The Presidential Mansion
12:15 AM
"Good morning, President Aria!"
The newly-appointed president had just emerged from her bedchambers, clad in a silken bathrobe with intricate floral patterns. Her blonde hair was glossy and well-kept as a result of the luxuries that came with the mansion, and she appeared to be very well rested.
"Good morning, Peter. I'll have eggs benedict today, with a side dish of fruit, pancakes, and hashbrowns" said the President to her servant.
The meek servant swept himself into a humbling bow. "Of course, my lady. And for your choice beverage?"
Aria gave a faint smile. "White sparkling wine, please. Something creamy and rich."
Though it was hardly noon, the ever-so-loyal servant said nothing about his mistress's odd request, and rushed down the hallway to the kitchen.
When the clacking footsteps of the servant's polished shoes faded away, Aria released a breath and slumped against her door, admiring the area around her. She hadn't grown used to calling this mansion her own yet, or sleeping in the bed that once belonged to her grandfather. Though the presidential mansion did have its perks-luxurious furniture, an elegant wardrobe consisting of only the best clothing, and servings doting on her every order (which Aria particularly liked)-she couldn't deny that this mansion felt a bit alien. The whole grandeur of the place cast an unwanted aura over Aria, which made her feel unwanted in her own house.
The President sighed, deciding that these feelings would fade away soon enough, and chose instead to focus upon the day's events. It was what, noon, perhaps an hour after? That meant that every reaping in every district had likely concluded already, and her cargo was being sent to the Capitol at this very moment. The thought sent shivers up her spine...in a matter of weeks, she'd be able to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish.
The smell of freshly-cooked meat began to waft throughout the hallways, and Aria followed it to the dining room. Atop the crystalline table was a buffet of the finest foods, her main dish of request placed before a straight-backed chair padded with white cloth. The President's mouth began to water at the sight, and she quickly sat down to enjoy the meal. No sooner had she started that Peter darted back up to her side again, hands folded with the oddest smile on his face.
"D-do you like it, miss?" He asked, stuttering a bit.
Aria wiped the edges of her mouth with a cloth napkin. "Of course, Peter, it's marvelous." She then caught sight of her glass of wine, which glimmered in the sunlight, anc proceeded to sip daintily from it.
"Peter, darling?"
Aria didn't miss the slight blush that traveled across his face at the word.
"Y-yes, ma'am?"
She smirked at the servant, knowing good and well exactly how loyal he was to her.
"Play today's readings. You have them pre-recorded, I presume?"
He nodded hastily. "O-of course, ma'am! Right away, ma'am!" He skittered over to the nearby television, turning it on and playing the first recording of the day; the Reaping of District 1.
Aria smirked, swirling the glass of wine in hand. Today was going to be fun.
Roshan Savera
District 1 Male
Age: 16
7:32 AM
"...and get Roshan, too...where is he..? Roshan? Oh lord, don't tell me he's still..." A tall, aging woman slammed open her son's door, gasping at the sight before her; the boy was still fast asleep, facing the wall which his finely-made bed sat against.
"Roshan, why aren't you awake? You should've been up half an hour ago!" She delivered a slight slap to his forehead, which effectively jolted the boy up in his bed. His black hair was ruffled and unkept from sleep, and a slight line of dried drool trailed down his face towards his chin. He blinked his brown eyes sleepily at his mother, apparently unaware of her urgency.
"Mommm, why've I gotta get up so early?" Roshan groaned, stretching his arms above his head.
"It's reaping day, Roshan! I've been telling you that every day for the past week!"
At the words 'reaping day', a newfound energy seemed to fill Roshan's body. He leapt quickly out of bed, dashing to his wardrobe and stripping off his nightshirt and pants.
"I'm so sorry, mom!" He pulled a gray T-shirt over his head, admiring his hair in the nearby mirror. He snorted, quickly smoothing out the wild locks.
