p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4a60d61eabbcdea8a2cbea26dec047e6"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Rosemary/em/span/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ac929dded6f35816af1f43c09e5ea622"For some reason, Rosemary's stomach felt like it was going to fall out of her body. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it in her ears and it felt like a dozen tiny needles were poking the back of her neck, but she had no idea why her body was acting so strange./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa08bc496cddb192dd1ad2331279c800"The girl in front of her turned around and gave her a sad smile. Kline was squeezing her hand so hard she was sure her skin was bright red from lack of blood circulation. Aggy, one of the girls in her class who often made fun of her, grimaced in sympathy three faces down from Kline./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b8cbb45d12fafeae068c31e10c73ad71"What was going on? Why were there so many people staring at her?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf99e3cc1326c390f3840b71efeeb016""Rosemary Mellark, are you there?" Effie Trinket's high-pitched voice came through the speakers. "Rosemary?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ba558dc65a5d8be6145adb9f082994b4"Nausea hit her like a ton of bricks when her heard her name called. She pressed her lips together, hoping that she wouldn't vomit in front of her district and the cameras rolling for the whole country, and looked at Kline./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4fc362ce4d95cdc7ca8eafc82898cec6""Me?" her voice was barely audible./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f25eb1f99b9cf1505774fdb12fa83df9"Kline's dark brown eyes watered and she nodded, unable to say a word because she was too choked up with emotion./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="92a985cdbd282fc7e2bed415d55d4935""Oh."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="85ca760cc6dee47e039e4c549444a276"Feeling numb, she let go of Kline's hand and slowly made her way through the row, into the middle aisle where two Peacekeepers were waiting for her. She mumbled quiet apologies as she stepped on toes trying to get out, but no one said anything, whether it was because they pitied her, or were slightly relieved that it wasn't them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f611c80cbbc233d498bc348ae2bd1436"Rosemary made it to the aisle and immediately looked for Peeta and Rye. Rye was in the same spot, blue eyes wide and horrified. And Peeta, he was calling her name, trying to get through his peers to get to her. She hadn't known she was about to cry, but when she saw Peeta's desperation, tears spilled over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe459f4f53947789532421bf6a0d284e"'I'm sorry.' she mouthed toward him, allowing one of the Peacekeepers to take ahold of her arm and guide her up to the stage. Before she looked away, she was glad to see Sage go to his youngest son and keep him in line so he wouldn't get in trouble./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5305417c48b1243ff603d233b6bec6b6""Ah, there she is!" Effie beamed at her from up on stage./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39874a433a85df0fe497b65c6850504a"Rosemary found Rye again and he was crying too. She had never seen her older brother cry before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="525845f19a2763e2974530efafe7563a"The Peacemaker that had helped her from the aisle also helped her up the small set of stairs leading up to the stage. Her legs shook. Effie gestured for her but Rosemary was in no hurry to approach her. Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice; she stood on Effie's left, next to the large glass bowl that her name had been pulled out of./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="52e0000b911217399f6d578fb1997576""Splendid," Effie clasped her hands together and smiled at the crowd. "Are there any volunteers for Rosemary?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f96df886e2939843f1befa27b2d5bec8"There would be no volunteers from District 12, and there hadn't been since the beginning of the Hunger Games. Rosemary did not blame anyone; she wouldn't volunteer for anyone but her siblings and since she couldn't because of gender restrictions, she was never about to raise her hand. She just stared out at the crowd as no one moved or made a sound, trying to find her father's face in the crowd. She was unsuccessful, as she had forgotten that Sage had gone to Peeta./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f1b59f1663b773b2ebc904305d5ecf9""All right, then," Effie said another thirty seconds of silence. "And now the boys!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f8cc91cd3dc01fb9e93074219402c64b"She pranced over to the boy's bowl and swiftly pulled out a name, no fancy hand whirling and moments of tension. She went back to the microphone, opened the slip, and cleared her throat./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="afc1d57a41fe9d30bb57aec88ae136fb""Rye Mellark."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0df54167fb1b5a179597d0c561b2e55"Rosemary gasped lightly, but the noise was overpowered by the murmurs of the crowd. There had never been siblings Reaped the same year in District 12. In fact, Rosemary was pretty positive it also hadn't happened in the other districts. The odds of her and Rye's names being pulled in the same year had to be less than one in a million./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f4eabad24f0fc656a13aa389eade52d3"More tears dripped from Rosemary's eyes, her vision blurring and distorting Rye's figure as he emerged from his age group. Again, she heard Peeta's voice and she had to close her eyes and stuff a hand over her mouth to stop from sobbing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e3edc30468576c4ca153fb9e80a94ef5"Something sticky touched her lips. It was blood, coming from the crescent sores on her palms. Subtly, she wiped it off and lowered her hands, clasping them together in an attempt to stop the bleeding./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f2fc4e93e77b622b9292b264523b6f01"Rye avoided the Peacekeepers' grasps and made the short walk up the stairs to the stage. He didn't stay on Effie's right like the male Tributes usually did; instead, he went to Rosemary's side and grabbed her clasped hands, tightening his grip around them in some sort of reassurance./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f41b395bf209819516fbc2c56602826e"Even Effie seemed shaken by the turn of events. "Are...Are there any volunteers for Rye Mellark?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9a4e2f7e4936bf40f146337f7ce7360"Rosemary looked back at Peeta and Sage and was grateful when Peeta didn't even move his face away from their father's chest, weeping quietly now. Her father was crying silently, his hand methodically rubbing Peeta's back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2b24aec563e5482cc5510032bfebe17c"Predictably, no one volunteered for Rye./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7808711b15fcd3c57a3c66ecda91d416""Well," Effie coughed delicately before gesturing toward Rosemary and Rye. "Our District 12 Tributes for the 70th Annual Hunger Games, Rosemary and Rye Mellark!