Surviving the Odds (Sequel to DTO)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Asher

I sit on the soft ground outside Layla's house and look out into the nature around me. If I look far enough out, the ocean sits squarely in the distance with the sun glinting brightly off of its reflective surface. Few trees crowd the area around me, making it hard for me to swallow my homesickness. Nothing here is like District Seven. The ground is covered by tall, coarse grass and white sand—something I've never really seen before now. At home, the grass is short and thick and soft.

I lay down on the ground, my back flush against the sand, and relax. I lean my head back and open my eyes to the sky. I guess I was wrong before. The sky here is almost like the one I'm used to back home. The blue is the same. The clouds are the same. For a moment, I let myself forget where I am.

But the moment is gone too soon.

"Asher?" Layla's sweet voice pulls me from my mind and roots me back to reality. I sit up and turn my head towards her. The evening sun highlights her blond hair and I'm mesmerized, just like the first time I saw her.

"Hmm?"

"Whatcha doin?" Layla says lightly. She walks over to where I sit and plants herself on the ground beside me.

"I just came out here to think, I guess." I say without making eye contact with her.

She leans over and nudges me lightly with her shoulder.

"Think about what?" she says. "You can tell me, I'm good at keeping secrets." A small smile lights up her face and my heart flutters at the sight of it.

I sigh heavily. "It's so different here, from home." I say and look over to Layla. "What are we doing, Layla? I mean, do you still want me here?"

"Asher, that's a stupid question. Of course I want you here, I've already told you that."

"You've been distant, love." I look into her blue eyes, so much like the color of the ocean waves. "Don't misread this. I want to be here, with you. But when I touch you—I just, I don't know."

She brings her knees to her chest and wraps her small arms around them. My heart hurts at how broken she looks.

"I know. I'm sorry." Is all she says. I turn my body fully towards her then, concern the main emotion coursing through me.

"I don't want you to apologize. Just talk to me. Don't shut me out."

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything then. But let me be here for you." I say and start to pull her into my arms, but I stop and look to her to see if she's okay with it. She snuggles into my arms in acceptance.

"I just feel so...helpless. Like I have no control. And when I was re-watching the games I felt so ashamed of how stupid I looked through everything. I made myself look like some shallow, whiny teenage girl who couldn't take care of herself without someone there to save her. I don't want to be that pathetic girl in those games anymore."

"You are anything but pathetic, Layla. You're strong and it hurts to see that you don't see how strong you are."

"But that's the thing I didn't feel strong in those games when you weren't there. I only felt strong when you were there and I don't want someone else defining my strength."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with needing someone else to keep you strong." I pull her closer to me so her back is flush against my chest. I miss this closeness. "I know that I would never have survived the games if I didn't have you."