Chapter 37
The side talks and gossip that seemed to be flying around the halls came to an audible halt as she regarded everyone, taking in all the faces she could at once.
I feel each and every gaze holds a meaning and I turn out to be right. She looks at some people with outright disgust in her eyes, like they polluted the very air she breathed in.
Others got stares that suggested they had assignments to carry out, and If they didn't do it to satisfaction they'd pay dearly.
Her gaze lands on me and Adrian, and I can see a flash of suprise go through her eyes as she looks at both of us warily, like we posed some sort of threat to her.
I felt the attention of about a whole halls worth full of people, people who don't know me but alreday hold the notion in thier eyes that I'd be easy to dispose of. The stares scare me and I can feel myself instinctively leaning closer to Adrian.
It's a fact that I don't want to admit, but it's something that I'd like to say was a sort of second instinct to me at this point. Adrian Is the only person I know here, and apart from him I can't seem to have anyone else to rely on.
The stare that the woman directs at me moves on to another person and I can't help but think of what she's trying to achieve with this. She's trying to achieve and ascertain her level of power in this place. I wonder what sort of place has an imperial queen who treats others like trash. Well she treats them like barely accepted trash, as she just seems to have that look that although they're here, she doesn't need them to be.
"Who's that?" I ask Adrain as he moves to watch me. We had been standing beside each other all morning, and yet he hasn't seemed to notice me in the least. His eyes meet mine now and i can see the suprise he has at seeing me here, like he had forgotten me in the first place.
I watch as the hint of suprise turns into one of embarrassment and remorse "You can't seem to stop forgetting I'm here can you?" I ask, playfully trying to lighten up the mood, "I'm usually alone" he says and the honesty I see in the answer makes me feel sorry for him. I've only been alone for four years now and even then I don't think I was ever truly alone. I had Lucas. It seems even though he was with Charlotte, he had always been alone.
"Done with all the mushy stuff?" Arden asks and I snap my eyes away from him. Adrian's posture is rigid like he dreads what's about to happen. Is this an execution?. Is someone going to die. The way my breath picks up makes me feel an even more pressing need to get an answer.
"What's happening?" I say leaning closer to Arden. Adrian's voice mingles with her's as they give me the same answer "It's the start of the Winter games". The solemn way they say it scares me. It scares me a lot.