The whole day was me just answering all of Grace's questions, and watching movies. Not any important ones, just ones about what kind of food I ate. But, it's nice being back. Grace, no matter how much I make fun of her, is a really good friend. She's sweet, understanding, and funny. She's the kind of person you want to be around.
James came into our room to take her away. "Grace, it's Connor's turn." She frowns at him. "But why? We were having fun!" She protests. "You have things to do." He responds. She sticks out her tongue, but gets up and leaves regardless.
She mutters something about it being unfair before leaving. James chuckles and follows her out. Connor walks in and takes her place.
"So. You're my new babysitter?" I ask. He smiles. "Maybe." He says smugly. "Movies, huh?" He says motioning to the TV. "The Hunger Games," I tell him. "Which one?" He asks. "The first one of course," I tell him. I see the color drain from his face. "But doesn't Rue..." He says. I nod. "It's too sad. We can watch everything but that." He tells me. "That's not fair to Rue! How is that honoring her legacy?" I tell him grabbing the remote. He takes it from me. "But I'll cry." He protests. "Really?" I ask. He nods sheepishly. "That's adorable," I tell him. He continues to grasp the remote and stare at me. "But I wanna see it," I said grinning.
I take the remote out of his hand. He tries to take it back but I just move it away from him. I fast forward to the part where Katniss is bombing the food.
I look over to see Connor watching through his hands. He looks over to me and sticks out his tongue at me. I stick mine out back at him. He laughs and so do I, but we both immediately return our focus to the screen.
He isn't watching through his hands by the time we get to Katniss hearing Rue call her. Connor takes an audible breath in, knowing what happens next. I look over at him. He shakes his head at me. "If I'm watching, so are you." He says motioning towards the TV. I return my focus to the screen.
By the time Katniss cuts Rue out of the net, I see tears running down Connor's face. When Rue asks for Katniss to sing for her, more tears flow from Connor's eyes. At the end of the part, Connor turns to me.
"That was sad." He says, wiping his eyes. "Aw!" I say putting my arm on his shoulders. "Here," I say, rewinding the movie to where Rue is alive again. I put my chin on his shoulder as we watch Rue devour her food. Connor laughs a little. "See?" I ask. He nods. "Alive Rue is much better." He says. I giggle.
"Would you do that for me?" He asks. "Which part? The part where Katniss gives Rue her food? No." I joke. He laughs and shakes his head. "The singing part." He says. "My singing isn't very comforting, but if you wanted me to, I'd do it," I answer. He smiles. "Same." I smile too.
We finish the Hunger Games movie, and it's about three o'clock when we decide to start the Catching Fire, the next movie in the franchise. It was five-thirty when we started the third movie, Mockingjay Part 1. It was eight when we started the fourth movie, Mockingjay Part 2. Around ten at night we were finished.
During Mockingjay Part one, Grace joined us again. Towards the end of Mockingjay Part 1, Devon joined us. So everyone basically, besides Evan. Evan doesn't like the Hunger Games. Crazy, I know. Devon left at the end of Mockingjay Part 2, and Grace fell asleep in the middle of Part 2.
Connor and I were left in our blanket on the couch. "That was mentally draining." He says. I laugh. "Yeah. Nice though." I say. He nods. "Might regret staying up late, but that's okay." He says. "It's only ten," I tell him. "I know, but I've been bed kinda early lately." He says. I nod. "I have too."
"Honestly though, I'm a little scared to go to sleep with everything that had been happening lately." He nods. "Grace will wake you up if anything happens." He says. "Grace is a hard sleeper," I respond. "Then I'll wake you up." He says smiling.
I drift off to sleep like every night before, but this time feeling safe. Like I don't have to worry anymore. I feel my head lean over to rest on Connor's shoulder. Then, deep sleep follows.
Author's Note: Connor and Ellie, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Okay. That's enough. But still, I ship it. What about you?
YOU ARE READING
The Next Generation (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals Fan-Fiction)
FanfictionThe voices. They came back. Hundreds of them. They were all yelling and getting louder. I've had occurrences like this one before, just not as bad. I think anxiety triggers it. I would be naive to peg it simply as an anxiety attack though. I haven't...
