shattered // sunrise & emerson [brunch blitz]

It doesn’t take a career or a Games fanatic to know that the name Emberstatt is important. So when he’s the next one to sit in front of me at brunch, I’m taken aback, world turned temporarily upside down. Here is someone everyone knows, at least in theory. I remember watching his Reaping video, noticing the sad look upon his face, the broken way he moved onto the stage.

I wonder if I looked like that too, or if it takes some level of contentment to really have your world shattered.

”Hello,” I say, holding out my hand to shake. I can’t quite read his face, but in mine I hope he sees someone who’s curious, not invasive. ”I’m Sunrise.”

The more people I talk to, the less worried I am about whether they see me correctly as a boy. I suppose I won’t know how Emerson sees me, but I hope it’s as I am.

With the memory of his Reaping video still fresh in my mind, I don’t feel like reaching into the bowl of random questions. If this is one of the only times we get to talk with each other, I want to make it kind, not pernicious.

”How are you feeling about all of this?” I ask. He doesn’t have to tell me, but I hope he does.