Kaila walks in front of me and the three Peacekeepers follow closely behind me. As I'm escorted downstairs Kaila goes over what about to happen. She's very chipper and her voice goes even higher than normal.
"First we shall be escorted to the cars and after a short ride we will arrive at the station. Once there we will allow the reporters to take the send off pictures and get a good look at you. After we get finished with that, it's onto the train and off to the Capital! Sounds exciting, doesn't it?" Kaila gushes with her hands flailing wildly as she explains.
I hold back a sarcastic retort and instead respond politely. "It does." For good measure I throw in, "Thanks for finding me this shirt. My family couldn't contain their tears."
She lets out an airy laugh. "I'm sure they couldn't! It's such an honor to be chosen to participate! They must be so proud of you!"
At this, I choose not to respond. If I respond to this, it won't be as nice as before. The Capital people are truly twisted if they believe that it is an honor to be chosen for these barbaric games. Kaila continues to chatter away about the honor I'm bringing my family by participating in the 'festivities'.
We reach the main hall that I was brought through earlier and meet Jasper who is standing with his arms crossed. He looks at me and then down at my blouse. With a roll of his eyes he turns to face the door back to the stage we stood on before all of District 8 not so long ago.
I'm lead to stand about three feet from Jasper and a Peacekeeper stations himself between us but a foot or so behind us. The rest of the Peacekeepers orient themselves in a circle around Jasper and myself. Kaila turns and focuses on Jasper. She tusks and goes to brush something off of his shirt but Jasper grabs her hand.
"Don't touch me," he growls.
She squeaks and snatches her hand back and clutches it to her chest. "How dare you!" she whimpers. "I was merely trying to get you picture ready!"
Peacekeepers grab hold of his shoulders and pull him back away from our escort, who has officially been reduced to tears. But as quickly as they have appeared they disappear.
"You, young man need manners. If you wish to get any sponsors I would suggest taking a page out of Molly's book. Presentable and polite. Being a brute only gets you so far in the Hunger Games." Kaila jerks her head up in the air so far that her nose nearly hits the ceiling. "It's time to go!"
I may not exactly like Kaila or agree with what she represents, but that doesn't mean Jasper should intimidate her like this. But I'd really rather her leave me out of this because the look Jasper gives me is enough to kill.
Before Kaila turns she looks at me and reaches out with hesitation. She fixes my collar before nodding her head in satisfaction. As she starts to turn, I reach out slowly, so that the Peacekeepers won't pounce on me, and brush away the last tear from her cheeks. She gives me a soft smile, a smile that I've never seen her give to anyone before.
With a nod she turns and faces the door. "Alright. Open the doors!"
The Peacekeepers huddle around us and keeps a close eye on Jasper. They don't seem quite as interested in me, though. They are probably worried he'll freak out and start trying to fight his way out.
The second the doors open I'm blinded by the flashes of cameras going off. A Peacekeeper places a hand on my shoulder and guides me forward. I don't bother jerking out of his hold because without it I would be lost at where to go.
The walk to the car that Kaila mentioned isn't as long as I thought it would be. Jasper is ushered into the side closest to us while Kaila and I am escorted around. She goes to climb in first but I reach out and grab her arm. After Jasper grabbing her and reducing her to tears she shouldn't have to sit next to him.
"I'll sit in the middle if you want," I offer to her.
She gives me another soft smile and shakes her head. "It's my duty to sit between the two of you and I will not have anyone accusing me of not doing my duty to our wonderful nation." She leans in where the Peacekeepers can't hear and whisper, "But I will sit closer to you if you don't mind."
I give her a small smile and nod my head. "Of course I don't."
Kaila climbs into the car and I am ushered in behind her. The Peacekeeper that guided me through the flashing closes the door behind me and I can finally see without straining so hard. Kaila situates herself closer to me and this ends up placing the ruffles of her skirt across part of my lap.
I smile and run my fingers across the skirt. Kaila chuckles at me.
"Magnificent work isn't it? One of the perks of being District 8's escort is that any fashion malfunction can be rectified. I was lucky to find a tailor on such short notice. He's a fine gentleman that works fast and efficiently. I'm thinking of using him from now on instead of the wannabe designer I've been using for years." The way she talks about my father sends a swell of pride through my heart.
"He's my dad," I tell her. "My sister Maddie helped him with it this morning. I'm glad she did. She was kind of nervous about today and helping him took her mind off everything."
I look up and see Kaila's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Your father made my skirt? Oh, Molly, I had no idea! I'm sure you are so proud of the work he does!"