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="716c5999dda25eedca1de09fce839637"No one clapped, no one cheered. District 12 never had and they never would. It was their small way of protesting the Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3ea6fa11d42136888bc3c82cfa273ee4"Then she saw Kline's hand rise into a salute, her three middle fingers pressed together. Others followed her lead until everyone in the square was saluting them. Rosemary choked wetly, truly touched at the gesture./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b1d8206439613597b71b4c8d7f2653cf"The three finger salute was a District 12 tradition that was used at funerals. It meant thank you, it meant admiration. It meant em style="box-sizing: border-box;"saying goodbye to someone you love/em./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="23dd77c5802a98b2c4df41c0a73a88c0"When everyone was finished saluting, Effie silently stepped away from the microphone and let Mayor Undersee take her place. He was saying something, but Rosemary didn't pay attention. She was too busy staring at the faces of District 12, trying to memorize every face in the crowd. Panem's national anthem played over the speakers, breaking her out of her staring, and she and Rye were ushered off stage and into the Justice Building./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4eef523c8d1b25d2a524e4febe5e1a4e"Rosemary had thought that the Peacekeepers would let her and Rye share a room for their hour of goodbyes, but it was firmly against the rules, one of them explained, looking remorseful. The siblings were put in rooms across the hall from one another. Rosemary's room was covered with expensive dark red carpet and decorated with velvet furniture and curtains in the same color. It was rather...ghastly. Worse, it smelt like dust and it was tickling her nose./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3231765d32d56dbf53ae4c4fe3ab06ac"Her first visitor was her mother. She didn't say anything for a full minute, but neither did Rosemary. Normally, her mother would fill the silence with whatever negativity she made up that day so she wasn't used to taking the lead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0691e03eab11d4a63d5cf087ee24f6d""We had another baby before you," Capri finally said. "He died when he was a couple of months old. Zinnia Everdeen told us it was called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," she scoffed and Rosemary didn't know if it was because she had mentioned the woman Sage was in love with in high school, or she was just having bad memories of her second son./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d9d01b98dfb48d8ba511da1543d9316e"Rosemary knew of Bay Mellark, of course. Her mom was already pregnant with her when he died. There were approximately two pictures of Bay in the apartment and even though he only aged for a couple of months, he looked similar to what Rye looked like in his baby pictures./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fb7a00e99d801282da70d869d1159f9f""I was very angry, I still am," Capri continued. "And when you were born, I couldn't let go of that anger. Because you were alive and Bay wasn't. Peeta was born and he was here, but Bay wasn't. And Rye became my anchor, my reminder of Bay, my last em style="box-sizing: border-box;"piece /emof him..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0b963f4f1af41734280518fbfc3bae7""I'm a horrible mother," she acknowledged as Rosemary stared at her, shocked. "I wasn't once, but now I am. I probably always will be. I'm sorry you never got the mother you and Peeta deserved."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b050a070714c5dd62fd0168b19445041""I..." Rosemary paused, gulping heavily. "I don't know what to say."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ba0550a4adfb6199ce37262bb65560e2""I don't want you to say anything," Capri snapped; Rosemary flinched and her mother inhaled deeply. "I want you to make sure that Rye makes it back alive. Do you understand me?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a58eed912eefd2e708dda769d934af62"Rosemary didn't even blink at Capri's request. Deep down, she had a feeling that she had come here, not to say goodbye, but to tell her that Rye was supposed to be the one coming home. Not her, never her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8f9f7aa796a58a7ee14305173b66555d"Well, that was fine! Rosemary didn't want to live in a world where Rye was dead, and Peeta would benefit from Rye's presence more than he would hers. Rye would protect him and love him and do everything that she could do, but way better. Because he was Rye and she loved him with her whole heart./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e4ec030b61b7066bee127a12064bc23""I understand."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfe6819100c627744c8c384aa0bee744"She knew why her mother didn't love her, but she thought that Capri's whole excuse was idiotic. If Rosemary were a mother and had lost a child, she wouldn't hate her other children. She'd love them harder. What was hard about loving your child? What was wrong with loving Peeta? With loving her?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1064cd2691c172b1e515f43768152a12"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"There's nothing wrong with me/em, Rosemary reminded herself harshly. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"She is the one who's in the wrong./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3b72d71ac08de509c2ef377de17f900f""Goodbye, Mother." her voice was cold as she turned away from Capri for the last time. She hated that her voice broke, that she was emotional over this, especially when it had been her reality for a decade and she had gotten used to the mistreatment she suffered from the hands of one of the people who was supposed to love her unconditionally./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd283cef697fc0a46f13d7b075d70e32"Capri didn't say anything and Rosemary waited until she heard the door close to turn around. She waited another couple of minutes, wondering where Peeta and Sage were, when the door opened again and Kline and Delly walked in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a304117325c1bedcf92969f278b46653"Kline immediately rushed her into a tight hug, burying her nose into Rosemary's hair. In turn, Rosemary inhaled Kline's scent, savoring the clean scent of the soap Mrs. Cartwright used for their laundry. Tears bubbled in the corner of her eyes and soon they were spilling over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41386c7cc0a96f18ca0266d54e944900""I love you, Kline," she whispered./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dcd1d3abad58f731278e577bf2c97e16""I love you, too, Rosie," Kline kissed the top of her head and pulled away, keeping her hands on Rosemary's shoulders to keep an eye on her. "You two keep an eye on each other in there, all right?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f3685734b949df4f298ccedb2f6f8ff"Rosemary swallowed heavily. Unlike other children in her position, her loved ones wouldn't outright say that she had a chance to win this. It wasn't because they didn't think she had a chance, but when your sibling is the male Tribute, there aren't exactly going to be encouragements to win for either of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d57a84df85fd31c815cc0b8c0130712"Well, unless you're Capri Mellark./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b8e0bece223302e05f3e2469c531ae3f"Rosemary nodded. "Will you watch over Peeta for me while Rye's gone?" she saw a tear fall down Kline's cheek and knew that she understood what Rosemary's goal in the arena would be. "Don't let him watch if..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c599848b6dadbb34c835cd31eafcde98""We'll look after him," Kline promised./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="507895475c79eb01b7f01d1d229eee51"Delly nodded. "We wanted to give you something."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a9df8071fefdf5d7ceb72a36832c6ce7"Delly's words seemed to remind Kline of whatever they were supposed to give Rosemary./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="47f85f30431ab37e5f47f5d9e5de39fd""I gave Rye mine already," Delly said as Kline clumsily unpinned the mockingjay pin from the collar of her dress. Rosemary glanced at Delly's dress, noticing her identical pin was indeed missing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ac7bca855d3e3b72c2040a75661d1578""You get to wear a token from your district in the arena," Kline whispered. She didn't wait for Rosemary's permission and started pinning her own onto her dress. "We want you guys to wear this, okay? It'll remind you of home."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3fda1309f17759b01940905e62ff46e3"Rosemary had seen Kline wear her mockingjay pin everyday for years. She hated not wearing the thing and knew that this pin meant more than a token to take into the arena. Rosemary would have a piece of Kline with her when she died and she couldn't be more appreciative to have that comfort with her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80085bbda3e4b4ffaf5d692615f793dc""Thank you," Rosemary pulled Kline into another fierce hug and stood on her tip toes to give her cheek a kiss. She did the same thing to Delly, ruffling the younger girl's hair like she would Peeta. "You too, Delly. You guys are the best friends anyone could ask for."