Chapter 14

They were invited to the event that announced the splitting of two half of Panem, maybe forever. What was the worst part? Her once in a lifetime opportunity to show everything her and her friends had trained for, all gone to waste because her parents had agreed to come to the middle of district 6. In wasn't cod and it wasn't warm and Lilac was standing either hot under her jumper or feeling a faint coolness if she didn't have it on.

The people here were all dressed way better than she was, and it didn't help that Rye that slipped his drink all over his shirt so now he was wearing a big yellow one with the words I 3 Clarmtown, and a huge moving picture of a cow across it. Her parents were laughing and smiling with people they had never met. Standing next to the three people in business suit was a boy drinking the expensive fruit drink Lilac had wanted earlier. He looked more bored than she was.

Lilac stood up and looked at Rye, sucking on his thumb, slobber everywhere. She rolled her eyes and went over to talk to the boy. One of the mean waved at her but she didn't recognise her. "Lilac, you remember Gale?" The man smiled at her confusion. "It's fine; Mackenzie didn't remember either of you either." The boy glanced at her parents then at Lilac and shrugged. He sipped at his drink.

"What?" He asked her. She scrunched up her lips. "Wha'd you mean what?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I'm not staring at you, I'm just…thirsty." The boy raised his eyebrow, "And you want some of my drink."

"No. Where'd you get that idea?" He looked over her with distain. She recognised that look and she didn't like it. Glaring at him she tensed her body, here it comes, the fist throwing that her parents that made her leave behind. Because this year she had been invited to Brittney Justinian's party and she hated Brittney with a passion. It was going to be perfect; they'd been planning for weeks. Now she was hear without her friends, add her parents and little brother. Rolling his eyes the boy looked away.

"Dad, I'm bored."

"Play a game." The boy looked at his dad like he couldn't believe the man had just said that. "I don't want to, unless they sell better games here than they do back in District 2. Which I seriously doubt," His dad looked apologetically at her parents, one of the business suit people, a woman with gold looking hair, rolled her eyes. "How about you play with Lilac? Go on, show her your hover-board."

"But Dad…"

"Go on."

"Dad can't I have my credit card back? Please," His dad's expression flattened. "No."

"But Mum would let me have it!"

"Mum's not here." Annoyed the boy glared at his dad. "Fine," he said. Tossing a small metal piece of metal, it hit the ground and expanded. Then in one movement he jumped on and pushed off, racing away. His dad sighed. "Sorry about that, he gets bored easily," Then as if the whole thing was best forgotten he changed the topic. "I was thinking about spending a few weeks in District 12, actually I was considering buying a house there. It would probably be easier. Especially if I make my visits regualar."

"What about that big job you have in District 2?"

"Oh…no, it's fine, I'm not that involved anymore. My main concern was this but it's all over, which is good. How about you? Why are you two doing these days?" Her dad glanced at her. "We might be leaving the district." Lilac stared at him.

"What? Why?" The man asked. His business friends stared to move away, muttering about a 'start'.

"No money, got two kids, and there aren't a lot of options." The man nodded, his eyes going over his two business suit friends. "I'm sure you'll find something…you survived the Hunger Games after all. And just get I started to think we could get to know each other better, I mean, again." Lilac looked at the man. Who was he? Again? Hunger Games?

"Excuse me, is this your son?" Lilac almost jumped. A very, very tall man stood towering over her. His skin was dark and his head was bald. He had wrinkles from a long life of hard work. In his hand was the boy, dripping with water, hanging like a ragdoll. Gale shook his head. "No, I don't know who he is." The police man frowned and pushed the boy forward a bit. "You are Gale Hawthorne right? Because I know this kid is Mackenzie Hawthorne."

"Why are you wet?" Lilac asked. The boy snorted. "None of your business,"

"It was a bit of a joke…never mind, why, Mackenzie, are you wet?" The boy didn't say anything, but the police man did. "I found him with pockets full of-" Suddenly the boy stopped being so limp and swung his fist at the police man. It hit that man in the stomach. The police man didn't seem to be hurt but suddenly he yanked the boy up so he could look at him face to face. The boy didn't seem intimidated, Lilac knew she was, not that she would admit it…"Attacking a peacekeeper is a very serious crime, boy," Gale stepped forward.

"Now, now, he's just a kid, he doesn't know any better." He glanced back. "You should wait here, go on, mingle, have fun. I hope you do move districts too soon." Taking the hint her parents moved off, taking her hand. They found Rye digging a hole. Brilliant.