A Game Of Pawns

Chapter 14

The three of us walked in a sloppy line, Saris led the pack and I took the rear. We didn't have a destination, which felt weird to me, but it didn't seem to bother either of my teammates. Maybe this was normal. I stared at Demi's back as we walked and tried to think of something to say. Why was it that every time I wanted to talk to a cute girl, my brain locked up?

"How long have you two been teamed up?" Demi's question broke the silence, saving me from having to come up with a topic of conversation.

I answered with record speed, beating Saris to the punch so that he couldn't reveal anything embarrassing about my training. "About a week. How long have you been teamed....uhh..." I almost face palmed. I had done the classic "you too" when someone tells you to have a good birthday or a nice vacation.

"A couple hours," she said with a laugh. "If you were trying to ask how long I've been alone, I wanna say it's been three rounds."

"Wow! That's really uhhh....well....it's kinda....mm." I said, my mouth running ahead of my brain."

"Wow," Demi said and I heard Saris snort in amusement. "You're really great with words, huh?"

Well..." I started, ready to defend myself and realized there was no point. I had already made a fool of myself and didn't want to make it worse. "Yeah, okay. Sorry."

She turned around and gave me a quick smile before turning back. "It's okay. I get that way sometimes too."

"Really?"

"Nope. Just trying to make you feel better."

I sighed as we rounded another corner. I was really destroying my chances with her. Girls didn't go for blubbering idiots. Tommy has a girl. How did he manage that? What would he do in this situation? Compliment her like crazy? That seems a bit too forward. Show off his other skills? I rolled my eyes. Oh yeah, I'm sure she'd want to know all about my video game addiction. As the silence stretched I became more and more anxious. I couldn't let her think I was a total loser. I had to say something. The pressure to start the conversation built up inside me like steam in a kettle and eventually, I burst out with the first thing that came to mind. "Why attack us last night?" I blurted, then immediately hung my head. That's not what Tommy would do! That's not how to get on a girl's good side! Yeah, remind her that we were enemies a couple hours ago, that'll get her thinking that you're cute and that she doesn't mind that you're shorter than her, ya big doofus! I sighed.

"What do you mean? That's kind of the point to this whole thing."

"But, I mean, there were two of us. I guess technically there were two of you, but not really, right? Isn't it more risky for you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Saris asked, testing me. I racked my brain for an impressive answer to try to gain some cool points back, but I could think of nothing. Best not to say anything rather than make myself look more of a fool. Saris continued at my awkward silence, "You were asleep and she effectively surrounded us. She probably thought that she could take you out, then double up on me."

Demi held up a finger. "Bingo. That's kind of how scavengers work. If you can't find someone alone, you take a small team out while they're trying to sleep. You might have to deal with someone on watch, but that's the risk you take."

I considered what she said and wondered what would've happened if I had been the one keeping watch when she had arrived. Would Saris and I be dead right now? "Any other tips on the game?" I scolded myself yet again for asking another lame question. I wanted to get to know her, not pick her brain about how she approaches each cycle. At the same time, I didn't want to stop talking with her. I had to say something.