Eighth grade sucks. New chapter of Liar's Princess will be up tonight. This is for Starvation September prompt: Arrows. Review!
She can remember the day her mother lost it like it was yesterday. Her mother had forced her into a chair, ripping a brush through her windblown hair. "Stop whining you stupid little slut!" Her mother would screech.
Day after day her pin straight blonde hair would be coated in product and curled into ringlets. Day after day her skin covered by makeup, hiding the tiny little freckles that dotted her nose. Day after day she was pushed away from her street rat friends and introduced to the Career children.
The training wasn't so bad, she was good with a bow. The others mocked her openly for using such a weak weapon, but she didn't care. The one person who's opinion mattered had been dead for years. She missed her dad when her mom was screaming, because he loved her even if she wasn't perfect.
She went from street-smart to airhead in a year. Being fake, faking ignorance, it became like breathing. But after a while, she stopped having to pretend. She really was as stupid as the rest of them, despite her efforts to stay the same.
The one thing she did risk her mother's wrath for was the trees. Big, old oak trees that had been growing since before Panem. Everyday on the way to training she hopped up the branches and swung herself back down. She was a good climber, flexible and strong.
Her last reaping she could see her mother's eyes on her. She knew if she didn't volunteer she'd be left for dead. A disappointment, her mother would say. A stupid little girl who couldn't do anything right.
She hated herself for being weak.
The Capitol was cold, hard steel decorated with crystal and colors. The people were a flock of candy colored birds, bright skin and brighter hair. Her mentor, Cashmere, fit right in with all the gliz and glamor. She wanted to hide, because she knew she was just as shallow as they were.
The tribute parade and training passed by in a whirl of color and sound and smooth silver bows. Her training score, an eight, wasn't the highest but it wasn't the lowest. She knew she was the Career's weakest link, but that was okay. She never thought she could win.
Throughout the training she watched her competition. District 2 was arrogant and they would die. Five was sly, and worthy of watching. Eleven wasn't going to have a Victor. Twelve's female's father was dead, and the male was in love with his district partner. She thought their names were Katniss and Peeta.
The interviews were just like faking everything at home. She prances across the stage in a see-through dress and spoke with fluffy, empty words. She flipped her hair and flashed her pearly teeth. She made them love her, and she hated herself for it.
The others were stronger, braver, faster. But she didn't care, she didn't want to win. Not anymore, not knowing what the after would be like. She hoped, deep down inside her cold heart, that Katniss would win. Katniss was strong, Katniss had survived what she couldn't.
She killed people, letting their blood stain the grass and her skin. She made each face look like all the people she hated. Her mother. Cashmere. Cato. Clove. Marvel. Gloss. The Capitol. The children weren't children, they were the people who had ruined her life.
Days and days and days passed, an endless pattern of kill, hunt, and lie. She was always lying, even when she was telling the truth. The fire made everything more real, the flames licking up the tree bark burned away her masks. She wanted to let it burn her up too, but she had to make sure Katniss won.
When they had the fire girl trapped up a tree, she planned. She could have killed her, an arrow to the heart. She could have climbed up the tree and dragged their prey down. She could have pointed out the Tracker Jacker nest. But she didn't.
She let her hand twitch a bit to the left, missing Katniss by a foot. She zipped her mouth shut and didn't mention the nest. She didn't admit she could climb, and let Cato fall down instead. It was just another lie to add to her list, after all.
Instead of staying up on watch she let her eyes flutter shut, and waited. She wanted Katniss to drop that nest, to kill them all and go on to win. She got her wish when she woke up to the buzz of the wasps.
She grabbed her bow and tried to run, tried to make sure the others died with her. The colors in front of her eyes flashed and shimmered as she was stung, over and over again. The voices repeated their words, filling her mind as she screamed.
"Sit down, you stupid little girl. No one even likes you, and you're ugly and fat. You're such a disappointment."
"You think you're so great now that you're a big, bad Career. Well, some day you'll regret everything."
she collapsed to the ground, screaming. She didn't make sure they were dead. She failed. She had to get up, had to get help. She had to make sure Fire Girl won. She had to, she had to... she had to do too much. She had to...
She had to act perfect do her mother would love her.
She had to act brave, so she could survive.
She had to make sure Katniss Everdeen won.
She had to make sure Primrose Everdeen's sister came home.
She had to kill children.
She had to remember.
She had to fight.
Because she's a Career. Because she's a hunter. Because she's an archer. Because she's a survivor. Because she's a fighter. Because she's a killer. Because she's a murderer. Because, because, because.
Because she's Glimmer and that's all she really knows.
I like it, anyway. Review!