I nod my head. "I am. My grandparents brought in good business by tailoring outfits from the Capitol people but my father and mother really brought in a different clientele when father started making designer's visions come to life. He gets a lot of outsourcing from up and coming designers in the Capitol. So much so that we have to turn away business some months."
Kaila grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. "This is good news, Molly. With your mentor's help, I should be able to help line you up some sponsors!" Kaila turns to Jasper with a weary look. "What about you, Jasper? Does your family have any connections in the Capitol?"
Jasper keeps his gaze on the crowd outside. "Unlike Princess over there, my family comes from the Mill. We've never touched a sewing needle, let alone used one for the trash clothes that your lot wears in the Capitol."
A frown etches across my face. District 8 is divided into three sections; The Square; The Row; and The Mill. The Square is where all the shops are, including my father's tailoring shop. Most of these shops are like my father's and tailor for the people of the Capitol. But not everything in the Square is related to our districts industry. It's also where the Butcher shops are, the Bakeries, the Apothecaries, and Grocer's are. Everything That you could think you would need is in the square. However, the shops biggest customer's are the residents of the Square.
The Row is where the factories that produce garments from the fabrics. It's almost exclusively factories and living quarters for those in the Row. There are a few small shops in the Row that cater to its residents and those of the Mill.
The Mill is the poorest part of District 8. It's where the mills that produces the fabrics are. Every step in making a piece of fabric takes place in the Mill. People there work nearly 10 hours a day and still struggle to put food on the table. I've never been to the Mill but Will used to live there when he was younger. After his parents died his aunt took custody of him and he moved to the Square where we meet.
The Square is the better section of our district and hardly any kids end up having to take tessere; a year long supply of oil and grain given from the Capitol in exchange for entering your name into the Reaping. Every tessere you take out adds another slip with your name on it into the Reaping. Kids can take out as many as they need for their family but it eventually adds up because each year the previous amount you took out is added to what you took out the current year. I've heard rumors that kids have gotten up to 50 slips in the Reaping before.
Kaila pulls me from my thoughts. "Well that's alright Jasper. We will find something to draw the sponsors in."
"We've arrived, Miss Kat," the driver from the front announces, pulling all three of us out of the bubble that we entered in the backseat of the car.
I turn and look out of my window and see a sea of people waiting. The front lines of the crowd are people no doubt form the Capitol from their appearances. However, the back part of the crowd is those from District 8 that came to say farewell. Not many come to say goodbye to the tributes but there is always a sizable crowd for the send off. I'd only come the past two years to say goodbye to Will. The first year I didn't know if he would return and last year I knew I would see Will in approximately a month or so.
The car finally comes to a complete stop and Peacekeepers appear out of the crowd. One opens my door and I quickly scamper out before they pull me out themselves. Flashing lights from the Capitol cameras blind me once more and I have to be guided onto the train platform. This Peacekeeper isn't as gentle with his hold and digs his fingers into my shoulder.
My body shouts at me to squirm away but I know that I can't. It could be seen as defiance and me trying to run. So instead I grit my teeth and keep my head held high.
It's only once I'm on the platform and the Peacekeeper releases me that I realize Jasper is right next to me, his arms crossed defiantly and a cold stare set upon his face. Kaila stations herself behind the two of us and leans forward a little to give us advice.
"Wave at the cameras and smile! Big smiles!" she whispers.
Following her advice, I raise my arm into the air and start waving with a smile on my face. I know my family is in the front of the crowd somewhere to see me off but I can't see past the blinding lights of the cameras taking thousands of pictures. I imagine them being right in front and pretend that my farewells are exclusively for them.
Kaila speaks up behind us after a few moments of my farewells and Jaspers brooding, "Alright you two. It's time to go!"
Jasper turns and storms onto the train, right passed Kaila. I, on the other hand, give a final wave before turning and walking onto the train with Kaila right behind me.
The doors shut firmly behind her of their own accord and I feel the train take off with a slight jerk. One that only those who are unaccustomed to traveling by train would notice.
"Okay, you two! I'm sure you are famished but dinner isn't going to be served for another hour. So, in the meantime, I'll show you to your rooms where you can freshen up!" Kaila announces in her ever cheery voice.
Jasper, who had thrown himself into a lavish armchair, grunts. Kaila and I both turn our eyes to him and watch as he kicks his feet up on the coffee table before interlocking his fingers behind his head as he stretches out. "I'm staying right here."
"What's your problem?" I snap at the boy before my better judgement can stop me.
Jasper's eyes immediately turn to me. "What do you think, Princess?" he snaps right back. "I'm being sent to my death for the sole purpose of entertaining the Capitol morons."
