Fractured

Chapter 1

*From Brisa's Perspective* 

     My clothes fluttered in the breeze as I walked down main street. On a usual day, kids would be running by and the square would bustle with conversation. Without the constant chatter, it didn't feel quite like home.

Mom had told me I didn't have to work, but just because today was the reaping didn't mean I was going to slack off. Besides, I wanted to see Adrien.

He was the first thing I saw when I got to the apple orchard. His excitement was nothing less than charming. With his sharp blue eyes and tousled brown hair, it was no wonder every girl in town had a crush on him. I heard that even a few started crying when they found out he was taken.

A basket rested in the crook of his arm as he leaned against the tree he deemed worthy. "Bris!" He called out. I ran and jumped into his arms. He swung me around hanging me upside down. With the sky and earth switched I felt nauseous. After pulling me back up I latched onto his neck.

"I missed you," I whispered.

"I'm sorry, my mom has been needing more help with the shop lately."

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're here today." He dropped me to the ground and I started climbing up the huge tree. I sat on a branch with a respectable amount of apples and started picking.

Adrien and I had worked in the apple orchard for three years now. Today we were lucky because the overseers didn't separate us. Together we were a handful, and the guards had definitely figured that out.

There was a thud as I dropped an apple into Adrian's basket. Usually, I would make a game of it, but today was different. I made sure they dropped in the same spot to prevent any from falling, even though my instinct was to give Adrian a challenge. But because there were more peacekeepers today than usual, and it wasn't worth the risk.

"How is Delaney doing?" I asked.

"She is doing better than you did, which isn't saying much."

He was right, my first reaping left me in tears for days. With me in their bed, because of recurring nightmares, and the threat of losing their oldest daughter, I doubt my parents got any sleep. They tried to comfort me, but nothing would ease my worry. Not only could I have been reaped, but Adrian also, and that thought had sent me into a continuous state of panic.

"You were just as scared." I said defending myself.

"Yeah, I know, I was scared of losing you."

"Like the thought of being reaped didn't scare you." I remarked sarcastically

"Of course not, have you seen my muscles? I would win." He flexed playfully as I rolled my eyes.

"Are you saying you thought I wouldn't be able to win?"

"Course not, you're as feisty as they come. I just didn't want even a chance of you not coming back to me.....But if I was reaped I know I would win."

"Oh please, I bet you would chicken out of your first fight."

"Come on Bris, you know me better than that." He grinned. I knew he was trying to cheer me up so I laughed to hide my growing fear. Even though she wouldn't be in the bowl for another four years, I couldn't stop envisioning Fern being reaped. By then I would be too old to volunteer, and there was no way she would survive in the games.

"Yeah." I realized I had let my fear slip through the mask when he gave me a concerned look. Adrian did that to me. He always had a way of making me let my guard down.