A/N: Hey, so I'm continuing this! I've been getting better at managing my time and I know can pump out 2K words/week, or more. Thanks to everyone who's waited to patiently! I moved Secrets over to AO3, and I tweaked a couple details (grammar, some inconsistencies and continuity issues), as well as just cleaned it up a bit. My username is the same over there (Casey7248). You should check it out.
I wake up to the sunlight streaming into the train window. I register that Johanna's arm is lazily thrown over my waist, and my neck is stiff. I must have slept in. I slide out of bed quietly, and change into some clean clothes. I pull a blanket over Johanna's bra-clad torso, and tiptoe out of the room into the dining car. "Morning," I groan, sitting down at the breakfast table. Grant, Natalie and Blight are eating breakfast, and an attendant comes over to pour me a glass of juice and some coffee. I mumble a thank you.
"Morning, sleepy head." Natalie teases, winking at me. "How'd you sleep?"
"You don't wanna know." Grant retorts, and Blight chuckles.
"Shut up." I groan. I thought I'd be well-rested, but for some reason, I'm still exhausted.
We spend the morning doing not much of anything. The four of us play cards, and when the train stops to refuel in District 6, (for some reason, they couldn't drop us off in District 4 on the way back to 7) Natalie goes out for something to smoke, and I go with her for the fresh air. I get the weird feeling she's keeping something from me, but I can't place it. When we get back on the train, I flip through channels on the television with Johanna for an hour. She's off the train and home by one thirty, with a small hug and the promise of a phone call or two. I'm back in District 4 by dinner time.
My situation's gotten too weird for my liking. I'd pick District 4 over the Capitol any day, but when I'm home, I don't really have a place to be. Annie still has school most days, Adrienne has a full-time job and a boyfriend, and I don't really fit in at home. I don't have a place to go to or to be in. It's terrible and lonely and it sucks. But I mean, that's just a side effect of being alive. I'll take what I can get when it comes to that.
I get a job teaching in the District 4 Upper School. The education is split into lower and upper - lower is ages 5 to 11, and upper is 12 to 16. After 16, most people leave school to join the district industry, but some people who want 'higher education' can stay to age 18. I was going to do that, but now, there's really no need. I teach Career Training for the Upper School. The class is advertised so make it seem like they'll teach you to swim or catch fish, but in reality, it's Career training, aka how to cheat in The Hunger Games. And who better to teach a bunch of my peers than someone who already won? I have first-hand, real world experience. That's priceless. I teach Monday to Friday, from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon. I have hour-long periods with each of the four grade levels, and a lunch break from twelve to one. From two to three, I help an optional class for the seventeen and eighteen year olds. The school pays me a small sum of money weekly - I don't need it and I didn't even want it, but they insisted. So I've been spending that money on things for other people: groceries for my parent's house, repainting of Adrienne's room, fixing a few floorboards on my dad's fishing boat, a couple things that we've wanted but never really felt were necessities. Then, I hang out with Annie or Mags, or even Grant and Natalie. I eat dinner with my whole family every Sunday, so that's nice. They've been a lot more relaxed around me lately.
I like teaching at the school. It's a lot better with sixteen year olds than the twelve year olds, they seem so naive and innocent and it breaks my heart. I act professional, and try to do the best I can. I help. I spend a good amount of time getting to know my group for the first few days. There's a few stand-outs: A fifteen year-old girl called Mandy, and a few sixteen years olds with potential. Annie's ridiculously good at hand-to-hand combat but the idea of her having to use it makes me sick to my stomach.
The months fly by easily. I get lost in a routine, which is by no means a bad thing. I only go the Capitol once for three days, and my nightmares are - well they're still terrible, but I can manage them. They've become another part of life, so I will deal with it. Before I know it, it's Reaping Day.
I pack a suitcase with a week's worth of clothing, and almost a quarter of my Victor's Pension so I can bring back stuff for people. I get a clean shirt and slacks, and find Natalie. We'll be going again this year. Grant doesn't have to - and while it's great, it means they're not using him, I have a feeling Natalie will miss being with him. I'm not sure if they're a thing or what. They're very private about all of it, which is great for their wellbeing. I realize I'll be seeing Johanna in a few days, and I can't help but smile. When the District Escort gets up to read the names, I only have one coherent thought: Please not Annie, please not Annie, please not Annie. They call Amanda Novak, and I don't recognize the name, until I see that it's Mandy, a literal protege with a sword. A burly guy named Julian volunteers as well. They're both very good fighters, and I have a little hope that I can bring one of them home.
A/N: I'm so glad I'm back writing.
Thoughts?
As always, any opinions are appreciated. :D