Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 6

"R-really?" Is all I can muster up to say. My voice comes out hoarse and scratchy.

He just nods in response, and gestures for me to sit back down.

There is a thick tension in the air as I sit up and return to my spot beside James.

"Dude, that was incredible! You didn't break a sweat! No one else lasted that long." He whispers to me.

"I don't know how I did that" I respond quietly.

After a minute or so, the man comes and stands in front of us. "To those of you who passed, congratulations. To those who failed, Sage will be in contact with you. You're next test will commence after you have partnered up with another player, approximately 1 week until you enter The Ring. Until then, you can use this room to practice. You are free to go to dinner now." He walks away, and everyone breaks off into their cliques as we head towards the dining hall.

James and I walk towards the door, just like everyone else. "Hey, Cove!" a feminine voice calls from my left. I turn my head and notice it's the girl from Block 6 with red hair. Audrey.

"Hello." I smile at her.

"I just wanted to say that you did really well. I think you surprised us all. You won by a long shot!."

"Oh, thanks. I guess I got lucky".

"Nah, I think you've got a hidden talent." she replies, nudging my arm as she does.

"I guess I'm not entirely useless then." is all I can say before she's whisked away by the boy from Block 6. She laughs at him, and waves back to me as he practically drags her to the dining hall. It's nice to see that people are making friends here. I try not to think about the fact that they probably won't make it out of The Games.

It's the first time someone other than James has bothered to speak to me in a way that isn't condescending. It's nice.

Me and James stand in the queue for our food and then sit at our usual spot. We eat in silence for about a minute.

"Ok but seriously, how did you do that" he asks, finally looking up from his food and straight into my eyes.

"Do what?" I respond before shovelling a fork full of mash potato into my mouth.

"You know exactly what I mean. You didn't even flinch. You were in that dream for 5 minutes, and the only reason you even woke up was because Dr. Doolittle in the white coat here had to wake you up himself!"

"Dr. Who?" I ask, blatantly ignoring his question.

"Cove, come on." He sighs

"I don't know, I'm just better at the emotional stuff than the physical stuff. I've always been good in that way I guess"

"Like an emotionally intelligent genius?"

"Well now that's a stretch-"

"Hey there grasshopper." my conversation with James is interrupted by Peter who goes to his spot with the guy and girl from Block 3 again, about 5 seats down from us.

"Good job today. Didn't know you had it in you. It's a shame all that emotional intelligence is gonna go to waste" he adds in a sleazy tone before munching into his sloppy looking food.

"Thanks" is all I say before hanging my head down and continuing to eat my potatoes.

"Hey" James says quietly. "Don't let them take advantage of you, ok?"

I nod back at him.

"Good. Ok, I'm gonna go back to the guy's dorm room now if that's ok with you. I know that dream wasn't real, but I swear that kick in the head has given me a headache." James pouts as he reaches to massage the left side of his head and side-eyes Milaus sitting a few tables down from us.