A/N - Sorry I missed the last update on Thursday, I've been really sick this whole week :( luckily, this chapter was already 95 percent done so all I had to do was edit, but I only just got my energy back today.

Also, a quick side note - I will no longer be including the narrators in the chapter titles to avoid spoilers for those reading the story from the beginning, but Rochelle will be narrating the rest of the story.

~S

Click, click, click...

I crack my eyes open to see a hand snapping above my face.

"No response, sir," someone says nearby, and the hand retreats. Behind them, the ceiling is a stark, sterile shade of white.

"She's awake," a man huffs. "Step aside."

The man appears above me; he's wearing doctor's scrubs, and he looks quite unhappy to be here.

"Welcome back to the real world, Ms. Carrillo," the doctor says with an air of impatience in his tone. "It's good to see you awake and well. Please gather yourself and prepare to leave, you have a very busy day ahead of you..."

"That won't be necessary," a firm voice calls from across the room, causing the doctor to look away.

"The interviews aren't for another few hours, doctor," the woman continues."The stylists should have more than enough time to prepare. Let's give Rochelle some time to re-orient herself." That voice sounds familiar... could it be?

The doctor sighs. "Very well. We still must be conscious of time, though. I will alert the stylists - you have twenty minutes."

"Thank you," the woman calls as the doctor pulls a tube out of my arm. I hear a door close across the room.

I hear footsteps approaching, and my suspicions are confirmed when Ramona appears above me. She smiles down at me with tears in her eyes; I've never seen her express this much emotion before.

"Well, Rochelle..." she sighs. "You did it."

Tears spill down Ramona's face, and she has to step back to prevent them from dripping onto me. I hear my mentor let out a chuckle; that's the first time I've heard her laugh.

"Are you able to sit up?" Ramona asks, grabbing my arm gently.

Ramona's touch brings me back to reality; suddenly, I remember where I am and how I got here. I'm Rochelle Carrillo, the orphan from District Eight, and I'm here because I just won the Hunger Games. As if a dam has been broken, all of the memories of the last two weeks flood back to me, bringing a wave of nausea with them. I remember everything now; I remember how I felt as my blade entered August's back, and I remember how it felt to see Mandy's body fall to the ground. I remember almost dying from dehydration, and I remember seeing Astrid's body at the bloodbath and knowing that my best friend was gone forever.

I remember everything, and now I wish that I was the person I was ten seconds ago. The person who could pretend like none of that happened.

I see Ramona above me, still looking down at me expectantly. I slowly use my arms to push myself up. The room around us is completely white, and every corner is filled with complicated medical instruments.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask Ramona. My voice is hoarse from lack of use.

"Two days," Ramona tells me. "Oh, Rochelle, I'm so happy right now!"

Ramona rushes to hug me, and I struggle to hold myself upright as she wraps her arms around me.

"I feel like I'm dreaming," Ramona gasps. "This is just... surreal. This is my twenty-fourth year mentoring, Rochelle. I'd given up hope, especially after everything that happened with Rafael. But you proved me wrong."

"I think I proved everyone wrong," I say with a small smile. "I hope I did, at least."

"Listen, we don't have much time until the doctor comes back," Ramona says. "You're about to be taken to the stylists to prepare for your interview with Venia and Valentina. You just have to get through that interview, and then Snow will crown you and we will head back to District Eight. It's almost over, Rochelle."

I'm thankful for that. After six months of having my fate tied to the Games, I will soon be set free.

"That doctor has been very strict," Ramona says. "The Gamemakers must be breathing down his neck. He'll be back in a few minutes to send you to the stylists. I'll give you a few minutes to collect yourself before you go, okay?"

"Okay," I say, both grateful and apprehensive to see Ramona leave me here by myself. "Thanks."

The door clicks behind Ramona as she steps out of the room, and a wave of emotion rolls over me. I did it - Rochelle Carrillo, the girl who everyone overlooked, won the Hunger Games. It feels amazing, yet at the same time, I haven't come to terms with how I went about it.

I'm talking about August. I didn't just kill him, I manipulated him. I spent all the time we were together convincing him that I didn't want to win the Games. I made him believe that I had nothing to lose, and I convinced him that Princess, the only person who truly cared about him, was really out to get him.

And Mandy... poor Mandy. Out of all of us in the Arena, she was one of the weakest and definitely the most naive. She had the biggest target on her back, too. I had no choice but to take her out before someone else did; Pollux was too big of a threat to me and August. Should I have made that choice though? Would I still be here if I hadn't?

I don't even know who I am anymore. I feel physically disconnected from my actions, yet I can't ignore the fact that I was the one that did all of those horrible things. The lines are starting to blur in my mind... did my circumstances influence my actions, or was I always this evil, and I just never had the chance to find out?

I was selfish to have done those things to August. Everybody knew he deserved to win, he'd planned for it all his life... I hate to say it, but he had a family that cared about him. He had a sister whose brother is now dead. He had parents who believed in him and helped him train for these Games for years. And me? Would anyone have cared if I died? Sure, Maria and the other girls would be upset, but they'd move on. Everyone would move on - Dr. Vitale would prepare for the next Selection Ceremony, and Miss Fedhelm would keep my bed open for the next girl to wander into the orphanage from the streets. The other girls would fight over my belongings, and life would go on.

What have I done? All the others - August, Mandy, Calder, even Princess - had people who cared about them back home, and all of them have lost someone because of me.

The door clicks open, breaking me from my thoughts. The doctor is back; this time, he's brought Venetia with him. She seems to be visibly holding back her excitement for my sake.

"The doctor's told me everything, dear," she says, placing a hand against my back. "Let's get you off to the stylists."

Venetia helps me to my feet, and I try to shake away all of my thoughts about the Games. The Games are in the past now; I have to move on and work to be better from this point forward. I may not have had anyone rooting for me in the Games, but that doesn't mean that I don't deserve to be here right now. I'm not perfect, but I know I'm not evil... it'll just take some time for me to truly believe it.