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e8d032bb50727a9bf8e11e05feeab53"Kline choked on a sob and it had Rosemary crying again. "Goodbye, Rosemary Mellark. I will see you again."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bd190177ff5aac1df55ac63f56005b8b"Rosemary smiled through her tears. "I'll see you again, Kline Cartwright. Be good, okay?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="738b74ee6f22936e864abdcbcc6e5313"Kline nodded and stared at her for a moment. When the door opened and a Peacekeeper popped her head in, Delly grabbed her sister's hand and with one last wave and a blown kiss, the Cartwright sisters left the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bb1ba481886e50d56ec18cdb962efa89"Glancing at the clock, she realized that she spent more time with Kline and Delly than she thought. They only got an hour and she had twenty minutes left for Peeta and her father./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e483ebe5a63e0ef193711d430b9bc24b"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Hopefully they'll come soon/em, she thought as she paced the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="156be1736a2aed99c54e2e5dab501717"As soon as she finished her thought, the door opened again and Peeta burst through it. Cries immediately left Rosemary's lips as her little brother practically wrapped his whole body around hers. Peeta was crying, too, and she could feel his snotty nose and wet tears leaving a puddle on her dress. She took time to imprint the embrace in her mind. The smell of his shampoo, the hint of their dad's cologne that seemed to rub off on him, the way he would clench the fabric of her dress between his fingers, the way his brown eyes twinkled, and the way he tried to smile for her, even when he was in such distress./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8768c04fdb64fde08dcba8d48639b62c""Maybe there can be two winners this year," Peeta sniffed as he pulled away, placing his hands on Rosemary's cheeks, wiping away her tears. Rosemary copied his action, cleaning his ruddy cheeks of any wetness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="caae87f1f0fcddf120ce0bdcc0957ea9"Rosemary smiled sadly. "I don't think so, Peet. I wish there could be. Maybe one day in the future."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="91fdbe54f88dd61c73470b6e38b844db"Peeta shook his head angrily. "It's not fair, Mare."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db32ba68e61a4f6feab5ac0ece67752e""I know it's not," Rosemary acknowledged with a nod. "Peeta, don't stay angry forever, okay? My favorite thing about you is your sunshine. You are the goodest person I have ever known and I don't want grief and anger to get in the way of you being you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8674f35327eb82e5f3919c0515807917""I can't be me without you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d35964ae43115f0543b5002cd3eee98""Of course you can," her heart literally felt like it was tearing itself apart and she had to stop talking for a moment so she didn't break into sobs again. "Besides, you have all the good parts of me, too. I've given them all to you. You know what that means?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9be4b1c407b538771ed9c80c540111e1"Peeta shook his head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4fcfc0f9b50d6f87598edb4daaa4500""It means that I'm never gonna be gone. I'll be in here," she tapped his temple and then his heart. "And in here."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5cc91ff570fdeb2f6ee2bf2b18f02073""Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="72b002a550e36266f653f4368c14bd42"Rosemary immediately turned to her father, hating the sadness in his voice. It was clear that he had been crying with Rye, and already she saw him tearing up again. She quickly buried her head into his chest, holding onto him tightly, and squeezed her eyes shut when she felt his shoulders start to shake with his cries./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4674a49b2c560642d7f7cff252eb3b96""My sweet, sweet Rose," he pulled back and held her face for a second before placing a kiss on her forehead. "I love you so much, Sparky."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="83275a1a56f72959ac3fd66068a9ebde""I love you, too, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6bc231420671c58116dacb500a4d0d7b"The three of them sat on one of the velvet couches, Rose squished in between her father and Peeta. Peeta's head rested on her upper arm and Rosemary's head rested on her dad's shoulders as they sought comfort in the silence between them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c561e0eeb22587a770cd9b083743785"Rosemary wanted to remember this for the rest of her days. Her only regret was that Rye was not with them. Without him, her favorite group of men was incomplete and so was their family. It wasn't fair that they split them up like this, in one of their most vulnerable moments of their lives./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="14475dc8db16f35da7be76ad3c72fc5a"When it was five minutes from the hour, Rosemary kissed Peeta's head. "I love you, Peeta. So much. Please remember that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eb2d550fbe05b12beb4ca935054e90ee""I love you, Mare," he buried his head into her again and she kissed him once again, inhaling deeply. She didn't know if she had the strength to walk away from him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dfb9d5d437831a1c679dc1f96bb17e77"They sat in their hug for another moment before the Peacekeeper walked into the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b00e2b5229a32cf0358e97443f8598b"Rosemary squeezed Peeta one more time and then hugged her dad. "Bye, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="29d38199b9bedeafeb9d319ceddf012c"A sob left Sage's lips and it almost killed her. "Goodbye, Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8092e4f3743ce32193ba67fd513abf20"More tears fell from Rosemary's eyes and she tried her best to smile as her dad took Peeta into his arms and led him out of the room. Peeta kept looking back at her the whole time, and she kept the smile up, trying to be strong for me. She mouthed her goodbye and i-love-you again to him before the door shut firmly behind them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="336d5ebc5436534e61d16e63ddfca327"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e7c8a46ff549b198ddabe56b80465693"They were escorted from the Justice Building straight to an automobile. Rosemary nor Rye had ever stepped foot in a vehicle like it and if Rosemary wasn't already clutching onto Rye for dear life, then she would have started when they got into the car and their driver started driving. It was strange being in something so fast, whatever carts or wagons she had rode in the past went much slower than the car did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="976517f2324d713050a3461b736b0a2a"Rosemary's tears had long dried, but she still very much looked like someone who had been crying for hours upon hours. She envied the way that Rye could slip on a mask over his emotions, hiding them from the world. He'd always been able to do that and she simply could not. At least Rye had that particular talent for the Games, showing the many cameras and reporters at the train station no fear, no sadness, no anger./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3258b4d9330980b690a65fc6d0d4945"The only thing that told her that he was upset was the tight grip he had on her hand. He didn't let go until they boarded the train and even then it had more to do with how shocking the interior of the train was to them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="16b58a932c9cec19835238ddb225b767"The car in which they entered was a large sitting room. There were two massive couches that somehow managed to look delicate, a sturdy lovechair, and a recliner set up before a huge hologram. Along one of the ways was a buffet table filled with finger foods, fruits, and veggies, along with colorful juices and other beverages that Rosemary had never seen before. There was some type of stereo on another wall, and a dart board set up by a table with green felt on top of it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c5f9f8232d190cfce2c5362812839e78"As if the luxuriousness wasn't enough to get used to, the train started moving. Rosemary