
Caspian gives her thumbs up in the air, "I'm good." He then turns around and continues to walk backwards, "But when you're in the mood, seriously, come and visit. Apartment 324." He smiles cheerfully, but didn't turn around in time and accidentally ran into a lady. His apologies could be heard from where I was and I could see his blushing face.
"And to think you're the one who said you knew a good place!" I yell after him.
Caspian frowns at me and stands tall. Folding his arms, he furrows his brow and begins, "You know, I thought you'd be nicer. I saw you in your games, you were... different." He looks in the direction of his friend who is calling him over again. Caspian waves his friend away and pursed his lips together when he turned back to me. "Look, I'd love to go with you to get ice cream, but you haven't been very friendly."
"Well sometimes things can change a person." I retort, I march over and grab his arm. "We're getting ice cream whether you like it or not." I growl.
He tugs his arm away and points at me with the other, "You're buying." He smiles like that has been his plan all along and begins walking to the shop. After he snatches his grey V-neck and puts it on, Caspian starts to whistle a little tune as if I had not just threatened him.
I roll my eyes. "Let's go. We're going Dutch." I say, showing him the little money I had brought.
To which he only shrugs, "Doesn't matter. All you have to do is bat your pretty eyes at the man at the counter and he'll get you anything you want. He's a sucker for pretty girls. I've seen it plenty of times. Made me a little jealous that I couldn't get free ice cream."
I snort. "You're pretty feminine." I smirk. I poke his arm. "With your muscles and all, makes perfect sense."
"Just put on a wig... they won't know the difference." I add, my smirk widens.
He doesn't look offend, which was what I was going for, instead he laughs and shakes his finger, "Think ice cream my friend. Do you want me to go with you to get ice cream or not?"
"Clearly I do, or would be walking?" I ask, grabbing his wrist, and dragging him into the parlor.
Caspian smiles, "You've got a point." He runs his fingers through his hair before laughing, "I forgot something." He points down to his feet to show that he had no shoes
I hand him a flip flop. "Technically we are wearing 'shoes'." I say
Caspian snorts and put the flip flop next to his foot, "I think we might be the same size!" He laughs a little because of course we're not the same size. His foot is huge compared to mine.
I crack a small smile. "I think so!" I agree. "Just wear it, we can get in then." I say, watching him put on the shoe. It most defiantly didn't fit him.
Kristen POV
I sighed to see a new face in District Zero instead of those working. It has been three days since we arrive and most of the majority was watching the game until Daniel suggest we go to the beach. I tug on my tunic feeling hot under the sun but I didn't want to take it off to show off my bikini. Apparently Amity slides this awful thing into my bag instead of the one piece I bought. But still, what choice do I have. With one look of the water, I gave up and stood up striping the netted tunic and khaki shorts exposing myself in the black bikini.
"Whoa," I hear Daniel breathe as he watched me undress.
"Don't say anything," I warned as I put my clothes in the bag.
"What, that you look hot?" Daniel suggested.
I rolled my eyes and see that the others were distracted as the young love birds kissing and Perrie chatting with that Caspian fellow. It's a small world after all that the Crab would never leave us alone. I sat down and grabbed the sunscreen when Daniel took it out of my hand.
"Allow me," he said and started apply it on my back. I shiver to the cold texture before letting him as I grab the bottle and apply some of the cream on my legs and arm. Once done being creamed I did the same for Daniel and looked at the water. I stood up and grabbed Daniel hand, "C'mon, let's go swimming?"
"Alright Kris," Daniel chuckled as we headed toward the water. I only ever heard and read about the ocean along with dreaming of it. But to be here next to the open waters felt fascinating. Before I could walk in, Daniel swept me off my feet and charged into the water. A playful scream erupted from my mouth as we splashed deep into it. However, never expected the burning sensation in the eyes and major saltiness in the water.
"Okay that burns," I said blinking a few times.
"Couldn't agree more," Daniel said rubbing his eyes accidently dropping me in the water. "…oops!"
"You're so dead," I laugh and splashed water at him.
Daniel scoffed and retaliates by splashing water back at me. Soon it became war as we splash each other till we are completely soaked to the bone. Carson and Cora joined in on the fight that it became girls vs. boys challenged. Us being kids in the time of our life with no blood, weapons, or death! Just us and the beach having a good time. Though some of us bear the scars or taunted by nightmares, we stay strong and keep moving forward.
I jumped on Daniel back and wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed his cheek. He laughs securing me and looked at me. "What's that for?"
"Can't I not kiss my boyfriend?" I chuckled.
"Yeah, you can!" Daniel laughs and turned around only to get splash by Carson and Cora.
"Hey!" I shriek. "I'm not a shield."
"Love you too," Daniel said. That was when we heard his stomach growl.
I chuckled and got off his back. "Somebodies hungry."
Daniel blushes and rubbed the back of his neck, "Yep."
We all went back to our blanket and had some lunch. It was a good time for a fresh start.
