Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 7

That night, I laid awake replaying Billie and I's conversation over and over. I hadn't spoken to her since. The only interaction we had was when I came into the girl's sleeping dorm and she looked over as she was walking towards her bed.

I still don't know if she's telling the truth. How do I know this isn't one big prank on me? All of the players could be in on it. A master plan to humiliate the runt of the litter.

But she didn't seem to think of me like that. She spoke to me like I was competent. Like she doesn't see me as a waste of time.

But maybe she does and she's just lying to me.

I audibly groan as I toss and turn in my bed. My own thoughts are giving me a headache and making me feel so restless. I'm not gonna get any sleep if I carry on thinking like this, which will most certainly bite me in the ass tomorrow when I have to be up for training.

I decide to just lay on my back, close my eyes and wait for sleep to take over. Thankfully a few hours later, it finally does.

~

Sage's notably large grin greets us as we enter the training room.

"Welcome players. Please go straight to the station you wish to work at today". He says with a smile plastered on his face. Without reason, I still don't trust him.

I wait for Billie to come in so I can ask her which station she wants to work on, so we can get a head start on training together. When she comes through the door, I send her a smile and walk toward her.

"Hey Billie, what do you wanna work on-"

I'm cut off as she brushes right past me and makes her own way toward the knife throwing station. That seems a little rude, but then again she's not exactly the most bubbly person I've ever met.

I wait for a second until I decide to follow her there. The girl from Block 2, Nikki, is also there.

"What the hell was that?" I chuckle lightly as I approach Billie.

"Go to a different station" she mumbles, not even glancing at me. I look at her confused.

"What? But I thought-"

"I don't care what you thought. Move."

I furrow my brows in shock.

"Right. Got it." I say defensively before deciding to head back to camouflage.

I plop myself down on the floor and start painting on a fresh canvas while I quietly mope to myself.

What is she doing? Did I just imagine our conversation yesterday? Am I going insane?

Or maybe I was right. Maybe she was just joking.

After about an hour of sitting at camouflage by myself, I work up the courage to move stations. I slowly walk over to archery, where I see Audrey and the other boy from Block 6.

I clear my throat before I go over to them.

"Hi Audrey, do you think I could have a try?"

"Oh, Cove! You scared the shit out of me" she laughs. "Don't you know not to creep up on a person with a weapon?" She jokes as she holds up the bow and arrow in her hand.

"Sorry" I chuckle.

"You're fine. This is Matthew. Be warned, he's strangely good at this." She laughs as she leans her arm on his shoulder.

Matthew waves at me, which relaxes me a little. It's comforting to know that not everyone here sees me as dirt on the back of their shoe.

I grab a spare bow and arrow and aim for the target. Just as I'm about to shoot, I hear Sage's voice approaching us.