jerked from the velocity of the movement and had to grab onto Rye to keep from falling. Rye wasn't faring much better, but managed to keep his balance and in turn, hers. They hadn't been on a train before, either, as travel between districts was banned except for officially sanctioned duties. She had read about these specific types of trains, though, in the chapter of her textbook about the Capitol. The trains were high speed and could cut travel in half by going 200 miles per hour. Despite the fact that they were the furthest district from the Capitol, they would probably arrive by noon the next day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="09f7018e06f0daae8995ccb60e4f2a89""There you are!" Effie Trinket stepped into the car, the door zipping shut behind her. "Rosemary and Rye, District 12's first set of sibling Tributes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e87f1ed149acfec03b96779868757b1a""Hi, Effie," Rye greeted her, assuming his usual laid back, friendly persona. Rosemary was glad; Rye was usually never quiet and it comforted her to hear him back to himself at the moment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70be81567502214bec8665fe64f431a3"Rosemary smiled shyly and waved at Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="95ac5196ce24e669b2fd358a3e9e58b9"Effie cooed and poked Rye's cheek and then Rosemary's in quick succession. "Aren't you two such darlings! Well, quickly I will give you a short tour of our area of the train. Come, come!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2440924c18352b810d1a8acc945675c8"Effie led them out of the sitting room and into the next car, which appeared to be a large dining room with a small sitting area on the side. The table was long and could easily fit ten people. There was no food on it yet, but Rosemary suspected it would fill up closer to dinner time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b79bb119bce99a2488a1a62866e1ae8a""This is the dining room, of course." Effie ushered them into the next car, which was significantly larger than both the dining and living cars. "This is the residential car. This," she gestured to the first door in the hallway. "Is your room, Rye. Up ahead is Rosemary's room and then my room, and Haymitch's room. Each suite has its own bathroom and walk-in closet."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f637e619c757568a84e7eebdc5ddb9aa"Effie left them to their own devices, urging them to tour their rooms and get cleaned up for dinner, which was in one hour. Rosemary hesitated by Rye's door, not wanting to separate so soon./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e60e08af3d86d56b480a50ae985632b""Hey you," Rye got her attention. "Why don't you get cleaned up and dressed and head back to my room? I'm sure they won't mind if we share."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="69b596d638c594954c6695a167eaeda7""Are you sure?" Rosemary had never not shared a room in her life and she had to admit such a change was daunting, especially in an already stressful situation./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3db4088b77698d7196f45166f674d9af""Course." Rye grinned crookedly. "Hey, I bet they have showers!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32b2698e91248b726ad08f6ee48b2f31"They did, indeed, have showers. It took almost five minutes for Rosemary to figure out how to turn on the shower and adjust the temperature, but once she got in, she knew she had never felt anything as good as the water felt pounding on head and down her bare back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94d2ad325b8dc736c5f2a11a5bc5132a"Admittedly, she stayed in the shower a little longer than necessary, reveling in the warm water and the white noise of the stream hitting the marble floor and walls. By the time she stepped out, she smelt like brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It was a comforting reminder of home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="06a97d215a0b659c715cce29efa5ca71"Wrapping a towel around herself, she entered the walk-in closet that Effie mentioned. The small room–which was really the size of the small office that was converted to Rye's bedroom at home–was full of clothes all in her size. She didn't want to think about why they had so many in her size, or ponder on how they even got her size. It was somewhat disturbing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f29476ba9f247e76595f5c7b1a9f431a"She got dressed in a pair of black leather leggings and a dark pink tunic, completing the look with a pair of white sneakers that she was thinking about stealing for the last few days of her life./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5189d82bd146ab4db6058e3861942fe6"Before Rosemary could leave to go to Rye's room, Effie knocked on her door and called her for dinner./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="12a8d35e34b1fb80e4619dab79f8fbc0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I guess I spent more time in the shower than I thought./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="05faa357dfa8a3e6f4342dea858b34be"Hopefully Rye wouldn't be too upset that she hadn't shown up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="661abc70955401f2298f011abff7b383"He wasn't. When she met him and Effie in the dining car, he grinned at her. "I'm pretty sure I didn't get out of that shower until my skin pruned like an old man."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f2f189b13c9dd8a9408ab03bf1150f9"If Effie hadn't been at the table with them, Rosemary would have laughed and spit some kind of stupid joke at him. But she was, and Rosemary was shy with strangers. Instead, she laughed and sat in the seat next to him and across from Effie at the table, staring with wide eyes when she noticed the food laid out in front of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="655331c190ede95ac232cdb61f6ff668"There was a big hunk of roast beef, pink and thinly sliced, with turrets of thick gravy, both white and brown. A ham sat next to it, decorated with rings of pineapples and heaps of brown sugar syrup. There were scalloped potatoes with white cheese and green chives, candied bacon, pasta in a light green sauce, various kinds of roasted vegetables, and a huge basket of rolls./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7baaa58fcf9f95b1e4271d3fa2b3bdef""Please dig in!" Effie told them with a smile. She waved her hand at a girl in the corner that Rosemary hadn't noticed until then, and gestured to their drinking glasses. "They'll need a drink of their choice, of course."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a4c353fe84bfc5b63cfb8c8171199f01"The girl nodded but didn't speak, and looked at Rosemary first, expectantly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d033fff7565db5ffb50e04b1c1a0b71d"Within a few seconds, Rosemary realized who this was–or what she was. She was an avox. They were prisoners of the Capitol who were once traitors. They had their tongues cut out and forced to serve Capitolites as punishment for the rest of their days. She thought that it was a barbaric and horrible way to treat people, but the Capitol didn't see it that way. They saw a lot of things in various messed up ways./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d6f7188e692d2c366839d967073e9a7"The Hunger Games was just one example./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eac63f56c717ee798d56139440445df4""Um, may I have water please?" Rosemary requested of her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc6add62f10bbcaa5d03b6cbb0573bba"While the avox nodded, Effie frowned. "Are you sure you don't want something else? We have wine, juice, carbonated beverages, iced teas..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46595ee2fcb3d0fa84d7c860a919b9de""Iced teas?" Rosemary raised her eyebrows. None of her Capitol books had mentioned so many beverages. It didn't really focus on food at all, just that the Capitol had em style="box-sizing: border-box;"too /emmuch of it. "Tea is usually hot."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e96ea791df066af84e58cf013267a78e""In District 12, maybe," Effie conceded. "But in other districts and the Capitol, where the climate is different, the teas are cold so they're more refreshing. Would you like to try one? They come in various flavors and fruits."