So, we know that President Snow is a creepy, mean, horrible person, but what is going to happen when Luke and Liz are faced with the Victory Tour? Are they going to follow the directions? Or break the rules? And I just wanted to let you know now the wedding dress links and baby names need to be sent in to me via review or PM by the end of the Victory Tour. I am going to have a lot of chapters for the Victory Tour, so you have a little while to do the stuff. If you are a fan of this, you really need to help me out here. My co author and I can't do everything. I really need all of you to lend a hand. Please! It makes me happy, and you know what they say, a happy author is a fast author. I'll be posting quicker and not leaving you hanging for as long if you review and send me messages that inspire me. Rate the chapter with a number. Let me know what you are thinking, that's all you have to do. And the next chapter, my top 3 reviewers (the people who review the most out of this story) will each get one huge decision to make for the story. You'll go down in history! Well, at least here you will. OK, here's the chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 20- Home Again
"I don't want to leave." I whine. Luke frowns at me. "Neither do I, but we'll see each other in a month. And I'll write you every week." He says, pulling me into his arms. I inhale his wonderful scent, a combination of cinnamon and fresh linen. He smells amazing. "What are you doing?" He asks. "Making a memory. I want to freeze this moment and play it over and over again when you're not around." I reply, looking into his perfect eyes. He places a hand on my cheek, and I place a hand over his, warming my fingers with his.
His lips move in toward mine in slow motion, something my mother taught me to deflect an enemy's attack. But Luke is anything but an enemy. He's my best friend. My shoulder to cry on. He's my personal doctor, my therapist, and most importantly, my amazing boyfriend. I could love him for every second of my life, and never love him enough. I could never deserve such an amazing boyfriend like him. Kind, gentle, and loving, where I am just the opposite- cruel, horrible and hostile. We are from two different worlds, but yet we are able to love each other.
His lips never meet mine that last time. My parents come over, which would normally make me extremely uncomfortable, if I had seen them. I had my eyes shut tight, counting on my sense of touch to let me know when his lips touched mine. My mother grabs my hand and my dad says something to Luke that I can't hear over my own screaming for my mom to let go of me. She drags me away, and I fight her as hard as I can. I struggle and wriggle around, but she holds me back easily. I'm no match for her.
She pushes me into the backseat and locks the door. I start crying. My dad joins her and hoists my one suitcase into the trunk. They slide into the front seat and I cross my arms over my chest. I hope I look really mad, because I am. "Heyyyy." My dad exclaims. He smiles a big, goofy grin at me and I stay silent. He's not getting forgiven that easily. "Are you trying to ruin my life?" I ask angrily. "No, honey, we had to go." My mom says. "That's a load of bull. I just wanted to kiss Luke goodbye. We were so close too. And you yanked me away so I couldn't. If you're not alright with me dating, you should say something. And then you should realize that your disapproval will be nothing more than a nuisance now, because Luke and I are getting married." My dad slams on the breaks. "Married? Oh hell now! Elizabeth Rue Hirsch, you are 15 years old! You are too young to be married. And another thing, you've sneaked around and deceived us from the start, and I'm still not so happy about that." My dad yells.
"You, young lady, are grounded. For one month. You will go to the gym, you will be home schooled, and you will be at home. But you are not allowed to see anything of that boy until you have to pretend to be in love on the Victory Tour." My mom shouts. "Ha! Pretend! I don't need to pretend. I am in love with him, and he has a name, which is Luke. And I am so sorry that you told me I could love him. Mom, you told me do whatever I want just avoid getting pregnant. And dad, you laughed. Laughed! I thought that maybe it was alright, because you weren't flipping out on me." I shriek. Then my anger dissolves away and I'm crying again in frustration.
"Snow really told you that you two had to be married?" My mom says softly. "Yes. 3 months after the Victory Tour ends. That's our deadline. And after that I have two years to be pregnant with my second child." I reply. "He's done it again, Cato. He's controlling another Victor." My mom cries, burying her head in her hands. "What do you mean again?" I ask.
"He did this before, Liz. To your mother and I. And to Peeta and Katniss. He gave us rules we had to follow, and if we didn't, bad things would happen." I stare at my parents. They were always so strong. Never had I seen them cry, or look upset in the slightest, unless they were angry. That had happened often enough. My mother was crying her eyes out and my father was pale as a ghost, his knuckles white from his grasp on the steering wheel."What did he have you do?" I ask.
"He had us get married with a broadcasted wedding. He had the people in the Capitol decide what dress your mother and Katniss would be wearing. And after our wedding was over, we were required to give birth to a son. When we found out you were a girl, Snow was outraged. He ordered us to kill you and try to have a baby boy. But we wouldn't have it. Abortion was not something we wanted to do. Your mother and I wanted a daughter. And now we have you, and you're being controlled in the same way." He sighs.
I continue to stare at him. Was that why Snow hated me so much? Or was I doing another thing wrong besides being alive? "I met Katniss today." I whisper. My mom swivels around and looks at me. "And? What did you say? What happened?" She demands.
I decide to lie about it. I don't think my parents will like me telling them that I was having an emotional moment with Katniss and not them. "We just were talking about the Games a bit and Luke. Yeah, nothing major. I shook hands with her and she told me that she was very happy Luke was dating me." I say, knowing everything I just said was a complete and total lie.
"Oh. Katniss is approving of this now? Great! She's making me look like the bad mother!" My mom shouts, raising her hands in exasperation. "It's not just you mom. Peeta agreed with it too." I say, smirking. This is snowballing out of control, but I think its working.
"Really? Is that so? Well, I think it is just amazing that you two are dating!" My dad exclaims. "Yes, it's perfect! Such a good thing for you two to experience. Love in a horrid situation like the Games is something extraordinary. It was silly for me to ground you, so I take it back. In fact, I am extending your curfew 1 hour. Yes, that will do it. You deserve a little treat for working so hard." My mom says. "No. We're extending your curfew 2 hours. And you can sleep in an extra hour too." My dad adds.
Yup, this is most definitely working to my advantage. I had figured out a way to bend my parents to my will- say Katniss and Peeta approved. This was beyond perfect.
I look out the car window and see the familiar fence of District 2. We're home again. And I am prepared for the royal treatment. Bring on the bribery! I can't wait to be back there so I can hang out with the most elite of the elite crowd, the real victors, not just their kids. And here's the best part- they are all guys. No girls to compete for glory to. And even if I'm dating Luke, they will be falling all over the place trying to be my friend. Trying to make out with me. Trying to let me smoke their cigarette. Oh yes, this is the good life. Home sweet home.
So, what did you think of the Cato/Clove emotional breakdown? Was it impressive? And what are you thinking? Please, review and let me know! Or send me a message! Remember, baby names and wedding dresses are needed. And if you already did 2 or more of each, then you DO NOT NEED to do anything more, your awesome enough! –MrsLukeCastellan