It happens too fast. The trumpets blare, the hovercraft appears to retrieve their victors, a few doctors examine whatever injuries we have, we landed on the Training Center's roof, and we head to more doctors to take care of the injuries. Whatever medicine they used on me, it was stronger than I expected. I fell into a deep sleep so they could work on me in peace.
I awake to a soft, yellow light. My injuries were minor. The only injuries I can think of are the bruises from when Omar attacked me and the knife cut when Flitter took out her fate on me. I touch my cheek. No sign on the scar. I touched my entire face. There were no bruises present. I don't think Quaid had any injuries.
I start to think of the boy who wanted to risk his life for me. Nothing like that has happened before. I mean, Peeta tried to do it, but Katniss refused and the rest is history. During the 158th Hunger Games, the tributes from 6 separated after the third day. When a tracker jacker attack brought them back to the Cornucopia, they didn't want to kill each other. So, in order to have their victor, the Capitol decided to send out a mutt from the mouth of the Cornucopia. The mutt was designed to kill one tribute only and it chose the boy. The girl, who's named Amelia, screams, "Nelson! Nelson!" over and over again.
Part of the wall rose up and someone walked in. Quaid? Eleora? Kiani? Annabelle? Dane? A girl with blond hair came over to me with a tray. I didn't notice her before. It must be my Avox. I didn't recognize her. I don't even remember her. She comes over to me with a bowl of food, orange juice, and buttered toast. This is something I'd have for breakfast at home.
The Avox sits me up and hands me my food. Her blue eyes had a few flecks of gold in them. I've never seen that before. "Thank you. What's your name?" The Avox nods and grabs a pad and pencil. After a moment of writing, she hands me the pad of paper.
You're welcome, Jada. I'm Octavia and I was your Avox.
"Octavia," I try out her name. "Is Quaid alright?"
She nods in response.
"Can I see him?" She writes down her response.
Not until the Hunger Games recap. I wish you could see him.
"Thank you, Octavia." I say. She nods and leaves me to eat my food. Once the food hits my lips, I'm no longer in the Capitol. I'm back in District 10. I'm eating breakfast with Jace and Jetta. The Capitol made the food taste just like home. Not too fancy, but home-like. How fitting. I will be going home in a few days.
The last bit of orange juice goes down my throat when Annabelle, and Kiani enter. Dane wasn't present. He must be drinking down his sorrows. Another tribute he mentored is now dead. The one he didn't mentor is alive. Is this something I have to deal with for upcoming Hunger Games?
"Your Games were amazing!" Kiani squeals. Annabelle cringes at the sound.
"You should have seen the Capitol's reaction when they revoked the double victory!" Annabelle begins to explain. "When Chal said the announcement, everyone went nuts. They were screaming, crying, and ranting. I couldn't believe it."
"And a few people asked the president to reconsider. And he did! It was from everyone's request." Kiani finishes.
"So, I had nothing to do with it? Am I like…" Annabelle cuts me off.
"No. You had nothing to do with it." She answers. I breathe a sigh of relief. "Quaid offered to give up his life for you. After you kissed him good-bye, all bets were off. And, this is blatant; President Rector likes your family. He has a special family in every district. Do you remember the victor from last year?"
"Pace?" I clarify.
"Yes. His family is one of the wealthier families in Three. And your family is the family that supplies the most delicious meat in Panem. Of course he would let you live at his expense. And, if the citizens wanted it, so did President Rector. He wants to see the daughter of a wealthy family happy. And, are you happy with Quaid?"
"Yes!" I say.
"Good. You're set. Now, you can't see Quaid until the presentation of the victor, or victors in your case. You have to be more in love than you already were. The Capitol loved the passion between you two. Can you do that?"
"Yes, I will." I answer.
The conversation was no longer there. I went to the tenth floor, counting down the minutes until I see Quaid again. When I arrive to my room, I found the mockingjay pin from the arena. It did give me strength, but I don't need it anymore. I can only see him in my memory. I didn't want to do anything as long as it involved my golden haired partner. I wonder if he was feeling the same about me…
"Quaid! Quit wallowing. You'll see her during the Hunger Games recap. I wish you brought back Flitter instead of District 10. She's such a…" I block out the conversation. Why would anyone say those things about the most wonderful girl alive? Shimmer didn't understand how much I love her. And Shimmer is a woman! She should understand about romance. Maybe the Games took away all the love that she had when she was seventeen.
