Decisions

I bite my lip as I stand staring at the doors to the massive justice building. Should I go in and say good bye to him or not? Well I definitely should. I always say good bye to the tributes. Ever since the year I turned seven I've gone to the justice building to say good bye to the kids being shipped off to the games. Alicia's the only tribute I've ever said good bye to that I already knew before they were reaped. I'm so upset with him I could probably just walk away right now and not even look back. I'd regret it later though. A few months from now when it's certain he's not coming home alive I'll wish I took this last chance to say goodbye when I had it. I sigh and slowly walk towards the large stone doors. The peacekeepers standing guard don't question me. I always come. I decide to visit the girl first, it'll be easier that way, with the less emotional visit first. The girl looks up, surprised, when I enter. She stares at me for a minute in confusion.

"Who are you?" she asks quietly.

I swallow hard "I'm Thalia. I always come to say good bye to the tributes, just so they know that at least… at least one person cares."

Her eyes widen "Thanks," she says, "but I'm not like that I have lots of friends… they're just really busy… don't you have to go say good bye to my competition?"

"Yeah, I do. And… if they're too busy to come, it's their loss." With that I turn for the door, but just before I step out I whisper "Bye, Kathrine," leaving her all alone, waiting for friends who are too selfish to come.

I walk across the hall to the room where he's being held. I open the door and slide in. He looks up and sighs. I walk over and sit next to him on the couch. After a few minutes I decide to break the silence.

I take a deep breath "It's not our fault you know, she made her choice."

"But maybe there was something we could've done. Maybe if we'd just-"

I cut him off "No. It was her decision and she knew the consequences and she made what she felt was the best choice and there is absolutely nothing we could've done or can do that would or will change anything. You need to understand that before… you…" I trail off not wanting to say it out loud.

"Die," he finishes. I bite my lip and nod. "You're my best friend," he whispers "just remember that."

I nod and give him a hug "I'll miss you," I mumble "so much."

I get up and walk out the door, planning on waiting at the train station to wave goodbye as he gets on. I'm not exactly expecting to see anyone I know so it surprises me when I hear someone calling my name. I whip around to find the boy who came home instead of Alicia walking toward me. I wish I could be mad at him, or even hate him. I should hate him. But I just can't hate someone I don't know.

"So, you say goodbye to the tributes every year?" he asks me.

"Yes."

"Wow. That's really nice. So, umm… I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for coming to see me last year, it… it really helped me through." I blink. What?

"Um… you're welcome. I'm… I'm glad I could help." I whisper. I turn and run out of the building before anything else can be said. It's a good thing. That's what I tell myself. He killed the boy who killed Alicia. He's not some overly brutal, sadistic brat like the kid who would've won if he hadn't.

I wave goodbye to my best friend as he boards the train that will take him to the capitol. I go home. I watch. I wait. I'm right. I cry. And my best friend? Tron comes home in a wooden box. The girl from district four, Annie Cresta, goes home wearing the crown.