Hunger Games 2

"Me too," Tyson whispered with a half smile. "And I am sorry I have been so hard on you. It was just a lot for me to take in," he murmured before he hugged his father back. For once, he felt like he could actually have a relationship with his father. Maybe they wouldn't be at each other's throats anymore. "I love you too, dad." A few minutes later, Maria came in with her things. She soon found them and headed their way. "Where is she?"

--

Astrid stared at the wall and tried to stay calm. She didn't want to go into a screaming fit again. She was already distant as it was. "How are we going to do this, Noah...," she whispered. How did everyone else get through it? Peyton backed away the moment he let her go. "You are manipulative and evil," she muttered, sticking her tongue out at him. "I taught you well."

David smiled down at his son, and he sighed softly. "I heard about Mackenzie. Is she okay?" he asked him. He wanted to somehow be a part of his son's life, and getting to know him better might be a step closer. When Maria came in, Aimée walked over to her quickly. "Follow me," she said.

Noah sighed, and he looked down at her. How would they do it? "Together," he said simply, and he kissed her. He was going to make sure that she was okay in the end. He loved her, and he was going to help her. Josh smirked, and he nodded. "Yes, you did," he said, and he looked down at her.

Tyson dropped his gaze to the ground and hesitated. "She should be. She is still in pain, but she is fine. She is resting right now," he replied. He then paused as he remembered Willow. "Willow doesn't remember me, dad," he whispered; he couldn't hide how broken he felt over it. Maria followed after Aimee and leaned down beside Willow. "I think this will be an easy fix."

--

Astrid tilted her head to look up at him. She reached out and took his hand, intertwining their fingers. "I hope it is just that easy," she whispered before she kissed him back. She really did need Noah. She had no one else. Peyton rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly. She muttered, "And now I am beginning to wonder if that is a good thing."

David nodded, and he bit his lip. He sure did hope that she got better. when he spoke, his eyes widened. "What? Why? Why doesn't she?" he asked him. He was starting to get really worried. Aimée was surprised when she said that Willow would be an easy fix. "Wait, really?" she asked.

Noah nodded in agreement, and he kissed her lightly. "I love you so much. I have no idea what I would do without you," he told her, and he started to sway slightly. Josh chuckled, and he shrugged. "Just remember that this is all on you," he said, and he laughed. "so, find any guys lately?" he asked, leaning in in curiosity

Tyson glanced away and tried to hide his own agitation. "Caroline did something to her. It is actually a long story," he muttered. He wished he could fix everything. Maybe they could turn back time and redo all that had happened. He felt it was all his fault that Willow didn't remember anything and that Mackenzie was hurt. Maria glanced back at her and nodded. "I just need to reverse the pill, and she should get her memory back within a few hours, maybe even quicker. It just depends. I have done this before for Drake."

--

Astrid clutched his hand tightly in her own and sighed softly. "I could say the same thing to you, Noah," she whispered quietly. Without him, she would be even more lost than she already was. Noah was lucky to have such a good family. Peyton rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly. "Don't blame it all on me, Josh," she muttered. At his next question, she arched a brow. "Maybe I have my eye on a few," she said vaguely. She had always had a petty schoolgirl crush on Josh, but it wasn't something she would ever admit to.

David narrowed his eyes. "Caroline needs to stop this," he said, and he quickly got up. "Come on. we are going to Mackenzie and Willow," he said, and he look down at his son. He could only hope that they would both be okay. Aimée listened to her closely, and she took the pill from Dayton. "Will this help at all? Mackenzie had it on her," she said.

Noah smiled softly, and he rocked her in his arms. "Oh Astrid, I love you," he said quietly, and he closed his eyes. He was staring to grow tired, and he felt exhausted. Josh smirked, and he looked up at her. "Oh do tell," he said, batting his eyelashes. "I can set you up," he said, but that was a total lie. He liked Peyton...a lot. No guy was going to start dating her if it wasn't him.

Tyson nodded, agreeing silently with his father. She continued to target everyone he cared about, and he was tired of it. He didn't object to his suggest and grabbed his keys. "Should we get mom?" he asked, glancing over at his father. His mother was probably freaking out from when he had called her. Maria took the pill and looked it over. "Yeah, I think it would help a lot, actually," she agreed as she took out the pill. "Why did she have it?"

--

Astrid stayed close to him and tried to keep her eyes open. She was so tired, but sleeping just wasn't an option. She could tell Noah was sleepy as well. "You should try to sleep...," she whispered but she doubted either of them would be able to sleep very well. Peyton dipped her head to hide her flushed cheeks. "I am not talking about this with you, Josh," she muttered, nudging him.

David nodded when he suggested getting his mother, and he ran off to go find her. when he did, he took her hand. "Grace, Tyson and I are going to the hospital. Would you like to come with us?" he asked her with a small smile. Aimée looked down at the ground when she asked why. "We aren't really sure why," she said, and she looked back at Dayton.

