So, I decided to start each chapter with a flashback to try to catch you up after my long absences. I'm really sorry for the stupid chapter title, but I really wanted to get this out there as soon as possible.
Shout-out to deedee102030! Your alert convinced me to finish this chapter, finally…

I hope y'all will enjoy it!


Chapter 12
"Dr. Everdeen, it is crucial for the well-being of this patient that you return immediately. We will pay for the travel of your family, but this patient needs you."
"All the way to District 4?"
"Yes, are you coming?"
"Who is the patient that needs me so much?"
"The patient is Annie Cresta."


Lysimachia's POV

I wake up to a rough shaking on my shoulder. I sigh and slowly open my eyes. My stomach feels uneasy at the thought of last night, but the feeling is gone immediately when I see my father. I smile and bask in the security until I remember yesterday afternoon and all the things that he did on that screen. I watch him warily as he smiles and says "Good morning lovebug!"

He reaches his hand forward towards my face and I cringe. He comes closer and I jump back, fully awake now.
"What are you doing?"
"Wiping the crust from your eyes, sleepyhead." He replies.
"Don't touch me." I warn, backing away from his concerned face. Is he really concerned about me? His face makes me doubt if my original judgement was too hasty. But then I remember the look of determination on his face, and I realized that I was right, my father does not care about me, not really.

"'What's wrong?"
"Go, just go!" I yell angrily at his now retreating figure.
He leaves, and I sigh in relief. My lip begins to tremble but I take a deep breath. I am going to school today just as if everything were fine. Which it is, isn't it? There's nothing truly wrong. My parents are just determined to murder other children. I take another breath, clearing my head, and march determinedly down the hallway to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and smile, I'm going to look my best today. I brush my hair out and experiment with different styles. Pig or pony tails? Bun or Braid? Which one would be most likely to attract Acerus' attention? He may be only a schoolgirl crush but I need the distraction today.

I sit stiffly through the ride, always watching my father. I refuse to call him 'Daddy' even in my mind. I keep my eyes trained on his hands, watching how he gently directs the horses. I am tempted to look up as I continue ignore his worried glances towards me.

When we finally arrive, I jump out of the carriage and run for the door. "Goodbye Lys!" he calls after me, but I refuse to give him any sign that I heard him. I run up to Echiae, who as usual is waiting at the door for Camelia and I. "Hey!" She breaks into a wide smile as she greets me.
"Hey back." I respond.
"Aren't you going to ask me?" She asks excitedly.
"About what?"
"About the baby! Don't you remember?"
"Oh, right! So, are you going to tell me?"
"Whatever gave you the impression that I want to tell you something?"
"You just asked me!"
Echiae giggles "Oh right, I did... Anyway, we named my little sister!"
"Did you decide on Lysimachia, after your wonderful best friend? Or did you pick one of the suggestions we raised at lunch, like Cupcake or Mango."
"No, I wouldn't name her after my ridiculous best friend! Why would we name her after an exotic fruit or a bakery treat? Besides, my parents decided, not me."
"I don't know." I shrug. "Camelia!" I yell across the schoolyard. As usual she has arrived just in time, right before the last warning chime rings. She sprints towards us desperately, determined not to get another tardy mark. Her mother has been really hard on her about the teachers' frequent complaints at her tardiness.

"Sorry." She says breathlessly as she pauses briefly to get her breath. "Forgot-my-homework." She explains pausing in between each word to fill her lungs with much-needed air.
"And why was that?" I challenge, smirking. I know exactly why.
She is a night owl and stays up to all hours of the night finishing her homework the night before it is due. Then, she wakes up at the last minute and can't find the work that she cranked out the night before. I laugh to myself. We are all foolish in our little ways.
Echiae is overly practical, Camelia is a procrastinator and teases us way more than a loving best friend should, and me-, well, I'm not really sure about me. I guess I'm too optimistic. I try to think the best of everything, except when my mind gets stubborn and then, I'm hopeless. I refuse to think badly about anyone, except when I have a good reason. Which I am sure I do, anyone would agree with me.
Echiae pushes both of us inside as the last chime rings though the nearly empty yard. "C'mon you two! We can't be late for class!" I roll my eyes at Camelia and race her down the hall to class.
The day flies by and by lunchtime I'm dying to know what Echiae's parents named their little girl. Echiae said she doesn't want to distract us from class, but I know she's just trying to tease us. I never get distracted in class despite all the looks that Camelia and I exchange. Well, except in history of course. But thinking of history makes me uncomfortable, because I realize that it's my next class and I'll have to explain what I found out. I shove the rest of my sandwich in my mouth and begin to choke, just as Echiae was about to reveal the big secret. She quickly turns to me, concerned. "Are you ok?" I'm not in so many ways, but I just nod my head vigorously.

