I fear no one wants to read this one... I want to write it and I will but I am kind of sad that no one has reviewed but! Thank you MissDizzyD for your tribute!
I see my mother one last time and Elaine comes to thank me but the visits are so short that I only really remember sitting and hugging about four people. When Blake comes to see me I hug him and he whispers about how brave and beautiful I am. I never saw us as romantic. He was always more of an older brother to me. Somehow, despite this, he knows what I need. He forces my chin up and kisses me gently before he is forced to leave. As I ride in the car I realize he was so much more than a brother. He was what I needed when I needed it. He was everything. He told me to stay safe and I didn't say anything but I did start to cry. Of all the people I wanted to see me cry, he was not one. One I needed to cry with, but not who I wanted to cry with.
On the train I am allowed to stay in my room until dinner, which is not a ball. My father glares at me whenever he can and makes small talk with Mags and Marian. I automatically do not like Mags. I get two sessions with her, even though there is supposed to only be one private session with your mentors. I get one to prepare me for battle and one to prepare for my interview. Mags seems bossy and powerful. Actually, no, she seems like a sweet innocent girl that hides a master schemer. She is smart and mysterious and hard to understand.
I stand up to leave and Mags says," Is everyone done?"
"Yeah, I was going…" I start but my father interrupts me.
"Sit down, Vanessa." It has been years since he called me that last. I sit down and try to look at Mags.
"Let's all go in the sitting room and see who we have to contend with. After, we will discuss who stuk out to us the most and then look at the whole group in turn. The least likely to win will probably be fighting the hardest." I look at Liam and he smiles seductively at me. I am one of those least likely to win.
We move to the sitting room as the reaping starts over. Apparently the reaping day they replay the reaping over and over with commentary. I watch as the reaping are introduced. Dad talks about how when he was reaped he tore up his room and slept most of the day before his mentor came in the room and beat the crap out of him. I smile but don't look away from the TV. Then the Reaping started.
District one had two Volunteers. They are perfect in every way. Mags informs me that they are the ones I want to aim to get as allies. They are very strong and the crowds will like them and the alliance we would have. District two and three don't have very noticeable candidates since they just seem to be underfed teenagers. I really don't want to watch this right now.
Then District Four comes up. I glance up at my father. He clenches his jaw and watches quietly as Elaine is called. They find her in the crowd and I watch her limp up to the stage. My heart drops when I see her. Just the walk to the stage has made it hard to breathe. She is pale and tears are streaming down her face but she looks so proud. Liam is called next and he seems to float as he walks. He is so smooth, his movements so naturally attractive. He will be liked by the crowds. I know he will be good. All the ones taught by my father make it to the last nine or even seven. They all are amazing. I ignore him as he smiles at me.
I volunteer next and the screen is split in two at the middle. They have me walking up to the stage on one side and the look on my father's face. He is furious. I look at myself. I look defiant, beautiful, proud and strong. I look nothing like the scared twelve year old I am. My hair seems to shimmer as if it is actually on fire and my dress makes the blue in my eyes shine out like pools of water lit from behind. Liam actually steps away from me and almost falls off the stage in fear. I grin and wink at him as he tries to shrug it off.
"You were scary, alright? Everyone saw it!" Liam says.
"Somehow I don't see that as a defense for you." I say as the grin widens on my face. I look at the TV and try to block out our times in school together. I had a lot of friends, Elaine and Blake being the closest, but Liam was in my circle.
I sit on the picnic table and Liam laughs. I look up from my book and he sits down next to me and points, still laughing too hard to stop. I look up and bite my lip to keep the smile from turning into obnoxious laughter at Blake. He is tied upside down in a tree by one foot and struggles wildly to get loose.
"What are you laughing at?" He screams as he spins slowly on the rope.
"You." Liam admits. Our group of friends come out of the trees and see him and they start to laugh as well. I let myself smile and take the knife out of my shoe.
"Blake." I get his attention and toos the knife. He catches it without any problems and saws himself loose. Liam looks at me like I'm something strange, "What?"
"Nothing." We all bust out laughing again
District eight, a little girl was Reaped and dragged on the stage kicking and screaming. She managed to get three of the Peacekeepers to the ground before they get her to the stage. On the stage she takes out two more. The guy who is chosen finally calms her down and they stand with their foreheads pressed together.
I zone out a little after that and don't see much of the rest of the reaping. In district nine I see a girl my age but much skinnier and underfed. She looks hopefully out at the crowd but no one volunteers for her. In the same district a boy that was saved from the reaping two years ago by a volunteer actually volunteers. He is bigger than the first time and less sickly. I really watch him, trying to see how he might work, what is in his head. He has to redeem himself, for much more than being volunteered for.
District Ten catches my eye. The guy gets up on stage like he owns the place and tells a joke. Most at the Reaping don't get it but a lot laugh, including the peacekeepers. He is tall and skinny with short blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He stands next to the girl and I realize they are both extremely tall. The girl seems to be almost the exact opposite of him. Her dark brown hair flies around her like vines in the wind. She has a big smile, but it blooms when he wraps his arm around her shoulder. Her tanned skin pales him slightly as her neon green eyes look into his. They lift their free arms into the air and the crowd cheers wildly.