"Well, you should be." She turned her nose towards the ceiling. "Your sister was ready ten minutes ago."
"She's a light sleeper!" Shouted Roshan in his own defense, tugging on his jeans. "You know I sleep like a rock."
His mother sighed, pressing two fingers to her temple.
"Oh, Roshan?"
He spun around. "Yes?"
She held our her hand. In her palm was the smallest photograph Rashan had ever seen. It portrayed Rashan, his mother, his father, and his sister, who were all smiling gleefully as they embraced one another.
"It's your token. You're going to volunteer, right?"
Of course, she wasn't asking if he'd been having second thoughts. Of course he had been. But if Roshan were to say so, that wouldn't change anything. His parents and his sister had already pressured him into volunteering, and they'd been so firm in their wishes that there was no turning back now. It wasn't that Roshan thought he couldn't survive the arena...even at the young age of 16, he excelled in the training academy. But who in their right mind would actually want to go into a life-or-death situation.
Roshan stomached his complaints and took the photograph from his mother, storing it in the pocket of his jeans.
"Thanks, mom. It's great."
He was taken by surprise when his mother suddenly took him into a strong hug, burying her head in the crook of his neck. After a moment, she pulled herself away and looked right into her son's eyes, smiling excitedly.
"Dad and I are so proud of you, Roshan."
Of course, those words absolutely melted his heart, considering how unoften he heard them. In that instant, Roshan's mind was made up about volunteering, and he wordlessly signified his choice to his mother with a smile.
"Thanks, mom."
Only the richest of the rich in District 1 could afford a car, so when the Savera family piled into their shiny red automobile and started cruising down the street, pedestrians started to stare. Roshan hoped he could've stared out the window for the duration of the ride without being interrupted, but his sister quickly squashed that plan.
"So, you still volunteering?"
Roshan shrugged, in an effort to avoid a full-on conversation with the sister that was constantly on his back.
Still, she persisted. "You're not going to? Mom and dad and I said you have to. You agreed, remember? You have to-"
"Yes, I'm going to, Anika, now can you please give me some peace and quiet?" He snapped at her, gazing in satisfaction at the surprise on her face.
"...Well, you don't have to yell." She scoffed.
"And you don't have to nag me all the time."
Anika flipped her hair. "It's not 'nagging'. I'm the older sister. I'm nineteen. I'm a legal adult, and I can tell you what to do."
"Considering that you're the one who was too 'sick' to volunteer last year, and that I'm the one who's actually going through with it, I think we can see who's really the superior here." Roshan narrowed his eyes at his sister, who seemed to be searching the depths of her brain for a clever comeback.
"Well, you never-"
"Anika, Roshan, stop it!" Their father scolded, and the two instantly ceased their quarrel. "We're here, and I expect you two to behave like model citizens when we leave this this car. Got it?"
"Yes, dad." Said the two in unison, as they exited the parked car. Before them all was the entrance to the reaping, which was flooded with finely-dressed citizens making their way to their respective positions.
"Alright, Roshan." Roshan's father placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Your mother, Anika, and I are going to head into the spectator's booths. We'll get to see you shortly after the reaping before you head out, but since we're all here now..." Roshan was swept into his second hug of the day, this one much more rib-crushing than the first. The pressure was only increased when his mother joined the huddle, along with Anika, who did so quite reluctantly. Once Roshan was released, struggling to take air into lungs, his father gave him a quick pat on the back and left, Anika and his mother following suit.
And so, Roshan was alone.
"Alright, Roshan, deep breaths. You're alright." He took in a breath of fresh air, and slowly let it out. "Just some pre-reaping jitters," He muttered, as he slowly walked through the reaping gates. Through the crowd, he could see the two lines that served as blood-testing verification stands, and he was quickly able to find his way to the back of the boys' line.
