HannahI smoothed my hands over the front of my dress one final time, allowing the stylist to fuss with a stray lock of hair and apply one last dusting of powder to my face. Across the foyer, Noah was being subjected to a similar flurry of last-minute primping—his necktie straightened, a bit of poma
Hannah“Why don’t you sit down, Hannah? Relax a little.”The sound of Amber’s voice was just barely enough to pull me halfway out of my reverie, but not completely. I shook my head and waved my hand, resuming my pacing.“No. I can’t sit.”Viona sighed from the armchair, taking a sip of her wine as s
HannahI groaned as the shrill beeping of my alarm clock pierced through my dreams. When I cracked my eyes open against the harsh sound, I was met with a dark room—not even the sun had come up yet.For a moment, I considered hitting the snooze button and curling back up under the soft blankets, conv
HannahI cried out in pain as Noah’s shoulder collided with my outstretched wrist, slamming it directly into the section where the soft mats ended and the hard gym floor began. Tears instantly sprang to my eyes, and the sound that escaped my lips next was a pathetic whimper.“Ow…”Noah reacted quick
HannahI fidgeted nervously as the stage assistant guided me and Noah through the bustling backstage area, leading us toward the other contestants. The whole place was like a cacophony of noise—almost too much for my frayed nerves.The games were to be held on a large, flat athletic field, and each
“I had the same thought cross my mind,” she admitted. “But I didn’t want to sound—”“—Ladies! If I could have you join the others, we’re about to begin!”The announcement cut me off, and Zoe and I both startled, whipping around to see one of the assistant directors waving us towards center stage. Wi
HannahMy heart sank as one of the attendants approached us, a length of rope held in his hands. I eyed it warily, already envisioning the tangled disaster Noah and I were sure to become. We hadn’t trained for this since that one day last week when we had fought so hard that we had fallen.“For the
HannahAs soon as my feet touched back down on solid ground, the world came crashing back into focus. A deafening roar of cheers and applause reached my ears, along with the sound of my own breaths coming out ragged and startled.Noah released me, although his hands momentarily remained around my wa