A/N: I know I said it would be updated weekly, but I had too much to do and no one seems interested in this story anyway... but we're going to keep going with it to the end :)
As soon as Denver finishes his speech, the Peacekeepers haul us out of the courtyard and into the room where we will be allowed to say goodbye to our families. As I stand looking out of the window at the departing crowd, Benedict comes over to me, gazing at me with the same expression that everyone has today; regret.
Annoyed, I look down. However, it seems like he takes my movement as sadness.
"I don't know what to say other than the fact I'm truly sorry, Willow," he says softly, placing a soothing hand on my arm. I shrug it off.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I snap, referring to the smile he gave me earlier on as well as his words. "We can't both survive this; the likelihood is that we both won't be coming back."
Hurt clouds his eyes before he speaks up again. "I have a sister your age," he admits. "A sister I love very much–"
"You think you see her in me?" I accuse him. "Well, you don't know me! I am not your sister, and I never will be; I can look after myself!"
He backs up a bit, taken by surprise.
"Sorry, Willow, I didn't mean to offend you in any way."
"Don't worry," I mutter and walk away. I'm well aware that I'm being harsh, but at this precise moment, I don't care. I need to be alone. Alone to think about what was, most likely, to be my end.
However, a few minutes later, the doors of the room we are being held in open and my sister rushes in, closely followed by my parents.
"Willow!" Poppy cries, running up to me and flinging her arms around my neck. "You can't go, you can't leave me here!"
I unwind her limbs from me and kneel in front of her.
"Poppy, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!" I say to the sobbing girl. "But I have no choice. I don't want to go, I swear!"
"You have to win for me; you have to come back! I need you!"
"Poppy, sweetheart, come away now," my father says, realising
that I'm about to cry. He lifts her into his arms and backs away so I can talk to my mother.
I immediately embrace her as she comes over, burying my head into her chest and breathing in her familiar scent. It anchors me, and slowly I lift my head up to meet her eyes, managing to keep my tears at bay.
"I'm scared," I whisper, and she hugs me tightly.
"I know, sweetheart," she replies. "I know. There's nothing I can say or do to make you feel better, but just know this. Your father, Poppy and I love you, and whatever happens, whatever you do in those Games, that will never change."
I smile slightly. "Thank you," I murmur, and snuggle back into her warmth. I don't want to have to let go, but when the Peace Keeper announces that we only have two minutes left, I realise that I am yet to say goodbye to my father.
This goodbye is always going to be the hardest one I have to give. I am closer to my father than anyone else I know. I was the one with him, learning how to purchase the ingredients needed for the bread, whilst my sister stayed at home with my mother and learnt to sew. I was the one lifted onto my father's shoulders at the reaping each year whilst my sister hid in my mother's skirts. That time is gone now. Probably never to come back. I immediately dismiss that thought from my head; if there is something my father has always taught me, it is to be strong when you need to be.
"Father," I say as he comes over to me, leaving Poppy with my mother.
"Willow, my dear child, what am I going to do without you? What am I going to do without my little helper to come to the market with me so early every Saturday morning?" He ruffles my hair as he pulls me into a hug.
"You'll have Poppy. I don't think you'll get Mother up so early, but I reckon you can get Poppy to go with you," I tell him, grinning.
He laughs. "You try your best in that arena. We'll be waiting for you."
At that point, the Peace Keeper calls that our time is up and I run to give my family one last hug before they are forced to leave.
"I love you all," I say as they leave and the door clicks shut behind them, leaving me alone with Benedict again. My mood immediately sours as the atmosphere in the room changes.
Not wanting to talk to my fellow tribute, I walk over and sit on the window ledge, watching as our families leave the main square. The last time I will ever see them, I think to myself, and then curse the thought as a tear drops slowly down my cheek.
I sense Benedict come over and the cushion on the ledge shifts as he sits down next to me.
"Do you want to talk?" he asks. I don't answer. He continues anyway. "I know you don't like me, and I know I went about it wrong earlier, but I really would like to ally with you in the Games. Seeing as though our mentor won the Games by pure luck and is not going to be able to give us much advice, I was figuring out what sort of things a proper mentor would be telling us. I figured allying would be one of them."
"Would stay alive be another?" I say sarcastically.
"I suppose that would be a good one." I can hear the smile in his voice and turn with the intention of glaring at him. Instead, I find the corners of my mouth creeping upwards.
"So you can actually smile then?"
"Oi!" I go to punch him lightly, but before I can, he takes hold of my wrist and twists it behind me. I let out a gasp of shock and he laughs.
"Just practising," he smirks. "Never underestimate your opponent."
I roll my eyes and pull myself out of his grip before stalking over to the other side of the room. He had to be one of the most annoying people I had ever met. However, saying that, I couldn't doubt one thing. He was going to be a good ally.