track #02 in eunice raina seyfield

twice // when we were kids

I HURL my phone onto my fluffy bed after seeing Cadence's message, putting my head in my arms and attempting to clear my thoughts of everything that's been happening lately. I ignore the dings and new notifications lighting up my screen – most likely Gwyneth's response.

The funny thing is, it's already been eight years since life had last been 'normal'. You could say we slowly made life after James had been exiled the 'new normal', but for me, I had never been able to get used to it. Life was always better in the old days before I was ten.

Maybe it's just the way we've all been growing up – to me, even after the New Regime left the Adelaide Woods, everything was still really tense and not as carefree as it used to be. We could no longer giggle without knowing what was going on in the world; act irresponsibly; or shake that reservedness off and playfully run on the streets and crosswalks.

James' rule left a torturous shadow on all of us. It made us feel that someone was watching us at all times. The old execution stands, the soldiers standing on guard at every corner; parents telling us to control our little mouths not to say what we weren't supposed to; school being nothing but lectures and more lectures; and last came the Hunger Games. That only came into question in that one last year, but it's enough to form our entire impression of Rochbok and who the people there came to be.

The younger version of myself once held hope that everything would be better after the period of dark days passed, but the light that I once cupped in my tiny arms has been diminishing day by day, even more so as I know for sure that Byrok's coming back – this time for war.

If we don't find a way to surrender or make them leave, the entire population of the Adelaide Woods will be at risk at their disposal once again – and that includes my only family. This is no longer deja vu of the Hunger Games five years ago like I had thought at first. It's no longer merely fun and games, no longer just Rochbok wanting to keep the Adelaide Woods under their control just a little bit longer. Byrok's intentions are not pitting us against each other; but going against them as a team. It's not a game anymore.

They're here for war. Again. But this time, I'm no longer ten; I'm not hopeless and carefree and only fun-knowing. I'm eighteen – I'm of legal age. And as a citizen of the Adelaide Woods, I'm obligated to help – although it may be against the people we fear and despise most in the entire world.

***

I pick my phone up and stuff it into a tote bag along with a water bottle, changing into warm, fuzzy clothes and putting a heavy white padded jacket over my shoulders. I walk down the stairs, almost bumping straight into Aiden and Zoey talking right in the middle of the hallway.

"I have a bad feeling," Aiden starts. "It's been three days since Gwyneth's dad got taken. It's James we're dealing with here. What if they try something more?"

Zoey replies in a soft voice, moving to make way for me, and I zone out of the conversation, making my way down the hall and out the door after slipping some shoes on. "I'm going out," I holler, and I can barely make out their reply.

After that, I shoulder my bag and make my way down the hard brick concrete path towards the town square, feeling the cold wind brush against my bare cheeks as I head towards my family home, not far from the shore.

As I reach the familiar logwood door, I jog up to it and stroke it slowly with my fingers, reminiscing every part of my childhood life.

I remember my parents measuring my height on this exact door, making marks with a pencil, and me, smiling wide once I saw how much I'd grown.

Myself and my friends barging into the house, still wearing dirty shoes, pushing and yelling while leaving a trail of soil on the floor, all fighting for the first piece of cake right out of my mother's oven.

Sulking home and standing before the door with a not-so-good test result, not awaiting my parents' reaction. They glowered at me – but all those days are gone just as fast as our childhood had slipped away.

Returning after a long day of archery training – feeling my shoulders ache and muscles tense, and my mom giving me massages and rubbing essential oils into my skin. It seemed like an eternity ago.

Most of all, me. Holding that news snippet. The one that announced the Hunger Games. Gwyneth and I running inside the house, sitting on the couch, and feeling chills running down our spines as James stood there in the City Square announcing the Quarter Quell twist. At that point, we somehow knew that we wouldn't be seeing each other again. We somehow knew that we would be living the rest of our lives – that we promised to spend together as best friends – apart from one another.

Now he's back, and threatening to open fire.

I shake all the negative thoughts out of my brain quickly and reach up to press on the door ringer of my childhood home. Within seconds, the door creaks open just a sliver, a pair of eyes shining through. My mom smiles widely at the sight of me and flings the door open fully, pulling me into a hug, and I smile into her already-turning gray hair.

"Esther, honey, who-" my dad says, walking into the foyer. "Oh."

"Mom and Dad," I address, pulling away from the hug. "How have things been recently?"

I feel like such a bad daughter for leaving the house – in fact, I'm sure all of us do. But especially for me – I used to visit every day, but I haven't really done so since college started and I was busy with all my work.

"I'm sorry for not visiting more," I say, cracking a smile. "I missed you a lot."

My dad pats my head jokingly. "We missed you too, Eunice. Come here,"

I spend a few minutes enveloped in my parents' tight embrace, holding them tight with all my apologies and feelings, when suddenly my phone in my tote starts ringing, and I pull it out. Kunboss is calling, but I haven't even started to talk to my parents or ask them how they're doing – so I press down on the red button and turn back to Mom and Dad.

"I should really have come here more. I'm sorry," I say again, turning my phone on silent mode and putting it on the dining table. "Please be careful with all the recent stuff – kidnapping, opening fire. Stay safe, Mom and Dad. Really."

Mom chuckles. "I went over to visit Angela yesterday. She's obviously quite shaken. But she's a smart woman. She knows everything – including what she should do. I'm thinking of offering her a stay here so she at least has someone to depend on apart from Gwyneth now that Tommy's been kidnapped – what do you think, Philip?"

"I think that's a perfectly good idea. I'll clear the guest room after Eunice leaves," replies Dad.

I smile at my parents' consideration – they've always been good friends with Tommy and Angela Anderson, even before Gwyneth and I were born. That's partially why Gwyneth and I clicked and became friends instantly.

Even while my parents and I make small talk about life and how school's been recently, my phone on the table keeps buzzing non-stop, and I have no choice but to excuse myself to the foyer after apologizing to my parents, and I click my phone on again only to see that I've been bombarded by messages and calls.

10 missed calls from zeyy._.sinclair, 7 from gwynandersonn_, 5 from cadydiangelo, 4 from kunrbailey.

zeyy._.sinclair: COME BACK NOW

tristhebetterhale: @euniceraina.s !????

gwynandersonn_: her phone's probably on silent...

cadydiangelo: come back whenever you see this message

kunrbailey: WHEREVER U ARE COME BACKKK

langston_aiden_: meeting can't start w/o you eunice

zeyy._.sinclair: @euniceraina.s @euniceraina.s @euniceraina.s

euniceraina.s: sorry i was at my parents'. i'm coming back now

I turn to my parents who are still waiting in the dining room for my response.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. They're waiting for me. But I'll visit more from now on," I say sadly, already slipping my shoes on hurriedly.

"It's okay. We'll always be here. We can wait," smiles Mom. "Go if it's urgent. Be careful, honey!"

I smile. My parents are always here for me, even if they scold me or have high expectations for me. That's one thing that has truly never changed since we were kids – my parents' unconditional, unwavering, certain love for their only daughter. I wave goodbye and sprint out the door, running back the way I came in the direction of the hoverhouse.

– more eunice content! what do you think of this one? i thought i'd shed some light on the mc's best friend now that all of them have their own chapter povs!

qotd: why'd you make each chapter only one pov?

aotd: i wanted to stop head-hopping and this would make it easier to make a playlist too :)