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7a1a5484c116513772d26a31bb08c96f"Rosemary looked at the avox. "Do you have...peach tea?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3fa9e59f9437501f3aba33c8640cb9e"The avox nodded and then glanced at Rye for his order./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="204a37cdbcad3046ff5e231c06ab9274"He was easy to please. "Can I get a carbonated beverage, please? I'll take a random flavor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6f3d918f0113e29d6734339c2eb75c32"While the avox got their drinks from the cold bar on the other side of the car, the three of them loaded their plates with food. Effie stuck with a large spinach salad with cranberries, nuts, and chunks of grilled chicken while Rye and Rosemary were up to trying new meals they had never had before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7de0eeb69faaa9c243dc235c7761adae"By the time the avox put her glass of iced peach tea in front of her, Rosemary's plate was full of food. She had a piece of ham, some candied bacon, two rolls–with a small dish of butter–vegetables, and some pasta. Before she started eating, she tried the peach tea first./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48139290274da287b2643961a40592b6"It was delicious!/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="57daef373bc183f2eb5ab0e59eb4bca7""This is really good!" she said quietly, earning a bright smile from Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0f737546f6a92551b7c851e3044a0020""Of course it is!" she was about to say something more, but the car door slid open. Haymitch Abernathy stumbled into the car, stinking strongly of spirits and...puke? "Oh, here's your Mentor!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ef9ae87a627928e61d2331166289b1d9"Both Rosemary and Rye knew who Haymitch Abernathy was. Rosemary had never met him before, but had learned about him in school. Rye, on the other hand, had met the man in the Hob on the other side of town, where he occasionally traded baked goods for a bottle of spirits with his friends. He had also served the Victor at the bakery once, but Capri pissed Haymitch off about something and he never came back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7f87d4b86790ef23c8c0513e7bc87024"Rosemary honestly didn't think much of Haymitch, except that he probably hadn't been sober since he was crowned Victor of the 50th Hunger Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2df7932a60ec77435ce8d2ba8aad4768""Ah, the baker's kids," Haymitch grunted, almost falling into the chair next to Effie. "I'll take a whiskey, neat."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82e69362102c09ae134b46063e4dccff"The avox hurried to the bar and returned with glass just as quickly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7c4fea83e103610ac4fe2159010659a3""To number 40 and 41." he raised his glass toward Rosemary and Rye before swallowing down the whole glass. The avox took the empty glass from him without prompting and went back to the bar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1be6aa9f774d10685958611a65a4407f"Rosemary glanced at Rye uncomfortably. She didn't know what he meant, and she certainly didn't know how to deal with this man. She was hoping her brother could./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c2510e9bdd749faa19686a2e91c7354"Rye got her drift and nodded at her. They continued eating and he waited until Haymitch got halfway through his plates and three drinks in before he brought up mentoring for the games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="309298574c28e32652bb01d1c7083b7b""So, Haymitch..." Rye drawled, eyeing their Mentor intently. Haymitch simply raised a pale eyebrow at him. "I get that you're probably tired of mentoring a bunch of kids that eventually die, but I'm gonna need you to try. One of us is going to survive and we're going to work hard to do so. We just need you to work with us."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="935ef5c7d463477bf2b7060b86699a89"Rosemary always admired how easily Rye could talk to someone, even if it was a stranger. It was something that he and Peeta shared, and she was stuck with tripping over her tongue and being unable to correctly translate her thoughts into words./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db5d5c6370a4907bba92036739860224"Haymitch, it seemed, fell under Rye's spell like everyone else did. "Can I keep drinking my liquor?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="259b8403523c5dd150605ec749443a9b""You're a grown man, do whatever the fuck you want, dude." Rye waved his hand impatiently, causing Haymitch to smirk and Effie to gasp at his crude language. "Just help us. Deal?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fbbf8eea2a3f9ea64a0b5cbc15b6cecd"Haymitch pursed his lips and stared at Rye for a long moment before he glanced at Rosemary, who just looked at him pleadingly. "Deal. Finish eating. We have a lot to go over."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ac929dded6f35816af1f43c09e5ea622"For some reason, Rosemary's stomach felt like it was going to fall out of her body. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it in her ears and it felt like a dozen tiny needles were poking the back of her neck, but she had no idea why her body was acting so strange./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa08bc496cddb192dd1ad2331279c800"The girl in front of her turned around and gave her a sad smile. Kline was squeezing her hand so hard she was sure her skin was bright red from lack of blood circulation. Aggy, one of the girls in her class who often made fun of her, grimaced in sympathy three faces down from Kline./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b8cbb45d12fafeae068c31e10c73ad71"What was going on? Why were there so many people staring at her?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf99e3cc1326c390f3840b71efeeb016""Rosemary Mellark, are you there?" Effie Trinket's high-pitched voice came through the speakers. "Rosemary?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ba558dc65a5d8be6145adb9f082994b4"Nausea hit her like a ton of bricks when her heard her name called. She pressed her lips together, hoping that she wouldn't vomit in front of her district and the cameras rolling for the whole country, and looked at Kline./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4fc362ce4d95cdc7ca8eafc82898cec6""Me?" her voice was barely audible./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f25eb1f99b9cf1505774fdb12fa83df9"Kline's dark brown eyes watered and she nodded, unable to say a word because she was too choked up with emotion./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="92a985cdbd282fc7e2bed415d55d4935""Oh."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="85ca760cc6dee47e039e4c549444a276"Feeling numb, she let go of Kline's hand and slowly made her way through the row, into the middle aisle where two Peacekeepers were waiting for her. She mumbled quiet apologies as she stepped on toes trying to get out, but no one said anything, whether it was because they pitied her, or were slightly relieved that it wasn't them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f611c80cbbc233d498bc348ae2bd1436"Rosemary made it to the aisle and immediately looked for Peeta and Rye. Rye was in the same spot, blue eyes wide and horrified. And Peeta, he was calling her name, trying to get through his peers to get to her. She hadn't known she was about to cry, but when she saw Peeta's desperation, tears spilled over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe459f4f53947789532421bf6a0d284e"'I'm sorry.' she mouthed toward him, allowing one of the Peacekeepers to take ahold of her arm and guide her up to the stage. Before she looked away, she was glad to see Sage go to his youngest son and keep him in line so he wouldn't get in trouble./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5305417c48b1243ff603d233b6bec6b6""Ah, there she is!" Effie beamed at her from up on stage./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39874a433a85df0fe497b65c6850504a"Rosemary found Rye again and he was crying too. She had never seen her older brother cry before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="525845f19a2763e2974530efafe7563a"The Peacemaker that had helped her from the aisle also helped her up the small set of stairs leading up to the stage. Her legs shook. Effie gestured for her but Rosemary was in no hurry to approach her. Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice; she stood on Effie's left, next to the large glass bowl that her name had been pulled out of./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="52e0000b911217399f6d578fb1997576""Splendid," Effie clasped her hands together and smiled at the crowd. "Are there any volunteers for Rosemary?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f96df886e2939843f1befa27b2d5bec8"There would be no volunteers from District 12, and there hadn't been since the beginning of the Hunger Games. Rosemary did not blame anyone; she wouldn't volunteer for anyone but her siblings and since she couldn't because of gender restrictions, she was never about to raise her hand. She just stared out at the crowd as no one moved or made a sound, trying to find her father's face in the crowd. She was unsuccessful, as she had forgotten that Sage had gone to Peeta./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f1b59f1663b773b2ebc904305d5ecf9""All right, then," Effie said another thirty seconds of silence. "And now the boys!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f8cc91cd3dc01fb9e93074219402c64b"She pranced over to the boy's bowl and swiftly pulled out a name, no fancy hand whirling and moments of tension. She went back to the microphone, opened the slip, and cleared her throat./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="afc1d57a41fe9d30bb57aec88ae136fb""Rye Mellark."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0df54167fb1b5a179597d0c561b2e55"Rosemary gasped lightly, but the noise was overpowered by the murmurs of the crowd. There had never been siblings Reaped the same year in District 12. In fact, Rosemary was pretty positive it also hadn't happened in the other districts. The odds of her and Rye's names being pulled in the same year had to be less than one in a million./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f4eabad24f0fc656a13aa389eade52d3"More tears dripped from Rosemary's eyes, her vision blurring and distorting Rye's figure as he emerged from his age group. Again, she heard Peeta's voice and she had to close her eyes and stuff a hand over her mouth to stop from sobbing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e3edc30468576c4ca153fb9e80a94ef5"Something sticky touched her lips. It was blood, coming from the crescent sores on her palms. Subtly, she wiped it off and lowered her hands, clasping them together in an attempt to stop the bleeding./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f2fc4e93e77b622b9292b264523b6f01"Rye avoided the Peacekeepers' grasps and made the short walk up the stairs to the stage. He didn't stay on Effie's right like the male Tributes usually did; instead, he went to Rosemary's side and grabbed her clasped hands, tightening his grip around them in some sort of reassurance./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f41b395bf209819516fbc2c56602826e"Even Effie seemed shaken by the turn of events. "Are...Are there any volunteers for Rye Mellark?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9a4e2f7e4936bf40f146337f7ce7360"Rosemary looked back at Peeta and Sage and was grateful when Peeta didn't even move his face away from their father's chest, weeping quietly now. Her father was crying silently, his hand methodically rubbing Peeta's back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2b24aec563e5482cc5510032bfebe17c"Predictably, no one volunteered for Rye./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7808711b15fcd3c57a3c66ecda91d416""Well," Effie coughed delicately before gesturing toward Rosemary and Rye. "Our District 12 Tributes for the 70th Annual Hunger Games, Rosemary and Rye Mellark!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="716c5999dda25eedca1de09fce839637"No one clapped, no one cheered. District 12 never had and they never would. It was their small way of protesting the Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3ea6fa11d42136888bc3c82cfa273ee4"Then she saw Kline's hand rise into a salute, her three middle fingers pressed together. Others followed her lead until everyone in the square was saluting them. Rosemary choked wetly, truly touched at the gesture./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b1d8206439613597b71b4c8d7f2653cf"The three finger salute was a District 12 tradition that was used at funerals. It meant thank you, it meant admiration. It meant em style="box-sizing: border-box;"saying goodbye to someone you love/em./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="23dd77c5802a98b2c4df41c0a73a88c0"When everyone was finished saluting, Effie silently stepped away from the microphone and let Mayor Undersee take her place. He was saying something, but Rosemary didn't pay attention. She was too busy staring at the faces of District 12, trying to memorize every face in the crowd. Panem's national anthem played over the speakers, breaking her out of her staring, and she and Rye were ushered off stage and into the Justice Building./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4eef523c8d1b25d2a524e4febe5e1a4e"Rosemary had thought that the Peacekeepers would let her and Rye share a room for their hour of goodbyes, but it was firmly against the rules, one of them explained, looking remorseful. The siblings were put in rooms across the hall from one another. Rosemary's room was covered with expensive dark red carpet and decorated with velvet furniture and curtains in the same color. It was rather...ghastly. Worse, it smelt like dust and it was tickling her nose./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3231765d32d56dbf53ae4c4fe3ab06ac"Her first visitor was her mother. She didn't say anything for a full minute, but neither did Rosemary. Normally, her mother would fill the silence with whatever negativity she made up that day so she wasn't used to taking the lead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0691e03eab11d4a63d5cf087ee24f6d""We had another baby before you," Capri finally said. "He died when he was a couple of months old. Zinnia Everdeen told us it was called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," she scoffed and Rosemary didn't know if it was because she had mentioned the woman Sage was in love with in high school, or she was just having bad memories of her second son./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d9d01b98dfb48d8ba511da1543d9316e"Rosemary knew of Bay Mellark, of course. Her mom was already pregnant with her when he died. There were approximately two pictures of Bay in the apartment and even though he only aged for a couple of months, he looked similar to what Rye looked like in his baby pictures./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fb7a00e99d801282da70d869d1159f9f""I was very angry, I still am," Capri continued. "And when you were born, I couldn't let go of that anger. Because you were alive and Bay wasn't. Peeta was born and he was here, but Bay wasn't. And Rye became my anchor, my reminder of Bay, my last em style="box-sizing: border-box;"piece /emof him..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0b963f4f1af41734280518fbfc3bae7""I'm a horrible mother," she acknowledged as Rosemary stared at her, shocked. "I wasn't once, but now I am. I probably always will be. I'm sorry you never got the mother you and Peeta deserved."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b050a070714c5dd62fd0168b19445041""I..." Rosemary paused, gulping heavily. "I don't know what to say."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ba0550a4adfb6199ce37262bb65560e2""I don't want you to say anything," Capri snapped; Rosemary flinched and her mother inhaled deeply. "I want you to make sure that Rye makes it back alive. Do you understand me?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a58eed912eefd2e708dda769d934af62"Rosemary didn't even blink at Capri's request. Deep down, she had a feeling that she had come here, not to say goodbye, but to tell her that Rye was supposed to be the one coming home. Not her, never her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8f9f7aa796a58a7ee14305173b66555d"Well, that was fine! Rosemary didn't want to live in a world where Rye was dead, and Peeta would benefit from Rye's presence more than he would hers. Rye would protect him and love him and do everything that she could do, but way better. Because he was Rye and she loved him with her whole heart./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e4ec030b61b7066bee127a12064bc23""I understand."