Silence followed my announcement. There was complete and utter quite. My cheeks were a solid red and I had to keep myself from glancing to the mentor's box. I didn't want to see his reaction, because of pure fear of what he would react to it. I didn't get a choice though, like everything else since I'd volunteered, because the camera's had floated from me and had snapped to his stunned face. His eyes were wide but his whole body was frozen, with his glass of blue fruit liquid halfway to his mouth. I watched, anxious as his eyes continued to widen before he reacted, standing and walking out of the room. Just like that. There were no emotions on his face and I didn't know if that was good or bad.
"Oh, my," Caesar said and I looked to him, plastering a smile on my face.
"Yes, it seems you don't have to worry about it." I said, winking at him. I smiled this one sadder. "I didn't know how he would react, and I don't suppose I should have told him this way but…I wanted him to know before I went into the arena that I was fighting for him." I admitted. Every word of it was true and that's probably what made the tear roll down my cheek.
The crowd awed and some shouted out. They could honestly relate to unrequited love. It was something that a lot of people went through. It did actually help me to know that I'd at least told him instead of letting it feaster. My heart actually felt lighter, cheerful even. It was defiantly better that I had said something instead of hiding away. At least this way, he knows that I love him and I don't have to worry about him not knowing when I died. I imagine it would've been worse for him if I had decided to tell him as someone was killing me in the arena.
"All-All right. Well, I think it's easy to say that we can all understand." Caesar said, laying his hand on my exposed knee. I smiled at him and leaned forward so I could speak, and it also got his hand off of my knee.
"I know, and that makes me feel better because I know that everyone will support me." I then turned serious. "But you mustn't blame Haymitch, because to be real, he didn't even know that I've loved him." I confessed.
"When did you fall in love with him? Not to offend you, Katfir, but he is a drunk, aged Victor." Caesar asked me. I rearranged my dress, not covering the skin but making sure that…the confidential files stay confidential.
"When I was younger, my father died in a mine collapse, as I've said before. The accident hadn't happened yet. I wanted to work in the mines, so that I could earn us the much needed money but the Peacekeeper knew I was too young to work in the mines." I said softly, with a light smile but on the inside I felt a fire of absolute loathing burning in my heart. I didn't want them to know about this, it was to personal, like asking how your sister got so injured that she can't even walk. It's for the best though, and hell with all of these cameras Haymitch is probably watching somewhere.
"Haymitch came out of nowhere. I was really young, and I didn't remember that he had won the Hunger Games the year before. He took me away from the mines," I neglected to put in that he took me away from being whipped. "And instead he offered to let me work as someone to clean for him, since he didn't trust the Avoxes. I didn't understand until I was around fifteen that I loved him. It was when I was cleaning in the morning time. I hadn't been eating, because I'd wanted to make sure that my sisters and my mother got enough food. Haymitch…he talked me into eating. He told me that no one wants to see me starve, and that he didn't want to see my ribs poking out of my shirt." I blinked.
Everyone was silent, listening to my tale. Caesar had sat back in his chair so that he could listen to me and I couldn't see in the mentor's box but I'm sure that by the number of shadows in it that Haymitch is there again, plus I can see the expression on his face from the many cameras staring at his face. It was an unreadable expression that took over his face. I couldn't know what it was he was thinking but all I knew was that he was still listening to me, so that had to be a good sign right, or was it that he wanted to see where he went wrong?
"I guess, when he sat me down to eat with him I realized that the little butterfly feelings in my stomach when I was around him were there because I was in love with him. It's been torture ever since because I'd think about telling him, but then something would come up. Honestly, I didn't think that I'd ever tell him but the reaping gave me the real courage to let him know that I couldn't live without him, but I want to live for him." I finished, smiling and using the handkerchief that Caesar had handed me before so that I could swipe at my eyes and my cheeks. I could see Haymitch face as it finally showed the sad expression on his face and a million thoughts flashed through my thoughts. I mean he could be sad for hundreds of different reasons. All of which seemed to be bad reactions.
