Breaking Point Sextet V
Love: The 75th Hunger Games
Chapter Nine
District 2 Justice Building Scene
Cadence Fellowes –18- -D2- POV
This is wrong! I don't love anyone! Not Foxtrot, not my sister, not anybody! That's why I volunteered, I knew they would have to Reap someone else. But apparently they don't want to. As they lead us offstage, I realize that Justice will probably question Foxtrot and my parents about why this happened. The Capitol must surely know about the night before last, that's why they think I love him.
"Don't tell her anything," I say. I don't need this drama coming out before I leave, it would reflect badly on me and my family.
"Cadence… I think she already knows," Foxtrot responds.
I try to respond, but we're quickly ushered into different rooms. I sit and wait, hoping no one will come, as I had planned, until the five minutes is up. But no, after a few minutes, my sister and parents come in, and they don't look happy.
Justice comes up to me and slaps me in the face. I don't flinch, I barely even register the pain from her slap. She's weak, obviously both mentally and physically from the tears running down her face. "How could you? You're supposed to be my sister! We're supposed to be best friends! But you… you… on the night before my wedding… how could you?"
"It didn't mean anything," I shrug. "It was just a mistake, but I suppose you should be happy. The Capitol was clearly determined to take someone related to me, if I hadn't slept with him, it probably would've been you."
"You're… trying to tell me you did me… a favor, by sleeping with my husband?"
"Yes, well, he wasn't your husband then."
"I. Hate. You! I hope you die in the Bloodbath! Both of you!" She's angry. Pure, unadulterated rage. In someone more physically fit, it might even be useful for her. "I just – agh!" She turns around and leaves.
"You know," Father says. "She's going to get an annulment now. You've brought shame to our family, Cadence."
"Yes," Mother says, "but you can still make it up to us. Win the Games, and everyone will forget all about this."
Father nods. "Indeed. Win the Games for us, Cadence darling. And for yourself, this isn't how you want to be remembered."
I couldn't care less what anybody thinks about me. After all, I wasn't even cheating, that would be Foxtrot who was. But still. "Yes, Mom, Dad. Don't worry, I've got it under control."
"Are you sure about that?" Father asks, gesturing to my arm. I look down. The nails of my other hand are digging into it, and it's bleeding now.
I quickly stop doing that, and look around, grabbing a first aid kit from the wall and tossing a bandage on the cuts. "Yes."
"Good, then we'll be going," Father says. "Good luck."
"Yes, good luck, honey," Mother says. Then they leave, and a bit later, I'm taken to the trains.
Foxtrot Suevite –18- -D2- POV
Cadence wants me to not tell Justice. Please. She probably already knows.
My suspicions are confirmed when she, accompanied by her parents, bursts into my room in the Justice Building, and she looks angry. Although, surprisingly, she hugs me first. "You, going to the Hunger Games… I can't believe it." Then she pulls away from me, and looks me dead in the eye. "It's because you slept with my sister, isn't it?"
I can't lie to her. Not like this. I might die… it's Cadence, there's a pretty high chance that I do die, soon, and I can't die with this secret. "Yes. The… night of the rehearsal dinner."
She punches me, hard. I recoil a bit, and hold my face with one hand. "Really? The night before our wedding?"
"Yes, it was… a mistake," I say. "I'm sorry, Justice, she was talking about how she was worried about the Games, and I tried to comfort her, and… well, one thing turned into another, and…"
"I don't care," she says. "I'm getting an annulment. If you somehow come back, and I hope you don't, but if you do, I don't ever want to see you again. I loved you… I love you… and you broke that trust. In, I think, the worst way possible." She turns on her heel. "Now I have a former sister to deal with."
She leaves, and her parents shake their heads at me. "Have you ever heard of self-control?" March asks. "It's this thing we expect people to have sometimes. I thought you did. Apparently I misjudged you."
Her husband nods. "You're pathetic." They leave too… and a minute later, my parents come in.
"I can't believe you would do something like this," Mom says.
"You've ruined our relationship with that family now, you know," Dad says. "All those friendships – gone. And what will people think? You weren't good enough to volunteer, now you're a cheater?"
I sigh. "I'm sorry… it was a mistake, a stupid mistake, but it was a one time thing, I won't do it again."
"D—n right you won't," Dad says. "If you make it back, I doubt anyone will want to date you. Marry one girl, bang her sister before the wedding, and then kill the sister?"
Well, that hurts… it's not like I wanted to be Reaped for the Hunger Games. But he does have a point, that's how I'll be seen. My life is looking just great right now… I either die in the Hunger Games, or survive a murderer and social outcast. Yay! Why couldn't I just have… not done what I did? Why did I have to be stupid? I could've had a loving wife and one day a family, a good life as a trainer… now I doubt any of that will happen, if I survive the next few days. And who knows, I might not, Cadence might kill me on the spot to eliminate her weakness. If she even considers me that. I really screwed up.
Mom comes over and gives me a hug. "You may have made… a terrible mistake, honey, but you're still our son, we still want you to come back to us. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom," I try to give her a smile. "And you too, Dad."
Dad only nods, he's still angry now. Understandable, I suppose.
"Sir, Ma'am, I'm sorry, but your time is up," a Peacekeeper says from behind us.
"Ah, of course, Sir," Mom says. "Thank you. You come home now, okay?" She asks me.
I smile weakly. "I'll do my best, Mom."
"That's all I can ask. Love you."
"Love you too."
They leave, and I'm taken to the train.
A/N: So originally I was going to do a long combined Justice Building chapter, but then I realized that while I still have time for writing (just started school – college – again yesterday!), it'll be more broken up, so I'll release these short chapters so you don't have to wait too long for content. So, I'll be working through Justice Building scenes for the Tributes we've got so far, I'll do more Reapings in between if I get more new Tributes though! That said, please keep reviewing, and submitting your Tributes! Also, what did y'all think of this chapter?
Tribute List:
D1R: Open
D1L: Open
D2R: Candence Fellows, 18, by BeeBoo15
D2L: Foxtrot Suevite, 18, by BeeBoo15
D3R: Elara Sora, 14, by Draph
D3L: Yuna Odalis, 14, by Draph
D4R: Nerys Pacifica, 18, by Son of Arryn
D4L: Halian "Hal" Maui, 17, by Son of Arryn
D5R: Daisy Brownstone, 15, by chcolate
D5L: Matilda 'Mattie' Edlington, 17, by chcolate
D6R: Seras Axis, 15, by TheWatcherofTheVoid
D6L: Remington Axis, 18, by TheWatcherofTheVoid
D7R: Rowan Mildberg, 18, by Pengu54324
D7L: Cedar Mildberg, 15, by Pengu54324
D8R: Open
D8L: Open
D9R: Open
D9L: Open
D10R: Gadge Paddet, 17, by Professor R.J Lupin1
D10L: Simon Hazel, 17 by Professor R.J Lupin1
D11R: Open
D11L: Open
D12R: Open
D12L: Open