Like the Days Before (open)

[jimmylost]

Peace for Crystal had always been in the routine of training for the games. The common patterns for shooting long distance weapons, running, even hand to hand had been soothing when she was able to separate them from the death involved. Lucky for her, that was her life now. Crystal always thought that her training would be leading her to her death, now all those little career tricks where what kept her alive. Not so lucky, her life had become The Games.

She stood off to the side, no reason to notice her. Her gym hopping meant she always knew where to find an empty shower, meant she didn't look like she had been living on the streets for who knew how long now. The change rooms where always good for finding clean clothes too.

She found a bench. Nights where cold, getting colder everyday. She was nocturnal now, freezing to death was not an option, finding somewhere safe to sleep during the day was difficult though. Back before all this madness Crystal was foolish enough to believe District One had no homeless. It turned out there was one staking their claim of the best spots all around the districts, enough for hundreds of little niches and back allies.

It was too bad Crystal couldn't keep to a good spot when she found one, but staying still meant getting caught. Never mind that she didn't do anything. No turning back, wasn't that the cliche? Of course there was the real truth, so long as she wasn't back in those retched woods this was preferable to her old life.

Here she was nearly killing herself to stay alive, before her whole life had circled around her inevitable death. Life on the streets left no room for the for panic, no time to think about the future beyond staying alive. Crystal Smith had nothing but felt calmer, happier, then she ever had.

Yes defiantly no turning back. So long as she remained anonymous, so long as no one noticed her.

[Exanium]

Abel wandered aimlessly in a random direction, not hoping to run into anyone, not caring if he did. It was late at night ((OOC: you never really said what time of day it was, so I just guessed, this can be changed)), so he seriously doubted he would run into anyone. As he stumbled along, he wondered what Cain was doing... He laughed softly to himself, there was no doubt Cain is probably hooking up with some girl and probably doesn't even know, or care what her name is. That's what got him wondering if he would ever end up someone he cared about. Sure, he cared about Cain, but that was pretty much it, he stopped caring about his parents a long, long time ago. The truth was, he needed someone to care about, not one of the flirty career girls that Cain hooks up with, which is most of the population in District 1, some one genuine.

When Abel found himself approaching a bench, he stopped. It turned out that he did run into someone, he might not have cared, but the girl he did run into obviously did. Abel cautiously approached the bench the girl was sitting on, but accidently blew his cover by softly kicking a pebble. The sound the pebble made was barely audible, only someone that is forced into awareness would be able to here it.

((I can still write more, I just need to finish up some home work first.))

[jimmylost]

The air was cooling Crystal had worked out the pattern a few days into living on these streets. First it seemed slightly warmer after sunset for a few hours. Then eventually, usually around one or two in the morning. Well earlier every day but it was an easy enough judge for time as any. Crystal tilted her head back against the back of the bench and looked up at the stars. She thought back, there had been something in training and in school about telling time and location by the stars. School had taken it as a little fun fact, and the careers hadn't bothered to go into detail seeing as arenas could be anywhere.

She closed her eyes. If it's getting cold I should keep moving she thought but took a moment to sit in silence for a moment or two.

It was a minuet sound, something she wouldn't have picked up had the air not been so still. She turned toward the source and found herself met by a pair of clear blue eyes.

Shit

There where no crowds to blend into, no one else around at all in fact. Short of just bolting there wasn't much Crystal could do. She was seriously considering that route. This blond boy didn't look like the type to give her up to peacekeepers, but how could she know. Then again if she didn't give him any reason to then didn't that present less of a risk. Yes of course it did.

"Well hello, beautiful night isn't it?" said Crystal in her least suspicious voice.

She smiled innocently just to top it off. All she would have to do is act normal, find a way to excuse herself from this guys presence, and not raise any suspicion in the process. Easy, well it would be if she had any conversational skills whatsoever.

[Exanium]

"Yes, it is..." Abel looked her up and down suspiciously, she didn't look like anyone else from 1. She definitely was not one of the stuck up, arrogant careers. She almost looked kind, but dismissive. He had a weird feeling that his presence was not welcome, but he was intrigued by her, so he decided to keep talking. Before he could stop himself, the word slipped out of his mouth. "You really hate it here, don't you?"

Abel didn't know why he said it, but once the words came out of his mouth, there was no taking them back. He looked her in the eyes and he could tell that the answer was yes. He could also tell that she was on the verge of making a run for it when he said, "If you don't tell anyone, I won't." He smirked at her and cautiously sat beside her, maybe 1 wasn't completely out of good people after all.