I ran into the woods, the one place I knew to go. I had just fled my house while watching my sister, Katniss, in the Hunger Games. I had hoped and prayed I'd find Gale out here, he told me to find him if I needed anything, but he was nowhere to be seen. I saw someone though. A boy about my age who was tall with dark hair and olive skin. He held a bow trying to aim it and obviously not succeding. He must've noticed me standing there because he turned and then I recognized him.
Rory Hawthorne.
He was Gale's oldest younger sibling.
"Primrose?" he said when he finally recognized me.
I nodded and tried to keep myself from crying, but I could already feel the tears running down my cheeks.
"Prim," he put his bow in the hollow tree trunk, "what's wrong? Why are you-" And he suddenly remembered what had happened just minutes ago.
The forest had caught fire while Katniss was sleeping. When she woke up she grabbed her things and fled. Fleeing was difficult because trees were exploding and branches were catching fire and dropping. A fireball had flown through the air, hit her leg, and burnt it severly. That's all I saw before I went to the woods.
He walked closer to me and moved some hair that was stuck to my face by tears and sweat. He knew that Katniss and my mum were all I had left, he knew I'd go mad if she didn't come home.
"Come with me, Prim." He said quietly as he took my hand and led me to a ledge that over-looked the rest of the forest.
He picked us some blueberries and strawberries, I sat quietly as he did. I had always been a very quiet girl and if I didn't want to speak I wasn't going to. He sat beside me on the large rock where I had been sitting. He held out a handful of blueberries and strawberries and I politely took a few. I knew he hated seeing Katniss get hurt as much as I did, she was like his sister too. She had taken him hunting whenever Gale couldn't and loved him, Posy, and Vick as much as me.
"Don't worry, Primrose," he said nudging my arm with his elbow, "Katniss'll be ok. I'm sure she'll come home safe. And she'll win this for you."
I looked at him and said in a shaky voice, "You really think so, Rory?"
He smiled at me and whispered, "I know so."
What he did next kind of shocked me because I don't know why he did it.
He put his arm around my shoulders, pulled me closer, and kissed the top of my head.
I don't know if he meant it in that sisterly way, or if it meant more.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed that afternoon with Rory. It was perfect.
Two years later, Rory heard the news.
Primrose Everdeen was dead.
Rory had loved her. More than anything. More than his own family. But his chance to tell her was lost.
Every Sunday night Rory traveled to Prim's grave on the outskirts of District 12 and told her he loved her. He sang a song he had found in the pages of a book Gale had given him.
"I remember tears streaming down your face When I said, "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
Just close your eyes The sun is going down You'll be alright No one can hurt you now Come morning light You and I'll be safe and sound
Don't you dare look out your window, darling,
Everything's on fire The war outside our door keeps raging on Hold on to this lullaby Even when the music's gone Gone
Just close your eyes The sun is going down You'll be alright No one can hurt you now Come morning light You and I'll be safe and sound"
His beautiful voice lost in the darkness of night. Every Sunday night for five years, Rory sang the haunting melody to his lost love. One night he went to the Everdeen's old house, the one destroyed in the bombing. He found papers under the broken bedframe where Katniss and Prim would sleep. He pulled them out cautiously so not to rip them. He hated to pry, by couldn't help but notice the childlike handwriting on them. Carefully he read the first one to himself.
Dear Rory,
I'm not sure how to say this, considering you are one of my closest friends. But I like you, not just as a friend. The way that Peeta says he likes my sister. I know this letter is short and stupid, but I need you to know this Rory. I love you. I hope you feel the same way.
Love, Primrose Everdeen
Carefully Rory turned the paper over and took a pen he found out of his pocket.
"Dear Primrose Everdeen,
I love you too. For the last six years I have.
Love, Rory J. Hawthorne"
He scrawled the words on the back of the paper then stood. He left the note in the floor of the Everdeen's previous house and left.
After this, Rory moved to District 2 with his eldest brother in an attempt to forget. Sadly, he never could. He had lost the one thing that made his life worth while, and she couldn't be replaced.