A/N: Much sadness and angst but we will get through this like we always do. :) And I got excited for this chapter so I started writing this after I posted the last one. So whether it gets posted Sunday night or Monday morning I hope you enjoy. Let's goooo!
Being back home in District 12 has been a lot more fun than I could even begin to imagine. Waking up whenever I wanted, and not having to go to work to kill someone makes me too happy. I spend my time with my friends and actually talk about things we enjoy not whether someone is guilty or not of treason.
I've slowly started to notice that everyone I hang out with however is a couple and I'm slowly becoming a third wheel. Gale and Madge, Prim and Willy, Haymitch and Candice. I would include Henry and Polly but he and I haven't spoke since we got back home. Anyway, I'm starting to feel more lonely rather than mourning Thomas. Sometimes it gets so bad that I just hang out with my mother because I know at least with her is I will never be a third wheel.
Abigail writes me when she can. She tells me prison in her District isn't that bad. Since her family are considered celebrities in her District, the guards treat her family well. She writes the time is going by fast and though she won't see me at the Games she hopes somehow we will be able to see each other in person again before her five year ban is up.
(break)
It's been four months and Haymitch calls Henry and I to his house. We get there and he tells us that we need to select who's going to the Games this year. I look at him kind of confused and say, "I thought it was pretty much decided that Henry and I go. I mean unless you want to go Haymitch." Haymitch shifts back and forth on his feels and says, very quietly, "Are you sure it's a good idea for you two to go to the Capitol together?" Both Henry and I looked Haymitch almost offended. I thought we were pretty good at our jobs. Haymitch puts his hands up and says, "I just mean, you two haven't talked in months. Can you work together?" He rubbed his head, and asked, "Do you want to?" Henry wouldn't look at me but shrugged and said, "Yeah I think we can. So, we're not best friends, I don't think that would mess with our mentoring skills." I nodded, agreeing.
Haymitch looked annoyed and anxious. "Obviously, you aren't getting what I'm saying…. Should you work together after what I saw on the train all those months ago?" Well there it is. I'm sure we were all thinking that but we didn't have say anything out loud. I didn't say anything with a mix of embarrassment and just not wanting to talk about this. Henry folded his arms and says, "Like I said before, everything will be fine. Right Katniss?" I still didn't look at him but said, "Yeah, no problem." Haymitch looked at us like we were crazy but said, "Okay, since everything is SO perfect, why haven't you talked since you got back?"
I thought for a minute and replied, "I haven't had anything important to say. You, Henry?" He finally looked at me and said, "Nope not a thing." Haymitch just rolled his eyes and said, "Okay then. I'll tell them you two are going again." He mumbled something about teenagers and walked away. We both started to get up and walk out of his house but he yells, "And don't leave yet dammit!" He comes back in holding a tray full of food. We both start to protest but he tells us to shut up. "We haven't had a Victor of District 12 meeting in months. Sit down and eat the food I made. And I actually made it, not my wife. So you will eat this." I grab a plate and sit down while glaring a bit at Haymitch.
Henry hesitates a bit and says something about Polly making him dinner. Haymitch rolls his eyes and says, "She cooks for you every night. You can stomach my food for one night. Now sit down." He grabs a plate and starts making his plate. We eat in silence for a bit and Haymitch says, "So how is everyone? How's my godson, Henry?" Henry smiles and says, "He's great actually. He started walking two days ago." Haymitch slams the table and says, "And this is the first his godparents are hearing this! Well I'm proud of little Henry Jr."
I cringe at the fact Haymitch referred to he and I as Henry Jr.'s godparents. I mean it's true, but I've stayed away from the kid like the plague just so I won't see Henry. Polly too. If I see her pale, beautiful, clueless face I know I will tell her everything. So I just avoid them all as best as possible.
Henry smiles and says, "You should come over and see him. The both of you." He says the second sentence as he looks at me and I look back, straight in the eye. We don't break eye contact for a minute and Haymitch coughs awkwardly and says, "Well, I have some news too. I don't know you feel about this. But Candice and I are trying to get pregnant." I look at him shocked, but not in a bad way like he may think. So I say, "That's great. It'll be nice to see a little one in this house. Toys, and bottles and all that." Henry smiled and said, "I'm really happy for you man." Haymitch smiles and says, "Well… I really miss Thomas. And another baby won't replace him of course but, maybe it'll fill this empty hole you know." I reach and squeeze his hand and I smile at him. Haymitch deserves to find happiness with another child. He laughs a bit and says, "But man is Candice going to be moody when she gets pregnant. Man I'm already getting used to the couch now." We all laugh at that and continue our dinner and enjoy ourselves like we used too.
(break. Okay that part was mostly feels. Now time for sad stuff)
It's Reaping Day. Prim at 15 years old still has three more years of this and it's becoming a tradition to stand in the middle of our Victor's Village house and my mother makes Prim's favorite meal while I put her in the nicest dress and do her hair. She insists that this year I let her wear just a little bit of makeup just in case she goes to the Capitol but this year, just like all years I vow to protect her the best I can. I tell her she doesn't need makeup because she's beautiful without it.
I smile at her, and I take her hand as we walk to the Square along with my mother. My mother just like every year is terrified so the first time I take her hand too and squeeze to reassure her that everything will be fine. When we get to the Square the three of us separate, I to be with council, Mayor, Henry, and Haymitch. My mother goes with the parents and Prim gets in line with the girls. I look in the crowd to see who I recognize. Luckily this year, Gale and Madge are both too old to be in the Reaping so I'm happy for them. I see Willy, Prim's boyfriend but I have faith he will be okay. Prim is looking at him, and he looks back at her and it breaks my heart how scared they are not only for themselves but for each other.
