Together, Nicholas and I stumbled into his room. We had trouble moving, since we couldn’t keep our hands off of one another. As soon as the door closed behind us, Nicholas worked at the fasteners of my dress, not content until the offending garment was removed from me and forming wrinkles on the gro

Nicholas Piper wanted to distance her heart. She felt she was too close to me. She needed space before she could kiss me again, or touch me, or let me please her the way I wanted to. I understood her feelings. I knew as well as she did that we could never be together. But… to be apart from her l

The next morning, as Elva played with her toys, I sat and drank tea with Charlotte and Mark. Per the competition rules, I wasn’t allowed to watch television to keep up to date with current events, but Charlotte and Mark were, and oftentimes, we would sit, just like this, and go over the thoughts a

I thought of my twin sister, a child trailing along in my shadow in her pigtails and plaid dress the same as mine, skipping away from me and down a dark alleyway. At the far end, a shadowy figure held out their hand. Jane, willing and happy, accepted that hand and welcomed the shadow around her too.

With the cameras arranged, I was immediately escorted by Nathan to the other side of the room where Julian was teaching Elva how to hide a card up her sleeve. Behind me, the King and Queen were escorted by guards out of the room. I crossed my arms as I peered down at Julian. He smiled sheepishly u