Noah looked down at her when she spoke, and he thought about it for a moment. "Should I? I told want to leave you," he said quietly. Even if she would be in his arms, he still felt like he was leaving her alone. Josh looked at her in shock. "Why? Because I'm a guy. I am just trying to be nice and you are going to blow me off"

Grace had been simply reading a history book, as she would normally do. When David came running in, she gave him a confused look. "Yeah, of course," she agreed as she put the book away and stood. Tyson was waiting by the door for both of them. He was a bit antsy to get back to the hospital. Maria frowned and muttered, "You may want to find out why, but let me work on this. It shouldn't take too long to change it." Dayton sat down beside Willow and patted her shoulder.

--

Astrid had to hold back a yawn; even if she wanted to sleep, she had a sickening feeling she wouldn't sleep long. "I will be fine. Don't worry about me," she insisted, but she knew she was lying to herself. She knew she wasn't going to be fine. Peyton shook her head and muttered, "No, that's not it at all. It is just weird to be talking about this with my brother's best friend." Not to mention it is about you, she thought to herself.

David held her hand tightly, and he kissed her head. "Come on, let's get going," he said, and he got into the car as quickly as he could and waited for Grace and Tyson to follow. Aimée looked at her oddly. Why would they need to know exactly why she had it? She sat down beside Dayton and bit her lip.

Noah sighed when she spoke. "Fine, but I will try not to be long," he said with a yawn. He was soon asleep before he knew it. Josh rose a brow. "Peyton Sherwood, come on. Just tell me about him. Some traits or characteristics. Don't just tell me you have your eye on someone and then not tell me anything," he said.

Tyson hurried out after his father and hopped in the back, and his mother got in the front. "Dustin said he would call if she woke up," he said; he hadn't called yet but he was keeping an eye out just in case he did call. He stared out the window and tried to stay still, but he was ready to get back. Maria went to work on the pill and began to do what she could to reverse the effects. Dayton glanced at Aimee and sighed. "What if it doesn't work?"

--

Astrid only simply nodded. When Noah fell asleep, she bit her lip and just curled up next to him. She was left to her thoughts, which was not a safe place to be. Peyton rose a brow and crossed her arms over her chest. "And tell me, why do you care?" she asked, leaning her back against the wall. She stayed quiet for a moment before she muttered, "He is funny. Rarely takes things seriously. Oh, and he can be so aggravating."

David looked over at his son. "And I'm sure that he will call if she does," he said, and he started to drive to the hospital. After a little bit, he came to there and quickly got out. He needed to see his daughter. Aimée kissed Dayton's cheek, and she gave him a smile. "Maria will find another way then," she said.

Josh smirked, and he shrugged. "So it is now a crime to be concerned for your well being? I'll take note of that next time," he joked, and he smiled down at her. As she spoke, he thought about it for a little while. "Why don't you say anything to him?" he asked her in curiosity.

Tyson nodded in agreement and could only hope that he was right. Once they made it to the hospital, he didn't waste any time heading inside. He was tempted to head straight to Mackenzie's room but came to a stop when he saw Maria. "When did she get here?" he asked. Dayton sighed and whispered, "Yeah, I guess she will." He reached out and took Aimee's hand in his. When he saw Tyson, he said, "A few minutes ago.."

--

Peyton couldn't suppress the small smile on her face. "I wasn't saying that at all. I was just curious as to why you wanted to know," she said simply, attempting to play it off cool. She hesitated at his question. She awkwardly twirled a piece of her hair so she wouldn't have to meet his eyes. "It isn't that simple. He probably doesn't even feel the same way."

Aimée was about to answer his question, but then Dustin stepped in with his phone in hand. "Oh, I was just about to call you. Mack is up if you want to go talk to her," he said, and he gave him a small smile. He looked over at David, and he shook his hand. "It's good to see you again," he said.

Josh smiled lightly, and he listened to her as she talked about it. "Well, how do you know? Has he said it to your face? If he has, I will gladly punch him," he said, and he smiled down at her. "Just say the words and I will track him down and hurt him," he said, trying to sound serious.

Tyson glanced at Dustin as he came in. He nodded once and went to Willow to give her a big hug, even though she looked at him as if he were insane. "Tell me if she can fix anything," he said to Aimee before he quickly headed into Mackenzie's room. He sat down in the seat by her bedside and took her hand in his.

--

A small smile pulled on Peyton's lips. "I...I don't know, but it is just an assumption," she replied with a anxious shrug. As he proceeded, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You probably don't want to do that," she interjected, twiddling her thumbs. She needed to change the subject. "What about you? Do you have a special girl?"

Aimée nodded when he spoke, and he looked down at the ground. She felt like it was all her fault. It was her idea to do this. She then began to cry in Dayton's arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Mackenzie smiled when she saw Tyson. "Hey!" she said, and she took his hand.

Josh rose a brow when she spoke. "Why would I not? Is he some muscly guy?" he asked, and he then puffed out his chest. "I could take him," he said, and then he started to laugh. When she asked about him, he blushed a bit. "Well, there is this once girl. She's beautiful and smart. She's way out of my league too," he said

Dayton shook his head and began to rub her arm gently. "Aimee, don't apologize. This isn't your fault. You don't have anything you have to be sorry for," he told her quietly. He was trying his best to help her calm down. Tyson smiled back at Mackenzie and leaned in to kiss her softly. At least she seemed a bit better than before. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

--

Peyton couldn't help but laugh at his comment. "Oh, you think so?" she inquired with an arched brow. "I would love to see that," she joked. His answer made her raise her brows curiously. "Why do you think that?" she asked, tilting her head thoughtfully to the side. "Have you even tried to talk to her? Maybe I should be the one setting you up."

