[30] - August
The temperature drops as the sun finally dips over the horizon, and that's all the permission I need to collapse to the ground next to Rochelle. We've both survived the day; I've done my job, as far as I'm concerned. I feel exhausted, though. Saving someone from the brink of death is no easy task, and Rochelle was minutes away from death when I found her.
I hear Rochelle moving next to me, and her face appears hovering above me. "You look exhausted," she sighs, taking a close look at my face. "I guess it's time for me to take care of you, now."
I let out a weak chuckle a bit as she disappears from my view. I'm glad she's feeling better - she's really acting more like herself again.
I prop myself up on my elbows, allowing myself to watch Rochelle as she sifts through her bag. As she pulls a thick jacket out of the bag, she pauses, her eyes turned to the ground. The lighthearted glow that graced her face just a few moments ago is now completely gone; it hurts me to see Rochelle look so perturbed.
"You okay?" I ask quietly, and Rochelle glances up at me, startled.
"I'm fine," she says, hastily pulling a jacket out of her bag. "I was just getting our warm clothes out, but I found all of Mandy's stuff in here. When she died, I took all of her belongings in case they would help me later."
"Smart thinking," I reply. "Who knows when we'll need them."
"She was like a younger sister to me," Rochelle says, avoiding my gaze. "I mean, we spent a whole week together, and we had no choice but to stick together in here. To watch her die, August... it was horrible."
"I'm sorry you had to see that," I say. "But everyone needs to go eventually. She didn't stand a chance in here."
"Still, she didn't deserve to die like that. None of us do."
"At least she had a friend like you looking out for her while she was here," I reassure Rochelle. "You gave her that while she was alive, at least."
Rochelle nods quickly, rising to grab my clothes from my bag. "You're right," she says. As she looks through my bag, her hair obscures her face from my view. "Thanks."
I allow Rochelle to slip my jacket over my shoulders as the Panem anthem begins to play. Twenty-four hours ago, this same anthem played above me, and I discovered that Pollux was dead. Twenty-four hours ago, I thought I would never see Rochelle again. It's funny how fast things can change.
"Nobody today," Rochelle sighs. "Who's even left in here?"
"Almost nobody," I murmur. "Or at least, it feels that way without Pollux in here."
"Well, there's still Princess and Zinnia," Rochelle reminds me. "They're out there somewhere."
"Our only threat left is Zinnia," I tell her truthfully. "She's more dangerous than she lets on, that's for sure. Princess is definitely more dangerous than she seems, but she still wouldn't cross us. She knows that I couldn't kill her, and she feels the same way about me."
"I don't know about that," Rochelle grumbles. "She tried to kill me, August, I swear. I heard her plotting with Zinnia. If I hadn't run away, we'd both be dead right now."
"I don't believe that," I say; I really can't envision Princess plotting against me like that after all we've been through together. "She could've just been playing along with Zinnia's plan, but I don't think she would've gone out with it."
Rochelle sits in silence for a moment before she responds. "Are you willing to kill Princess?"
I'm thrown off by her unexpected question. "What?"
"Say we make it to the Feast, and Princess puts a knife to my neck," Rochelle says. "You have to kill her, or we'll both die. What would you do?"
"I'd kill her, obviously," I assure her. "But I don't think that would happen. I would only kill Princess to protect us."
"If you aren't willing to kill Princess, you should just kill me now and get it over with," Rochelle says, her eyes dark. "Just end it now for both of us. I'm telling you, August, if you aren't prepared to kill Princess at some point, she will run away with this whole thing."
Why is Rochelle pressuring me like this all of a sudden? "Just leave it, Rochelle," I huff. "She's like my own sister. But, yes, I'd kill her to win, obviously. So just leave it."
"Good," Rochelle says, moving closer to lie next to me in the sand. She slowly brushes my hair away from my face, taking a look at me. We sit in silence, staring at each other until she breaks the silence.
"I don't want to pressure you," Rochelle murmurs. "But I hope you know that I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you make it out of here alive. I know I don't stand a chance in here - almost anyone could kill me easily, except maybe Jasper - but that doesn't mean that I can't help you as much as I can. I can't let Princess or Zinnia outlive you, August, I can't. The way they treated me was disgusting. But if I'm going to help you in here I need to know that you're willing to do whatever it takes to win the Games."
Why am I tearing up? I turn away from Rochelle, quickly wiping my eyes. It's dark; hopefully, she didn't notice.
"I appreciate that, Rochelle," I tell her candidly. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes, I promise. I won't let you down."
Rochelle stares at me for another second before nodding and laying against the sand next to me.
"I'm glad," she says, snuggling closer to my back. "Good night, August."
"Good night," I sigh. "And Rochelle? I'm glad you're my partner."
"Me too, August," Rochelle mumbles. "Me too."