Then There Were Five

Chapter 12

Chapter 12--Liam

I stood, listening to the announcer talk about the rules for training.  Although I should have been paying attention, my mind was set in another world, another, time, another life.  My mind began to daze, until all I could see in front of me was  ablur of images, and voices became muffled, eventually inaudible. I was set place in the day that Danielle returned from District 11....

Madison, my lab partner in chemistry, was droning away about something I really didn't care about. Was it what we were supposed to be doing?  I could care less.  My mind was on Danielle, as always. I couldn't concentrate on how many valence electrons were on the outside ring of the oxygen atom because I could only think about the chemistry Danielle and I could have. That may have been cheesy, but that's all I oculd honestly think about.

"....I don't know about you," she said. "But I am honestly dreading Danielle's return."

That caught my attention.  My ears sprang up.  I turned my head sharply toward her. "Why would you dread it?"

"Weren't you listening?" she said with a laugh. "I said that she wasn't all that great of a person.  Ever since she left, I've been hearing rumors that she's changed into one of those sassafrass bitches that come out of District 11."

For some reason, I got a bit angry.  I'd been hearing those same rumors, but didn't believe them to be true. "But those are just rumors," I huffed, turning back to my notebook.

"I have a feeling that their true.." she said, going back to her notebook.

The bell rang, and everyone left, including Madison, leaving me alone to pick up our lab area.

"Hey, Liam," I heard a small voice say.  I turned and found....Danielle.

"Hey, Danielle," I said, holding back my excitement. I heard her heals clack against the tile as she walk over to me.

"I haven't talked to you in, what, a year?" she said with a small laugh. I laughed with her.

"Yeah,"

"So how have you been?" she asked.

"I've been okay," I replied, which was nearly a complete lie. I had missed her a lot, but I wouldn't tell her that.  We weren't close enough to make that bold of a statement.

"That's good," she said. This moment right here made me believe that she had never changed.

Boy was I ever wrong.

I felt a poke on my shoulder....

I flinched a bit, turning my head to whoever did it.  Beside me stood a girl who looked about a couple of years younger than me, with long blonde hair.

"You alright?" she said.

"Uh, yeah," I said, a bit confused with myself.  Was I alright?

"Sorry to bother you, but you looked like you were about to burst into tears.  I just came to check up on you."

"Thanks,"

"You're welcome," she held out her hand. "I'm Addy."

"Liam," I responded, reaching for her hand.  We shook hands for a second, before a thought dawned on me.

"Have you seen my partner?" I asked her.

"Who?"

"Danielle Peazer?"

"Oh! I think while you were in your...daze she wondered off with a couple other guys toward the sword throwing station.  Or whatever."

"Thanks," I said, turning to run off toward the station where she told me.  I'd have to give her a proper thank you later, but right now I needed to get to Danielle...