Chapter 10
That night they gave us a small dinner, and sent us straight to bed, saying that we had a "big, big, big day" tomorrow. Honestly, they have no idea. I tried to sleep, but my nerves almost made me throw up. I tossed and turned trying to find a position that was comfortable enough for me to sleep in. Nothing worked. I got up and ran my hand through my hair, while I looked out the window. I glanced at the clock next to my bed. 11:59. So close to tomorrow, so close to the games, so close to- 12:00 a.m. Happy birthday to me. Yeah, it's my birthday. What terrible timing right? All of a sudden, I feel like I've been trapped inside a small box, and I need to get out now. Almost automatically, I head out to the roof. The Capitol is beautiful from the top of the building. I go to the edge of the roof. I think about jumping, but then I remember what my granddad always laughed about, how the tributes can never escape their fate in the games because of a force field that recently got installed. By recently, I mean when I was three. So I stare at the glowing city for a few minutes. Then I hear, "Esmerelda?"
I turn around quickly. It's Mercury.
"Hey, Mercury," I say. "Can't sleep?"
"Not really," he replies, laughing half-heartedly. He stands beside me, and leans against the small wall, separating the roof from the air.
As I look at the city, I ask, "Do you think this is better… than the Capitol winning the war?"
"What do you mean?"
"This is the end of the Hunger Games, forever, hopefully. Do you think it's better for us to die, instead of more District children dying in the games that would have followed?"
"I guess it's better. I honestly don't want to die, but who does really? But if it means no one else gets killed in this horrible way, I think it's better," he replies.
I nod my head. There's a small pause. "So, about your last romance thing, who-"
"You," he interrupts. "I want to love you." For some reason, my heart flutters, and something, like hope, rises in my stomach. "But you're smart, so you know you shouldn't get attached to someone that way. Plus, I'm not the best person."
"Who is a really good person?" I ask. "We all do wrong things, so don't feel too bad."
He smiles. I smile back. Suddenly, He grabs my waist, pulls me close to him, and starts kissing me. Strangely, I kiss him back. I fall for him, forgetting that I might have to kill him.
A/N: Eww, gushy romance. haha. Short chapter, I know, but the next thing is the first day of the games so I can't have those two things in the same chapter! That would be weird! Plus that was a good ending, I think... So about that 3s all around thing, I was trying to say hearts all around but the thing didn't post the "greater-than" sign. So that's what I was trying to say, for those of you who were wondering why I decided to give you 3s. Anyway, favorite and reveiw. It gets better and a little less cheesy, I hope.