I enter my father's apartment, to find my father sitting down at the kitchen table. "Hey dad, you are home early," I shout, hanging up my jacket and take off my shoes.
"Beetee and Wiress let me go early," my father shouts in reply, "so I just came home. I am in the kitch-" He notices me standing in front of him. I sit across from my father and see that he is reading the newspaper. I peer at the cover story, noticing the picture. It was from earlier today, when Casper kissed me on the cheek. "I see that your relationship has come far with Casper," my father puts the paper down and looks at me, "I think it is time to talk to you about something."
"That might be…" I trail off, leaning my elbows.
My father picks up his coffee, takes a sip, and lays it back on the table and replies, "about sex and our values."
"Oh! Dad that is disgusting, I swear I am not going to do that with her. I am too young to think like that," I feel the outrage of what he was saying settle in.
He raises an eyebrow and stares me right in the eyes, "yes, and I always thought that when I was your age. What was the result? You. Did you know that? People in the Capitol have a habit of moving fast in relationships. I do not want to see what happened to us, happen to you. Please just listen to that."
I just stare off into space, trying to take in all the words that my father was saying. The first thing I do is getting out of my seat and head into my room. I just sit on my bed and think. Casper was a good girl and I would not pressure her into anything. Then I realize that I did have an attraction to her. She was beautiful on the outside, just like the boys at school having an attraction to the models of a magazine.
"Cinna, it is time for dinner," my father knocks at the door. I just glance at the picture on my bedside table before getting out of bed. I head into the kitchen and sit at the table. "Dad, I promise you that I will not do anything," I announce to him as he lays a plate of food in front of me.
"That is good Cinna," he smiles at me, scooting in the seat next to me. I stare down at my plate, chicken and some green sauce. My father was not much a cook. I pick up a fork and start biting at the chicken. I notice it is dry at first, but I refuse to tell my father. It would just break his heart after trying to cook.
"I hope she comes back, " my father states in the middle of a bite. He takes another bite of his chicken before laying his fork to the side.
"I want her back too," I explain to him, "mum is a special person to me an you."
I watch as my father's face goes emotionless; he gets up without excusing himself and puts his plate in the sink. Then my father slumps over and walks out of the kitchen towards his room. I stare in his direction; watching him exit towards his room. "Night!" I shout and I get no reply. He just walks away and I do not hear from him again for the rest of the night.
After emptying my plate from the rest of my meal, I head to bed. I get dressed in my pajamas and take off my glasses and lay them on the bedside table. I get into bed and pull the covers over my body. I just stare at the picture of my father and mother, lit by a night light. "I love you two," I whisper then turn on the other side of bed and close my eyes. Gently falling asleep. Once I fall asleep, three canons ring out in the Hunger Games.
In the morning, I literally jump out of bed, hoping to find Casper outside today. I even run towards the statue in anticipation that she would be there. Then I notice she was not there, and I return for the next few days, only to find her not there. Eventually, Anna-Marie was crowned victor, and during the next day I find her sitting on the statue, a group of paparazzi around her. They always try to talk to the victors after the games, but none of them answer to them. I push my way to the front and smile. Casper notices me and motions me over.
"Hey," I whisper to her, "how are you?"
"Fine, you?" she whispers back, pushing the hair away from her face.
"Great! Wait, are you leaving today?" I question her, trying to hide my mouth from the rest of the cameras with my hand.
She nods, "yes, I am leaving in about two hours."
My eyes go wide; I needed more time with her. Then the idea hits me, "give me a couple of minutes. I want to give you something, but it is at home." Casper nods, giving me a small wave as I run through the crowd of people and head back towards my apartment. I run into the door that leads into the lobby, but I open it and sprint through the lobby.
Once I was in the elevator everybody was staring at me. I try to ignore all the eyes until I reach my floor. I step out and everybody waves goodbye. Then I realize that I was on TV and everybody probably saw me. Like I cared, because I had to get going. I slowly make my way towards the front door to the apartment. Digging through my pocket, I find my keys and open the door.
The house was quiet, my father was gone to say goodbye to Beetee and Wiress, and of course I was out. I forget about my shoes and head straight to my room. I had the perfect thing to give Casper along with my number. Opening the door to my room, I head straight for a jewelry box on my desk. I open it and dig through it, trying to find a silver bangle that my father gave to my mother years ago. My mother gave it to me a couple of months ago. I finally find it, and pull a piece of paper from a notepad. I scratch my number quickly with a pen, then I write: You are beautiful. Please call me as soon as you can. –Cinna. Then I put the pen back, grab the paper and fold it over the bangle. I put both in my pocket and sprint out of my room.
Running through the crowds of the people starting to party about the new victor. I could not get past most of groups; I was stuck on both sides. Peering at my watch I noticed that she was leaving in forty minutes. I had to run to get to the train station. Eventually I start pushing through people, getting cursed at and people wanting to talk to my father. I did not care; I had to get to her.
Eventually I pass through the City Circle, the crowds got tighter once I was leaving. I noticed Beetee and Wiress talking to my father walking through an alleyway. I catch up to them and stop them in their tracks, "hey! Where is the train station?"
"Just keep heading down this alley!" Beetee shouts, pointing the direction he was walking.
I pass by them and turn my head to shout back, "thank you, so much!" I continue running, passing by trashcans and a few people. I continue running, meeting the platform with twenty minutes to spare. Casper was there, about to board her train. "Casper!" I shout, pulling out the bangle. She stops, letting me catch up to her.
My breathing heavy, I just choke out, "take this." I hand her the bangle with my number. She stares at it for a couple of seconds, looks back up and smiles.
"Thank you," Casper whispers before her father pulls her on the train. By now Beetee and Wiress, along with my father are right behind me. My father walks up and pulls his arm around my shoulder.
"She is gone," I whisper to him and watch as the train goes away.
"Casper will be back," Beetee comes up next to me and nods, "we all come back." I smile at him and we wait for the next train to board. The two victors from District Five come up and say hello to Beetee and Wiress. As the train pulls up my father says his goodbyes till next year. "Goodbye Beetee and Wiress! See you next year!" I shout up at them, they smile and wave before boarding the train. Everybody was gone except from four. I would see them next year.
"Come on lets go," my father, sighs; we head to our apartment together. We did not care to celebrate, we just wanted to spend the night with each other. When we get home the phone rings. I run straight towards the phone and pick it up, "hello."
"Cinna?" the female voice asks, then I notice whose voice it is.
"Casper?" I ask.
"Hey," she says, I could hear her aunt yelling in the background.
"Hey…" I whisper, then I realize she got my message.
