Another chapter is up and one Johanna Mason makes an appearance! What do you guys think about it? Please let me know and enjoy !
Jordan doesn't know what to expect from her second day at the Security Headquarters. How could she work elbow to elbow with Gale Hawthorne? The guy basically admitted that he can't stand her. He's going to be a nightmare to work with. But he won't stop her plans, she is well determined to build the hospital and the ER and give medical care to those in need. He has Bayle's full support and that's certainly going to help. For Rupert. She repeats to herself, like a mantra. She knocks on the door like the day before and waits for a signal.
"Come in" she hears . She steps into the room.
"Please, take a seat" Gale says. He studies her intently. She is wearing a pair of black, close fitting trousers over a pair of short boots and a grey, loose shirt while her hair falls gracefully over her shoulders, the blond color contrasting the dark tones of her clothing. Her eyes convey shyness mixed with curiosity and resentment. All the others including Dan and Colt would agree that she is a sight for sore eyes, but not Gale who despises anything related to the old District 2, the one that enriched itself thanks to their strong alliance with the Capitol. Her eyes do impress him though. Their emerald green pierces through his grey irises but there is also something that reminds him of a little pouting girl.
"Doctor, first off I want to apologize to you about my behavior yesterday" Gale's heart is pounding. God knows how much he hates apologizing to someone. Apologizing means admitting to being wrong and Gale is never wrong. He wants to get through this part as soon as possible, he doesn't want to show any signs of weakness. But he knows that if he didn't face the matter directly it would backfire on him and his work. And by now we all know how much Gale worships his work.
Jordan, on the other hand, was not expecting an apology at all. She is very pleasantly surprised by Gale's words. Maybe he is not completely heartless. She doesn't know that he's not nearly finished though.
"Now it's your turn" Gale says, after a long pause.
"Excuse me?" she asks, blinking, genuinely not understanding what he means by that.
"To apologize. About yesterday. It's your turn."
Why should I apologize? Last time I checked I didn't shove anyone against cars or point guns at innocent people. I actually helped by giving medical care" she says in a raised voice.
"Oh, please don't!" Gale bursts.
"Don't what?"
"Don't play the doctor card with me! Don't think that because you have graduated from medical school you get to do whatever you want. There are rules for everybody that need to be followed! You need to follow them because, if you don't, somebody gets hurt! You can't leave the group, you can't go to places like Warloo by yourself because it is dangerous! You don't question our use of weapons, which is legitimate, by the way. Does your spoiled District 2 brain understand that or not?" he shouts, breathing heavily. He was so loud that everybody outside heard him clearly.
"It always comes back to that. Always! I think that the real problem here is me being from 2, not my actions from yesterday. Your problem with me is that I didn't starve to death like you and the other people from District 12, that I never went through a reaping fearing to go to the Hunger Games because I always knew that careers would volunteer, that I never had to work in mines or orchards on crop fields, breaking my back, but don't you dare say that my life was easy, because it wasn't. The Capitol and its system owned me the same way it owned you! I survived too, you are not the only fighter here! We all lost a bits of ourselves in the war so don't you dare judge me or my life because you know nothing about it! Nothing!".
The words come out of her mouth without thinking. Everything has happened in a blaze. She looks around and she finds herself standing. When did she get up from the chair? Her throat is aching too. She can feel the taste of blood in it, like after a run in the cold. She must have screamed at the top or her lungs. But most of all, she is surprised by a newfound wetness over her cheeks. Her fingers lightly grace that soft spot of her face to find tears streaming. Gale is looking at her, bewildered. He is surprised by her words, but most of all, by her physical reaction. She is visibly shaking and the stream of tears falling from her eyes doesn't stop. They stare at each other, without breathing. Nothing breaks the silence that has fallen not only in the room, but in the entire office.
Jordan is suddenly assaulted by the urge to bolt out of the room, to escape those grey eyes that are watching her intently with a mixture of curiosity and guilt. Also a hint of amusement. She turns around and runs off.
I can't believe I just cried in front of him. And that I am running away like a little girl. I never looked this weak, even at my lowest.
