TW: CHILD GROOMING, SLURS
Luca Pargus - District 4 Male - Age 18
"This isn't your fault honey," was the first thing Luca's mom Lucia said when he told his parents about the incident with Kai.
"But I let it happen." He cried, "I knew that it was stupid, but I let it happen."
"He's a sick man, Luca." His other mom Marlowe said, "You didn't do anything wrong."
Luca regretted not telling his mothers and sisters about everything that happened with Kai earlier, but he had to tell them now, because he was 99% certain that the events would lead people to voting for him to be in the Hunger Games the next day, and he didn't want them to be shocked when he was reaped.
It was a few days after Luca's 18th birthday when his volleyball coach Kai came up to him and said the words that would lead to his social life being destroyed:
"I've been waiting for you to be 18 for so long," He said after one of their private lessons.
"Huh?" Kai was 28, a tad full of himself, but nonetheless he was charismatic as hell and had a way of making Luca feel special. Whether it was through complimenting the way he could spike the volleyball or telling him how thoughtful and kind he was, Kai's words always brought a smile to Luca's face. All of that combined with the fact that he was hotter than the center of the earth made it hard for Luca to not be head over heels for him.
In hindsight, Kai telling Luca he had been waiting for him to be an adult was weird and creepy as fuck, Luca had a habit of thinking with his heart and not his head. It had happened before, and he was certain it would happen again, as hard as he tried to change his ways.
"You know what that means," Kai said, "You're legal."
"I guess so!" Luca had never thought of it that way. To him, age was just a mark of the passing of time and he felt different at 18 than he did at 17, "Why is this such a big deal to you?"
"Technically we could be together." Kai smirked, "I know you have feelings for me Luca."
Lord, was it really that obvious?
"Yeah," Luca stuttered, "I didn't want to tell you."
"That's great news!" Kai exclaimed, "I like you too."
Again, creepy as fuck. Also, who the hell says they "like" somebody at the age of twenty eight. Whatever. It was stupid, just like Luca who responded to Kai's comment by placing his hand on his stomach.
"What are you doing?"
"I think I'm flirting with you and being suggestive?" As much as he was a romantic, Luca was also very inexperienced with the whole boys thing.
"I'll show you how to be suggestive," Kai said and grabbed Luca by the face, "Can I kiss you?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
It was Luca's first time kissing a boy, or anybody for that matter, and it was blatantly obvious. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with his hands so he held them at his side as though he were a robot.
"Am I doing good?" He asked Kai five minutes into the ordeal.
"You're doing great and you're so adorable," He kneeled down onto the beach floors, "Come down here?"
Luca wasn't sure if that meant sex or more kissing but either way he obliged and lied on top of Kai. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have much time to find out as once their lips collided again, he heard a loud gasp from Mira Gull, his classmate.
"What the hell are you doing, faggot?" Kai got up and yelled, pushing Luca to the ground.
"Kai we were-"
"We were what? I was trying to lie down and watch the sunset and then you fucking assaulted me"
Luca was pissed. He didn't really know what he was supposed to do in the situation. Just one moment ago they were happy as clams and suddenly he was the bad guy.
"I'm so sorry," That's all Luca could muster, "I think there was a misunderstanding."
"No shit!" Kai screamed, "Now get your ass out of here."
Luca ran as fast as he could to his best friend Tallulah's house, and when he got inside, he sobbed in her arms. He wished he could have told his family right then and there, but was too emotional to do so and he was worried they'd get mad at him. He told her everything. About the kiss, and the yelling, and how excited he was only to have his heart ripped out of his chest and stomped on.
"I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"I fucked up so bad."
"No you didn't."
The next months at school were hell. Luca became known as the perverted gay kid, and he seldom could go five minutes without being reminded of what had happened. Once the Quarter Quell twist was announced, things only got worse and people threatened to vote him in.
"Well if it makes you feel any better, I think you could totally win," His mother Lucia said at the end of him telling his story.
"That's not very reassuring honey," Marlowe said
"Yeah." Luca sighed, "But thank you?"
Maybe she was right though? Luca was fairly strong and athletic enough. He knew how to use a spear from helping Lucia catch fish for the restaurant she owned, and he thought he had a decent enough personality to attract sponsors. But, he really didn't wish to think about that.
"I just want you to remember, as much as you're hurting, this wasn't your fault." Marlowe said at the end of their conversation, "You're an incredible human being and this is just a bump in the road, and I know you can overcome it."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I thought you'd be mad at me."
"We'd never be mad at you for something that isn't your fault."
"I love you so much Mom." He went to give her a hug.
"Am I chopped liver or something?" Lucia called out.
"I love you too Mama." He called Lucia Mama because he had to have some way to differentiate between the two, and mother seemed too formal.
"Good," She laughed, "You better kick some ass if you get reaped."
"I'm still hoping that doesn't happen."
"Well if it does, kick some ass."
"Thank you mom!" It was all he could respond, "I love you so much."
Adira Price - District 4 Female - Age 17
Nowadays, it was fairly hard for Adira to walk around District 4 without seeing a Peacekeeper and freaking out. Sure, Peacekeepers were everywhere, but it was hard for her to not feel as though she was specifically being targeted by them. They probably were, as they'd been after her since she was 15, but this time she was certain they'd finally do something to her.
