imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

f i f t y - s i x

Part Three: The One

This time we're in the Great Room enduring another etiquette lesson when the bricks come flying through the window. Esim immediately hits the ground and starts crawling for the side door, whimpering as she goes. Glimmer lets out a high-pitched scream and bolts towards the back of the room, barely escaping a shower of glass. Delly grabs my arm, pulling me, and I break into a run along side of her as we make our way towards the exit.

"Hurry, ladies!" Effie cries.

Within seconds, the guards have lined up at the windows and are firing, and the bursts of sound echo in my ears as we flee. Whether they come with guns or stones, anyone showing the smallest level of aggression within sight of the palace will die. There's no more patience left for these attacks.

"I hate running in these shoes," Delly mutters, a heap if dress draped over her arm, eyes focusing on the end of the hall.

"One of us is going to have to get used to it," Glimmer says, her breathing labored.

I roll my eyes. "If it's me, I'll wear boots every day. I'm already over this."

"Less talking, more moving!" Effie yells.

"How do we get downstairs from here?" Esim asks.

"What about Peeta?" Delly huffs. I almost roll my eyes. Of course I'm worried about Peeta, but I didn't realize bringing him up every two seconds was apart of it.

Effie doesn't answer. We follow her through a maze of hallways, looking for a path to the basement, watching as guard after guard runs in the opposite direction. I find myself admiring their courage.

The guards passing us are completely indistinguishable from one another until that set of gray eyes focuses on mine. Gale doesn't look afraid or even startled. There's a problem, and he's on his way to fix it. That's simply who he is.

Our gaze is brief, but it's enough. It's like I'm with Gale. In a split second, without a word, I can tell him 'Be careful and stay safe.'

He'd answer 'I know, just take care of yourself.'

While I can easily be at peace with the things we don't need to say, I have no such luck with the things we say out loud. Out last conversation wasn't exactly a happy one. I had been about to leave the palace and had asked him to give me some space to get over The Selection. And then I'd ended up staying and giving him no explanation why.

Maybe his patience with me is falling short, his ability to only see the best in me running dry. Somehow I will have to fix that. I can't see a life for me that doesn't include Gale. Even now, as I hope Peeta will choose me, a world without Gale feels unimaginable.

"Here it is!" Effie calls, pushing a mysterious panel in the wall.

We start down the stairs, Esim and Effie heading the charge.

"Damn it, Esim, pick up the pace!" Glimmer yells. I want to be irritated that she had said that, but I know we're all thinking the same thing.

As we descend into the darkness, I try to reconcile myself to the hours that will be wasted, hiding like mice. We continue on, the sound of our escape covering the shouts until one man's voice rings out right on top of us.

"Stop!" he yells.

Delly and I turn together, watching as the uniform becomes clear. "Wait," Delly calls to the girls below "It's a guard."

We stand on the steps, breathing heavily. He finally reaches us, gasping himself.  "Sorry, ladies. The rebels ran as soon as the shots were fired. Weren't in the mood for a fight today, I guess."