Hope
I gently prop myself up on one elbow and lift my head off his chest. I glance at his face to see if he's awake. He's asleep, a peaceful expression on his face. I smile a little. He looks cute. My smile falls from my face when I remember that today I'm going in the arena. I have no time to think about that though because Jesse stirs and I frown, worried about what he'll do when he realises that his arm is around my waist. Maybe it doesn't mean anything. Maybe, I don't mean anything.
His eyes flutter open and I force myself not to blush when he grins at me and keeps his arm around me. I swallow and smile back. "Morning," I whisper.
"Hi," he whispers back. "Good sleep?"
I nod. "Surprisingly, the best sleep I've had since we came here," I admit.
"Same," he smiles. We stare into each other's eyes for what seems like forever before we both start to lean in.
"What are we doing?" I whisper, pausing when our lips are an inch apart.
"I don't know but I do know it's dangerous," he whispers back.
"Not in more danger than we already are, right?" I ask, smiling a little.
"Right," he whispers before leaning in a bit more.
Our lips are just about to touch when a commotion from outside the room makes us pull away quickly. "Ssh!" I hiss, pressing a finger to my lips. We listen intently.
"Where is she?" Effie's squeaky voice says.
"Is she in with Jesse?" my dad's voice fills my ears and my eyes widen. I grab Jesse's hand and pull him over to the couch. We've just sat down when Effie barges into the room.
"She's in here!" she squeaks and walks in, my mom and dad on her tail.
"What are you doing in here?" my mom asks, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"I-I came to wish Jesse luck," I lie.
"So," my dad speaks up. "Why is your hair a mess?"
"Well, I thought mom could do my hair for me," I whisper and then add, "It might be the last time she does it."
My mom's eyes fill with tears and she nods, walking over and taking my hand. I turn to Jesse, blushing slightly. "I-I'll see you later?" I ask.
"Sure. Good luck," he whispers and I stand up. My mom leads me towards the door but I let go of her hand at last minute and throw myself into Jesse's arms. He wraps his arms around me and I do the same.
"Be careful," I whisper and kiss his cheek before running out of the room, a sudden wave of emotion hitting me and bringing tears to my eyes. My mom follows me to my room and she uses her gentle fingers to braid my hair down my back. We sit in silence, both of us knowing if we say anything we'll cry. She pats my shoulder a while later, letting me know she's finished braiding my hair and I turn around.
"Thank you," I whisper and not being able to help it anymore, burst into tears.
"Ssh," my mom says, soothingly. "You're going to come out, I promise."
"Mom," I whisper, "I have a problem."
"What is it?" she asks, wrapping her arms around me.
"I think…" I trail off, a sob wracking my body. "I think I love him."
"Who?" she whispers but we both know whom.
"Jesse," I reply anyway and she pulls away, holding my face in her hands.
"Did you- did you do anything with him last night?" she asks and despite the day and situation I blush and abruptly shake my head.
"No," I say and her face floods in… relief? "We-we just…"
"You don't have to explain. I don't care as long as you didn't do anything," she replies.
"We didn't. We- we was going to kiss but then we heard you outside the door," I admit and then chuckle.
"I'm sorry we ruined the moment," she whispers, "But maybe it's for the best. If you stay attached to him then it'll hurt more if he dies."
"I think it's too late," I cry and she sighs, tears swimming down her own face.
My father walks into the room then, a pained expression on his face. I step away from mom and wrap my arms around him. "My baby," he whispers, kissing my forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry that you have to do this."
"Me too," I reply, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you, too, my little Mockingjay," he replies and the old nickname makes me cry even more. I pull away and turn back to my mom, knowing this is our goodbye and that we might not see each other ever again.
I step towards her and touch her bump. It's the first time I've ever felt her stomach and warmth spreads through me. "I wish I could meet him," I whisper.
"You will," my mom says, firmly. I nod, not wanting to upset her by telling her that I might not come out alive. "I love you."
"I love you, too," I say and then ask, "Where's Cinna?"
"He wanted to give us a minute to say goodbye before getting you ready," my father explains and I nod in understanding. I hug both of them one more time before they leave to head to the rooms where they'll be getting sponsors for Jesse and me.
Cinna walks into the room as soon as they leave and I know I won't get any emotion from him until I'm dressed and ready to go into the arena. He helps me dress in thick black trousers, which he tells me will keep me warm and a short-sleeved green t-shirt. He slides what looks like a waterproof jacket over my arms and zips it up. "Your mom wanted me to give you this," he whispers, taking something gold and shiny out of his pocket. He pins it on my shirt and then takes his hand away so I can see the object. It's my mother's Mockingjay pin that she got off aunt Madge.
"That pin has survived two Hunger Games," Cinna says, "And now it's going to survive another one."
I smile and put my arms around him. "Thank you for everything, uncle Cinna," I whisper and kiss his cheek.
"I'd do it until the day I died if it meant helping you," he says and the comment makes tears fill my eyes again. "I want you to know that if I could bet then I'd bet all my money on you. I said that to your mom and she survived both games."
A voice comes from the speakers and tells me that it's time to go to the hovercraft.
I follow Cinna to the roof and it's there I see Jesse with Portia. Peacekeeper's stand in the way, blocking us from talking to each other. I wave and step onto the ladder of the hovercraft. I freeze in place and someone inserts the tracker into my arm and then I'm lifted inside with Cinna. The hovercraft takes off and Cinna presses me to eat and drink. I do as he says, knowing that it might take a while to find food and water in the arena.
A while later a Peacekeeper tells me to step inside the metal tube. I say goodbye to Cinna and then step onto the metal plate. The glass closes around me and the plate starts to rise. The closer I get to the arena the faster my heart beats. I take a deep breath and then I'm inside the arena, standing on the metal plate. I look around and my brows furrow in confusion. My eyes fall on Jeremy a couple of metres away from me.
Even he, a strong career, looks confused. Why? Because the two of us are the only tributes here, in this part of the arena. I'm still frozen confusion while the sixty seconds pass quickly. "Let the 90th Hunger Games begin!" Claudius Templesmith booms and Jeremy and I go to walk towards each other.
I haven't even stepped off my plate before the first cannon goes off.
REVIEW!