Adira's trouble with Peacekeepers began two years ago when she was waiting at the beach for her two friends Phione and Aquamarina. She was digging through the sands, trying to find cool shells and anything else she deemed interesting enough, as she often did, when she found a small glass bottle buried. Obviously she was curious what was inside of the bottle, so she popped off the top of the bottle, only to reveal a slip of paper, with writing in foreign but intricate characters. It seemed fairly recent, as neither the paper nor the bottle showed any decay, and Adira was fascinated by it.
"Look what I found!" She waved at Phione and Aquamarina when they arrived at the beach.
"What is it?" Phione asked as the two walked closer.
Adira showed her friends the letter and explained how she had no idea what it was supposed to mean and where its origins were.
"I don't know why you're so obsessed with it." Aquamarina clearly did not match Adira's enthusiasm towards her discovery.
"How do you not understand what this means?" Adira exclaimed, "There's life outside of Panem!"
She had always believed that Panem was all there was to the world, despite secretly hoping there was something more out there. This note was confirmation that her fantasies were realities, which apparently was not amazing news to the Peacekeepers as two stopped her on her way home from the beach and stood next to her on either side.
"Is everything alright?" Adira was rightfully scared and tried to run away but they wouldn't let her
"So we overheard you and your friends' conversation," The one on the left said.
"About?" The girls had talked about many things that day, as they usually did
"Life beyond Panem." The one on the right replied
"And?"
"You're not supposed to know about it." The Peacekeepers tore the note out of Adira's hands and ran off with it, but she knew that wouldn't be the end of the situation.
When Adira returned home, she tried her best to remember what was on the note and recreate it. Her parents, and brother Sage were concerned with this hyperfixation, both about the letter and the outside world, but nothing they could do or say to take her mind away from it.
She knew for certain that the Peacekeepers were out to get her when she was reaped for both the 23rd and the 24th Hunger Games, but luckily District 4 being, well District 4, people volunteered to take her place before she could even make it up the stage. But the 25th games were different. There was no way for her to hide, and she was so certain the Peacekeepers would find a way to get her, and her knowledge of the outside world, into the area and dead. And that is what led her to knocking on the doors of Mags Flanagan's house.
"Can I help you?" She cracked open the door, "I apologize for not knowing you. I'm bad with faces."
"You don't know me."
"Then why are you here?"
"I need your help."
Mags invited her inside and had her sit in the living room, "What can I do for you?"
Adira explained the entire situation.
"Oh! You were the girl who was reaped twice in a row weren't you?"
"Yep. That's me."
"So you think you're going to be voted in?"
"Probably?"
"Well that's a bummer." Mags seemed sad, "Do you think they'll rig the election?"
"Well if they rigged me being voted in twice, they can rig anything."
"Fair. What do you need me for?"
"I was wondering if you could help me train?"
"If I'm your mentor I have to help you train!"
"I mean, before the reapings. I need all the help I can get?"
"Is that legal?"
"They do it in District 2 all the time. And besides, the Peacekeepers rigging the election isn't legal either."
"Is anything legal here?"
"I'm not sure at this point." Adira laughed.
"Well, I would love to help you!" Mags smiled, "Come here every day after school and I'll get you ready to win."
Mags Flanagan - District 4 Mentor
"I can't believe they're doing this to that poor girl Adira," Mags told the District 4 Escort, Juno after observing the Peacekeepers remarking the ballots as they were submitted.
"You told me what happened," Juno said, "I feel awful."
Juno had been the District 4 Escort since the 12th Hunger Games, when the concept of escorts was introduced, so the two of them had gone through a lot together and considered each other close friends.
"At least I think she's good enough to win." Mags said.
"Well she was trained by the best!" Juno laughed. She was always complimenting Mags, which made her blush. Mags didn't exactly have feelings for her, but she didn't have feelings for anybody, she just wished she could hold Juno every night and spend the rest of their lives as companions, minus the sex.
"I feel bad that I'm giving her an unfair advantage by working with her before today, she just seemed so helpless." Mags sighed, "I don't want the male tribute to think he's unimportant to me."
"You're too kind Mags. I hope you know that."
Luca Pargus - District 4 Male
"Well I was right wasn't I." Luca's mom Lucia broke the awkward silence in the train station.
"Babe!" Marlowe slapped her, "Not what you're supposed to say!"
"It's fine." Luca sighed, "What else can I do now?"
"You can try to win this thing!" Lucia said
"Thanks for the tip!" Luca laughed, "I was planning on dying first but now I won't thanks to your sage advice."
"I'm not going to miss your sarcasm young man." Lucia said
"I will," Marlow sighed, "I'm going to miss everything about you."
Luca was on the verge of tears, and this certainly was not helping. He was going to miss his mothers terribly.
"Of course I will too!" Lucia added.
If this was the last time Luca saw his mothers, he would be content. They truly were the best people out there and he would happily have a final memory of the three bantering just like they always did.
"I love you guys more than words," Luca said as he was about to leave, "I can't wait to see you again."
Adira Price - District 4 Female
"Why did you rig the election to kill my daughter!" Adira's father screamed at the Peacekeepers who were non-responsive.
"Trenton please," Her mother sighed, "You're embarrassing us."
"So you want our daughter to be killed?" He was enraged.
"I just think we could win," She said, "And pissing the people in charge off won't help."
"You're so fucking passive!"
That was the last Adira heard from her parents before being dragged away from them and put onto the train. At least she had Mags.
Thanks for reading Chapter 10! Luca is from FabulousAbby and Adira is from Jms2! Also, fun contest, everybody who reviews each chapter will be entered into a raffle and the winner will get to send any item they want to their tribute!