BELL IS BACK! Sorry for no updates guys! Moving to a new school can be hectic, especially if you're new to the public school thing. Here's the new chapter AND PLEASE KEEP READING!

We watch the memoriam in the sky quietly, finishing up our dinner of leftover food from our packing during the anthem. When that finishes, we see the fallen.

The girl from three.

The boy from three.

Marcel, from Four.

Dezzy does a strange sound in her throat when she see's her brother's face in the sky, and she looks away quickly. I put my hand on her shoulder and squeeze it, but keep my eyes on the sky.

The boy from five.

The girl from six.

The boy from six.

The girl from seven.

The girl from eight.

The boy from nine.

The girl from ten.

The boy from ten.

I give a silent 'thank you' to no one in particular, closing my eyes and bringing my chin to my chest with a small smile. Alex was fine. He was alive. That's good - for now. Fern wasn't on the memoriam either, which could mean that they were together. That was also good.

I let out a slow breath as I looked over at the circle of tributes around me. Each looked exhausted, except for Korto and Anko, who never really looked tired anyway. Dezzy's head made its way to my shoulder, and she yawned quietly onto my arm. I yawned shortly after, placing my own head over Dezzy's.

"Do we all know the plan tomorrow?" I asked. No one answers in word, but they all nod, looking at their rationed supplies. I give a curt bob of the head. Cybele sighs.

"I think now is a good time to call it a night," She stated, zipping up her jacket. The temperature was dropping quickly, and each of us gripped onto the rolled up thermal sleeping bag on our laps. She began to undo hers when Korto interjected the action.

"What if we get ambushed while we sleep."

I'm about to roll my eyes and go back to the conversation we had earlier, when I'm instantly cut off.

"I'll keep watch." Demetrius answers quickly. We all turn to him in surprise. He hasn't said anything since this afternoon, and even now he doesn't look at us, staring at the small fire in front of him.

"Good. We'll have two shifts. Demetrius will do the first half of the night. Any other volunteers?" Cybele asks. No one answers.

"I'll do it." I say quietly, raising my hand meekly. I already realized I wouldn't get a full night's sleep - contrary to my yawning - and I needed to do some thinking of my own while the Careers wouldn't watch me. My head unlatches from Dezzy's. "I'll do watch until dawn."

I look over at Demetrius, and we both stare at eahother for a few moments. He gives me a hard look and from there I look away quickly, back at Cybele. She yawns uncharacteristically and nods.

"Fine by me," She answers, "Don't doze off, One."

"And when do we leave?" Garrett asked groggily.

"At the slightest bit of light in the morning," Korto replies harshly, "The darker, the better. If we have any shadows watching us now, it'd be best to disappear."

"I agree." I comment, zipping up my own jacket. "I'll wake you up at the first ray."

"And then tomorrow we find the water source here," Korto adds, "See if we can find warmer nights and find the tributes. Where there's water-"

"There's tribute." Garrett finishes, rubbing his eyes.

"For sure," Demetrius interjects, "We need to find Twelve. They're a strong alliance, and were very secretive during training. Wouldn't want them to pull something under our noses, now, would we?"

I tense, eyes widening. No, not Twelve. Not them. Not him. I remember his threat to me last night, before my elevator door closed, after I punched him in the nose.

"And you better hope I don't get my hands on your little friend Alex!"

My throat tightens. I look down, and I know I have to say something. Anything. But what? What could I possibly say or do that could keep them from hurting him, without raising suspicion? Suddenly, someone else answers for me.

"Aside from Twelve, we have other districts - we don't even know if Twelve is an alliance."

I'm surprised and shocked to see that it was Dezidora that came to my rescue. From my position - head inclined down - my eyes flitted over to her beside me and I see her watching me from the corner of her eye. I look away quickly. She does too, continuing. "We can't count on just a 'Twelve' alliance. There's three more tributes aside from them, and they've already formed a bigger alliance than Twelve if those three are together. Twelve is the least of our problems."

"Look, we'll see what happens, okay?" Cybele snapped exasperatedly, throwing down her extended sleeping bag. "Let's just get to sleeping already."

Cybele unzips her bag and snuggles into it, her elbow propping her up. Garrett follows her motions, doing the exact same thing and dozing off just as quickly. One by one, the tributes of the Career Alliance start dozing off. I don't budge, not even when Dezzy falls asleep, snuggling close to my side. I absently stroke her pigtails, watching the fire burn down.

"Go to sleep, Lillianne."

I look up with a small jolt, forgetting Demetrius was the only one to stay awake. He gave me a hard look, and my wide eyes softened.

"Alright." I replied, leaning against the wall of the Cornucopia, "Just…be careful, okay?"

His stare loosened, and he scratched his head sheepishly. He answers, "I will. Sleep."

I do as such- at least, I try, closing my eyes for what feels like the first time in years.

I awaken before its time for me to keep watch. I know this because of the moon's position - it's not where I planned it would be. I sat up quietly and rubbed my eyes, flicking the stray hair that had fallen out of my bun out of my face.

"You're up too early."

I turn my head and with my peripheral vision see Demetrius standing by the outer rim of the Cornucopia. I don't meet eyes with him, looking down at my hands.

"I realize that."

"Go back to sleep. You need it."

"No."

He turns back to me and sees that I've stood, and am walking towards him, hands in my jacket pockets. He sighs, his warm breath visible in the cold air. I stand by him, closer than I wanted to. We stay silent, our breathing the only sound in the quiet arena. I shuffle in my stance, leaning away from him.

"What's your plan?" I ask genuinely, a worried look on my face. He doesn't meet my gaze, staring ahead.

"I'm not telling you."

I frown, reaching for his arm. "But…"

"No. Just - just stop. You can keep watch now." He's about to turn when I take hold of his arm. He stops.

"Please. I may not be with you…but I'm with you." I tried to hide my message without hurting his strategy anymore, hinting that I had his back - as a District Partner. He understands, because his eyes meet mine. Finally. He presses his lips together.

"If it means keeping you alive, I'll risk anything." He says hushed and quickly, looking away from me. I shake my head.

"Please, don't-"

"You may want him," He said, shaking me off, "But I was the first assigned to you. It's my job to look out for you. I made it that when you first held my hand. I promised myself when you tried to be my friend. I owe you that."

Alex. He meant Alex. I bit my lip. "You don't have to -"

"I do." He said firmly. He grabbed my arms and looked me straight in the eye. "What happened before the games had to happen. You needed to understand."

Underlying messages. Before the games, I punched him. He said he hated me. I needed to understand? Understand what?

"You needed to sort out your priorities," He said to answer my question, "I've sorted mine."

He means Alex again. Does that mean…he wanted me to come to terms?

"….Do I still have time to sort them out?" I asked. In other words, Can I change my plan before they (the Careers) kill me? Can I still decide that my judgment on Alex is the right one?

He looks at the sky, biting his own lip. My habit has rubbed off on him.

"I hope you do, Lillianne." He says.

With that, he leaves me, standing at the mouth of the Cornucopia watching the sky. The grid is visible in the dark sky filled with fake stars. The wind rustles ominously, blowing my hair with it.

I have by morning to figure this out.

I take out a knife from my pocket and twirl it in my fingers, hoping for no funny business during my watch. I had a long night of 'sorting out my priorities'.

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