As the line progressed, Roshan couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness in his stomach. What would lie beyond him once he left his home? What if he didn't come back from whatever arena he was forced into? At this moment, Roshan was fully absorbing the reality that he may very well die-yes, die-if he were to volunteer. At this idea, his stomach tied itself into a knot, and his breathing became more labored. Oh god, what was he doing? He couldn't do this, it was madness-
"Hand."
Roshan looked up with a start, to find a doctorly-looking Capitolite extended a gloved hand towards him. He absentmindedly gave it to her and jumped at the sting he received in his thumb, something he'd never done in the years prior. The Capitolite shoved him aside, where he was then corralled by peacekeepers towards the section of the shrine E where the other sixteen-year-old boys sat, waiting for the escort to emerge from backstage.
Roshan glanced around at his surroundings. Surrounding him were brutish-looking boys with cold, lifeless gazes, who looked more like wild animals than humans. Each one of them seemed fairly relaxed, or even excited at the prospect of being 'the one'. They were bloodthirsty beasts, all of them...
"What am I doing here?" Whispered Roshan, glancing wildly about. He couldn't willingly offer himself into the hands of the Capitol! That would lead him towards certain death! No, no, he couldn't volunteer...but what would his family say? He remembered how proud they'd been when he announced he was volunteering, and how overwhelmingly supportive they were...what would he tell them?
Then, Roshan remembered a key detail in his situation; the oldest a tribute can be is 18. Roshan was only 16. That was it! He could just tell his family that he wanted to wait j till he was 18, and then he'd have two more years to train! Imagine how much he would improve by then...winning the games would be a breeze!
At last, Roshan felt himself relax. He was going to be fine. He was staying right here, at home.
"Good morning, District 1!" Roshan's head snapped upwards, and he nearly cringed at the escort onstage. She was dressed in a flouncy sundress, stitched together with the brightest neon colors known to man. Just looking at it made Roshan's eyes water.
"This is Belinda Baubles, coming to you all the way from the Capitol! This year, two lucky ducks here will be chosen for the Hunger Games, alongside the chance to bring pride to your family...and your district!' She smiled, and a roar of enthusiastic cheering soared throughout the area.
"Wow, aren't you excited? Well, let's get to it, shall we? Ladies first!" Belinda placed the microphone back on its stand and strutted over to the crystalline ball, which was clearly marked 'ladies'. Her five-inch nails searched around for a bit, brushing against some slips of paper, weighing her options for a moment before finally selecting a slip. The audience tensed as Belinda proudly walked back to the mic, relishing in the attention of all that surveyed her.
"Ahem.." She glanced over the crowd for a half-second, drinking in the scene, before calling out, "Glitt Barrows!"
"I volunteer!"
No sooner had Glitt's name had been called, a girl thrust her first up into the sky and proudly proclaimed herself. Quickly, she rushed down her aisle and up to the stage, smiling in glee as her golden hair floated in the breeze behind her. The young lady took her place to the right to Belinda excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Ooh my, eager, aren't we? Young lady, might you tell us your name?" Belinda raised the microphone to the girl's lips.
"Emerald Shine!" She proudly proclaimed. "And I'm so, so thrilled to be here today!"
Belinda gave her an artifical-looking smile. "And we're thrilled to have you, Emerald." She turned back towards the crowd, this time eyeing down the boys' side.
"And now, the boys." As she strutted to the second crystal bowl, Roshan glanced around at the boys near him. Any of them would make a decent tribute, he just felt partially sorry for the boy that would have to go into the arena with that crazy-looking girl.
Belinda wasted no time picking a slip, and this time plucked the nearest slip of paper closest to her from the bowl. Paper in hand, she hurried back to the mic and held the slip up to the sunlight, reciting its name for all to hear:
"Roshan Savera!"
Everything around Roshan went dead silent. His brain didn't seem to be functioning properly.
My name...she just said my name...
He was stiff as a board, unmoving, pale and lifeless. The boys around him began to back away so as to single him out in the crowd, sizing him up and gazing at him with confusion.