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cfe6819100c627744c8c384aa0bee744"She knew why her mother didn't love her, but she thought that Capri's whole excuse was idiotic. If Rosemary were a mother and had lost a child, she wouldn't hate her other children. She'd love them harder. What was hard about loving your child? What was wrong with loving Peeta? With loving her?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1064cd2691c172b1e515f43768152a12"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"There's nothing wrong with me/em, Rosemary reminded herself harshly. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"She is the one who's in the wrong./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3b72d71ac08de509c2ef377de17f900f""Goodbye, Mother." her voice was cold as she turned away from Capri for the last time. She hated that her voice broke, that she was emotional over this, especially when it had been her reality for a decade and she had gotten used to the mistreatment she suffered from the hands of one of the people who was supposed to love her unconditionally./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd283cef697fc0a46f13d7b075d70e32"Capri didn't say anything and Rosemary waited until she heard the door close to turn around. She waited another couple of minutes, wondering where Peeta and Sage were, when the door opened again and Kline and Delly walked in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a304117325c1bedcf92969f278b46653"Kline immediately rushed her into a tight hug, burying her nose into Rosemary's hair. In turn, Rosemary inhaled Kline's scent, savoring the clean scent of the soap Mrs. Cartwright used for their laundry. Tears bubbled in the corner of her eyes and soon they were spilling over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41386c7cc0a96f18ca0266d54e944900""I love you, Kline," she whispered./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dcd1d3abad58f731278e577bf2c97e16""I love you, too, Rosie," Kline kissed the top of her head and pulled away, keeping her hands on Rosemary's shoulders to keep an eye on her. "You two keep an eye on each other in there, all right?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f3685734b949df4f298ccedb2f6f8ff"Rosemary swallowed heavily. Unlike other children in her position, her loved ones wouldn't outright say that she had a chance to win this. It wasn't because they didn't think she had a chance, but when your sibling is the male Tribute, there aren't exactly going to be encouragements to win for either of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d57a84df85fd31c815cc0b8c0130712"Well, unless you're Capri Mellark./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b8e0bece223302e05f3e2469c531ae3f"Rosemary nodded. "Will you watch over Peeta for me while Rye's gone?" she saw a tear fall down Kline's cheek and knew that she understood what Rosemary's goal in the arena would be. "Don't let him watch if..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c599848b6dadbb34c835cd31eafcde98""We'll look after him," Kline promised./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="507895475c79eb01b7f01d1d229eee51"Delly nodded. "We wanted to give you something."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a9df8071fefdf5d7ceb72a36832c6ce7"Delly's words seemed to remind Kline of whatever they were supposed to give Rosemary./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="47f85f30431ab37e5f47f5d9e5de39fd""I gave Rye mine already," Delly said as Kline clumsily unpinned the mockingjay pin from the collar of her dress. Rosemary glanced at Delly's dress, noticing her identical pin was indeed missing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ac7bca855d3e3b72c2040a75661d1578""You get to wear a token from your district in the arena," Kline whispered. She didn't wait for Rosemary's permission and started pinning her own onto her dress. "We want you guys to wear this, okay? It'll remind you of home."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3fda1309f17759b01940905e62ff46e3"Rosemary had seen Kline wear her mockingjay pin everyday for years. She hated not wearing the thing and knew that this pin meant more than a token to take into the arena. Rosemary would have a piece of Kline with her when she died and she couldn't be more appreciative to have that comfort with her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80085bbda3e4b4ffaf5d692615f793dc""Thank you," Rosemary pulled Kline into another fierce hug and stood on her tip toes to give her cheek a kiss. She did the same thing to Delly, ruffling the younger girl's hair like she would Peeta. "You too, Delly. You guys are the best friends anyone could ask for."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e8d032bb50727a9bf8e11e05feeab53"Kline choked on a sob and it had Rosemary crying again. "Goodbye, Rosemary Mellark. I will see you again."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bd190177ff5aac1df55ac63f56005b8b"Rosemary smiled through her tears. "I'll see you again, Kline Cartwright. Be good, okay?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="738b74ee6f22936e864abdcbcc6e5313"Kline nodded and stared at her for a moment. When the door opened and a Peacekeeper popped her head in, Delly grabbed her sister's hand and with one last wave and a blown kiss, the Cartwright sisters left the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bb1ba481886e50d56ec18cdb962efa89"Glancing at the clock, she realized that she spent more time with Kline and Delly than she thought. They only got an hour and she had twenty minutes left for Peeta and her father./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e483ebe5a63e0ef193711d430b9bc24b"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Hopefully they'll come soon/em, she thought as she paced the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="156be1736a2aed99c54e2e5dab501717"As soon as she finished her thought, the door opened again and Peeta burst through it. Cries immediately left Rosemary's lips as her little brother practically wrapped his whole body around hers. Peeta was crying, too, and she could feel his snotty nose and wet tears leaving a puddle on her dress. She took time to imprint the embrace in her mind. The smell of his shampoo, the hint of their dad's cologne that seemed to rub off on him, the way he would clench the fabric of her dress between his fingers, the way his brown eyes twinkled, and the way he tried to smile for her, even when he was in such distress./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8768c04fdb64fde08dcba8d48639b62c""Maybe there can be two winners this year," Peeta sniffed as he pulled away, placing his hands on Rosemary's cheeks, wiping away her tears. Rosemary copied his action, cleaning his ruddy cheeks of any wetness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="caae87f1f0fcddf120ce0bdcc0957ea9"Rosemary smiled sadly. "I don't think so, Peet. I wish there could be. Maybe one day in the future."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="91fdbe54f88dd61c73470b6e38b844db"Peeta shook his head angrily. "It's not fair, Mare."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db32ba68e61a4f6feab5ac0ece67752e""I know it's not," Rosemary acknowledged with a nod. "Peeta, don't stay angry forever, okay? My favorite thing about you is your sunshine. You are the goodest person I have ever known and I don't want grief and anger to get in the way of you being you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8674f35327eb82e5f3919c0515807917""I can't be me without you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d35964ae43115f0543b5002cd3eee98""Of course you can," her heart literally felt like it was tearing itself apart and she had to stop talking for a moment so she didn't break into sobs again. "Besides, you have all the good parts of me, too. I've given them all to you. You know what that means?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9be4b1c407b538771ed9c80c540111e1"Peeta shook his head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4fcfc0f9b50d6f87598edb4daaa4500""It means that I'm never gonna be gone. I'll be in here," she tapped his temple and then his heart. "And in here."