She sprints down the stairs not caring about all the people that she bumps into along the way, still crying. She stops running only when she is outside, at the back of the big building. She sits on the curb and breaks down in uncontrollable sobs that rock her whole body, violently shaking her. She thus lets go, frees herself from the stabbing pain in her chest that slowly starts ebbing. The same pain that arises whenever she thinks about her life before the war. She thinks that in this cathartic moment she is alone, away from the world. She can't imagine that Gale is watching her from the window of his room, which has a view on the backyard of the Headquarters. She has her hands on her cheeks and her sobs don't seem to be coming to an end anytime soon. Posy cries just like that when Gale goes back to his small community and leaves his family. She hates seeing her big brother go. Jordan looks just as small and fragile as Posy from Gale's window.
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"Hawthorne!"
Gale jumps up on his stool.
"Have I just caught you off guard?"
"No, I'm just surprised. I didn't think you would actually show up tonight."
"Well, why wouldn't I? It's always good to catch up with a good friend every once in a while."
"It's good to see you Johanna" he says as he leans in to hug her.
"Yeah, yeah don't get too emotional, pretty boy" she says squatting his hands away. Gale laughs. They are in a pub, Johanna taking the stool next to Gale's. He takes a swig from his second beer of the evening.
"I'll have what he's having" she tells the bartender, winking at him in a flirty way. "So, what's cracking?"
Gale chuckles. "Can't complain, what about you?"
"Me either. Oh thank you" She says when the bartender hands her the beer. She takes a very long swig, drinking almost half of the bottle and cleans her lips with her sleeve afterwards. "So, we are going to talk about your new friend Jordan tonight, am I right?"
Gale is taken aback. "How…How do you know?"
" I thought you knew I have superpowers" she says.
"Yeah, like reading minds?"
"That and also others" she says in a low, seductive tone as she playfully winks at him, touching his knee.
"Are you hitting on me now?" Gale chuckles.
" No, I'm just making sure that those girls that have being eyeing you since I got here, over at that table, know that I have your full attention tonight" she playfully says, casually waving at the table.
"How did you know I wanted to talk about her?" Gale repeats.
"She is quick. Quicker than you" she says .
"She talked to you already?"
She smiles knowingly. "You know at first I thought your exact thing about her. But I had to change my mind"
"Where did you meet in the first place? I can't really picture the two of you being friends"
"District 8. A year ago, when she volunteered at the Hospital there. I'll admit, I had prejudices toward her, just like you, but then I heard her story and I saw her working"
"What's her story? Today she yelled about her life not being easy. For me having food three times a day everyday is easy enough" he ironically remarks.
"Again, that's what I thought as well"
"Then what happened to this girl? It can't be worse that what we had to go through, starvation, Games, war, death…" he trails off, his heart aching at the thought of Prim.
"She comes from a very wealthy family from Aileas, I'm sure by now you know. Her father was among the highest ranks of the army and he obviously fought against us in the war. At eighteen she became engaged to some army guy that her father had set up for her, like every girl from that place, she didn't even know him. She never told me but I think she was violent with her too. Her parents' marriage was arranged as well. She has always been very rebellious about the Capitol and the Hunger Games, she got into real trouble when she refused to attend army parties and stand by the Capitol rules in general. Her parents locked her in a mental house for a few months, they even tied her to her bed. She also had a brother, I think his name was Rupert. After the explosion of the Nut the two of them fled Aileas and started working with the rebels, giving priceless inside information about the army that her brother knew very well. He died during the conflict and she was completely alone after it. They were really tight so his death hit her hard. Her parents think she is dead to this day, I believe. Her mom was an amoeba, incapable of thinking with her own brain and didn't stand up for her children, ever. After her brother's death she spent time in the camp hospital of 8 and that's when she decided to become a doctor. And let me tell you, she's got a pair! She looks sweet and tender but the girl knows what she's doing. She can be a handful sometimes, though"
Gale can't speak. He feels a knot in his throat that prevents him from moving, his palms are sweating on the wooden counter.
"That's what I thought" Johanna smirks. "Tomorrow cut her a break, but don't look at her with those eyes because she'll know that I spilled everything and she'll be even more mad than she already is"
"What did she say to you about me?"He asks.
"My lips are sealed" she says as she zips her mouth with her hand.
Gale took a swig from his beer, guilt flooding him.
"Don't think about it too much Gale. You didn't know, I made your same mistake, but she forgave me and she will forgive you too. Just give her the chance to prove how good she is at what she does" she softly adds.
"Mason, when did you become such a wise person?" Gale tries to lighten the mood, not wanting to show her how bad he really feels. "Tell be about you, it's been ages since we last talked like this"
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