Disclaimer: All of the characters belong to the one and only Suzanne Collins, writer of the amazing Hunger Games Trilogy. I am not her, though I aspire to be like her someday! Enjoy
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CHAPER 1
I walk through the crowded platform, holding tightly on my younger sister, Prim's hand. We are dressed in our usual grungy khaki pants and collared shirts. I suppose they make us wear these horrid uniforms to disguise the fact that our school is in fact, disgusting. Or perhaps to conceal the fact that half of the population at the seam school can't afford a simple outfit to begin with.
Life didn't used to be like this, yet I can't seem to remember life any other way after tedious days of repeated misery. Our father died over a decade ago in the attacks on September 11th. He was a firefighter and the best father anyone could hope for. I was lucky to have him in my life, no matter how short the timeframe. He was the glue that held our family together, and apparently my mother's sanity.
For weeks after the attack we waited, but his body was never recovered. My mother lost her grip on reality. She could barely function, always lying in bed as if in perpetual slumber. One would think she were asleep if it weren't for those eyes. Those blank orbs that were once considered beautiful, full of life, had lost all emotion. She was as dead on the inside as she was on the outside. It was up to me to force her to eat, sleep, and bathe. As I washed her fragile figure and combed her once beautiful, long, corn-silk, hair that is now greying. I couldn't help but think what her life would be like if she hadn't made the decision years ago to marry my father.
My mother's parents were rich and powerful people from upstate. My mother was their beautiful daughter, their pride and joy. At 21 she was engaged to a family friend who had always loved her. But she rejected the life her family had planned for her, and ran off with my father. My dad was an inner-city boy who sang at a hole-in-the-wall club. When she heard his voice it drew her in like a siren song; sweet and melodic that contradicted his handsome, rugged looks. It was love at first sight.
I think he could have been famous, but as far as financial stability went, it would be safer to find a more practical profession. He insisted on supporting my mother who never thought about work in her life, growing up as a daughter of two socialites. So when he stopped coming home, so did the money. The bills piled up until I was forced to get a job and support my bed-ridden mother and sweet, innocent sister.
I look at Prim, she inherited my mother's light complexion, long blonde locks, and crystal blue eyes. At age 12, she is already so beautiful. Boys are already lining up to date her, not that I would ever let her. She's too sweet, ingenuous even. Someone will certainly take advantage of her easily earned trust, especially in this city, heck in this world even.
I inherited my father's looks. I have a tan complexion, dull grey eyes, and brown hair. I am plain and unassuming. It would bother most girls to think like this, but it is fine with me. I'd rather be without the attention. Prim disagrees with me up and down, saying I am beautiful, that boys are falling for me left and right but are too intimidated to talk to the beautiful and enigmatic girl who walks the halls and speaks to no one. I find this extremely hard to believe.
I think about all these things as Prim and I ride the subway to the poorest school in the city, the Seam School. I recognize some of my classmates on the subway, but none of them say hi to me, and I don't expect them too. My only friends are Madge Undersee and Gale Hawthorne. Madge doesn't talk much and neither do I so we tend to stick together, often sitting in a comfortable silence. Gale on the other hand is quite popular at the Seam school, often sporting a different girlfriend every week. We had been family friends for years, even before the attacks. His father worked with mine and was also killed during the attacks. Gale made it a priority to watch over me at all time even when I insisted he leave me be. But he grew on me and he is now like my brother.
After we depart the subway I walk Prim to the middle school and then continue towards the high school building. I spend the day like every day; staring out the windows and wishing it were over. The teachers could care less what we do. On their salary, it wasn't worth the effort. Besides, I had a straight 4.0 without even trying. School came easily, especially since at the Seam, most kids were illiterate so the course material was at a 3rd grade level. The days go by excruciatingly slow but the final bell is sweet relief. I rush out the doors and go to pick up Prim from the lower school.
After we ride the subway home and l pretend to listen to Prim's frivolous stories about her middle school's scandals. When we get to the apartment I immediately dash to my room to get ready for the early shift at the diner tonight.
As I frantically change I call out to Prim, "Little duck, why don't you go start dinner, hm?"
Prim giggled and replies, "Okay Katniss! Quack!" I let out a soft laugh that only Prim can draw from me. I realize I'm searching for my damned name tag when all of the sudden Prim calls out from the kitchen, "Katniss, you'd better come here!" She sounded panicked.
She probably forgot which knob turned on the stove, again. So I playfully reply, "It's the knob on the right Prim, we shan't have another incident, the last only almost blew up the entire complex!" When she didn't laugh, I knew something was wrong. I hastily make my way to the kitchen to see an older woman with grey hair and eyes, wearing a suit and looking solemn.
She looked at me, showing no changing emotion as she spoke, "And you must be Katniss…" as she searched in her brief case for a file. "My name is Ms. Sae, I am a social worker for the state of New York. I have received a few tips about your situation."
"There is no situation!" Prim squeaks. "Katniss pays all of our bills on time and we've never once committed a crime." I can sense her unease mirroring my own. She is nervously looking back and forth between Ms. Sae and my mother's bedroom door. The woman looks at Prim sympathetically.
She replies more soothing than business-like, "That's the problem sweetie, Katniss shouldn't be paying the bills. You two have done a remarkable job practically fending for yourselves as long as you have but the sate simply won't allow it."
"What will happen to our mother?" I ask.
Ms. Sae replies, "She has been labeled as mentally disoriented by the state and an unfit guardian. We have sent her to a rehabilitation center in New Jersey. I can assure you that she is safe and in good hands."
Prim starts to weep over the loss of our mother. I remain stoic; I know she's been gone much longer. However, I don't know what will happen. I feel a pang of fear of being separated with Prim. She's the only one on earth who I am certain I love. We don't have anyone willing to care for us so we become property of the state. "So what happens now?" I ask, choking back tears.
"Your grandparents are paying for your mother's rehabilitation and are paying for you to move up state. There is a boarding school there where you will attend and live at year round." She registers the shock on our faces and states, "You girls are a lot luckier than most of the kids I deal with. The school you are attending is one of the top schools in the country."
I choke out a curt, "Thanks." Lucky is the opposite of what I am feeling right now. I know what Ms. Sae is saying without sugar coating it; my mother has been sent to a mental hospital and we have been kicked out of our house. Our lives are being uprooted and our grandparents are sending us to some snooty private school upstate out of guilt and nothing more.
Prim interrupting my mental rant asks, "What is the school called?"
Ms. Sae replies, "The Capitol school."
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A/N: So I hope I didn't bore anyone to death! I promise the next chapters get a lot more fun! Especially when a certain boy comes in the picture ;) Remember to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! This is my very first fanfic so don't be too harsh!
