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Description
Don’t Leave Me Be
A knock sounded at the door to Kasha’s bedroom, followed by a cheery voice saying, “Dinnertime, Sweetheart!”
Kasha rolled her eyes and got up, combing her hands through her hair and rubbing her eyes. She walked out of the room and made her way slowly into the dining room area of the train. Rye was sitting silently across from Omri and Cleo, with one open seat for Kasha next to him. They had already begun eating some kind of soup that Kasha couldn’t help looking forward to eating.
“You missed ‘six sharp!’” Omri chuckled.
“I was… asleep,” Kasha mumbled.
“Well sit down,” Cleo said. “They’ve already served you.”
Kasha sat down and stared blankly at the soup. She had suddenly lost her appetite. The happy voices of Cleo and Omri talking back and forth overwhelmed her. She couldn’t imagine being happy, but then again, she had just awoken from a nightmare which she hadn’t done since she was a young child.
“Kasha,” Rye whispered, “are you okay?”
“Me? Hm? I’m fine.” Kasha looked up. Everyone was on their second course, and her bowl was still full. “I’m just not very hungry.”
“We can get you something else if you’d like, dear!” Cleo said. She waved over one of the Avoxes and whispered something in his ear. A moment later a basket of fresh made rolls was placed in front of Kasha.
“Thank you,” she said. She took one and noticed the signature of District 9 which was to put whole grains into their rolls. She sighed and for the sake of Cleo took a bite.
“See? All better!” Cleo cheered.
“Alright, kids,” Omri said. “Let’s talk strategy.” Rye blushed and Kasha groaned. “Don’t clam up on me. If you want to do something romantic you’re going to have to start early. You have to build it up.”
“What do you think would be our best option?” Kasha asked. Rye and Cleo both stared at her in awe.
“So you care about my opinion now?” Omri smirked.
Kasha bit her tongue. “Yes. Don’t make me take it back.”
“Alright, fine. You want my genuine opinion? Because you aren’t going to like it.” Omri raised an eyebrow and waited for an objection. When she received none, she continued, “You should go for the love story.”
“Yeah but the only issue is Kasha-” Rye started.
“I’m in,” Kasha interrupted. She had once again confounded Cleo and Rye. “So how do we do it?”
“Well, you’ll have to start with a backstory. Rye was your best friend’s brother, right? So you’ve known each other for a while.” Omri leaned back in her chair. “Maybe you’ve always kind of liked each other?”
“But I don’t want to take Barric out of the picture entirely,” Kasha said. “After all, he mentioned me last year.”
“That’s right, he did!” Omri’s eyes widened. “I totally forgot about that. Partially because I thought he made it up.” She tapped her fingers on the table in thought. “Okay so how about this: Barric was chosen for the Games and you were devastated but you never gave up hope. Rye was always there for you through it all. Even through the worst of it.”
Kasha became suddenly quiet again. “I mean…”
“That kinda-” Rye said.
“Is what happened,” Kasha finished.
Omri smirked. “Look, the more you fall for each other for real, the better this love story will be.”
Kasha blushed. “I think I’m just gonna go to my room. We can talk more tomorrow.” She started to stand up but Rye caught her arm and slipped a note into her hand.
“Goodnight, Kasha,” he said.
Kasha stared blankly at him. “Goodnight.”
She walked back to her room and looked at the note in her hand. She didn’t know where or how Rye had gotten it. It read, “Meet me here at eleven.”
Kasha smiled at the note, but caught herself and crumpled it up. She turned the TV on and began flipping through old interviews and parades to try to imagine how the rest of her trip might go. Time seemed to go so quickly as the clock on her table read 10:36. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. Should she meet Rye? Well nothing was stopping her and she had nothing to lose so it was decided.
At 10:55 she got up and turned off the TV, leaving the room completely dark. She exited her room and slowly made her way back into the main car. Rye was sitting on the chair she had sat in only twelve hours earlier, staring out the window. He looked up at the sound of Kasha entering.
“Kasha.” He stood up.
Kasha walked over to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry I’ve been mad at you all day. I just-”
“No, I’m sorry for volunteering. I just- I didn’t want you to go through this alone and… Well, that guy…”
“What guy?” Kasha pulled back. “Milo? Milo Woodall?”