"I was Reaped just like you but do you see me running around here like I was raised in the streets? No, you don't!" I shout at him.
Jasper leaps from his seat in a second and jabs a finger in my direction. "You wouldn't know what it's like to go without a single meal, let alone being raised on the streets. So next time you open your damn mouth, why don't you think with that spoiled little head of yours?"
"I am by no means spoiled!" I shout at him. "But even if I was at least my family taught me manners and how to treat others! What did your's teach you? How to piss on someone?"
"You bitch!" Jasper starts towards me but before he can, a knife comes flying between us and we both jerk to find Will standing next to Kaila with Cecelia standing in the doorway.
Will's face is a bright red, the color it gets when he's furious about something. The way he's staring down Jasper, I can only guess it's because of what I was just called. Will walks forward and jabs his finger in Jasper's face.
"Stay away from her. If I so much as see you breath in her direction the last thing you will be worrying about is the arena." When Will is done threatening Jasper he reaches past him and pulls the knife from the train wall.
Kaila finally speaks up. "That's oak paneling. Must you insist on throwing knifes on the train?"
Will doesn't acknowledge Kaila but he does turn to me and gestures for me to follow him. Without question, I follow Will from the room and squeeze passed Cecelia in the doorway. He walks for a few minutes without saying anything and I observe the outrageously expensive details that has been put into the train. I note several rooms that I want to come back and get a better look at later.
Eventually Will stops and opens a door. He steps back and speaks directly to me for the first time since this morning.
"This will be your room tonight. I figure this will be a good place to talk away from prying ears," he explains.
I give him a simple nod of my head and enter the room that is mine for now. The design of the room is on par with the rest of the train so I'm not surprised there. No I'm surprised by the large king size bed that is centered in the room. Holding back the urge to run and jump on the bed, I instead walk calmly to it and run my fingers over the fine texture of the quilt draped over the foot of the bed.
"If you think the train is lavish wait until you see your room in the Capitol. It's about twice the size of your apartment," Will calls out from behind me. I don't turn around but I hear him softly close the door as he enters the room.
I don't respond to him. Instead I walk over the the loveseat that is across the room and next to a small window shows the passing scenery. I sit down and kick the only pair of nice shoes I own off before tucking my legs underneath me.
Will follows my lead and slowly strides across the room. He sits next to me but instead of getting comfortable he merely rests his elbows on his knees and hangs his head.
"I'm sorry, Molly. I never meant for this to happen," he apologizes. For what he's apologizing, I have no idea though.
"For what?" I question.
Will looks up and stares at me with the softest look I have seen on his face since his games. He leans back on the couch and reaches out to grab my hand. I don't pull back and allow him to take it. I even take my other one and place it over his.
"For everything," he explains, well sort of. I go to ask for him to further his explanation but I don't have to. He continues without any prompting. "For how I treated you this morning. For the past two years. For never having the guts to pursue you before the Games."
My thoughts immediately go back to exactly two years ago. Those few minutes that I spent saying goodbye to Will after his Reaping. We didn't really talk about what was to happen. Instead we sat cuddled on a large, soft, plush couch. My arms stayed wrapped around his with my fingers tracing the large scar on his hand from several years previous. My face was buried in his shoulder taking him in for what I hoped wouldn't be the last time.
In the last few moments we spent together I had gathered what little courage I had and lifted up and kissed him on the lips. It was only a small peck but that's all he needed to pull me onto his lap and gently grabbing my chin. He pulled my lips back to his and kissed me passionately.
Will shifts next to me and I'm pulled from my thoughts. He's moved so he's facing me directly but hasn't pulled his hand my my own.
"Molly, I was a fool. I thought I could handle the after effects of the arena but I was wrong. The Capitol people saw me Victor and put me on a pedestal but every time I looked in the mirror all I saw was a murderer. I never wanted you to see me that way. The boy you kissed in the Justice Building died in that arena and I didn't know how you would handle the new Will that emerged in his place."
He reaches out with his free hand and brushes away a few stray hairs from my face. "I should have let you make that decision. But I couldn't let you because I was selfish. I was afraid. Mostly that you wouldn't want anything to do with me. So I kept you away from the ugly part of me that I couldn't keep hidden."
"You were selfish," I tell him honestly. But I quickly continue my statement before he gets the wrong idea. "But I was selfish too. I knew you didn't come back the same person but I ignored that part of you. Instead of helping you cope with what happened I just accepted the fake persona you were giving me. I should have been a better friend to you."
