kiss.
"Everything's going to be fine, Cherry. Try to get some sleep." Berlin patted Cherry's back, subtly pushing her towards her own bed, and lay down, leaving Cherry alone with her thoughts once more.
Berlin took care of her the next morning, adjusting her clothes and helping with her makeup, forcing her to drain a bottle of water and at least choke down a piece of fruit. Before they left the house, Cherry took a moment alone with her mother's necklace, running her thumb over the engraved silver, kissing the grey-blue stone in the middle that was the same color that her mother's eyes had been.
All the way to the arena Cherry couldn't calm her nerves, couldn't stop rocking back and forth, couldn't get over the overwhelming urge to throw up.
Berlin helped Cherry stretch and warm up to distract her as the arena seats began to fill up, even though Cherry had been stretching out all morning.
"If something goes wrong, Amee still needs to win," Berlin said, giving her last minute advice as the previous fighters left the arena. "Fake an injury or make a mistake. Don't make yourself look bad. Keep the fight close but let her win."
Cherry nodded, desperately trying to take deep breaths, any breaths at all, really. Her nerves before her first dance were insignificant in comparison. Berlin suddenly kissed her hard and slapped her ass as she pushed her towards the arena floor. For some reason, the bit of normality calmed Cherry enough to somehow get onto the arena floor and stand opposite Amee.
Amee was younger than Cherry and as thin as they came, almost like a feral cat. Her fiery hair was wild and raging around her face; her eyes were surrounded by black diamond markings.
When Amee pounced, all thought fled from Cherry's mind and her body took over.
Berlin watched from the side as the thought wiped from Cherry's face. Cherry was good and soon the whole city would know it, too. As fast as Amee was, Cherry's flexibility made the match even.
The fight went on, Amee's speed against Cherry's contortions and even though Berlin knew Cherry had to have been exhausted, she didn't let on in her face or movements.
Just as the crowd began to wonder if the fight would last all day, Berlin saw Cherry open herself up to attack. Amee saw it too, and took advantage, leaping forward to tackle Cherry to the ground, immobilizing her by sitting on her thighs, and declaring her victory by lodging her forearm under Cherry's jaw and pushing back.
When Cherry stumbled over, gasping for water, Berlin helped her spill most of it over her face and gag on the rest. Berlin wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you, Cherry." She kissed Cherry's temple. "So proud."
As they waited for the escort that would bring them back to The Zone, Cherry couldn't stop smiling, the buzz in her blood making her feel alive in a way she hadn't in a long time.
Back in The Zone, they spent the afternoon lying under a tree, staring up at the sky.
"I think … I think I'm going to head north, to Valeria, when I get out of here."
Cherry rolled over and stared at Berlin with wide eyes, not quite sure she believed what she thought she had just heard. "You're … you're going to leave? What changed your mind?"
Berlin shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I dunno."
"Yes, you do."
Berlin gave a half smile. "All right, fine. The way you talk about it, about having a life where people look at you and see something more ? I think I want that. I know I want that."
"Maybe I'll come with you."
Berlin tried to push back the desperate longing she suddenly felt and casually asked, "What about your father?"
It was Cherry's turn for a moment's silence while she weighed her options. "After I know he's okay, I could go with you. I'm not a child anymore; I can't live with him forever. I have to start my own life."
"I'd like that."
Cherry smiled brightly and rolled onto her side to look at Berlin. Now that there was someone else to share in her fantasy, she wanted to
"Everything's going to be fine, Cherry. Try to get some sleep." Berlin patted Cherry's back, subtly pushing her towards her own bed, and lay down, leaving Cherry alone with her thoughts once more.
Berlin took care of her the next morning, adjusting her clothes and helping with her makeup, forcing her to drain a bottle of water and at least choke down a piece of fruit. Before they left the house, Cherry took a moment alone with her mother's necklace, running her thumb over the engraved silver, kissing the grey-blue stone in the middle that was the same color that her mother's eyes had been.
All the way to the arena Cherry couldn't calm her nerves, couldn't stop rocking back and forth, couldn't get over the overwhelming urge to throw up.
Berlin helped Cherry stretch and warm up to distract her as the arena seats began to fill up, even though Cherry had been stretching out all morning.
"If something goes wrong, Amee still needs to win," Berlin said, giving her last minute advice as the previous fighters left the arena. "Fake an injury or make a mistake. Don't make yourself look bad. Keep the fight close but let her win."
Cherry nodded, desperately trying to take deep breaths, any breaths at all, really. Her nerves before her first dance were insignificant in comparison. Berlin suddenly kissed her hard and slapped her ass as she pushed her towards the arena floor. For some reason, the bit of normality calmed Cherry enough to somehow get onto the arena floor and stand opposite Amee.
Amee was younger than Cherry and as thin as they came, almost like a feral cat. Her fiery hair was wild and raging around her face; her eyes were surrounded by black diamond markings.
When Amee pounced, all thought fled from Cherry's mind and her body took over.
Berlin watched from the side as the thought wiped from Cherry's face. Cherry was good and soon the whole city would know it, too. As fast as Amee was, Cherry's flexibility made the match even.
The fight went on, Amee's speed against Cherry's contortions and even though Berlin knew Cherry had to have been exhausted, she didn't let on in her face or movements.
Just as the crowd began to wonder if the fight would last all day, Berlin saw Cherry open herself up to attack. Amee saw it too, and took advantage, leaping forward to tackle Cherry to the ground, immobilizing her by sitting on her thighs, and declaring her victory by lodging her forearm under Cherry's jaw and pushing back.
When Cherry stumbled over, gasping for water, Berlin helped her spill most of it over her face and gag on the rest. Berlin wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you, Cherry." She kissed Cherry's temple. "So proud."
As they waited for the escort that would bring them back to The Zone, Cherry couldn't stop smiling, the buzz in her blood making her feel alive in a way she hadn't in a long time.
Back in The Zone, they spent the afternoon lying under a tree, staring up at the sky.
"I think … I think I'm going to head north, to Valeria, when I get out of here."
Cherry rolled over and stared at Berlin with wide eyes, not quite sure she believed what she thought she had just heard. "You're … you're going to leave? What changed your mind?"
Berlin shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I dunno."
"Yes, you do."
Berlin gave a half smile. "All right, fine. The way you talk about it, about having a life where people look at you and see something more ? I think I want that. I know I want that."
"Maybe I'll come with you."
Berlin tried to push back the desperate longing she suddenly felt and casually asked, "What about your father?"
It was Cherry's turn for a moment's silence while she weighed her options. "After I know he's okay, I could go with you. I'm not a child anymore; I can't live with him forever. I have to start my own life."
"I'd like that."
Cherry smiled brightly and rolled onto her side to look at Berlin. Now that there was someone else to share in her fantasy, she wanted to
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