“Look, whatever this love story is that Omri’s weaving, I really have liked you for a while. I know you know that. Milo’s been flirting with you for months and I know you don’t like him back because you’re always talking about how much you hate him. I didn’t want you to have to go through this with him.”
“Rye,” Kasha held back a laugh. “Are you jealous of Milo?”
“What!” Even in the dark, Kasha could tell Rye was blushing. “No! You don’t even like him. You don’t even like me.”
Kasha sighed. “You know it’s not that simple, Rye.”
“But it is that simple. You chose Barric over me.”
“Rye, you were just a kid then. I barely knew you more than Gwenyth’s annoying little brother. You grew up a lot after-”
“After Mom died. I know. I had to.” Rye looked away. “Look this love story thing really doesn’t have to be our strategy. I’ve got a sob story with my mom dying and me and Gwen taking over the household. You have Barric. We can just stick to those.”
“Rye, listen to me!” Kasha pulled him to face her. “I-” she bit her lip and was thankful there were no cameras on them on the train. She closed her eyes tight in frustration and quickly kissed him. She ran back to her room before she could see his reaction.
Once she was in her room she jumped into the bed covers and hid under them completely. For the first time in a very long time, she allowed herself to be giggly and girlish. She felt stupid, but she couldn’t stop giggling.
“Come on, Kasha!” she whispered to herself. “What are you, seven?” But still she laughed. She felt like she was seven years old and had just kissed a boy on the playground. Years of forced maturity were cracking on this ride to her impending doom.
She couldn’t tell when she had stopped being a child and actually fallen asleep. She didn’t have any nightmare that night, and she awoke in a pleasant mood.
A knock had sounded at her door followed by Cleo’s cheery voice. “Breakfast time, Dear!”
Kasha got up and took a fast shower in the odd, multi-buttoned shower, after which she we was instantly dried by the large fans in the floor outside. She dressed herself in a yellow dress that had been laid out on her bed with matching flats. She walked out, barely noticing the grin on her face or the slight lift in her step.
Inside the dining area was the usual table setup, with Rye sitting alone on one side across from Omri and Cleo. Upon seeing her, Rye looked down into his yogurt and blushed. Kasha giggled.
Omri looked between the two of them and raised an eyebrow. “What happened in that little rendezvous you two had last night that’s got you both so…”
“Cute!” Cleo finished for her.
Kasha sat down and shrugged, a smile still plastered on her face. “I don’t know. Guess you had to be there.”
Rye chuckled and Omri scoffed. “You hated him yesterday and now you’re really in love with him. Either that or you’re a really good actress.”
“I didn’t hate him,” Kasha said. “I was just mad at him. We talked it out, though.”
“Well, okay then.” Omri threw her hands up and continued eating her yogurt. “That was easier than I thought. Keep it up, kids. Giggly and cute is good, Kasha, don’t go back to moody and closed off.” Omri rolled her eyes. “Rye, what do you think of all this?”
“I- I have no clue what happened. She just-” he paused. “I mean-”
“Okay, you can’t take giggly and cute, she already took it.”
“I don’t know! What personality do you think I should have?”
“How about…” Omri considered for a moment. “Stand up.” Rye sighed and stood up in front of them. “You could fit the strong, protective type. Or you could be goofy and lovable.”
“Well one of those is much more accurate,” Kasha said.
“Yes, Kasha?” Omri sighed.
“I mean- I may not have the best base personality-”
“Or any at all,” Omri interrupted.
Kasha glared at her. “But Rye does. He’s funny and sweet and maybe he should just be him.”
Rye blushed again and sat down. “Okay.”
“Oh! Turn around! Turn around!” Cleo pointed out the window. “We’re in the Capitol!”
Kasha and Rye stood up next to the large window and caught a glimpse of the bright, colorful Capitol just before they entered a tunnel. Kasha gasped and Rye reached out and grabbed her hand. She looked at him and giggled.
A moment later, cheering, colorful faces appeared in a crowd outside the train. Rye and Kasha waved shyly to the crowds.
Omri smirked behind them and Cleo clapped her hands together and cooed. “We may have a chance, Omri!”