Effie finally gets here. And she gives a quick hug and kiss to the three of us and trots her way to the stage. She's wearing orange everything this time. It's not as bad as green but the orange wig is not a favorite of mine. She does the usual introductions and welcome to the 78th Hunger Games and all that. She goes to the pool for the girls and swirls her hand around for a bit. She picks a name and opens it. She always reads it a few times so she can pronounce the name correctly. But this time she reads it once and a look of horror comes across her face. I start to panic thinking Primrose is on the name on the paper. Effie clears her throat and says, "The female tribute for District 12 is… Polly Watson."
(break, yes I know I'm evil.)
It wasn't Primrose, thankfully. But it was Polly. Henry's wife. Everyone in the Square looked so shocked and terrified. Polly however, fixed her expensive dress and perfect hair and walked up to the stage with her head held high. I had to admit she looked expressive and not a fear in the world. However, Henry was a different story. I hadn't noticed but Henry had actually passed out, and Haymitch had been holding him up to prevent him from falling off the stage. I tried to wake him up but he wouldn't budge.
Polly smiled at the crowd and nodded to Effie to continue. Effie walked over to the boy's bowl and picked a name from there. "Jeffrey Manning." A tall, skinny boy who reminds me of Thomas except taller and blonde gets on the stage. He looks a little old to be in the Reaping but eighteen looks different on all people. Effie encourages them to shake hands and then leads backstage. Finally Henry wakes up and starts flipping out. We are told we have thirty minutes to get everything together and Henry will not be allowed to see Polly until they get on the train. Haymitch stood up and said, "Okay, I guess I'm going to the Games." Henry stands up and says, "What do you mean?" Haymitch shakes his head, "You're not going to be a mentor while your wife is a tribute." Henry shook his head and said, "Um if there was any time I should definitely should be a mentor it would be now!"
Haymitch rubbed his face, "You're not going to be able to focus! You're not going to care about that other tribute, and you're going to everything you can to get her home, and at this point I don't trust you to use unethical methods." I spoke up and asked, "Like what?" Haymitch whispered, "Like paying the other mentors to let go of their tributes so they die and your tribute wins." Henry eyes widened and says, "How could you even think that?" Haymitch yells, "Because she's your wife! You'd jump into that arena if they let you!" Haymitch tries to calm down and says, "Plus who's going to watch your son while you're gone?" Henry sighs and says, "That's what you have godparents for. You watch him while we're gone." He starts to object but Henry says, "You're trying to have a baby right? This is perfect practice." Haymitch starts to say more, but Henry just walks away and says he'll see me on the train.
(break)
I'm getting on the train and we have to wait for it to take off before we go see the tributes. I think about Jeffrey the other tribute. What he must be going through? That it's between him and his mentor's wife.
We finally get to go see them and Henry and Polly embrace quickly and they're crying and trying to calm each other down and it's just too sad to watch so I just walk over to Jeffrey and introduce myself and offer to go talk in my train car. He nods, looking back at Polly and Henry once and follows me. What I don't expect is for Jeffrey to grab me and hug me and start crying. I try to calm him down and it takes a bit but he eventually calms down. He takes a deep breath and says, "I'm sorry. I usually don't cry. I wasn't even scared for the Games. I mean I'm smart, pretty strong. I can learn quickly. But now that Polly is here… I don't stand a chance." I looked at him confused.
No offense to Polly, but she's not in the best shape and I don't know if she has many survival skills. He shakes his head and says, "Well, she's Henry's wife. You guys would obviously choose her over a kid you don't know. So… no matter how good I am, without the help of my sponsors I'm nothing. He starts to cry again.
I don't want to say it, and I hate thinking it. But I wouldn't choose Polly over Jeffery. The point of the Games is to do your best to bring home a winner. I think I could do that with Jeffery, with work of course. Plus, I hate to admit it, but I no longer like Polly. It's for a selfish reason but a part of me inside has feelings for Henry. And if he wasn't married to Polly, we might be together right now. But then again, maybe if Polly hadn't been mean to Henry he wouldn't have been pushed to kiss me to find comfort. And maybe that's all this was. Oh I don't know. But I think of something good to say to Jeffery.
"What you're about to experience is what? The Games, right? And what's the point of a game. To win. And though Polly is my friend, I will always pick who I think will win. If you can prove to me that you deserve to win, I will always choose you. Okay?" Jeffrey smiles a bit, and I whisper, "Don't tell Henry that though okay. Because in this situation I can't guarantee you he feels the same way." I give him a quick hug and pull away because I hear Henry and Polly walk in.
Henry sits us all down and says, "Okay so let's talk about these Games…"
A/N: Okay don't hate me, don't hate me! But admit that was a good twist right? Right? No, you saw that coming ten miles away. Ah, I tried. Anyway, what do you think of Jeffery? Seems like a pretty chill guy, right? Anyway, since I gave you two chapters today, you won't be mad if I take a day or two for school and to get this arena and all these characters together right? Also, if you're afraid I'll make this story about like Henry/Katniss/Polly it won't be. This isn't Romance, so don't trip. It's Drama/Suspense and that's what I'll provide. But also remember Drama! And we always have plenty of that. Please leave reviews so I can reply to them but as always thanks for reading, loves. See you next time!
Replies:
IaraLupin: I'll miss the daily updates too which is why I posted two chapters the day before I stop doing it! That makes it better? No huh lol. So Abigail's in jail but she's having fun so that's good right lol. Anyway, you remember when I said I had plans for Polly that you should be scared for? Here they are! What did you think? Were you shocked or not really? Let me know what you think. As always thanks for reviewing and reading. Until next time :)