Scarlett's POV
Wiress and Beetee took me straight to the train that would be taking me and two tributes to the Capitol this. And, no, I didn't get to change out of my pajamas.
"Aren't we going to the reaping?" I ask, confused when we pass right by Town Square, not even looking at the Mayor that is onstage.
"It's not required that the mentor comes to the reaping, just suggested," Beetee says, shrugging off the question. "It's not a big deal for first-time mentors to not go."
"I certainly didn't," Wiress says, momentarily stopping to take in our surroundings. "Train's that way."
"Wouldn't it be faster to go this way?" I say, pointing to the road in front of us, completely empty, that leads straight to the station.
"Not if you take into account the citizens who are late to the reaping," she says. "It's more populated there, so there'd most likely be more people rushing over to Town Square. We would be slowed down because we would have to dodge them, so going that way would be easier."
"And if we don't make it in time, it's more likely that Wiress's way will still be shorter due to the lack of population," Beetee says, agreeing.
That just went in one ear and out the other.
"Whatever… we'll just go your way, then," I say, not wanting for them to elaborate further.
We make it to the train station with little time to spare before shoving off, but we manage to get on without getting a glare from the guy who is manning my train car's door.
The train is the same as last year: same drab carpet, same grey walls, same broken door in the corner of the car. Wiress gestures to the metal door next to her, saying, "We'll be a few cars away, so if you need us, come over."
I nod. "Okay."
They both exit out the same door, leaving me in the large silence of the car. I sigh and plop down on the familiar couch, searching the cushion for the hole I put in it last year. It's right next to the seam, where I remember.
I remember when Adan, my district partner, and I sat here, looking over all the other reapings. They all looked so much stronger and smarter than me, and I really thought that I didn't have a change. Especially Finnick Odair's little sister, Nimiane. Adan and I were eating some high-end Capitol food during this, and I was cutting some lamb with a knife. When Nimiane Odair was announced, Adan stopped chewing for a second, and I threw the knife down into the cushion out of surprise. It left a hole in the cushion that we never talked of again.
The sounds of the car door opening fills my ears, and I figure that it's either Wiress, Beetee, or the tributes. I try to examine who they are by looking at the window in front of me, nonchalantly saying, "Hey there."
"Hi, Scar," an elderly, feminine voice weakly says. I turn to see my mother, father, and my five brothers, all standing in a line in front of me. "We came to check in."
"Now?" I ask. "Right before I leave?"
"We wanted to wish you and your tributes good luck this year," my oldest brother, Marco, says. He sits beside me on the couch, looking around. "This isn't so bad," he comments.
"Compared to my house, it's a wreck," I mumble. Mom sits on the arm of the couch and the rest of the family gathers around by the front of the couch. "Oh, that's right. We haven't seen your house yet!" Mom says, like we've seen each other every day.
Yeah, what a great effort you've made to see me at all.
"It's nice," I say, not really wanting to talk about it. "How's work for you guys?"
All my brothers work at an electronics factory. Marco is into design, as well as the third brother, Randall. The three others, Edward, Kirk, and Will, are all into manufacturing and deliveries on good days.
"It's been fine," Randall says, looking down at his feet. "The Capitol bought a lot of electronic gizmos recently, and one can only jump to the conclusion that it's-"
"-for the Games," I finish.
"If it's this close to the Games, then it wouldn't be a far-fetched assumption," Kirk says.
I wonder if the mentors get to know what the arena is like before the Games start. But the mentors would probably tell the tributes, and that would defeat the purpose of it being a surprise.
The Capitol does like their surprises.
oOo
Drew's POV
All throughout the rest of the program, I stand, staring at the crowd. I don't comprehend whoever the male tribute is, I don't comprehend the cries from the audience, and I don't comprehend the sad faces. I just stand, still as a statue until the male tribute and I have to shake hands.
I look up at his face for the first time, not recognizing him. He has wind-blown black hair and brown eyes that are framed by square glasses. His smile is somewhat cocky, like he knows something that you don't. He's taller than me, probably about six-foot, and he has muscles, but not ones that bulge so much that you can see them through his shirt. He looks overall like a nice person.
But that's just his looks that I'm judging by.
When we go inside Town Hall and are allowed visitors, the whole family visits first. There are several cries of how much I'm going to be missed and how I need to try my hardest, but I don't really listen. The Peacekeepers practically have to pry Ollie off of me before she would willingly leave. It was pretty scary for someone who loves personal space and would rather strangle someone than receive a hug.
When Teagan and Calder come in, Teagan screams, "Now who the hell am I going to eat lunch with?" Calder laughs, trying to cover up his sadness.
"I'd be more worried about if we have two victors in two years," Calder says, nudging Teagan to get her to stop her ranting about small things. I laugh a little bit, rolling my eyes at their way to getting me to snap out of the trance I've been in for the past few minutes.
I motion for them to sit next to me on a plush couch, and after they do, I ask, "Who was my district partner? I didn't hear his name."
"I think it was Owen Polk," Teagan says, looking up to her brain as if consulting it.
"Yeah, that was it," Calder confirms. "Owen Polk."
I nod. "Sound familiar to any of you?"
They shake their heads. Calder says, "Well, he's a year older than us, so I wouldn't expect us to know him."
"Okay, that's cool. I'll be stuck with an upperclassman and a girl with green hair for a while."
"Don't fret," Teagan says. "I'm sure you'll make it out. You're practically fighting for the chance to be yourself every day! How much harder can fighting for your life be?"
That's true. My parents hate my lifestyle. I try to blend in, meaning I hang out with poor kids, I wear clothes that everyone else at school wears, and I always get my hands dirty because I want to. Of course, my family sees this as an act of rebellion against them, and we're always fighting about it. Some days they don't even let me leave the house until I do what they want, which is never.
Teagan and Calder are called out of the room after some more small talk, and I think on how the Capitol will be.
Maybe there people will understand me.
But probably not.
My gosh, this took me forever (in my standards)! And I was like "Where do I end this oh mah gosh", so, I'm not necessarily pleased with it. But it probably matters what you think more, so… Yeah.
And tomorrow is exactly one month until the movie comes out! *fangirl squeal*