The Games We Played
First off, I want to apologize for not updating in a couple months and I humbly beg for your forgiveness. My life has gotten pretty hectic and I feel horrible for my 'abandonment' of this story. Between my sister telling me I'm a part of her wedding the day before we went dress shopping and my recent anniversary/vacation to Disneyland, CA my life has been going non-stop. Then to make things even more complicated, I forgot my password for this site and dealing with the idea of where the story was going to go next. And I do deserve 50 lashes with a wet noodle!
Anywho, this is a summary of the first 20 chapters (to refresh memories for the last 4+ months – definitely deserve punishment [head down, begging forgiveness]).
Chapter 21 – A Summary
This story begins with Peeta sitting on the train on his way to the 75th annual Hunger Games, thinking about his life to that point.
At age 11, he was brutally beaten by his mother and kicked out for giving burnt bread to a starving Katniss. Gale (a year older than Peeta) happens to come upon Peeta's broken body and, encouraged by his best friend/Peeta's brother, takes the younger boy to the Everdeen household. As Katniss' mother cares for Peeta, Gale finds a place for Peeta to live – with him and his large family. Gale tells Peeta that he will have to learn to hunt to help bring food top the table. With Gale and Katniss' help, Peeta becomes as good a hunter as his two best friends.
At age 13, Haymitch finds the trio in the forest, tells them of the upcoming rebellion, and they begin training. A year later, Rie works to repair his friendship with Peeta as Delly and Madge befriend Katniss. The trio becomes the 'beloved six' as they all train for the rebellion.
By the time Peeta reaches 17, the games reach their 75th year. The reading of the card states that 3 males and 3 females from each district will be reaped. The six friends promise that they will care for the families of those reaped. On the day of reaping, Gale, Rie, Madge, and Delly find that their names are called. Katniss ends up volunteering for her sister. It's total devastation as Rory, Gale's brother, is called and Peeta volunteers for him. Boggs sneaks into Peeta's room and gives him his very first rebellion orders – find other rebels and make an alliance – and wait for more orders in the arena.
Gale interrupts Peeta's reminiscing and the pair joins the others to watch the reapings as the train speeds towards the Capitol. As they watch, 6 tributes stand out to Peeta – Marvel, Glimmer, Cato, Clove, Thresh, and Rue. Peeta also sees his ex, victor Finnick O'dair, during the reapings.
The 6 friends arrive in the Capitol and meet their stylists – Cinna and Portia. They are prepped for the parade and while waiting for it to start, Peeta chats with Johanna Mason & Finnick. District 12 amazes everyone during the parade and manages to capture the attention of some they were hoping to join forces with. That night after their celebratory dinner, Finnick admits his feelings to Peeta, confusing the younger man.
During the eight days of training, the District 12 six meet, get to know, and arrange an alliance with Marvel, Glimmer, Cato, Clove, Thresh, and Rue. In that time, Peeta and Cato find themselves attracted to one another. The only hitch in the budding romance is Finnick, who is trying to fight for Peeta's love, and a fight between Cato and Peeta the night before the first day in the arena. Cato was pushing Peeta to talk about his horrific past that was touched upon during the interviews and Peeta walks away not knowing if he jeopardized the alliance or not. Gale makes sure the alliance is still on after meeting with a sad yet angry Peeta.
The next morning, as the tributes are prepped to enter the arena, their mentors learn about the arena. It is separated into 12 'zones' representing different types of climates and/or biomes with the cornucopia (and its own dangers – it's on an island whose surrounding waters have man-eating fish) located in the center. With so many tributes, their tubes are located far from the cornucopia and near the edge of the arena. When the games actually begin, the tributes learn that there are hidden backpacks located in the jungle that will aid in their reaching the cornucopia. The beloved six manage to pair with an alliance member and manage to secure the backpacks as well.
Clove and Peeta, who manage to pair up, reach the beach near the cornucopia when they see Gale and Cato, who also manage to team up, come out of the jungle down the beach from them. As the four run to join up together, a male tribute from District 4 attempts to attack Cato and Gale from behind but steps on a hidden land mine killing himself and sending Gale and Cato flying through the air. Gale is fine but Cato needs CPR and receives it from Camille aka Foxface. When Cato sees Peeta, they make-up and admit that they have feelings for one another. At the same time, the other eight members of the alliance come from the cornucopia (where they searched for weapons and other items). That night after Foxface becomes part of the alliance and sharing his fears with his brother Rie, Peeta shares his past with his alliance members including the news that he had just learned – Peeta had a twin!
