We never leave at the same time, just for safety procedures. I shivered and stood in place for a while longer, waiting to see if the rain will die down, which it did a tad. At least I'll get home and take a warm bath and redo my hair.
I picked up the bread and crept out of the woods double checking if anyone was there watching me, luckily there wasn't, so I sloshed back to the barbwire and slid under it, but when I straightened back up, there he was. Bronze, with his back-up, Brandy, who also thinks I'm attractive.
"Hey Stella! What is a beautiful girl like you doing in the rain?" he asked. Bronze wasn't ugly, he was pretty cute and resembled to Brandon, though he had black shaggy hair, bright green eyes, he wasn't as tan as Brandon, nor as muscular as him either, but he did work out and it was obvious.
"None of your business, Bronze. Now if you move, I'll be going-"
"Why are you in such-oh. You just snuck out and saw your 'amazing' boyfriend didn't you?" I hated the sound of sarcasm in his voice
"Why do you care?" I asked as I tried to push my way through the two, but Bronze caught me and held me close to his chest.
"Bronze let me go!" I yelled, struggling to get free from his grip.
"Yah Bronze, let her go! She wants to spend some quality time with me!" Brandy responded, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a hug.
Brandy was tall, also muscular, and had a short cut hair and a few strands standing up at the front. He wasn't as handsome as Bronze, and never as handsome as Brandon, but he was okay. His hair was a dirty blonde and blue eyes.
"Let me go, freaks!" I screamed, releasing myself from Brandy.
"Brandon. Such a backstabber." Bronze mumbled
"Shut up, Bronze. Maybe she would like you a little more if you showed her some respect." I turned to see Brandon, hugging my waist from behind. Thank goodness.
I flipped around and hugged him, whispering a quiet "thank you" in his ear. He muttered back, "No problem, beautiful."
Brandon broke the hug and smiled, but it was wiped away when he glanced over at Bronze and Brandy.
"Don't touch her, again, Bronze. Hear me?"
"Sure, but I'm not going to promise anything. We still have some unfinished business to attend to, Brandon. Don't forget about it too. You know Stella is rightfully mine."
"She's not your property," Brandon replied. Another reason to love him.
"It's the ladies' choice," Brandy butt in
"The ladies' 'choice' was stated five minutes ago! I don't want to see you two! Leave me alone!" I yelled as I pushed myself closer to Brandon's body. I probably look like a defenseless little girl right now, but oh well.
"That's right Brandon, she said she didn't want to see you two," Bronze gloated pointing to Brandon and Brandy, "now Stella, we need to catch up! When have you gotten this beautiful? And did you know?" he leaned closer to my ear, "I love you." I froze and shivered, get this freak away from me!
"Get away from me, Bronze." I demanded, calm, but on the inside I was freaking out, and I was still frozen
"I will, if you give me something..." his lips touched my cheek extremely close to my lips. In the corner of my eye Brandon was ready to swing, but I shook my head, which told him don't. My signal met his eyes and Brandon was in shock, he probably thinks I'm crazy.
"Bronze, if I do... will you leave me alone?" I gulped out. Okay, maybe I am crazy. Brandon and Brandy were angry, and were gonna pounce soon.
Bronze nodded and smiled. I took a deep breath and kissed his check.
"There! Bye!" I yelled, taking Brandon's hand, and waving. The clever and cunning Stella Summer Hall!
"I hate you!" Brandon called out over the roaring wind.
"I wanted... that... creep... to leave me... alone!" I screamed in between my breaths. I hate running.
"I could of punched him-"
"No, I didn't want that to happen! You have no idea what the peacekeepers would do to you two!"
He sighed and stopped running, looking back to make sure Bronze and Brandy didn't follow. "Why do you do this? You love to mess with my feelings don't you!? I gotta go now Stel, see you in a few." I froze.
"Brandon! Wait," I commanded, but he kept walking, which didn't stop me from mumbling," you know that's not true! I love you..." I wonder if he heard that or not, because he slowed down his pace, but kept walking.
I turned the opposite way and frowned. I approached home, pretty freaking upset. I've always been sort of a flirt, but he has too, so I don't see why he acts like that when I do it! Besides, that wasn't flirting! It was getting two stalkers to let you be free! Ugh, I can't stand Brandy and Bronze!
I turned the door knob and slammed the door, tears threatening to fall as I blew up on my mom.
"How dare you!" I screeched
"Stella control yourself! What in the world are you talking about!?"
" HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO TRADE THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE LEFT OF YOUR HUSBAND!? WHY THE CRAP DO YOU THINK I WOULD GIVE IT UP? ARE YOU STUPID?!" Oops.
"How do you think we're going to survive, dear!? Off of the deer meat you can't catch!"
