Location Nowhere Destination Unknown [Discontinued]

What Can We Do?

Sam was the first familiar face I came across while running. I ran to him and, without slowing down, threw myself into a hug. He fell back and hit the ground. I couldn't stop myself from crying.

"Hey, what was that about?" He asks. "Get up!" I refused. He then finally realised something was wrong. "Did something happen? Get up. What's wrong?"

I can't bring myself to move off of him. All of these emotions are overwhelming. I just want comfort. I was pulled off of him anyway. Sam stands back up.

"What happened?" Paul asks.

I can't bring myself to say anything. I cover my face. He puts a hand on my shoulder. I throw myself onto him, burying my face into his chest. After a moment, he pats my head.

"Do you want to talk?" Sam slowly asks.

All I can do is shake my head.

"Want to. . . go somewhere?" He asks.

After a moment, I nod. I was dragged back to the room. It took a while to calm down. Sam was completely clueless on what to do. Paul had an idea, but it wasn't the best.

He made a flower crown and put it on my head.

"What's that about?" Sam eventually asked.

"My mom always did it when I was sad," he explains. "I thought it would help. She just needs to be hugged." Neither of them move. "Sam, hug her."

A moment passes before he, instead, asks me, "So what happened?"

It took a lot to keep myself from crying again long enough to say something. "She's a huge jerk!" I began to cry again.

"Who?" They both ask at the same time.

"Big Blue," I whine.

The two share a look.

"What did she do?" Sam hesitantly asks.

I didn't say anything for a while. I couldn't. I just cried harder. How would I even tell him that I'm the prize for the Tournament? Just thinking about it makes me want to crawl into a hole and die.

"What happened?" He asks again, more seriously.

I began to stammer, trying to figure out how to say it. "I'm the prize!" I finally say.

"The prize?" He murmurs.

"For the Tournament?" Paul exclaims.

I nod.

"What's wrong with her?"

"That's something I wouldn't expect," Sam slowly whispers.

"She is so messed up anyway, I'm honestly not surprised that's something she'll do."

Sam says nothing and stares at the wall.

"What am I going to do?" I murmur, wiping my face.

"Piss off hundreds of people and sneak you out as soon as possible?" Paul suggests.

"Can we?" Sam angrily asks. "We've been trying all week. She knows she's trying to sneak out. Now that she's. . . She's a prize, I doubt it'll be any easier!"

Nothing is said for a while. Both of them are thinking.

"We have the week to keep trying. When the Tournament start, we should then figure something out," Paul says. "Who knows, maybe there will be something to help us."

Sam only nods. Not much more was said. Paul soon left and eventually Sam and I settled down. The next day, I refused to leave bed. Sam was hesitant to leave me alone but eventually did when Paul dragged him off for breakfast.