I Play To Win

I'd Go To Hell And Back With You

Another Hunger Games. Another year of pain for innocent people that pay for the mistake of others. Pay with their lives and the life of their beloved ones. However, Alison couldn't help but agree that it was effective. All of that clearly kept people on "their place". But it really was brutal the way they put 24 kids locked away and make them fight to death. And she was terrified of that.

But not for herself. Not that she would ever admit that to anyone, she was terrified for Emily. They have been friends for ages now, and Emily has been the sweetest person she's ever come to meet. For the past years, their relationship have grown into something she never imagine it was possible in a world as they lived. Even though they were in a group of five girls, Alison always felt closer and more comfortable with Emily than any of the other girls.

She was ever amazed at how Emily could find (and bring) the beauty to a world as awful as the one they lived in. And she always insisted that, somehow, they would end up fine. She was big on happy endings. And Alison always told her that when she had the chance.

And it was because of that as well that Alison was always scared when that time of year came. Not for her. For Emily. Because how someone as sweet and as beautiful as Emily could be forced to participate on something so brutal and awful like that?

Alison remembers the last year when her brother was called to the Hunger Games and did not come back. That was when Alison decided life was too short to keep her feelings to herself. So she was twice as scared this time because of the events of last year and by the fact that they have finally admitted their feelings to each other, so they were finally together as Alison always wanted. As both always wanted. This was their last year. Alison could not afford to lose Emily, not now.

She couldn't bear the thought of losing Emily. They have known each other for so long that Alison could literally not imagine a life with no Emily Fields.

She pressed herself a little bit closer to Emily at that thought. The usual movie that they played every year had just stopped playing. Alison searched for Emily's hand. Emily gave her a look from the corner of her eyes and Alison returned with that usual mocking look, as she was bored to be there. She couldn't let Emily see how scared she truly was.

But Emily knew her better than that. So the brunette just tangled their fingers together and squeezed Alison's hand softly.

Alison knew Emily better too. The brunette looked calm on the outside, but Alison could feel how nervous she really was.

The voice from the lady from the Capitol – who's name Alison never bothered to remember – filled the whole square on district 12. She was about to announce the unfortunate girl who was going to play on the games this year.

Alison held her breath and felt Emily do the same on her side, when the woman reached for the bowl containing the girls names. Alison remembered every single time she had stood on that same place waiting to hear her name being called. Which never came to happened.

The woman stood there holding the name on her hand and Alison felt like running away grasping at Emily's hand.

"Emily Fields" The voice of the Capitol woman filled the whole square again and Alison felt like she was going to pass out. Her eyes were fixed on the woman still.

No. It couldn't be. Not her Emily. Not her sweet Emily. Her mind couldn't register. Her whole body was in denial. She only looked at her right, where Emily was standing, when the woman called her for a second time.

Emily was even worse than her. Her tan skin had lost color. Her eyes were filled with horror and surprise. Yet somehow, Emily managed to let go of Alison's hand and pass in front of her to step on her left on the passageway to the little stage in front of the square.