She pauses again, and I finally get my sandwich down. "Her name is...Serule."
"Awwwww! That's so pretty!" I gush.
"Yea, Mom named her that because of her eyes, they're a beautiful blue, like mine."
Just then, the five minute chimes go off and I'm really nervous. My next period is History. What if I have to present in front of the whole class? I've heard rumors from the other upper-school students that he has a platform set up in his classroom for just that purpose. What am I going to say? 'My parents were in the hunger games, and apparently won by killing a lot of people.' I'm surprised they didn't kill each other. From Dad's interview I know they loved each other then though. Did that change anything? Did they decide not to kill each other? Did loving each other make a difference? Well, I guess it did because they're both alive today.
But then something hits me: they were reaped together. There's only one winner, yet they're both alive. How did they both come out? Was there a complication? My teacher did say that there was an interruption in the last one, didn't he? Was that the last one? I can't remember. It kind of makes me curious. But I restrain my curiosity, because last time I was curious I didn't really want to know after all.

As I am lost in thought, Camelia nudges me, and I snap back to reality. I realize that someone has asked me a question and I look up to see Corren. "You alright?" He repeats.
"Yea. I'm just tired I guess, I didn't really sleep well."
"Well, after last night I doubt anyone could sleep. I'm really sorry about my Dad, he didn't mean to cause trouble, he just cares about you guys that's all."
Corren's reference to last night makes me wince again. I remember the tension after the phone call, and how Mr. Hawthorne immediately insisted on going with us. As if we were really going! We would never travel across the country just to be with Gram over her break, I mean we love her but still, she has a job to do. Mom refused and soon everybody's voices escalated into the category of yelling.
I shrug in response to his apology. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
He nods, understanding what I'm talking about. "Corren's dad?" asks Camelia, confused.
"No, I mean-" Once again I am cut off by the chimes, this time signaling the end of lunch period.
"Let's go, I'll explain it later." I drag my feet down the hallway. Echia squeezes my hand. She just thinks I'm nervous about Acerus, but at least she is showing concern. That's more than Grandpa did, and he knew what I was going through.
I walk into the classroom and smile brightly at Acerus, who is already seated.
"Well, hello!" He says "I guess I was right!"
He must notice my confused expression, so he begins to explain. "I said I'd see you tomorrow, remember? And today is tomorrow, so... Kinda stupid, I'm sorry."
"Nah, it's fine. I'm glad you're right. And let me guess, I'll see you walking out that door at the end of class?" I say, pointing to the door and making my face solemn at this revelation.
"I guess we'll have to see then, won't we." He smiles mischievously.
"We'll see." I repeat, gulping to suppress my urge to spin around and around with joy. He's talking to me! He's joking with me! He's smiling at me!