"I DON'T SEE YOU TRYING!"
"You don't mean that-"
"I do mean that, because all you do is sit in a chair and watch me starve!"
"Stella, take a bath and get dressed, I'm done with this conversation."
I blinked once, waiting for her to blow up, she didn't so I punched the wall . Surprisingly, there was no pain, nor blood, and no 'get out of my house now.' It was silent until I calmly replied, "As you wish mother," in the most respectful voice I could muster. Inside, I wanted that to be her face I punched. Luckily, I didn't punch the wall with the hand the ring is on.
I slipped it off before I turned the knob on the tub on. I undressed out of my layers and checked the water temperature, which warmed up quickly as thoughts went through my head. I climbed into the bath and soaked my hair, filled with dirt and leaves because of Brandon's little 'jumping' attempt. I grabbed a clear plastic bottle filled with liquid soap mom made, poured it right above my forehead, and it ran through my hair. I clenched my eyelids together to keep the soap out of my eyes. I scrubbed my head and rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, washed my body, and turned the warm water off. I grabbed two towels, one I wrapped around my body and the other wrapped around my hair. I walk out of the bathroom after letting the water in the tub drain, and starred at the clothes laid out on the bed. Mom walked in and stood beside me.
"Mom... I'm scared." I confessed, "48 go in and only 1 comes out. What if I get chosen?"
She looked at me straight in the eye, "I highly doubt it. Your name is only in there four times-"
"Six... mom, six."
"What do you mean? You are only 15-"
"Two times... two times I was about to starve, I needed it!" She was speechless.
"Oh, well many other people live in this district, I bet you'll be fine." she assured, also changing the subject.
I let out a breath and changed into my reaping clothes. The dress was light blue and white plaid. It came up a few inches above my knees. The sleeves were a little puffy, and the collar was V-neck. My shoes were white flats. Mom styled my hair by curling it and clipping my side bangs to the back of my head.
"You look beautiful," she teared up. I wonder why she's acting like this. Never had she made me a whole new dress and went to this much trouble for my hair. Any other reaping, I'd wear her old dress of her last year of being lucky. I mean, when did she make this and get the shiny new flats!? I've never seen such well stitching from her except when she made me something for dad's funeral.
"Thanks... this is a very pretty dress." I force out, trying to be polite
She cleared her throat, "Let's go."
The square was filled with many people already. Every single person had the same look on their face, hatred. Dullness. It just seemed to fit the mood of everyone, except the Domino family. They're happy and exited.
"You're just jealous I'm going to get picked!" one of her sisters bragged
"Please, Pearl! We all know it's my turn this year!" Bloom stated
Wow, have they brainwashed these kids? Who in the world would be so jittery about The Hunger Games? No one, but these lunatics.
We headed to the area where mom and I split up. They pricked our fingers and I entered a crowd of girls and stood where I wanted. Across from us were the boys and one stood out, Brandon. He was in black slacks and was stunning. I managed to smile at him, but he glanced over at me and crossed his arms. I mouthed back a, "sorry," but he jerked his head to stare at whatever was in front of him. My heart ached. Why now, Brandon? Why now?
After a while of standing in silence, Effie Trinket stepped up to the stage and smiled widely and spoke the same words she does EVERY YEAR. I swear, I can quote her word-by-word.
"Welcome, welcome! Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!" she greeted with that stupid saying. The District 1 Mayor stepped up to tell us junk no one listens to about how Panem was created and how they saved our lives and how we wouldn't be here without them, blah blah blah. They showed us a video about Panem and how it started with one man, yah, yah.
Effie stood in front of her seat until the right moment came for her to draw names. She took the mayor's place in front of the microphone saying, "Ladies first!" she delicately placed her hand in the large round glass bowl and slowly unfolded the piece of paper. My heart was pounding... two tributes, not just one.
Effie smiled at the name, "Well well! Bloom Domino!" Bloom proudly walked up to the stage as her parents cheered and clapped, shortly the crowd joined in and the volume of the applause grew. I was shocked, this is a murder game! You didn't win a free trip to the capital and one bar of gold for each family member!
She arrived at the stage and waved, joyfully. Effie's applaud came to an end when it was time for the next tributes' name to be called. Clearly she spoke, "And our next female tribute is..." my heart froze. Everything felt as if it were in slow motion. "Stella Hall!" The world became blurry. I tensed up and glanced around to see where I was and what was happening. Did she call my name? Was that me? Apparently it was.
A/N
I know, not much of a heart-stopper, but hey, there is one, WHO WILL WIN? Who the boy tributes? Will Stella and Brandon have to fight against each other? What about Bloom and Sky? A little cliffhanger... sorry!
