Chapter 9: Present Shopping

A/N: Sorry for the last chapter, it was short and depressing, right? This one should be jollier... I don't really know where I'm going with it!

To Lily: That's so cool! I love the name lily! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games

"What does Layla like?" Cinna asks, and I wonder why he is asking.
"Er, she likes baking and clothes and the forest and Finnick Odair and the sky." I'm thinking on the spot here. I could have given him a whole book full if he gave me some warning, but then that wouldn't be Cinna. Cinna is laid-back and relaxed at all times.
"The sky?" He takes sudden interest in "the sky". Why? I mean, it's just the sky. It's been around since, like, forever.
"Yeah, like finding shapes in the clouds and star-gazing and that." That is how mentally retarded Layla is. She once invited me for a sleepover and we were stargazing all night.
"That's cool. I was just thinking about her present" Cinna explains. Oh, I guess I need to that soon. The party is Saturday, today is Thursday. And I need to do that cake.
"Right. I guess I'll leave you to your thoughts then" I flash a grin at him and leave. I really need to go shopping.

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The nail polish promises to be "the thing everyone needs this year", but it's so, so... Capitolish. If that's a word.

The shop has so many things you'd think I would be able to pick Layla hundreds of gifts, but they all seem so useless. Makeup. Clothes. Posters of boys. Books of " hints and tips on how to get your man". All things a Capitol girl would go mental for, but I just laugh at the stupidity of it.

I wish Petal and Daisy were her, they would know exactly what to get her. But no. Here I am stuck in the "Girl Shop" in district 14. We thought they would have something for Layla, but look how wrong we were. We even look out-of-place here, it's full of metallic-skinned Capitol people.
"Well, I don't think we will find anything here" Lav concludes, starting to walk out towards the door.

"I KNOW!" Lav suddenly shouts in the muddle of the square. Everybody turns to look at us; I just smile awkwardly at them like nothing happened.
"What?" I hiss at her.
"We can get her a sofa bed for me to sleep on! Practical and nice," she says while I laugh.
"We can't get her something for you!"
"Why not? It's the best plan we've got so far!" She says stubbornly. She's got quite a good point... but I would never, ever admit that to her.
"Fine! But it was your idea, not mine!" She smirks at me and prances of to the furniture shop.

"Red's the colour scheme, right?"
"Yeah," I yawn. I never knew furniture shopping was so boring. There's hundreds if sofas, and all we have to do is pick one, but no. We have to try them all, consider the different materials, shapes and cushions, and then compare them to each other. We've been at this for 3 hours. 3 hours.

I've tried suggesting we go home and think about it, but Lav is determined to find "the perfect one". Which in my opinion, would be the same as what we've got, but sofa bed version. We past it around an hour ago, and Lav put it on the top of her list. That was an hour ago.
"You know what, I think we should get that one the same design as yours!" She says brightly.
"What a great idea!" I mock her tone sarcastically. I had only been telling her that all afternoon.

We pay and ask them if they can deliver it on Layla's birthday. The shop lady seems nice and reminds me of Portia. She dresses like she's mental, but underneath all the makeup she's a kind and down-to-earth person.

"Hey brainless, have you even talked to that Effie person yet?" Oh god, with all that's been going on with Finn, I've forgotten that. I really need to get on and do this stuff. I've had loads of time after school and everything, but I haven't used it. I also need to ring home, plan and do Layla's cake, persuade people to go to that archery club with me, and talk to Finnick and Annie about extra-swimming lessons. Oh, and help plan Layla's party Rye.

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"Lily! Honey, how are you?" My mums voice is urgent then relieved down the phone line.
"I'm fine thanks. It's so weird not having you and dad around, I miss you guys."
"You'll soon see us though!"
"Huh?" I'm confused, she said she couldn't come and visit this weekend.
"Oh, Er, nothing to worry about." She says quickly.
"Ok..." I don't believe her, but I know she won't tell me. "How's you?"
"Oh everything is ok here, but how are you doing? What's it like?"

I spend the rest of the evening chatting about District 14 to my mum and dad, who were concerned if I was ok. I assured them that everything was fine, and that they didn't have to drive all the way here just to make sure.

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"Lily! What are you doing here?"
"Err, well, I just wanted to ask you something- 2 things, actually."
"Ask away, ask away dear" she smiles at me with her now disturbingly bright yellow lips.
"Umm, do you know my friend Lavinia? Yeah. Well, she's been put in a house with someone she finds... just horrible. So, we were wondering, maybe she could sleep on a sofa bed in our house?"
"Of course! You'll have to buy the sofa bed though! I'll just change her address" she turns on her computer and her eyes flicker over the screen.
"Done. Now what's the other thing you want?" Her eyes are concerned.
"Umm, can I have the day off tomorrow?" She looks shocked, like she was expecting a sob story or something.
"It's nothing serious, it's just I really need to make a special cake for my best friends birthday. And umm, I really need this to make something that she deserves. Please Effie, I need this."

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