Andrea and Daryl sat together on the couch with Deana sitting behind them. "Your scores are coming up and then the next night the talk show. They give you one night of rest and you'll be sent out there. You both have got this. I know you'll be fine."
Daryl got up and began to pace as people were beginning to get their numbers.
"We decided this year to work backwards. From district twelve to one," Caesar spoke happily as they began to work down.
Shane was given a ten and Lori a six. Aaron also got a six, Maggie an eight. Daryl squeezed Andrea's hand tightly as their scores came up. "I told you I failed." Andrea whimpered as a five popped up for her score.
"It's okay." Daryl whispered softly, hugging her carefully. "It's okay."
"Daryl. Look at your score!" Deana yelled, surprised by the number that popped up. Daryl looked up. "I've never seen an eleven before."
Daryl's head shot up looking directly at the screen, the highest he had ever seen before was a ten. Daryl's hands shook, he was a target now. More numbers continued a mix of high and low but the highest was his own. Philip received a ten, Daryl murmured softly as he began to pace, this wasn't possible. No one from district ten had ever received higher than an eight and now he, a nobody from district ten, received an eleven. "An eleven?"
"You got an amazing score."
"There is a target on my head now." Daryl whispered softly. "More than before."
"You're going to be just fine."
"Philip and Shane got the second highest scores and they both want me dead."
"Everyone wants you dead, us dead." Andea muttered. "Now I've got closest to the lowest score and you've got the highest. A great pair."
"That isn't helping Andrea."
Andrea frowned. "I dropped all the knives, then when I went to throw them it just didn't turn out right."
"You'll be okay." Deana promised. "I don't think it will be that big of a deal, clearly they think you're good. Great even, that means you have a very good chance of winning."
"I may seem okay but I genuinely am extremely worried about all of this. I don't think I feel better that I got a high score."
"You should, and I feel better knowing you are going to be helping take care of me. Same with the little one we promised to protect from district 4. Cyndie, isn't it?"
"Yes Cyndie, I'm glad you feel better cause it doesn't make me feel better." He continued to pace back and forth. Andrea and Deana watched him as he paced, his palms grew sweaty and his hands shook. "This is bad.. Bad.."
"It's a good thing, and even if it isn't a good thing right now it will be. Just don't let anyone else know you think it's a bad thing."
"Why?"
"If they think you aren't excited about the number you got well people may not be so inclined to support you during the games."
Daryl continued to pace. "Ah.. the support.. That's what's important."
"It is important, really important." Deana argued.
"I'm aware that to you it is important. The important thing to me is not being a target, I already was one and now it's worse."
"It could be better," Andrea agreed, "but everyone is already rooting for you. Knowing you have such a high score people are going to be excited to see you killing in the games."
"Great, yeah okay… sure. Fuck!" Daryl kicked over one of the hay bales which sent a chicken shaped flower pot shattering on the ground.
"Daryl!"
"This is not okay! Any score but an eleven or a twelve would have been great!" He yelped as he continued to pace back and forth with a groan.
"It's going to be okay, I promise. Really, you are going to be just fine. The games begin in four days, we have the talk show in two. This gives you a few more days to relax, think, and plan. You will be fine." Deana promised.
Daryl rolled his eyes, it was easy for her to say things would be easy when she wasn't the one dying. He continued to pace until Andrea left the room and returned with a plate full of treats he had seemed to enjoy from previous fridge trips.
Daryl smiled softly at her and sat back, they had been enjoying food much more then usual knowing very well that in the games there is a chance that they won't find much food. He was curious what the game's terrain would be. If it was forested or water based, he began to breathe heavily as he thought while enjoying the meat and sweets on the plate before him.
"We will be okay," Andrea promised, Deana had left the room and she decided it was a good time to speak to Daryl about something she felt was important. "Daryl, if either of us are going to live, it's you. I want it to be you, but your score is an extension of who you are and your power. Fuck anyone who thinks you're a target becasue you're good but remember this is a fight for survival. Yoru score is going to scare the hell out of anyone who is lower than you and that's on purpose. Use that fear to your advantage, use it to keep yourself alive. I want you to live, I want you to be the one who gets to go home and have both of those boys who want and love you. I want you to be able to live here in the capital if you want to and raise a family." She beamed.
"Andrea I…"
"I'm not worried, I promise.. I'm scared to die, yes, but I know if I do you'll be the one who leaves the arena."
Daryl tried not to show emotion, he took a deep breath and hugged her. The blonde seemed to disappear under his frame. "I'm going to do my best to keep you safe. I promise… I know that if it's us two one of us will have to die but I won't kill you."
"Good, I won't be killing you either so they'll have to figure it out on their own won't they?"
Daryl smirked. "Yes, we aren't their pawns."
Andrea giggled through tears, Daryl was breaking down and the two sat in the silence of their room sobbing into one another arms.
