I'm BAAAACCCCKKK! MWAHA! Welcome to the first chapter of my Hunger Games sequel. I hope you love it! I just wanted to make a few notes before we get started.
Unlike the previous story, this tale will alternate between viewpoints of Rosy, Katniss, and little Finn. (You remember him don't you? Haha).
The tense will be present tense, unless it is a flashback. Same as all of Collin's FANTASTIC books, and my previous story.
There will be some lingering tension between Gale and Katniss, because I know he only made a brief appearance last time. He'll be a little more important this time (if you can guess where I'm going with that. And no… it isn't a romantic relationship, so don't even go there.) But yes, Gale will make a couple more appearances.
There is some hints of fluff and activity between Katniss and Peeta.
About ten years have passed since the events of the previous story. So Rosy is fourteen (because she can't really… go on a journey if she were nine or ten). And Finn is, obviously, ten years old. Katniss, Peeta, and Gale's ages remain unknown. Let's assume they are in their early to late thirty's. Right? Okay.
So… I think I got all the factual stuff out of the way. So I'm going to begin the story.
Dandelions and Primroses #2: The Search for the Mockingjay
Chapter 1
I find it hard to believe that he could tell just by my eyes that I was a friend. And while we all live in a state of peace…there was no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't last.
"Rosy! ROSY!" a high pitched squeal rings out in the house. I groan and pull my goose feather pillow over my face, letting out a sigh as soon as I am underneath the pillow. I hear the wooden door forcefully hit the wall and a weight hits my upper legs. I remove my pillow from my face, and stare into a pair of bright gray eyes, just shining with anticipation and overwhelming excitement. I throw the pillow off the bed and sit up, staring groggily at the figure with his gray eyes and wispy blonde curls. My brother, Finnick Gale Mellark, or just Finn as we call him, sits on my thighs. He throws his arms around my waist and turns his head towards the window that rests against the wall opposite from my bed.
"Finn, what is going on?" I ask, letting out a yawn and looking at the analog clock that rests on the wall above my bed. It reads a torturing 5:30 in the morning. I should be used to Finn's early morning wake up calls by now. He has barged into my bedroom every morning to wake me since he could walk and talk.
"There's snow Rosy! Lots and LOTS of snow!" he cries happily. I look out the window and sure enough, crystal white snow gracefully floats down from the sky, and gathers in our yard. I can only assume that it is the same behind the house as well. It can only mean one thing—father will be coming to get me soon—with a snow shovel. Finn jumps energetically off my bed and grabs my hand, dragging me to the window.
"Finn, it snows every year," I point out in an exasperated tone. I don't ever mean to be angry with my brother, but my statement is true. He looks up at me and stares for a moment—that is—before he turns back to the window and engrosses himself in the snow that piles up slowly in the yard.
"Will there be no school today Rosy?" Finn asks me without meeting my gaze. I have grown engrossed in the falling snow myself, and I simply shake my head.
"I wouldn't imagine so, Finn, they tend to send us to school no matter the weather," I tell him. "If we don't, I promise we can build a snowman later, okay?" I offer to him. Finn's already excited eyes brighten even more (if that's possible) and he sprints from the room, singing about snowmen. Satisfied; I return to my warm bed sheets and try to get more sleep.
The next time I wake, it is much later than before, around ten in the morning. I feel refreshed and since my father and mother didn't bother me—I had been right—and the snowfall from the night before had closed the school. I stalk over to the window and look out onto the front yard. My father is shoveling the front walk, and my mother is talking to him from the side. She says something, and my father stops shoveling for a moment to stare at her. Before I know it, he has thrown the shovel aside, and my father is kissing my mother passionately. They fall into the snow and start laughing before he kisses her again.
"What are they doing Rosy?" my brother asks out of nowhere. I turn to him, confused as to how he got there, and when he walked into my bedroom.
"Well Finn, they are kissing. It's a way to show that they love each other," I explain to him.
"Like they do in the kitchen sometimes?" Finn asks innocently. I feel my face heat up, knowing exactly what he is talking about, because I saw these things when I was his age.
"Yeah, like that," I say to him. Finn looks out the window, as do I. My parents have stood up by now, and even though they are done kissing for the moment; I already know they will be doing it again soon. "Are you ready to build a snowman?" I ask my brother, changing the subject. He loses interest in our parent's activities and he nods eagerly. "Let me get dressed and we'll go outside okay?" I tell him. He nods and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
I strip off my wool nightgown and sigh. I think about what I just saw my parents doing and my thoughts wander for a moment. As I put on my gray stockings and matching gray under shirt; I think of my parents; they show that they love each other in the ways that I feel jealous of sometimes. I am fourteen now after all. I take a pair of black pants from my dresser drawer and put them on over my stockings. My mind wanders to Finn. I think about a dream that has been plaguing my mind every night since I turned five years old. As I pull on a comfortable argyle sweatshirt, decorated with gold and green and blue diamonds, I think of that dream in more detail, still trying to comprehend its meaning after nine years. As I put on my favorite pair of brown leather boots I don't think of anything besides how comforting the leather feels against my covered feet. As I tie my hair in their signature symmetrical braids and put on my gray wool hat, I remember what my mother told me about dreams. I return to my dresser and pick up my plain silver colored scarf and matching mittens. I don't put on the mittens just yet and feeling ready, I open the door to my room and head out to build a snowman with my brother.