Between killing other tributes, exploring the arena, and getting clues and gifts from their sponsors couples started forming – Cato/Peeta, Gale/Clove, and Marvel/Katniss. One male tribute, Leonitus Dante, tries to cause problems for the alliance but mainly for Cato and Peeta. Finnick has a hard time watching/coping with the budding romance of Cato and Peeta even though Haymitch tries to help.
Yet tragedy hits the alliance as well. They lose Glimmer, Thresh, and Rue. Glimmer is killed by a trident while saving Peeta's the day before the rescue. Thresh and Rue die by mutts on their way to the rendezvous point. Thresh dies quickly whereas Rue died during the rescue. The mentors lose some members as well during their own escape – Mags, Chaff, and Seeder to name a few.
Back in District 12, Peeta's father Fennel and oldest brother Wheet realize during the games just how badly Peeta was treated and just how twisted Peeta's mother truly is. The day the tributes are rescued, Wheet joins Fennel as he heads to watch the games with the Everdeen's and the Hawthorne's. After the loss of the signal from the games (due to the rescue), Thom shows up and tells them to run as the district is about to be attacked. Wheet gets hurt trying to get his mother and fiancé to join the people leaving. Thom manages to get Wheet to the forest outside of District 12. Those that manage to make it out into the forest are taken to District 13.
The remaining 10 alliance members wake up on a hovercraft only to hear the devastating news about Rue's death and the bombing of District 12. Finnick decides to give Peeta a chance at happiness after seeing Peeta with an unconscious Cato. They argue about what broke them up – Finnick sleeping with Annie, telling her he loves her more than anything, and her pregnancy – before Finnick tells Peeta that he's giving up on him. Cato overhears and is skeptical yet happy as is Peeta. Delly and Madge learn their parents are missing. Peeta and Rie learn that their father and older brother are in District 13. Cato, Clove, Marvel, Foxface, Katniss, and Gale all learn their families are safely in District 13. Before landing in 13, Haymitch tells his tributes that they need to talk and that Fennel needs to be present as well.
The six district 12 tributes plus Cato and Fennel follow Haymitch to a meeting room where he reveals some major secrets from the past. Haymitch and Seeder did some baby switching 17 years ago. Delly is Peeta's twin sister and Madge is actually Haymitch's daughter as well as Fennel's niece and cousin to Wheet, Rie, Peeta, and Delly. Needless to say, everyone is not only shocked but angry. After learning this news, Peeta and the others go to see Wheet who gives Peeta his approval of Cato.
Other events that happen in District 13 include Annie Cresta gives birth to Finnick's son, the meeting of the remaining tributes families, Fennel and Hazel Hawthorne becoming a couple, Cato and Peeta finally have sex (multiple times including in the shower and Peeta topping Cato), Lily spending time with Boggs, Annie disappears, Cato and Peeta catch a glimpse of what their life could be like when they watch little Finn while the mentors are out searching for Annie, District 13 is bombed by the Capitol causing all its inhabitants to go further underground, Johanna and Brutus are injured while out searching for Annie, after a couple days underground – the young rebels killing time filming promos – they go back up and assess the damage, Wheet and Tavin (Marvel's brother) take the oath to join the rebellion, the young rebels and the mentors are separated into two squads – one being the sharp shooter squad – and given special weapons.
Peeta and Finnick end up on the same squad and receive a mission to go to District 10 and bring back Leonitus, who works for President Snow. Before he leaves, Peeta admits his fear of not having Cato beside him to help with the nightmares. Cato gives him his academy ring to help. Clove freaks about the ring but Cato plays it off. Peeta leaves his arena token – a pocket watch – for Cato. As Peeta leaves, Cato admits his love to Peeta. In District 10, Peeta freaks about the confession and Clove lets it slip that Cato giving Peeta the ring is the equivalent to being engaged. That night, Finnick climbs into Peeta's bed as he's having a nightmare. Peeta flips out. He avoids Finnick until mission time. They get Leonitus but Peeta is shot!
After surviving the shooting, he and Cato decide to officially become engaged – with the help of Clove and Gale – to finally get Finnick to understand that there will be no Peeta/Finnick ever again. Days after it's official, Cato is sent to District 5. Three weeks later, Peeta and his squad arrive in District 5. Only it's not the reunion either had hoped for! Leonitus joins District 13's rebellion and manages to escape his guards to invoke The 2 Suitor Rule – Peeta now has to date Leonitus and Cato making his engagement to Cato null and void. When Cato and Gale hear about this, Clove and Peeta suffer together, crying themselves to sleep in each other's arms. Cato and Gale get their asses handed to them from the rest of their friends.
So there it is, a brief recap of the last 20 chapters. Good news though. Next 5 chapters are written and the next chapter has probably posted by the end of your reading this (fingers crossed on my end).