In District Eleven a girl about my size is called. She catches my attention because there is nothing remarkable about her, at first. She is small with the curliest long blonde hair I have ever seen. He skin was so pale it was almost translucent as she walked steadily up to the stage. Her hands shook in her little fists. She turns to the camera and I almost freeze in place as she smiles at me from the screen. Her brown eyes seem to stare into my soul, no, burrow into my soul. I would definitely keep an eye on her. What was her name? Honey, I would keep an eye on her. The guy is exactly opposite. He is taller than her and built very well. He has a smug grin and black hair cut close to his head. His grin looks as if he is always apologizing but his blue eyes say he is blaming you for the thing he apologizes for. His name is Luke. He hugs her and waves to the crowd as if claiming her as his own. His name is Luke.
Twelve comes last and the sky turns grey and rain starts to pour down before the woman gets any names out of the boys bowl. She pulls one out as both bowls fill with water. She messes with her hair, which is falling from the rain. Her makeup runs miserably as she steps up and reads the boy's name. She misreads it and no one comes up at first. Eventually they get the right guy up there and then they cut to the commentators.
"Pretty exciting this year. How many volunteers did you count?" The blue haired man says, looking at the pink woman beside him, I mean, pink woman.
"There is a large number this year. This is going to be some games. What did you think about that girl from district four?" She asks, "That thrilling outfit and flaming hair. If you didn't know it already, the look on her father's face confirms it, she is the daughter of the First Victor." The woman says.
"No denying it, after that outrageous look she received, I would be afraid to be." The man laughs artificially at the screen and the television turns off. Dad and Mags turn to Liam and I and I look anywhere but my father's eyes. Liam sits on the back of the chair between me and Mags and My dad sits in a recliner next to our couch.
"You two need to make allies and hope they are trustworthy. You will have to make yourselves desirable." Mags says.
"What you will have to do, Liam, is be social. Talk to people, make them like you. You need to convince them you have no fear and truly want them as allies. We can see you are fit. You have to give them a reason not to want to kill you first." My Dad is right. Liam is threatening.
"We can't play you off as weak, Vanessa, because your father seemed very weak and sickly before he went in and he killed twelve people. The same strategy won't work twice. Let them know how strong you are. We will train together every night in your room. Show them your skill in the training area and let them know you mean business. We will figure out a personality for you, but try to aim for bigger guy tributes."Mags informs me.
"We want you both to be a team, so put in a good word for eachother. Be social with everyone and try your hardest to get everyone on your side." Dad says.
"Now, who stuck out to you the most?" Mags asks.
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I listen as the conversation starts and my daughter tries to avoid my eyes. I try to keep up as I try to forget why she is here and do my duty. I have to train the boy and hope Mags trains my daughter correctly.
"I noticed, the guys always seem to be protecting the girls in all the Districts. District Eight, he calmed her down when she freaked out. District Ten the fifteen year old hugged the twelve year old. Is that a strategy this year?" Vanessa asks.
"Well, when I was there I had two allies through the entire thing. They were Gina and Amelia. I got medicine, which is extremely expensive. I got it because I protected them. Those guys are using those girls to get sponsors. The Capitol people will give them so much to keep those girls safe. This also drops the girls guard. They win on all sides." I answer her.
"What about us?" Liam asks. The boy has almost gone pale.
"I want you to seem like allies. You can become enemies after eight kills, but stay together until then. You don't have to pretend to be friends or anything like that. Just allies. This will scare the other tributes because you will have a stronger bond than them." Mags says, "But you will have separate training sessions for a good reason, you two might have to fight it out at some point." She looks at both of them who nod as they think this through.
"We will be at the capitol in a few days, not long, but it will put us on a tight deadline for the chariot. You will be redone by your stylists as soon as we get to the Capitol. Until then, there is nothing more from me. Anything from you, Mags?" I look at Mags.
"We'll come get you for meals but that's it." She stands up and so does Liam, but I stop Vanessa.
"I need to talk to you." I tell her then smile at the others as they leave.
"Dad, I…" She starts to defend herself and I put my hand up.
"I am furious with you, but I saw Elaine. She is very ill. What you did was very stupid, but so very noble. I am so proud of you, you moron." I know this is not how I should be talking to my daughter, but I am furious. I feel the tears welling in my eyes. She was garunteed a spot in the games after my little knife stunt. I run a hand through my hair and sigh.
"I am so sorry, Daddy." I look up to find her in tears. I move over and sit next to her, pulling her into a hug as she sobs.
"Get it out, get it out now. We have to look strong or we will never win this." I whisper.
"We?" She shoves me away, "No, Dad, You already went in the arena! This is over for you! I am going onto this arena! All my life all you have done for me is saved a spot for me in the arena and brought me expensive presents from the Capitol!" She shoves me again before she stands. I know what is going on but it still hurts.
"Do you know why I was in the Capitol in the first place?" I yell at her, willing tears not to form, "Insuring your future!"
"You were with your lovers! I am not as nieve as you think I am! I know you go to see women and a lot of women! You have sex with everyone until you get what you want!" She turns and storms out of the room. I close my eyes and pinch my nose, sighing. Should I tell her the truth?
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