"Roshan, dear, there you are!" Chirped Belinda, whose voice snapped Roshan back to life. His first instinct was to run, but if he'd learned anything in training, it was that he must not show weakness. So, Roshan took a shaky breath and tried his best to stomach his fears as he meandered up to the stage, nearly tripping numberous times.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the female tribute was eyeing down every inch of his body, with an animalistic, hungry gleam in her eye. For half a second, she glanced upwards and their gazes interlocked, and Emerald quickly ran a slickened tongue over her lips...a sight that sent cold shivers up Roshan's spine. Hurriedly, he tore his gaze away from her and took his place next to Belinda, searching the audience for his family or any possible volunteers to get him out of this nightmare come true.
"Here we have them, District 1's tributes!" Belinda proudly called, and a sickening applause burst through the area. People whooped snd hollered and cheered, pleased at this year's chosen tributes.
An inkling of hope trickled into Roshan. If his fellow tributes thought he could survive the arena, those who had trained longer and harder than he ever had...perhaps he truly did have what it takes?
Roshan suddenly found himself shoved offstage by an overbearing peacekeeper, and into a quiet little room decorated with a loveseat and a simple armchair. Quickly, he plunked himself down onto the latter to weigh his chances. During the time he'd trained in the academy, he'd received top marks in almost every fields, and was highly envied by his classmates. He'd never really put all of his effort into training, he saw it more as a 'hobby' of sorts, yet he was somehow exceptionally good. Perhaps this natural talent would help him win...?
The door to Roshan's little room opened, and in rushed his mother, father, and Anika, each with the same gleeful smile on their face.
"Roshan, you did it!" His mother threw her arms around him for the third time that day, this time actually lifting him up from his seat and swinging him around in her arms. Roshan couldn't help but laugh at her joy...when she was happy, it was hard to be sad.
"You're going to be one of the best Victors in history, Roshan." Said his father, as he clapped a hand Roshan's shoulder. He looked down at his son with a seldom-seen twinkle in his eye. "We're proud of you."
Even Anika seemed overjoyed, as she shyly grinned at her younger brother.
"I've seen your academy grades...you're fantastic. You're getting higher marks than...than I've ever gotten."
Roshan's eyes went side. "Wow, really?"
Anika nodded. "I was never good with blunt weaponry. But you're pretty much good at...everything I sucked at."
He chuckled. "Everything except those essays they gave us. I think I've still got cramps in my hand!"
Anika laughed, planting a tiny kiss on his forehead.
"We've got to go, little bro. But we'll see you in a few weeks, alright?"
Roshan immediately nodded. "Yep, see you soon!"
After exchanging final supportive glances, Roshan's family exited the little room, leaving Roshan alone.
His mind was made up. Roshan was going to dominate that arena...and come back a Victor.
Emerald Shine
District 1 Female
Age: 18
7:00 AM
"Oh, hurry up, Iliad! We don't have all day!" Howled the blonde-haired girl, as a quivering older woman delicately painted her nails.
"I-I'm sorry, miss, I just-"
"You're always making excuses. First you're 'sick', then your 'arthritis is acting up', lie after lie after lie! I'm sick of your excuses, Iliad, just get the work done!" She thrusted her unpainted nail towards the hired nail artist, but made contact with the nail polish brush as she did so. Deep red polish was smeared across the length of her hand, earning a gasp from from both Iliad and her client.
"Now look what you've done!" The older woman cowered in shame and fear as Emerald stood from her seat, screeching in fury. "Damn it, Iliad, can't you do anything right?"
"Miss Emerald, I-I can fix it-"
"No! I don't want you in this house any longer! You're fired! Take your garbage and go!" Emerald whacked aside the bottle of nail polish, which soared through the air and shattered against a nearby wall. Emerald rushed out of the room, face contorted in rage, as she examined her failed manicure.