I lay on my bed, waiting until I can see her. I can still hear her singing to the mockingjays and them singing her song back to her. I can hear her laughing, wrestling around for her knives. I can still see the gleam in her blue eyes. Her eyes were the color of the ocean. I want to see my lovely lady again.
"Quaid! Come and eat. I know you're hungry! You get to see her in two days. Don't sulk about it!" Stupid Duce. I hate that man. He's too preppy for his own good. He's probably the only escort that is too preppy. Some aren't preppy enough. But, I think he should lose some of his energy.
The day of the recap was here. I get to see him again! Eleora was dressing me in a strapless dress that stopped at my knees. It was a grassy green with a rose pinned on near my breast. The shoes I wore were three inches high and in the same green as my dress. My hair was in loose curls with flowers carefully woven in. On my wrists, Eleora placed a simple bracelet made out of red roses. I felt like a garden.
I took my place under the stage. The musty smell over took my nose. Do they ever clean back here? As I stand in my place, I hear Dusk Shine announce the prep teams of each tribute, District 1 first of course. After the prep teams, the escorts appear. Kiani and Duce. Um…that name is plain stupid. Then, she announces the stylists. Eleora and Cleo. Then, the mentors are introduced. Annabelle and Shimmer. Their applause goes on for about two minutes. They managed to keep two tributes alive from two different districts. That's one for the books. Finally, the plate I am standing on is rising up to the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your victors. Jada Caldwell and Quaid Ethers!" The lights blinded my eyes for a moment, the crowd's roar deafened my ears for a second, and I turned to see my golden haired partner. He was dressed in a green tux with a rose in the pocket. Our stylists obviously tried to make us match a garden theme.
I run off my plate and straight into Quaid's protective arms. He picked me up off the ground and spun me around. His lips touched mine and gave the audience what they wanted. After our passionate kiss, he kissed my forehead and we headed towards the loveseat. We are sitting so close; I am sitting on his lap. I play it like we were back in the cave and I curl up in his arms. His arms wrap around me and he kisses my head.
Dusk says a few jokes to warm up the audience for the three hour show we are facing. I saw my fellow twenty tributes die the first time, I don't a second time. Once the seal appears, it takes all I have no to run. Under the seal, it reads, 175th Hunger Games. The first half hour focuses on the pre-arena stuff. Everything seemed much worse, because almost everyone is dead.
Then, the Games begin. It covers the bloodbath and my hand in it. I noticed something I didn't see during the bloodbath. As I was killing Jae, her assigned partner, Stiles, came up behind me. He was ready to kill me with an axe, but Quaid stabbed him in the back before any damage was done to me. I didn't have any time to react. It then shows us in the Career alliance, Camilla killing Neal and Skylar while Quaid's hands are on mine. It then switches to the day when I killed Faith. It took all I had not to look away or break into tears. The video then shows Quaid killing Lucifer, us separating, living in the cave. During the night, while Quaid held me, he whispered my name.
Everything that happened in the Games kept coming back. I wanted to forget the feast. I wanted to forget when I carved KILLER into Camilla's arm. I wanted to forget me killing Hollis. I wanted to forget everything. But, I didn't show that. With Quaid holding onto me, I felt safe and warm. The recap ends with the kiss that I thought would be our last. When the recap was over, we stood up and welcomed President Rector himself.
His hair gleamed in the lights and his tux showed his slim figure. A little girl with black hair came on stage with two crowns. Stylists normally don't have a say in the style of the crown that is placed on our heads. But, this year, our crowns were woven out of grass. Rector placed a larger crown on Quaid's head, congratulating him and shaking his hand. He places a tiara sized crown on my head and hugs me. "Return to the farm and continue to make meat for us, okay?" I answer him with a nod and we are whisked away for the Victory Banquet.
We ate so little at the dinner because so many people wanted their picture with the lovers in the Hunger Games. So much light flashed in my eyes, I thought I was going blind. During the Banquet, President Rector made an announcement. "To honor our victors, we want them to give a first dance for us." A slow song blared over the speakers and Quaid pulled me close.
As we swayed to the music, I didn't want to let him go. He was my protection in the Games, my protection now, and forever. "I never let you go, Jada. And now, we escaped with our lives and love." He whispers in my ear.
"I love you." I say.
"You know I feel the same."
A/N: AWWW! The story is almost over. I believe three or four more chapters will do it. I don't want this story to end, and I don't think it has to. If you want me to write a sequel, I will try my best. Just tell me what you would like to see and I will try to portray it as such. Read and review on, guys. :)