I made my eyes turn away from the large picture of him that was hanging there. I instead turned to smile at Caesar. "And it doesn't matter if he doesn't return my feelings because I'd give my right hand to come back just so that I could see his face. That's why; I'm going to win the Hunger Games this year." I told him and as if the gamekeepers had some poetic justice, the bell for me to leave rung out. I heard the crowds scream in disappointment at my leaving but some were screaming at what they thought was a beautiful love story, or maybe they thought that it was a tragic story of a woman in love with a man who could never love her because he was in love with alcohol.
Who knew? These Capital people have to be the most confusing people I've ever met. I stood up from the chair and I smiled and exchanged a kiss on the cheek from Caesar and walked off the stage, still swishing my hips with that little kick that every male looks for.
When I stepped off of the stage and down the steps to the dry grey backstage hallway, I winced. All of the other tributes had left so I kicked off the heels. I'd worn them in my own life, but here they were killers. I actually remember them being killers in other worlds to. It was quite painful to walk on needle thin heels in shoes that give the same amount of support as an ex-boyfriend does to someone going through withdrawal.
I didn't have anyone waiting there for me except Effie. She was just staring at me open mouthed but I smiled at her. "I know, unexpected right? I hide my feelings better than you think, Effie." I told her, walking passed her, closing her mouth with a finger. I watched with her though as Peeta went up. The crowd was still riled up and Peeta was a good charmer. He got them laughing, and I have to admit to laughing when Caesar and him start sniffing each other for different smells. It's even more hilarious when Peeta tells the story of how we met. It was when I was five and everything was right in the world except Ginny Hunre thought Katniss' pittails were lopsided.
Peeta had come in telling Ginny that her dress made her look like a curtain. Peeta and I'd hit it off, but so had Katniss and Peeta. We were inseparable since then, except when the accident happened. Then Katniss wouldn't let Peeta look at her. It was all good for him until it came to that question that had boasted my cheers.
"So, we already know about your best buddies, love interest? What about it Peeta? You got a little lady waiting at home?" Caesar jokes. I watch, remembering what his father said. I hoped to God he didn't tell them that I was his love interest, because I wouldn't be able to look Peeta in the face again, and if it came down to it, I would never even be able to take his life. Not that the odds are looking to be in my favor right now either.
"Uh, yes actually I do." Peeta confesses. I swear that there was no movement coming from me at all. I think I'll go into Caridac Arrest if I have to hear my name from his lips.
"Oh, Really?" Caesar looks out to the crowd and raises his eyebrows.
"Yes. I wasn't going to say anything but…I think that Fir is right. I shouldn't go through the Hunger Games without telling someone. And since, I can't exactly talk to her before then, I can tell her this way." Peeta says. It takes me a second but I exhale loud enough that for a moment I think they could hear it on stage. But they haven't because they're to obsessed with Peeta right now.
"I'm in love with Katniss Everdeen." Peeta announces. I feel my heart plummet. For the first moment, I think he says my name because I admit Katniss and I have actually had trouble with that before but then I realize that his father had been off. Peeta was in love with my sister. I can't stop what comes out of my mouth.
"Holy Shit!" I whisper. I'm glad actually that I let it out then instead of later because then the cameras flicker to me. I can also see Peeta's anxious face. I weakly smile and hold up a thumb, giving him a thumps up. Hey, it was better than him loving me.
"Well, looks like you have the sister's support." Caesar teases him.
Well, I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the lack of reviews I got for that last chapter. I was hoping that I would be flooded with reviews because it was such a key moment for the story. Since I got so few reviews I'm punishing you all! This short chapter is what you get! Haha! I was going to wait longer, in hopes that you would all review but alas my hopes and dreams were crushed viciously.
Oh, and that means, no I did not let life catch up to me XD. All though I was sorely tempted to. Anyways, I do have a life, and recently I've had no urge to write at all. I know, it's blasphemy for me to say such things but I guess I just drug it all out in my first stories, and now I have no enthusiasm left.
Okay, question per update before I start rambling.
What is the name and your opinion of the movie that you last saw?
I saw Snow White and the Huntsman. It was awesome acting from all of the actors. I had to see it twice though because the first time I ended up ignoring the plot so that I could stare at Chris Hemsworth. He is my newest celebrity crush! He was excellent in Thor and he was awesome in Avengers and even better in Snow White and the Huntsman. I was entranced by the accent because honestly I didn't think I was going to like it because I was sure it was going to be one of those over exaggerated ones, but I was wrong. Anyways, bye guys!