Chapter 10

Prim's pov:

I hold onto his arm. Without it, I will surely fall. I don't want to board the train. I don't want to find out what our costumes mean. I don't want there to be a 'big entertainment' party. I was lucky enough last year for Nicky to be too drunk to remember what he had seen from me. But he promised to sober up. That's what I wanted right? I bite my lip, what if he sees me? I don't want him to see how I act around my Misters.

He leads me onto the train. Thereasa, Lily, Lilac, and Sanders are already on the train. There is a boy of fourteen whom I have not seen before. Sanders introduces him to us, "Every body, this is Kenyan. He normally travels with the other kids of District 7 but.."

Kenyan looks over Sanders, then at the rest of us sadly, "A couple of them tried to make a stand and refused to do their work last week. They never got back on the train in the morning."

I look at him with sympathy, "Oh my gosh, that's awful." I take him into a hug.

Everyone but Nick and I bust up laughing. Sanders slaps Kenyan across the back, "I told you she'd believe anything!"

They all laugh at me a while longer until Kenyan speaks up again, "No, I ran into Sanders last week when I accidentally got off in his district instead of my own. We became friends."

I stand there for a while, "You make fun of me because I believe a lie, and you got off in the wrong district?"

He stops laughing, "I never really thought of that."

Nick wraps his arms around me and we sit down. Nobody seems at all surprised that Nick and I are now officially together. We just got a lot of 'go figure's and 'I thought you guys were already together'. I do my best not to show my embarrassment at their reactions.

I rummage through my bag; my curiosity cannot stand it any longer. I pull out my costume, "Who else got something similar to this?"

Everybody pulls out their costumes. We all have barbaric costumes. Everyone gets really quiet. Thereasa even lets out a sob. "I don't understand," Kenyan says, "What's so bad about us matching?"

I stare at him for a long time, "Were you there last year?"

"Where? I only started eight months ago."

I look up at Nick, I don't want to be the one to tell him. Nick shakes his head. I look around me, nobody wants to tell him what it is.

He grows worried, "What is it?"

Nick finally speaks, "Big entertainment."

"What is that?"

I tell him, "One big party with lots of entertainers."

"I don't understand, what's so bad about that? I mean, it can't be any worse than normal, can it."

I look at him, "Let's just say that the way you see us now, you won't think the same of us tomorrow morning."

We let him soak it in. The train conductor's voice is heard over the intercom, "We are nearing the Capitol. Please get changed if you haven't done so already."

Thereasa changes first, everybody's out fits are designed to show off more of their 'best features'. This one is a loose dress that swings loosely mid thigh. Its v-neck goes down below her breasts, showing a ton of cleavage. It is obvious what men like about her. Lily and Lilac come out with dresses that show a lot of leg. I feel slightly left out that I don't have a dress at all. I have a more bikini-like out fit. A short piece of cloth wraps around my chest. Another loin-cloth type piece of cloth is for my bottoms.

As I walk out I notice Kenyan looking at me. I stand in the bathroom doorway awkwardly. Nicky punches him in the arm and shakes his head. I laugh to see Kenyan blush. He changes next, then Nick, then Sanders.

We all have the same leopard-print design but in different colors. Lily and Lilac are purple. Thereasa and Kenyan's are the classic orange. Sander's is a strange shade of green. Mine and Nick's are white.

I hold Nick's hand tightly as the train comes to a stop. I feel extremely cold as we step outside into the night air. I am slightly surprised to see that it is Josh who is hosting the enormous party. I laugh as I think of the trouble I caused him last week. He must be celebrating his new house.

As it grows time for us to part I get on my tip-toes to whisper into Nick's ear, "Don't watch me."

I take in his pained expression and pull away from him. We walk through the double doors of the mansion and immediately disperse.

Several men come up to me. I laugh at their stupid jokes. I whisper sweet things in their ugly ears. I even go sneak off in a room with one. The whole time I pretend it's Nicky. It just makes me feel worse. It makes me confused. As I kiss this man's stubbly neck I find myself saying, "I thought you wanted to wait."

"What was that dear?"

I have to remind myself who I'm with. This is strange: I can't think of a lie to tell him. My mind is occupied elsewhere. I pretend not to hear him. I shiver as his lips touch my collarbone.

He moves up to my jaw. I don't want to go any further; I'm going to be sick. "We should go back to the party; we don't want to be part of negative gossip do we?"

He nods and leads me back out into the huge room. Stupid Capitol residents always worried about being on the wrong end of the gossip. We go onto the dance floor. Barely into the song, I notice Josh tap this man that I don't even know the name of on the shoulder, "Mind if I cut in?" He looks a little upset but hands me over.

Josh holds me extremely close. He leans down to whisper in my ear, "How do you like the party?"

I nod, "It's good," I lie.

He laughs softly, "You know why I'm having it don't you?"

I nod again, "To celebrate your new house. Sorry for burning down your old one."

He laughs louder, "That's not what the party is for."

I grow confused, "Then what is it for?" I look behind him and see Nick. He has three women around him. All have their hands on his arm or his bare chest. He pretends to be laughing with them but the eyes that look at me appear very hurt. He tries to smile at me and mouths "Hey Delicious."

I smile and wink at him. Josh notices my distraction, "Prim, dear, are you

Listening?"

I nod and look up at him, "Of course."

He pays no mind and pulls me in closer. His words grow extra tender, "Prim, will you marry me?"

Muwahhahaha, cliff-hanger! The sooner you review, the sooner I'll write!