𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘'𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 𝐍.𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐗𝐓𝐎𝐍 |

chapter twelve | welcome to the 76th hunger games

THIRD PERSON POV

Going out to dinner wasn't new to the group. In fact, they used to do it all the time on Wednesdays and Fridays when they were in college, and they also tried to make time for them to do it during the week depending on how hectic their week was.

Seeing as though Autumn had the worst day possible, they all made it their business to put disagreements, pettiness, and drama aside and be there for her so that they could have a good time and take her mind off of the entire situation that had transpired in the short span of 7 hours.

Everyone had decided to eat at one of Autumn's favorite restaurants to eat—Olive Garden, but because the restaurant seemed to be packed, they had to wait to be seated at a table, so they were given a round timer that would go off when there was a table made available to them.

As the group waited outside, it was no secret that there was tension in the air. It was so thick that you could cut the tension with a knife.

Between Autumn being out of it and in a daze, the awkward tension between Josh and Penelope, Paisley being annoyed and silently tapping at her phone sending angry texts to Nic, Ivy and Josiah huddled in a corner plotting out the several ways they can hide a body, and Donte and Wynslow's tension, the group was practically off balance in such a way that they didn't understand.

Of course, they had moments in their friendship where they might have not gotten along for a certain amount of time, but they always bounced back within a day or so. This, on the other hand, had gone on for weeks before this Autumn ordeal, and nobody truly understood how to handle it because it was so many emotions swirling around at one time between different people.

"How are you feeling?" Josh asks Autumn.

Autumn looked up at Josh as if she had just noticed that he was present and shrugged her shoulders as a nonverbal response. She hadn't felt like speaking.

In moments like this, or moments where she felt as if she had no control, she felt as if it was best to just not say anything. Speaking only made things worse in her eyes, even if it was with someone she trusted with her life.

Josh nodded. "I get it," he says. "Look, what everyone is saying isn't true and we all know it. Hell, you know it, too. Nic knows he's wrong. He's being nonchalant as a defensive tactic. But, don't let this weigh you down, you know? Or stop you from having a good time with us. Just know that, I'm here and we're all here when you're ready to talk about things."

Once again, Autumn nodded her head, but this time she gave Josh a small smile. She noticed that Josh hadn't been himself lately, and she didn't know why, but she also knew that he needed to talk about it as well.

Josh wasn't the type of guy to keep things bottled up inside of him. He communicated his emotions whether they were good or bad or not so easy to comprehend.

Something told Autumn that whatever was going on with Josh was that whatever he was feeling was Penelope related based off how he was in a constant slump—only Penelope had that effect on him.

"Are you okay?" Autumn asks him.
Josh shrugged. "I guess so," He says with a chuckle. "When have things not been complicated with me and Pen?"

"What ha—."

"So you guys just came to Olive Garden and not invite us?"