Then, he teacher raps the desk and we all shuffle to our seats. I suddenly remember what I'm going to have to do and I'm tingling all over. I carefully breath deep breaths, focusing on the feeling of my chest filling up with air, then slowly releasing it like a wave cresting in slow motion. The teacher begins his speil. "Hello class. I hope you all remember what yesterday's lesson was about?" We all nod in response.
"Please pass your written homework forward."
Corren raises his hand "Um, sir?"
"Yes?"
"You didn't assign any written homework, just research."
"Right!, I'm sorry, let's discuss your findings then. Young man, why don't you go first. Please come up here." He gestures to Acerus, then to the stage of sorts which, sure enough, he has placed in the center of the room.
Acerus rises and steps proudly up onto the platform. He stands straight and begins to recount his research. "The Hunger Games were a huge event that gained a lot of support from the Capitol public. They often grew attached to the tributes that they sponsored. If the tributes won and became victors, they received special television coverage each year during lulls in the Games. Although there were a total of 75 victors, few victors achieved this fame. Frequently the ones who did were from Districts 1,2, and 4. A few retained this fame, even beyond their deaths. They are as follows:
From District 1, we have Cashmere and Gloss, a brother and sister pair who were greatly loved. From District 2, we have Enobaria who became famous through one of her kills in the arena in which she tore another tributes throat with her teeth. Also from District 2, we have Brutus, who was popular for his brute strength.
From District 4, we have Finnick Odair, who was the most popular victor until near the end. He was popular mainly with the capitol women for his good looks and his skill with a weapon known as a trident. From what we know now though, Mr. Odair led a tortured life as he and many other victors were forced to please the public at all times. He had to sacrifice his privacy, his own feelings, and even his own body. Fame in the Capitol for any of these victors, was not to be envied."

We politely clap and he proudly bows. Districts 3-11 are a blur, I don't really pay much attention. I'm too nervous about my upcoming turn to pay much attention.
"Who is next?"
I gulp and raise my hand. "Well, come up then!"
I slowly climb the platform and begin to recount what I learned. "As we learned yesterday, District 12 had four victors. The most famous were..." I look at Corren briefly and he nods encouragement. "The most famous were my-, I mean, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." I push the words out hurriedly. And they killed people. And they obviously won."
I run back to my seat. "Aren't you going to go on? I'm sure your parents must have told you a lot more?"
I stand up, furious at him for assuming my parents would explain it to me, and at my parents for keeping it from me. "No, They told me nothing! Yesterday, I watched them as they were reaped and sent into the arena. I watched my father stab that boy to death, and my mother set the wasp trap. I had no idea what they did until yesterday! How could you expect them to explain it!"
I'm fuming at him, even though it's not his fault.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea" He trails off, uncertain how to respond.
"I'll be fine." I assure the worried glances in my direction and calmly place my hands on my desk, waiting for lessons to resume.
"Perhaps we should suspend your participation in this class, considering the emotional toll it may take on you. Would that arrangement be agreeable?"
"No, I'd like to stay. I'd rather stick with my normal classes, thank you."
"Are you sure?"
I falter for a minute. "I think so." I manage.
"You don't have to decide right now, but if you find it necessary, you may wait either in the hall or in the art center until our discussion is finished."
"Thank you!" I sigh in relief. At least for today, I can avoid any thought about it until I sort out what I want to do. "I'll pack my things quickly, I won't be a disturbance."
"I do not consider this a disturbance. It is quite necessary for your well-being."
I nod my appreciation again and quickly shove my notebook and pencils into my backpack. "See you at the art center!" I call to a stunned Camelia and a worried Echiae as I hurry out of the room.
I set my backpack down in front of the easel and sigh. What to paint? Painting reminds me of my father, but what choice do I have?
I look around the room until my gaze rests on a set of various shaped tubes. They are made of glass, some of them tinted different colors. At first I think they are for decorating, but then I see the little packets of different colored sands. Oh, I realize: you're supposed to fill the little tubes with the sand.

I soon become engrossed in the process of layering different colors of sand, and all disturbing thoughts are far from my mind. But still, lurking in there somewhere, is the little nagging reminder that I can't ignore them forever.

A/N: I will make no guarantees about when this story will be updated again, but I can promise you that I will finish it. I've been mildly distracted (ok, extremely distracted by this new movie I watched called Secret of Moonacre). It's amazing!

I'm also starting a Secret of Moonacre/Little White horse fanfiction, so I've also been distracted with that. But I can assure you that the DVD release (on August 18!) will definitely get me pumped again :) And of course R&R! You know the drill…