From Broken Branches to New Roots

Chapter 7: New Opportunities

Miriam had watched Alec's group sitting and talking. He had risen up from the table as Riya and Yul broke away from the table at the same time, huffing and puffing. She knew they were talking about their group's activities. She knew everyone else knew that they were all together in a group now.

Before she could think of what to do, she was met with a familiar face. It was Jake.

"Oh, hey Jake." Miriam weakly smiled.

He sighed and sat down, only a bottle of grape juice and a cinnamon coffee muffin on his plate. It seemed he wasn't hungry that much.

"Are you okay?" She frowned at him.

Jake nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I'm okay, it's just been difficult to talk to Tom." He told her, opening up his bottle and taking a short sip.

"How so?" She raised an eyebrow.

"He told me he has a boyfriend already." Jake told her, a frown still on his face.

Miriam seemed surprised.

"Really?"

"U-Uh huh." Jake tried to hold himself from crying. Miriam tried to keep quiet as she noticed Alec and Grett outside talking.

It appeared that Grett wasn't doing well. She looked back at Jake and then an idea occurred to her. But perhaps it felt too forced, she didn't know what to say exactly to Jake.

This could be their only chance.

"Hey Jake,"

Jake looked up from staring at his muffin and seemed upset still.

"Yeah?"

"You need a distraction, and this game will be more difficult now that you've found out about the alliance, right?"

Jake nodded slowly.

"You're right, I do need a distraction, but I can't think of anything else."

Miriam noticed Grett walking away from Alec a little upset.

"Remember that you need to form alliances too, and it looks like Grett's a good opportunity." Miriam told Jake softly.

Jake was taken back and seemed unsure.

"I don't know, she doesn't seem to like us? And remember last season? She even helped Fiore."

Miriam nodded.

"I was part of her alliance before she went onto the other team, remember?" She spoke softly, taking a sip from her orange juice. "Perhaps you should talk to her, try and become friends? She looks like she could use it."

Jake thought quietly to himself.

"If we take it down to three members, it'd be easier to do challenges, and then merge." Jake thought to himself.

"Yes, but you have to do it now. Yul wouldn't care, Riya looks like she has better things to do, and even Alec has his eyes off her with this sudden Fiore situation."

Again Jake thought about it. The possibilities of using Grett to help him and Ashley further into the game. He nodded once more and grabbed his muffin.

"Thanks Miriam, I'm going to try and do my best."

"It's not a problem." Miriam smiled as she watched the boy leave to speak to Grett.

Jake was making his way to the bus until he bumped into Ashley. She had been on a walk to burn out his energy a little.

"Hey Jake, where are you goin' with that muffin?" She asked him, looking at the pastry.