"What do you mean?!" I asked. Aster flung his hands up, confused by my reaction.

"I thought you'd like this," Aster said. "We need a break, going on like this isn't going to help."

I shook my head. "But we just started walking again."

"Going on without food or sleep for long periods of time isn't going to work." When I didn't answer, he grinned triumphantly and searched for a spot on the side of the path.

Sighing, I followed, making sure that Tilly was behind me. She made her way through a bunch of trees. She looked back at Ed. He was concentrating on passing through the branches, himself, while still glancing at the small girl. I looked away, not knowing what to think about them. It had only been five days. How were they getting so close? 

I quickened my pace and nearly crashed into Aster. Aster turned his head to look at me. He smiled and he looked ahead again. My cheeks reddened. Why did I have to act and feel the way I did? It was good that Tilly trusted her ally. I shouldn't have been feeling anything else but pride.

Everyone had gone ahead without me. I nearly ran to catch up with them. We then continued to walk until the path was out of sight.

The four of us were lying on our backs with our hands behind our heads. Tilly had fallen asleep, her chest rising and falling at a steady. The rest of us were talking with low voices, too afraid to wake Tilly up. We talked about our old lives and school and work. For a minute reality was gone and was replaced with what we wished our reality was.

"Oh, come on, there has to someone," Aster said.

I shook my head. "The last relationship I was in happened last year, and we broke it off quickly."

"I remember being a teenager." Ed chuckled. "I dated girls left and right. Senior year, though, I was with the girl I'm married to now."

"I don't think I can find someone in two years," I told him. "It's good that you found someone. I'm going to die before I do."

"You shouldn't say that. That you're going to die, I mean," Aster said.

"Why not?"

"Just don't."

I wanted to argue with his pathetic reasoning but decided against it. His face was hardening, sending shivers down my spine. We sat in silence for a while, announcing that the conversation was over.

Aster left to get some water for us, leaving Ed and me alone. He found a comfortable spot against a tree. I sat in front of him.

"You're twenty-five, right?" I asked.

He nodded. "Barely made the cut."

"Why did you enter?"

Ed smiled, but it didn't match his eyes. He shifted his weight and kicked one foot over the other. I could tell that he didn't enjoy thinking about it. I didn't think he would even tell me until he said, "I entered for the money."

The look in his eyes went away and was now replaced with a casual look. I nodded. "It's pretty good." But not good enough to risk your life for. I didn't press him, though. It was a touchy subject.

"What's your story, Rose?"

I hugged my knees to my chest. I knew that it was all an accident, but what was keeping me alive? I knew that I didn't want to make it out just because I wanted to win. Something told me that I wanted to prove something wrong. I just didn't know what that something was.

Ed tensed. I turned to see Tilly stirring in her sleep. She rolled onto her side and then remained still once more. Ed relaxed. I couldn't help but snicker.

"What?"

"What's up with you two?" I asked. I hid the twisting feeling in my stomach with a grin.

Ed sighed. "My wife had a miscarriage two years ago."

"Oh." I didn't expect that. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." He forced a closed lip smile. "But I feel like my child would be just like Tilly."

He was no longer looking at me, but at Tilly's sleeping figure. I pictured his life as a father. I imagined him with a small son or daughter holding his hand while they walked around their neighborhood. Maybe they would have had nice dinners and watched baseball together.

The thought of Ed never getting those memories made me feel guilty for ever envying his relationship with Tilly.

"I think you would've been a great father," I muttered. Ed only smiled. The sad look in his eyes resurfaced.

Tilly was up by the time Aster came back with the water. We all engulfed it like a pack of wolves. It felt good down my throat, and I couldn't help but ask for more. The answer was no, though, since we still needed to save it for the future.

Ed went off to get some food. I was in charge of collecting wood. Aster tagged along, helping me grab the right wood. We went back to the camp with two armfuls of the material. We then began to build the fire. Tilly helped by making benches for us to sit on.

Once we finished, we waited for Ed to get back. It was quiet between us three. It was only when Aster came to sit next to me when it broke.

"We did great," he said.

I nodded. "We're a pretty good team."

"A great team," Aster corrected. I smiled and stared at the wood we had collected. The sun was going down. Ed would need to come back and make the fire soon.

"What you said about dying," Aster said. "I wouldn't let that happen. You know that, right?"

"What?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I was thinking that if it were down to you or me, I'd pick you to save."

I didn't reply. Would I do the same for him? Or would I use his life to save mine? Like how Ben saved me, but I didn't bother to save him? How Monathrew herself before me? I sighed. I didn't know. I hoped that I would never know.

"You won't die." Aster placed my hands in his. "I promise."

If only those words didn't hurt me as much as they did. If only I could grab them, take them as a joke, and laugh it off. If only I could do the same.

I promise.

Hey! This chapter was a chill-out (but let's be honest, no one can handle so many obstacles at once, we all needed this). A lot was introduced in this chapter, too! Do you think Ed thinks of Tilly as a daughter and that Tilly thinks of him as a father? Or is it just one way? Does Aster mean what he said? Will Kat be able to do the same?

Don't forget to like, vote, comment, and share this story with your friends. Don't forget to vote with your pillow (because why not?). Stay cool.

This song is calledNo Promises ft. Demi Lovato by Cheat Codes. Enjoy!