"Ebony, Scarlette, clean up the mess in the guest room. Patrice, Olivine, I'll be in the spa room waiting for my treatment. You better be up there before I am!" Servants began to bustle about the enormous house as Emerald crowed her orders, looking very frantic.
Secretly, Emerald admired the chaos she caused. It gave her a sense of authority, commanding others.
Once Emerald had climbed two flights of stairs and reaches the spa room, she was a bit disappointed to see that her spa specialists had arrived before her, as she'd instructed.
"Alright, I'll do a fifteen-minute deep tissue massage. Make sure you use your thumbs." With no warning at all, Emerald began to strip off her bedclothes, until she was completely nude before the specialists. They hurriedly turned their backs and faced the wall, and Emerald frowned.
"What? Do I have an ugly body?" She cackled madly and rested on the massage table before her, draping a towel over her lower half. Quickly, the masseuse team got to work rubbing her back, whilst a single masseuse rubbed her feet.
"Ahh, that's the ticket." Emerald settled into the chai, allowing her eyes to flutter shut. "You know, today has been soooo stressful. I had to fire my nail artist." She raised her left hand, which still bore the slash of red polish. "Such a clumsy old hag."
"Thats rather unfortunate, miss." One masseuse quietly responded.
"I know, right? Thank god she's gone. She was a day away from kicking the bucket anyways."
At that rather awkward moment, the door to the spa opened, and the rest of Emerald's family strutted in. It consisted of her mother, father, and her younger brother, Silver.
"Hello, sweetie." Smiled Mr. Shine. "Are you enjoying your massage?"
"Actually, yes, I am. This team is quite skilled."
"Thats good to hear." He cleared his throat. "Anyways, pumpkin, we're leaving in a few moments, so you best finish up your massage..."
"Awh, daddy..." Moaned Emerald, who gazed at her father out of the corner of her eye. "Can't I just finish up this massage? It's soooo luxurious."
Mr. Shine glanced at his wife, who shrugged indignantly.
"...Of course, sweetheart! We'll be outside in the car when you're ready."
"Oh, thank you, daddy! You know, I'm going to need my skin to look extra soft when I head onstage..."
It took a moment for Emerald's parents to process what she'd just said. Of course, when they finally realized her intentions, there was an outburst of glee.
"Oh my goodness, Emerald...you're going to volunteer?" Asked Mr. Shine, excitement dancing in his eyes.
"Yes, Daddy! I'm going to win the games and make you guys proud!" Said Emerald triumphantly.
"What wonderful news, darling!" Crooned Mrs. Shine. "In that case, take all the time you need. We'll be in the car waiting."
"Thanks, mama! I'll be out soon!" The moment the family left the room, Emerald didn't hesitate to brag to her servants.
"Just imagine it all! The riches, the fame, the glory..." Emerald sighed as mountains of gold danced through her head, along with dreams of being interviewed, praised, ⎌and adored by the Capitol.
"I'll be the richest girl in the world! Well, if I'm not already " She giggled childishly, but then frowned. "Maybe them, I can hire a team of spa specialists that actually use their thumbs like I asked."
The team hastily began to rub Emerald's back with their thumbs, who smirked and settled back into her chair. Today was her day...her day to shine.
It took Emerald an astonishing 45 minutes to get ready. After her massage, she insisted on applying several thick layers of makeup, and dousing herself in a nauseating perfume that smelled of artificial passion fruit. Once she flounced outside, donned in a sparkly, pink translucent dress with matching heels, the family sped off in their fancy automobile.
"Emerald, I can't believe you're volunteering!" Piped Mr. Shine, who was so excited he could hardly drive. "Just think of it...your name and photograph alongside the Victors of the past! Mags Flanagan, Petra Doth, Susie Collins...soon, you'll be their bretheren!"
"It's a ticket to high society, winning these games" commented Mrs. Shine. "We can move to a luxurious mansion in the Capitol, attend the president's famous dinners...all you have to do is win!"
