Stephen nods at my words, sifting through them for a deeper meaning. The way his eyebrows crinkle and the type of focus in his eyes say it all.
"Really, I think it's all good for now," I say cryptically. Being so secretive is exhausting, but it's not like I have a choice in the matter. Can't be caught red-handed being a government disloyalist. At least not yet.
The clicking of a crisp bell sounds from the arched doorway. I twist around in my seat as a woman dressed in red parades across the banquet room. I bite my lips together as she walks with superiority. Her redness contrasts the golden room like blood dripping from a wound.
Slowly, woman crosses the room, a section of the floor rises to form a circular stage. She climbs up the steps with ease.
"Welcome to the Equinox banquet," the women says, stepping forward on the stage. "On behalf of the nation, the Equinox team thanks you for your participation and cooperation in the tasks."
An air of mild confusion hangs over the crowd. I glance around. Most teens look slightly perplexed while others listen carefully. As for me, I know I look skeptical and out-of-place.
The Equinox lady takes a breath. "You're likely confused about what the Equinox is about, and of course I'll be revealing all those details throughout the night. For now, the nation would love to treat you with an elegant banquet to applaud your hard work and effort in the tasks."
The center of each table begins to rise, just like the lady's stage. The centerpiece forms a dome-like shape before swishing open slowly and folding itself away.
A-plus for the effects, I think to myself, fixing my dress. Quite the opening performance before the real action begins.
I resist the urge to be too startled as the food reveals itself. Items of every color and texture fill a large plate. Steam rolls off some of the food while the rest looks chilled like ice.
"I warn you, all the food tastes wonderful," the woman interjects from her stage. "Unnecessary and exuberant on most days, but perfect for the honor of tonight."
The woman steps off the stage as the chatter of voices claims the air. I turn my eyes towards Stephen again.
"I mean, it's food, and I'm hungry," I tell him.
Stephen smiles, then chuckles under his breath. Soon I'm smiling and covering my face with my hands.
"My gosh, Stephen, it's not that funny!" I say. The lightness feels good, like the relationship Stephen and I should have been building for a long time.
Stephen raises his eyebrows at me, and I smile even wider. Then I give him a taunting look and grab a plate of food from the center of the table.
Stephen scoots his chair closer to mine, resting his crossed arms and chin on the table. He watches me as I stare at the plate containing the strangest food I've ever seen.
I sigh at the plate, then look at Stephen. He smiles even wider, and I shove his stomach in mock-annoyance.
"Alright, there, 400?" Stephen grins. "Gonna eat that?"
A hint of laughter escapes my lips. I slide the plate towards him, matching his smile. I feel myself loosening up to his playfulness. "You first, smartass."
Stephen feigns, clutching his chest. "Hurtful!"
I stick my tongue out at him, glancing at the plate. "You heard me. Eat up, 399."
Stephen sighs in defeat. "Alright, you win."
"Hahaha!" I say. I lean over and scan the plate, pointing at a section of the slimy food. "You're trying that first."
Stephen exaggerates his frown. "You want to go first?" he offers.
I shake my head and grin. Our banter continues back and forth until we decide to try the darned slime together. Of course I fake the taste test and pull back the moment after Stephen's already eaten it.
He nods painfully as he chews, waving his fork a bit to distract from the taste. "It's horrible, like eating a salty river and getting sick all at once..."
Stephen spots me looking all sweet and innocent as I slide the slime back onto the plate, untouched. His eyes narrow, but he's not that serious underneath the act.
"What?" I say, cracking under his pressure. I smile.
Stephen pushes the plate towards me again. As the banquet continues, we've devoured about half the contents after forcing each other to try the wildest stuff.
"Whoa, this is amazing," I say after sipping a drink in a fancy little glass. The glass grazes my lips as I finish it off. "Good choice on your part."
Stephen finds his own on the tray and drinks from it. Instead of grinning with me, his emotions fall flat. He sets the glass down, hand twitching.
"Hey, what is it?" I say. Stephen takes a second to respond, and I freak out. Grabbing his shoulder, I blurt, "Hey! Is that poisoned or something?"
"Holland, relax!" Stephen says. I must have jumped on him for no reason. His voice turns quieter. "It's fine, okay? I've just... That's not the first time I tasted that before."
"Huh?"
He sighs, folding down the cuff of his sleeve to reveal his rectangular tattoo, where the 399 used to be. "It's a really long story."
I cover his tattoo up for him, slowly fixing his sleeve cuff. "Then tell me."
"It's really not a big deal, just a bit of deja vu," he says.
We lock eye contact. "Okay, so I was sick for a month or two maybe. But it had a stronger kick to it. It's not quite the same as this one," Stephen says, motioning to the glass.
"Does that mean I'm going to be sick? I just downed the whole thing," I rush.
"No, there's not way," Stephen says quickly. "It might have been the drink, it could have been something else I had within that day or the one before, I don't know. You'll be fine, I promise."
His words give the night a familiar mood, restoring the ounce of fear that lives in my stomach now. I believe that I'll be fine, but the fear will never really disappear. It'll pop up in random places, showing itself and hiding again.
Stephen lightly shakes my arm, stealing my focus. His expression is honest. "You'll be fine, and if not, I drank some, too. This isn't just your or me here, it's us. Both of us. Ever since they dumped you into my cell, it's always been about both of us."
I nod as Stephen pulls me into a reassuring kiss. Just as our lips touch, a protruding voice cuts through the air.
"Inductees," the woman starts. I finish my kiss and then turn towards the stage, shooting daggers with my emotions. These people ruin everything.
"It's time to halt our wine-and-dine session. Please finish off your meals. The first chapter of your lives as adults begins now."
-- -- -- -- --
*excuse any typos. i wrote like 200 words, fell asleep, and then kept going. #dedicatedtothereaders
wine and dine was the winning choice. I was hoping that one would win. it was time for you guys to see why stephen and holland are a good team for fighting off the bad guys. they understand each other well :)
don't forget! the 250K contest ends saturday at midnight. please refer to the "250K contest" chapter if you have not send an entry in yet. I already have about 6 or 7 i think, so the more the merrier!
Question: Choose a phrase: command the stage or blend in.
Follow-up Question: choose a side-effect: they come later, they come soon, or they aren't seen.
PS: choose wisely! this one will have a HUGE impact on what happens in the next chapter.