Tears slipped down her face, and she tried to hide them the best that she could. It was all her fault. Aimée felt so horrible. She hugged Dayton, and she took his hand. Mackenzie smiled softly. "I am okay, don't worry. I just can't wait to get out of here," she said with a small sigh.

Josh looked at the ground, and he tried not to blush. "You know, I talk to her all the time, but I have never been able to tell her how I feel. I'm scared that she will either reject me or think that's way too awkward to even think about going out. I have been friends with her for so long," he said.

Dayton awkwardly patted her back. He had never been an expert on crying girls. Actually, he tried to stick away from them at all costs. Tyson was the one he could do all the easing and comforting. He just simply patted them and said "there, there." It just wasn't his forte. "Stop crying, Aimee. It isn't your fault." Tyson grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his. "Yeah, I would love to stop coming here so often."

--

"Really?" Peyton asked, raising her brows at that. "Well," she began, rubbing her chin. "How about we help each other? I mean, we are both struggling? Maybe we can give each other advice?" she asked. She wasn't sure how it would work, considering she liked him. But maybe she could find the best way to tell him if she ever did.

Aimée managed to stop after a little bit, and she looked up at Dayton. "You need lessons on how to comfort people," she said with a small laugh, and she took his hand, trying to look happy. Mackenzie nodded in agreement. "If this wasn't a once a month stop, that would be nice," she said sarcastically. "How is Willow?" she asked him.

Josh thought about her idea for a little bit. Maybe he could figure out what she liked and how to tell her. He smiled and nodded. "Alright. How about we start off with you. Tell me how you would like this dream guy of yours to tell you his feelings," he said, and he pulled out his phone to take notes.

"They actually have lessons for that?" Dayton asked, furrowing his brows thoughtfully. He may need to look into those. It would help out a bit if they actually worked. Tyson chuckled at her statement and cracked the tiniest smile. "Well, I can't agree with you more there," he stated. It seemed as if at least one of their friends ended up in the hospital every few weeks. And one person always seemed to be the catalyst. Her question made his smile drop. "I don't know. Maria is trying to fix her."

--

Peyton rose a brow when he agreed but nodded and crossed her legs to get comfortable. She considered his question before she answered. "It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. I mean, if he were out by the lake when it is at sunset, that would be nice," she answered, then paused. "I sound like such a girl," she grumbled, shaking her head.

Aimée laughed at his words, and she shrugged. "I'm not sure. You should look into them," she said, and she took his hand, squeezing it lightly. She was still worried, but Dayton was making things better. Mackenzie nodded, and she sighed to herself. "I'm sorry it happened. i should have done something," she said.

Josh quickly started to take down notes when she spoke, and he shook his head. "No, I like it," he said with a smile. "So lake, sunset, anything else?" he asked her curiously. He was going to make it the best thing that had ever happened to her. He smiled lightly, hoping that he wasn't giving himself away.

Dayton rolled his eyes once more and let out a chuckle. "You think so?" he asked teasingly. He glanced over at Maria as she came back over minutes later. "All right, this should work," she said before she handed the pill to Willow and a bottle of water. Willow gave it an incredulous look. "Will this give me my memory back?" Tyson shook his head and offered her a tentative smile. "Don't blame it on yourself, Mackenzie," he whispered. "You couldn't have helped it."

--

Peyton thought through it once more before she said, "I am a sucker for chocolates." She laughed and shook her head. She had never been much of a girly girl, but right then she sounded really girly. "What about you? How would you want your special girl to tell you how she felt?" she asked hesitantly. Could she be able to even do it?

Aimée gave him a small smile. She took a look over at Willow, and she nodded. "Of course," she said, and she smiled down at her. She just wanted to help her and to get her memories back in tact. Mackenzie sighed, and she looked up at him. "That's hard not to," he said, but he didn't say anything more.

Josh chuckled at her words, and he wrote down that she liked chocolate. When she asked him, he shrugged. "Well, I do like to be alone, so I don't want her to say it some public place.I also like pie," he said with a small laugh, and he smiled . He tried his best to think a little bit more about what he liked when it came to girls.

Willow still seemed hesitant about taking the pill. Dayton reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay kiddo. It will help," he said, hopefully. She finally took it and leaned back in her seat. If they had expected an immediate reaction, there wasn't one. She didn't feel any different than before. Tyson leaned over and kissed her softly. "Just try to calm down. Don't let it get to you," he said softly to her.

--

Peyton nodded thoughtfully as she listened to his words. She could deal with being alone; actually, she would rather prefer it too. It would be really awkward if it were out in public. "Pie, huh?" she inquired, taking a mental note of it. She would have to be sure to make one. Her mom would be glad to help her. "Is there anything else?"