imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

f o r t y - e i g h t

I take all my meals in my room for the next two days, managing to avoid Delly until dinner today. I thought maybe I wouldn't feel so awkward by now. I was wrong. We give each other quiet smiles, but I can't bring myself to speak. I almost wish I'm across the room sitting between Glimmer and Esim. Almost.

Just before dessert is served, Effie comes sprinting in as fast as her heeled shoes can carry her. Her curtsy is particularly brief before she makes her to the queen and whispers something to her.

The queen gasps and runs with Effie out of the room, leaving us alone.

We'd been taught to never raise our voices, but in this moment, we can't help ourselves.

"Does anyone know what's going on?" Glimmer calls, abnormally concerned.

"You don't think they're hurt, do you?" Esim says.

"Oh, no," Delly breathes, and puts her head down on the table.

"It's okay, Delly. Have some pie," Nina offers.

I find myself speechless, afraid to even think about what this can mean.

"What if they were captured?" Delly worries aloud.

"I don't think the New Asians would do that," Esim says, although I can see she's worried. I'm not sure if her concern is strictly for Peeta's safety or because any aggression on the part of the people she has a connection with will ruin her chances.

"What if their plane went down?" Glimmer says quietly. I look up, and am surprised to see genuine fear on her face. It's enough to silence us all.

What if Peeta is dead?

The queen and Effie return, and we all watch them eagerly. To our intense relief, Effie beams. "Good news, ladies! The king and prince will be home tonight!" Effie sings. Nina claps as Delly and I simultaneously fall back into our chairs. I hadn't realized how tense my body was for those few minutes. "Since they've had such an intense few days, we've decided to forgo any big celebration. Depending when they leave New Asia, we might not even see them before bedtime."

They leave the room without saying anything else, and Delly leaves a few minutes later. Maybe she's making a welcome home card.

After that I eat quickly and make my way back upstairs. As I walk down the hall towards my room, I see a little flash of red hair under a white cap and the fluttering black skirt of a maid's uniform running towards the far-side stairs. It's Annie, and it sounds like she's crying. She looks like she's trying hard to get away unnoticed, so I don't call after her. Rounding to the corner of the hall, and into my room, I see that my door is wide-open. Without it to block their voices, Tig and Stacy's argument spills into the hallway, where I overhear everything.

"- why you have to be so hard on her," Stacy complains.

"What am I supposed to tell her? That she can have whatever she wants?" Tig shoots back.

"Yes! What would the harm be in simply saying you have faith in her?"

What's going on? Is this why they have seemed so distant lately?

"She aims too high!" Tig accuses. "It would have been unkind of me to give her false hope."

Stacy's voice bleeds with sarcasm. "Oh, and everything you told her was so kind. You're just bitter!" she accuses.

"What?"

"You're bitter. You can't stand the fact that she might be closer to something you want then you are," Stacy yells. "You've always looked down on Annie because she wasn't raised at the palace as long as you were and have been jealous of me because I was born here. Why can't you be happy with who you are instead of stepping on her to make yourself feel better?"