Will reaches out with his free arm and pulls me towards him. I let go of his hands and situate myself so that I am leaning against him and his arms are wrapped around me. We sit there in silence for a long time until he finally breaks it.
"It's my fault you got Reaped," he says quietly, barely loud enough for me to hear him.
Arching my neck so I can get a good look at his face, I see the guilt ridden look on it. "How is it your fault? I was just extremely unlucky."
He shakes his head and looks down at me. "You don't understand. Every tribute thinks that the moment they become a Victor is the moment that the Capitol releases them from a nightmarish life. That the worst thing that they will make you do is mentor future tributes. For some that's all it is. But for those that the Capitol take a liking to, their nightmare never ends."
I turn in Will's arms so that I'm not having to arch my head so much and so that I can get a better look at his face. "What do you mean, Will?"
He shakes his head and looks away. "Some of the tributes become prizes for President Snow's cabinet. They are brought to the Capitol throughout the year and used as rewards to his more favorable supporters."
My eyes widen as I grasp what he's telling me. "Are you-?"
He shakes his head before I can complete my questions. "No. He told me the last night of my Victory Tour what was going to be expected of me and even tried to get me to go with one of his cabinet members that night. I downright refused. I told him I wasn't a puppet to be played with anymore."
"He didn't take that well." I don't form that as a question because I already know the answer.
Will shakes his head, confirming what I already knew. "He told me if I knew what was good for me I would do as I was told. That I could either live comfortably in my district doing as he said or I would suffer a life so miserable that I would come back to him begging for forgiveness. He also said that when I came back begging for forgiveness I would find none."
"You think he rigged the Reaping." Once again no question in my comment.
While nodding his head he speaks softly down to me. "I'm so sorry, Molly. If I had done what he said you wouldn't be here. You would be safe at home with your family eating dinner and helping your sister prepare for her wedding."
I get to my feet slowly and stare at Will contemplating what to say next. He looks worried at what I will say next. But he shouldn't. I could never blame Will for the hand that fate dealt him.
"I don't blame you, Will," I finally say softly. "I care for you far too much to blame you for something that you had no choice in."
"But I did have a choice," he argues, also getting to his feet. "I chose not to do as Snow said."
"What he was trying to make you do was unforgivable. Not to mention you didn't know how far he would go to try to punish you." I reach up and grab Will's face. He doesn't look at me though. "Will look at me. Please." His eyes meet mine and I close the few inches that separate our lips. It's a chaste peck just like two years ago. "I don't blame you for my Reaping. It's sad. I may die. But know that I love you and could never blame you."
Tears start to well up in my eyes and blur my vision. Will rests his forehead against my own and lets out a shaky breath. For a moment he seems indecisive before finally making a move. He places his lips against my own and when he pulls away tears are cascading down my cheeks.
"I love you, too, Molly. More than you'll ever know," he whispers before placing another kiss to my lips.
"Dinner is ready! Are you-"
Will and I turn to find Kaila standing in the doorway of my room with a shocked expression on her face. Her mouth opens and shuts, similar to what I imagine a fish's would. For several long moments no one says anything but Kaila finally gets over her shock of our position of what she saw.
"I apologize for interrupting. I didn't realize that the two of you were having a moment."
Will shakes his head and intertwined his fingers with my own. "It's okay Kaila. Is everyone sitting in the dining car?"
Kaila nods her head before gesturing over her shoulder. "I'm going to go and make sure Jasper isn't giving Cecelia anymore trouble. You two come when you're done here."
She leaves my room and shuts the door behind her. The click of her heels echoes as she hurries down the hallway of the train. I glance up at Will and see him glancing down at me.
"Kaila has a few redeeming qualities but one of them is not the art of discretion," he informs me. "No doubt she's ran off to the communications room and is letting the Capitol know that we are in a relationship."
He doesn't sound so enthused about this. Not that I can really blame him. I don't want whatever is happening between Will and I broadcasted all over Panem. Not because I'm ashamed but because it is more than likely to be short lived. I could be dead before my birthday in a few weeks and Will will still be here, at President Snow's mercy.
It's selfish to put him in this position but feeling Death knocking at my door has got me feeling entitled to be a little selfish in my possible last few days.
Author's Note:
I apologize! It's been a hot minute since my last update! Hopefully posting two chapters at the same time will make up for it. I hope y'all liked where I'm going. If y'all have any suggestions leave them in the reviews or send me a pm. Also, I've already planned out all the names and preferred weapons of the tributes, however, I haven't created Molly's prep team yet. If you guys have any input send it through reviews or pm. I would love to hear from you guys!