"Mom, Dad," Silver suddenly said, apparently jealous of the attention his sister was receiving. "When I get older...I think I'm going to volunteer, too!"
"Then you better start attending your training sessions, Silver." Scolded Mrs. Shine, who watched the color drain from her son's face. "Don't think you have us fooled, we know you've been sneaking off to the schoolyard every Saturday."
"I, uh..."
"Save it." Mrs. Shine told him, as the car slowly came to a stop. The family quickly exited the vehicle and glanced around, simultaneously ensuring that they were the best-dressed out of everyone there.
"Alright. Silver, Emerald, you'll head over to the bloodtesting lines, you should know where they are by now. Your mother and I are heading over to the spectator seating, we'll see you afterwards. Especially you, Emerald." He gave his daughter a wink, patted his son on the head, and strutted away, arm-in-arm with his wife.
Silver immediately turned and walked towards the boys' line, still fuming about the excess attention given to Emerald. Emerald herself could've cared less, though, and she simply flounced her way over to the girls' line. As she took her place, she was surprised to find that her best friend, Jewel, was directly in front of her.
"Jewel!" She tapped her on the shoulder, and Jewel instantly spun around.
"Oh, Emerald, darling!" She placed a friendly kiss on either of Emerald's cheeks. "How have you been?"
"Well, today is absolutely divine, considering that I'm going to volunteer!"
Jewel gasped."Oh my word, how splendid! You're wearing a marvelous outfit, too, everyone will love it. My mother," a dirty grimace grossed her face. "...has insisted that I wear this." She pointed to her gown, which Emerald thought suited her nicely. It was a little yellow sundress, patterned with white flowers, and completed with a white ribbon tied into a bow around the waist.
"What's wrong with it, Jewel? It looks like quite the charming little outfit, if I do say so myself."
"Look!" Jewels promptly pointed to her bodice, which was studded with...oh my...
"Buttons?" Hissed Emerald, gesturing towards the four white buttons that lined down the bodice.
"Yes, can you believe it? I look like a peasant in this getup!"
"Its alright, Jewel, you can take it off when this is over..."
"Arm."
"Oh, hush up, you hag." Muttered Jewel, who stuck out her hand to the doctor before her. Two stings later, Jewel and Emerald were walking hand-in-hand to the girls' half of the audience, taking their places between two girls from their school.
"Ugh, these women smell of sweat and unkempt teeth." Whispered Emerald.
"I know! Hopefully their breath doesn't suffocate us." Jewel quipped, and the two giggled in unison.
At that moment, the escort found her way onstage; Belinda Baubles, who of course was wearing a ridiculous neon patchwork dress.
"Good morning, District 1!" The audience instantly quieted themselves down, focusing their attention on the spectacle of a woman before them. "This is Belinda Baubles, coming to you all the way from the Capitol!"
"If I was her employer, frankly, I'd send her back!" Whispered Jewel, earning another giggle from Emerald.
"This year, two lucky ducks here will be chosen for the Hunger Games, alongside the chance to bring pride to your family...and your district!" The audience erupted into joyous cheering, and Belinda smiled.
"Wow, aren't you excited? Well, let's get to it, shall we? Ladies first!" Belinda chirped, and she strutted over to the crystal bowl holding the names of the ladies. For awhile, she fished about, passing certain slips over and doting over others, before finally making her choice.
"Glitt Barrows!"
"I volunteer!" Cried Emerald, who thrust her fist into the air. A rush of adrenaline filled her following these words, and she glanced at Jewel. Her best friend was smiling proudly at her, while the rest of the crowd gazed at her in curiosity.
Emerald tore her gaze away from her friend and ran upstage, almost laughing with joy. Once she took her place next to Belinda and her blonde locks had settled themselves over her shoulder, Belinda took the mic again.
