June 3rd
"She's beautiful," whispered the doctor.
"She's lucky," murmured a nurse, gaining a sharp look from the doctor.
"She's my daughter," said Sally Ellows, rather protectively.
Her son, Gloss, and her husband entered the room.
"She's beautiful!" crooned the man.
Gloss gave a sharp look at his younger sister and looked away.
I guess I'm not good enough for Mom and Dad on my own, thought Gloss. I'll have to prove my worth, won't I?
The baby's little fingers waved, but Gloss felt nothing but hate.
Little sister, he thought scathingly.
As his parents oohed over their new child, Gloss sat, feeling forgotten, in a corner.
I was the same when I was little! Nothing new! thought Gloss.
He folded his arms as much as he could with the little motor control provided to a three-year-old.
I'll show them I'm better than her. I'll win some competition or something.
The baby rolled over, and her sweet blue eyes stared into Gloss'.
Don't worry little baby, thought Gloss. I'll get you someday. Just you wait.
As if she had heard him, baby Cashmere began to wail.
Gloss liked Cashmere no better when she came back from the hospital. Maybe it made him the worst brother in the world to hate his sister, but he didn't care.
Cashmere always seemed to have to one - up him at everything.
Reading earlier than he could, throwing balls longer (which was embarassing) and being nicer at the dinner table. Gloss was failing in his plan to make sure his parent's regretted having a second child.
And then, at the tender age of seven, Gloss's parents were visited by a tall, beefy man. Gloss wasn't allowed to hear the conversation, but managed to do so anyway, peering around the corner with Cashmere, now a four year old, at his heels.
"Mrs. Ellows, we're going to train him for the Hunger Games. You'll have a star!" said the man.
"What's the Hunger Games?" asked Cashmere quietly.
But Gloss wasn't thinking about her or his parents' response or anything else.
This is the one thing I can do better than Cashmere.
Without thinking or stopping to consider anything else, Gloss jumped around the corner and said:
"I volunteer."
Author's Note: What do you think? I know I have another story, but I reread Catching Fire and so, so, so wanted to tell Cashmere's story! Next chapter will be in her POV (First person) from the age of five. I will put up another three chapters for this story and another six for Who Let The Dogs Out? before I go on vacation in nine days, where I will not be able to update for 2 weeks. :(. Hope you liked the first chapter!
- Vanessa