Today is Victor's Birthday…
Eliminations. That is probably the scariest word Victor has ever heard. The gymnasium around him is filling with the buzzing noise of hundreds of District 1 parents congregated for one of the single most important days in the lives of their children. Victor tries to make out his own family in the crowd. He eventually spots them, his mother and Aunt Jade. Aunt Jade bounces little Glimmer on her lap and chats happily with Victor's mother, who bounces baby Amethyst on her hip as if this isn't the most nerve-racking thing to ever happen to Victor. Amandine sits next to her, squirming in her tight-fitting dress. He feels bad for her because she's going to have to wear it all day, because they are going back to the house to celebrate his birthday after the ceremony, as it falls on the same day. Amandine smiles and gives him a thumb up. Even though he doesn't feel like it, he gives her one back. He really likes Amandine because she's such a nice little sister. She practically worships him. Even though Amethyst isn't even two years old yet, he thinks he won't like her much. Amethyst cries a lot around him, but not around mom. She really likes mom and Victor thinks she spoils Amethyst. Amandine hardly gets any attention. Now Victor spots Ruby, in a crowd of thirteen year old girls. Victor feels a wave of sadness. Ruby isn't coming to celebrate his birthday. She said she has more important things to do. She has to train. But Pearl is coming. Victor asked if he could bring a friend, and his mom said yes. He didn't mention that his friend was a girl or that she was poor. He had a feeling she wouldn't want that.
Now he finds Pearl and goes to stand next to her. At first he felt embarrassed to do this because the boys in his group gave him a tough time, but Pearl taught him how to ignore them. "Do you think we'll have to go home?" Pearl asks him. Victor considers this. He's strong. He's already lifting more than most of the boys and he always wins in wrestling. He can't go home. He thinks about Pearl. She always wins in the obstacle course and when they have to throw things, like practice darts and balls, at the targets, she almost always hits it. Pearl can't go home! She's really great at lots of things! But he can't answer her because now the cheery lady with the strange eyes is stepping up to the podium. She begins a speech. It's short, just about how hard everyone's been working, but some harder than others. Victor stands straighter and notices Pearl doing the same. Now she's started reading names. Those are the names of the people that are staying. Victor is glad that she starts with the 9 year olds first, so he won't have to wait for too long. He vaguely hears "Pearl Harrison." He claps louder than anyone else in the room. A wave of relief washes over him now, because his friend is tough. And now his parents know that too. The very next name is his. His! He can stay and become a victor! He runs to his family to celebrate. Dad pats him on the back and mom even congratulates him. Amandine jumps up and down, clapping. "Are you going to be a Career now, Vicky?" He tells her the truth. Of course he's going to be one! Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Pearl hugging a very dirty looking man. He's wearing a soiled miner's jumpsuit and his old, weathered face looks like it hasn't been washed in years. But Pearl is hugging him so tightly and he is laughing so hard that tears come out of his eyes. "You've made me so proud." He says over and over again. Then he wraps his arms around her. Victor has never seen two people looking so happy. He didn't know parents could treat their children like that. He can't remember ever being hugged.
Pearl finally walks over to him. Victor feels slightly glad that his parents never saw her poor father. They all walk back to Victor's house, chatting excitedly. Amandine grabs onto Pearl's hand and swings it back and forth. When they get there, Victor's mom immediately begins getting out cake and tea. Pearl looks around, taking in the huge grand staircase, the chandeliers, and the countless spacious rooms. Victor hears her breath "wow." She turns to him. "Do you want to take the little kids and go outside?" Victor understands that she probably doesn't feel comfortable inside. So he gathers up the children, much to his mom and aunt's relief, and they go outside. Amethyst does not want Victor to carry her, and Pearl is busy holding Amandine's hand, so he sets the disagreeable child down to toddle on her own and picks up his cousin Glimmer. Glimmer is a much sweeter baby who is always smiling and giggling. She giggles right now as Victor puts her down in the grass. "Oh, she's so cute!" Pearl coos. She scoops her up and tickles her. Glimmer squirms and laughs. When Pearl sets her down, she goes back to Victor and falls asleep with her head on his shoulder. Amandine and Pearl play a baby hand game that Amandine must have learned from school. Pearl tries to pick up Amethyst, but Amethyst immediately begins to scream and cry. "Mommy!" She cries again and again. So Victor, Pearl and Amandine take the babies inside and they're just in time for cake. Pearl stares at the china as if it could break at the slightest touch. She also spends a long time staring at the cake. "What's this?" She asks. Victor feels himself blushing. His mom tells her that it's "just vanilla cake" with a surprised look on her face. "Oh, that sounds so yummy! I've never tried that before because we didn't have the money. Vanilla cake is for people who are really rich, right?" Victor's face turns an even brighter shade. This is just so humiliating. Victor's mother is at a loss for words. The rest of the afternoon is fairly quite. When it seems like it can never end, it's time for Pearl and Victor to get back to the Training Center. Pearl leaves the house first, but Victor's mom pulls him back in.
"Victor, I don't want you to bring that girl back here. We don't talk to miners. They just aren't our kind. I need you to understand that you can't play with Pearl anymore, okay? If the other nice boys see you playing with a mean, dirty girl with no manners, well, they won't want to play with you anymore."
Victor nodded quickly. "Okay, mom. I understand."
But it's something entirely different that he understands. He understands that his mother is wrong. Pearl is the best friend he's ever had. From then on, Victor stops. Stops listening to his mother. And that day, he stops something else too. He has realized that all these years his mother didn't really care about him. If she did, she wouldn't care that his friend was just a little bit poorer. In that moment, Victor realizes the truth. His parents are using him. And in that moment, he stops loving them.