Description
Don’t Leave Me Be
A knock sounded at the door to Kasha’s bedroom, followed by a cheery voice saying, “Dinnertime, Sweetheart!”
Kasha rolled her eyes and got up, combing her hands through her hair and rubbing her eyes. She walked out of the room and made her way slowly into the dining room area of the train. Rye was sitting silently across from Omri and Cleo, with one open seat for Kasha next to him. They had already begun eating some kind of soup that Kasha couldn’t help looking forward to eating.
“You missed ‘six sharp!’” Omri chuckled.
“I was… asleep,” Kasha mumbled.
“Well sit down,” Cleo said. “They’ve already served you.”
Kasha sat down and stared blankly at the soup. She had suddenly lost her appetite. The happy voices of Cleo and Omri talking back and forth overwhelmed her. She couldn’t imagine being happy, but then again, she had just awoken from a nightmare which she hadn’t done since she was a young child.
“Kasha,” Rye whispered, “are you okay?”
“Me? Hm? I’m fine.” Kasha looked up. Everyone was on their second course, and her bowl was still full. “I’m just not very hungry.”
“We can get you something else if you’d like, dear!” Cleo said. She waved over one of the Avoxes and whispered something in his ear. A moment later a basket of fresh made rolls was placed in front of Kasha.
“Thank you,” she said. She took one and noticed the signature of District 9 which was to put whole grains into their rolls. She sighed and for the sake of Cleo took a bite.
“See? All better!” Cleo cheered.
“Alright, kids,” Omri said. “Let’s talk strategy.” Rye blushed and Kasha groaned. “Don’t clam up on me. If you want to do something romantic you’re going to have to start early. You have to build it up.”
“What do you think would be our best option?” Kasha asked. Rye and Cleo both stared at her in awe.
“So you care about my opinion now?” Omri smirked.
Kasha bit her tongue. “Yes. Don’t make me take it back.”
“Alright, fine. You want my genuine opinion? Because you aren’t going to like it.” Omri raised an eyebrow and waited for an objection. When she received none, she continued, “You should go for the love story.”
“Yeah but the only issue is Kasha-” Rye started.
“I’m in,” Kasha interrupted. She had once again confounded Cleo and Rye. “So how do we do it?”
“Well, you’ll have to start with a backstory. Rye was your best friend’s brother, right? So you’ve known each other for a while.” Omri leaned back in her chair. “Maybe you’ve always kind of liked each other?”
“But I don’t want to take Barric out of the picture entirely,” Kasha said. “After all, he mentioned me last year.”
“That’s right, he did!” Omri’s eyes widened. “I totally forgot about that. Partially because I thought he made it up.” She tapped her fingers on the table in thought. “Okay so how about this: Barric was chosen for the Games and you were devastated but you never gave up hope. Rye was always there for you through it all. Even through the worst of it.”
Kasha became suddenly quiet again. “I mean…”
“That kinda-” Rye said.
“Is what happened,” Kasha finished.
Omri smirked. “Look, the more you fall for each other for real, the better this love story will be.”
Kasha blushed. “I think I’m just gonna go to my room. We can talk more tomorrow.” She started to stand up but Rye caught her arm and slipped a note into her hand.
“Goodnight, Kasha,” he said.
Kasha stared blankly at him. “Goodnight.”
She walked back to her room and looked at the note in her hand. She didn’t know where or how Rye had gotten it. It read, “Meet me here at eleven.”
Kasha smiled at the note, but caught herself and crumpled it up. She turned the TV on and began flipping through old interviews and parades to try to imagine how the rest of her trip might go. Time seemed to go so quickly as the clock on her table read 10:36. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. Should she meet Rye? Well nothing was stopping her and she had nothing to lose so it was decided.
At 10:55 she got up and turned off the TV, leaving the room completely dark. She exited her room and slowly made her way back into the main car. Rye was sitting on the chair she had sat in only twelve hours earlier, staring out the window. He looked up at the sound of Kasha entering.
“Kasha.” He stood up.
Kasha walked over to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry I’ve been mad at you all day. I just-”
“No, I’m sorry for volunteering. I just- I didn’t want you to go through this alone and… Well, that guy…”
“What guy?” Kasha pulled back. “Milo? Milo Woodall?”