"Okay Finn, you take this snowball and roll it to the end of the grass, if it isn't big enough then roll it back until it is," I tell him. Finn nods and begins the task while I make another snowball to start for the middle portion of the snowman. I begin rolling it through the snow and it steadily gets bigger until it is the right size for a midsection. Proud of my "midsection" I pick it up and take it to Finn's larger snowball and place it on the top. He gave a huge grin and looked at our half completed snowman.
"It looks like you guys are missing a little something," a familiar voice rang out from behind me. Both Finn and I turn around to see a pair of sea green eyes staring at us. My face breaks out in a grin, and I can feel my face warm up from the uncontrollable blush that forms.
"Good morning to you too Blake," I tell him. The boy smiles and puts what he's holding on top of the midsection of our snowman. A head. I laugh and put my arms around his neck, pulling him close. I felt like it was nothing more than a simple thank you hug.
I've known Blake Odair since I was two years old. He was three at the time; his father had died before he was born. From what I had been told, my brother was named after Blake's father, Finnick Odair. We learn about him in school from time to time. According to my history teacher, he competed in the Hunger Games with my parents and Blake's mother, Annie. They met there. I always felt bad for Blake, having grown up with no father and all. I could always tell he was a bit jealous that I have such a good relationship with my father. But my dad was always nice to him, and Blake was like a brother to me more than a friend. Besides; he was always around.
If anything; Finn is the one who loves having Blake around the most. Blake is always helping out my family; if it isn't raking leaves—he's taking Finn out, or helping my dad in our family's bakery in the heart of District 12. Blake has a real gift for the arts.
"So, you guys are building a snowman eh?" Blake asks.
"No, we're building a snowwoman," I joke with him, pretending to add breasts to the snowperson. Blake lets out a long laugh and ends it with a sigh. Finn takes off his handmade scarf and puts it around the neck of our snowwoman.
"She looked cold," Finn says simply. Blake and I laugh together and I rub my gloved hand against Finn's head playfully. I walk over to the path that leads to the front door and dig into the thick snow. Underneath are gray pebbles that would make perfect facial features. I bring them to the snowwoman and place the stones on the top portion, arranging each one neatly. When I finish, I step back and admire my work. Finn coos at our creation and smiles at me and Blake.
"Yay! She's finished!" Finn says excitedly. Blake lets out another laugh and pats the snowwoman on the head.
"Well, I believe I should take my leave," he tells me with a small bow.
"Wait!" I gasp as he turns to leave. Blake turns around and stares at me expectantly. I feel my face warm up again before I continue. "Would you like to stay and eat with us? Greasy Sae will be here in half an hour with some soup! And I think my mother has made tea!" I tell him quickly.
"I would love to stay for some soup," Blake says cheerfully. I smile; and he holds out his arm to me. "Shall we head inside Miss Mellark?" he asks. I giggle at his sudden formality and take his arm.
"We shall Mr. Odair," I respond half-mockingly. "Come on Finn! Let's go get some tea!"
"I don't like tea, I want hot chocolate!" Finn whines as he trails behind Blake and me.
"Thank you Mrs. Mellark," Blake says politely as my mother pours him a cup of tea. She proceeds to fill my matching teacup.
"It isn't a problem, Blake," my mother responds. She puts the teapot down and picks up a similar pot, giving Finn some hot chocolate. Finn happily sips the warm beverage before setting the cup down. Blake and I laugh at my brother's chocolate moustache and my mother giggles slightly as well. Finn uses his shirt sleeve to wipe away the chocolate that had collected on his upper lip.
"Finn, sweetheart, don't use your sleeve for that," my mother comments sternly. I chuckle to myself, and take a sip of my tea, looking out of the kitchen window at the snowwoman standing proudly in the front yard.
"I think she needs a name," Blake says suddenly. It is then that I realize that I have been staring out of the window for longer than I initially thought. I turn to Blake, who is smiling at me now, and my heart pounds against my ribs. His smile reminds me of how my father grins at my mother. There is an underlying hint of affection, and not the kind that means we're just friends. My heartbeat speeds up even more and I take a sip of my tea.
"I need to be alone for a moment, please excuse me," I tell the group, and I push my chair back and stand, making my way to the stairs and climbing them as fast as I can carry myself. I don't even hear the door slam behind me. I turn to see if the door closed, however instead I see the one person I was trying to get away from. "I said I needed to be alone," I say sternly to the boy at the door.
"I can't help but feel like I caused that feeling," he says. I stare him down.
"You didn't, trust me…I know," I tell him. "Can I just be alone now?"
"Hmm, I suppose," Blake says, closing the door gently behind him. I sit on the bed and mess with the ends of my braids, knowing all too well that I had lied to Blake. I fall back and close my eyes, just for a moment.
"Is she okay mommy?" is the next thing I hear as my eyes creep open, and the world around me comes into focus. I blink a couple of times to eliminate the blurriness before me, and I see Finn's blonde head leaning over me.
"I'm fine Finn," I mutter, sitting up slowly and looking at my mother and my brother.
"Honey, go downstairs and see if your father needs help with lunch," My mom says to Finn. He nods and leaves the room. As soon as he is out of earshot, I turn to my mother.
"Mom, I had that dream again," I say to her; letting the tears fall.