"Ooh my, eager, aren't we? Young lady, might you tell us your name?" Belinda raised the microphone to Emerald' waiting lips.
"Emerald Shine!" She proudly proclaimed. "And I'm so, so thrilled to be here today!"
Belinda gave her a glaringly white smile. smile. "And we're thrilled to have you, Emerald."
The words reverberated through Emerald's body, and she was having a difficult time keeping still. Pure joy was coursing through her body, pumping her up and forcing a smile onto her face.
Perhaps Emerald would have stayed in her state of ecstasy forever, if the male tribute wasn't so...interesting.
She didn't even hear Belinda call his name. So, when the nameless stranger walked stiffly upstage, Emerald wished she'd been listening. It's not that she thought he was handsome, no...he was tall, muscular, and strong...she imagined driving a sword fight through his body, and the image was delectable. Blood pooling on the ground beneath him, the life slowly draining his eyes as Emerald stood over him, high and mighty...she couldn't help but lick her lips at the enchanting thought.
Once the male tribute took his place, Belinda finished off the reaping by saying, "Here they are, this year's District 1 tributes!" The audience broke into tumultuous applause once again, and Emerald couldn't help but laugh. This was the best day of her life!
Soon enough, peacekeepers seemed to materialize out of thin air, and they hurriedly escorted Emerald to a private meetup room. It offered her several places to so on the comfortable-looking furniture, but Emerald was much too excited to sit down.
Her family burst through the door, and Emerald wasted no time throwing herself into her father's arms.
"Oh, daddy, this is amazing!" She pried herself away. "I'm going to become famous!"
"Yes you are, my dear, yes you are." He smiled at his daughter, pride shimmering in his eyes. "Honey, do you have the-"
"Token?" Mrs. Shine smiled, pulling a golden bracelet from her dress pocket. "Why yes, yes I do." She carefully slid it onto her daughter's wrist, while Silver watched from behind.
"Oh, mother, it's beautiful! See the way it shines in the light!"
"It belonged to me once. Perhaps you may wear it during your interview."
"Of course I will, mother! And I'll be thinking of you all the while." Though she'd never liked her mother as much as she liked her father, Emerald threw herself into her mother's arms with a rush of joy.
The door opened once more, and in walked Jewel, smiling from ear to ear. The moment she caught sight of her friend, Emerald rushed over to her, planting a kiss on her nose.
"This is amazing, Jewel!"
"I know, Emmie, you're going to be a Victor! If anyone could win, it's you." She smiled faintly, before pulling a pen from the pocket of her dress.
"What're you doing?" Asked Emerald.
"You'll see." Replied Jewel, who took Emerald's forearm in her hand. With the pen, she carefully drew half of a heart on the exposed skin, handing the pen to Emerald afterwards.
"Now, you draw it on my arm." Emerald giggled and complied, drawing the heart's second half on Jewel's skin.
"This way, whenever we see the heart, we'll think of one another." Jewel explained, blushing lightly.
"What a fantastic idea!" Emerald praised her, admiring her own half of the heart. "You really are full of surprises, Jewel."
"Emerald, our time is nearly up, we best be going." Explained Mr. Shine. He wrapped his daughter in one final hug, before escorting his wife out the door. Jewel followed suit, casting one last glance at her best friend before turning the corner and heading away.
"Until then, my love!" Called Mr. Shine.
"Until then!" Emerald cried, who suddenly took notice of Silver still in the room.
"Silver, what's wrong? Why are you still here?"
He said nothing, instead keeping his head towards the ground.
"...Silver?" Emerald gently prodded his shoulder, and Silver's head shot up, his intense gaze heading into Emerald's wide eyes and freezing her in her place.
"I hope you die." He hissed, in a snake-like tone. Before Emerald could even comprehend what he'd said, Silver darted away, slamming the door behind him.
Oh, Silver, don't be so jealous.
Hey, everyone! More reaping chapters are on the way, I hope you liked this one!