“Look, whatever this love story is that Omri’s weaving, I really have liked you for a while. I know you know that. Milo’s been flirting with you for months and I know you don’t like him back because you’re always talking about how much you hate him. I didn’t want you to have to go through this with him.”
“Rye,” Kasha held back a laugh. “Are you jealous of Milo?”
“What!” Even in the dark, Kasha could tell Rye was blushing. “No! You don’t even like him. You don’t even like me.”
Kasha sighed. “You know it’s not that simple, Rye.”
“But it is that simple. You chose Barric over me.”
“Rye, you were just a kid then. I barely knew you more than Gwenyth’s annoying little brother. You grew up a lot after-”
“After Mom died. I know. I had to.” Rye looked away. “Look this love story thing really doesn’t have to be our strategy. I’ve got a sob story with my mom dying and me and Gwen taking over the household. You have Barric. We can just stick to those.”
“Rye, listen to me!” Kasha pulled him to face her. “I-” she bit her lip and was thankful there were no cameras on them on the train. She closed her eyes tight in frustration and quickly kissed him. She ran back to her room before she could see his reaction.
Once she was in her room she jumped into the bed covers and hid under them completely. For the first time in a very long time, she allowed herself to be giggly and girlish. She felt stupid, but she couldn’t stop giggling.
“Come on, Kasha!” she whispered to herself. “What are you, seven?” But still she laughed. She felt like she was seven years old and had just kissed a boy on the playground. Years of forced maturity were cracking on this ride to her impending doom.
She couldn’t tell when she had stopped being a child and actually fallen asleep. She didn’t have any nightmare that night, and she awoke in a pleasant mood.
A knock had sounded at her door followed by Cleo’s cheery voice. “Breakfast time, Dear!”
Kasha got up and took a fast shower in the odd, multi-buttoned shower, after which she we was instantly dried by the large fans in the floor outside. She dressed herself in a yellow dress that had been laid out on her bed with matching flats. She walked out, barely noticing the grin on her face or the slight lift in her step.
Inside the dining area was the usual table setup, with Rye sitting alone on one side across from Omri and Cleo. Upon seeing her, Rye looked down into his yogurt and blushed. Kasha giggled.
Omri looked between the two of them and raised an eyebrow. “What happened in that little rendezvous you two had last night that’s got you both so…”
“Cute!” Cleo finished for her.
Kasha sat down and shrugged, a smile still plastered on her face. “I don’t know. Guess you had to be there.”
Rye chuckled and Omri scoffed. “You hated him yesterday and now you’re really in love with him. Either that or you’re a really good actress.”
“I didn’t hate him,” Kasha said. “I was just mad at him. We talked it out, though.”
“Well, okay then.” Omri threw her hands up and continued eating her yogurt. “That was easier than I thought. Keep it up, kids. Giggly and cute is good, Kasha, don’t go back to moody and closed off.” Omri rolled her eyes. “Rye, what do you think of all this?”
“I- I have no clue what happened. She just-” he paused. “I mean-”
“Okay, you can’t take giggly and cute, she already took it.”
“I don’t know! What personality do you think I should have?”
“How about…” Omri considered for a moment. “Stand up.” Rye sighed and stood up in front of them. “You could fit the strong, protective type. Or you could be goofy and lovable.”
“Well one of those is much more accurate,” Kasha said.
“Yes, Kasha?” Omri sighed.
“I mean- I may not have the best base personality-”
“Or any at all,” Omri interrupted.
Kasha glared at her. “But Rye does. He’s funny and sweet and maybe he should just be him.”
Rye blushed again and sat down. “Okay.”
“Oh! Turn around! Turn around!” Cleo pointed out the window. “We’re in the Capitol!”
Kasha and Rye stood up next to the large window and caught a glimpse of the bright, colorful Capitol just before they entered a tunnel. Kasha gasped and Rye reached out and grabbed her hand. She looked at him and giggled.
A moment later, cheering, colorful faces appeared in a crowd outside the train. Rye and Kasha waved shyly to the crowds.
Omri smirked behind them and Cleo clapped her hands together and cooed. “We may have a chance, Omri!”