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5cc91ff570fdeb2f6ee2bf2b18f02073""Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="72b002a550e36266f653f4368c14bd42"Rosemary immediately turned to her father, hating the sadness in his voice. It was clear that he had been crying with Rye, and already she saw him tearing up again. She quickly buried her head into his chest, holding onto him tightly, and squeezed her eyes shut when she felt his shoulders start to shake with his cries./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4674a49b2c560642d7f7cff252eb3b96""My sweet, sweet Rose," he pulled back and held her face for a second before placing a kiss on her forehead. "I love you so much, Sparky."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="83275a1a56f72959ac3fd66068a9ebde""I love you, too, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6bc231420671c58116dacb500a4d0d7b"The three of them sat on one of the velvet couches, Rose squished in between her father and Peeta. Peeta's head rested on her upper arm and Rosemary's head rested on her dad's shoulders as they sought comfort in the silence between them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c561e0eeb22587a770cd9b083743785"Rosemary wanted to remember this for the rest of her days. Her only regret was that Rye was not with them. Without him, her favorite group of men was incomplete and so was their family. It wasn't fair that they split them up like this, in one of their most vulnerable moments of their lives./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="14475dc8db16f35da7be76ad3c72fc5a"When it was five minutes from the hour, Rosemary kissed Peeta's head. "I love you, Peeta. So much. Please remember that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eb2d550fbe05b12beb4ca935054e90ee""I love you, Mare," he buried his head into her again and she kissed him once again, inhaling deeply. She didn't know if she had the strength to walk away from him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dfb9d5d437831a1c679dc1f96bb17e77"They sat in their hug for another moment before the Peacekeeper walked into the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b00e2b5229a32cf0358e97443f8598b"Rosemary squeezed Peeta one more time and then hugged her dad. "Bye, Dad."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="29d38199b9bedeafeb9d319ceddf012c"A sob left Sage's lips and it almost killed her. "Goodbye, Rosemary."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8092e4f3743ce32193ba67fd513abf20"More tears fell from Rosemary's eyes and she tried her best to smile as her dad took Peeta into his arms and led him out of the room. Peeta kept looking back at her the whole time, and she kept the smile up, trying to be strong for me. She mouthed her goodbye and i-love-you again to him before the door shut firmly behind them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="336d5ebc5436534e61d16e63ddfca327"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e7c8a46ff549b198ddabe56b80465693"They were escorted from the Justice Building straight to an automobile. Rosemary nor Rye had ever stepped foot in a vehicle like it and if Rosemary wasn't already clutching onto Rye for dear life, then she would have started when they got into the car and their driver started driving. It was strange being in something so fast, whatever carts or wagons she had rode in the past went much slower than the car did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="976517f2324d713050a3461b736b0a2a"Rosemary's tears had long dried, but she still very much looked like someone who had been crying for hours upon hours. She envied the way that Rye could slip on a mask over his emotions, hiding them from the world. He'd always been able to do that and she simply could not. At least Rye had that particular talent for the Games, showing the many cameras and reporters at the train station no fear, no sadness, no anger./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3258b4d9330980b690a65fc6d0d4945"The only thing that told her that he was upset was the tight grip he had on her hand. He didn't let go until they boarded the train and even then it had more to do with how shocking the interior of the train was to them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="16b58a932c9cec19835238ddb225b767"The car in which they entered was a large sitting room. There were two massive couches that somehow managed to look delicate, a sturdy lovechair, and a recliner set up before a huge hologram. Along one of the ways was a buffet table filled with finger foods, fruits, and veggies, along with colorful juices and other beverages that Rosemary had never seen before. There was some type of stereo on another wall, and a dart board set up by a table with green felt on top of it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c5f9f8232d190cfce2c5362812839e78"As if the luxuriousness wasn't enough to get used to, the train started moving. Rosemary jerked from the velocity of the movement and had to grab onto Rye to keep from falling. Rye wasn't faring much better, but managed to keep his balance and in turn, hers. They hadn't been on a train before, either, as travel between districts was banned except for officially sanctioned duties. She had read about these specific types of trains, though, in the chapter of her textbook about the Capitol. The trains were high speed and could cut travel in half by going 200 miles per hour. Despite the fact that they were the furthest district from the Capitol, they would probably arrive by noon the next day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="09f7018e06f0daae8995ccb60e4f2a89""There you are!" Effie Trinket stepped into the car, the door zipping shut behind her. "Rosemary and Rye, District 12's first set of sibling Tributes."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e87f1ed149acfec03b96779868757b1a""Hi, Effie," Rye greeted her, assuming his usual laid back, friendly persona. Rosemary was glad; Rye was usually never quiet and it comforted her to hear him back to himself at the moment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70be81567502214bec8665fe64f431a3"Rosemary smiled shyly and waved at Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="95ac5196ce24e669b2fd358a3e9e58b9"Effie cooed and poked Rye's cheek and then Rosemary's in quick succession. "Aren't you two such darlings! Well, quickly I will give you a short tour of our area of the train. Come, come!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2440924c18352b810d1a8acc945675c8"Effie led them out of the sitting room and into the next car, which appeared to be a large dining room with a small sitting area on the side. The table was long and could easily fit ten people. There was no food on it yet, but Rosemary suspected it would fill up closer to dinner time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b79bb119bce99a2488a1a62866e1ae8a""This is the dining room, of course." Effie ushered them into the next car, which was significantly larger than both the dining and living cars. "This is the residential car. This," she gestured to the first door in the hallway. "Is your room, Rye. Up ahead is Rosemary's room and then my room, and Haymitch's room. Each suite has its own bathroom and walk-in closet."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f637e619c757568a84e7eebdc5ddb9aa"Effie left them to their own devices, urging them to tour their rooms and get cleaned up for dinner, which was in one hour. Rosemary hesitated by Rye's door, not wanting to separate so soon./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e60e08af3d86d56b480a50ae985632b""Hey you," Rye got her attention. "Why don't you get cleaned up and dressed and head back to my room? I'm sure they won't mind if we share."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="69b596d638c594954c6695a167eaeda7""Are you sure?" Rosemary had never not shared a room in her life and she had to admit such a change was daunting, especially in an already stressful situation./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3db4088b77698d7196f45166f674d9af""Course." Rye grinned crookedly. "Hey, I bet they have showers!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32b2698e91248b726ad08f6ee48b2f31"They did, indeed, have showers. It took almost five minutes for Rosemary to figure out how to turn on the shower and adjust the temperature, but once she got in, she knew she had never felt anything as good as the water felt pounding on head and down her bare back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94d2ad325b8dc736c5f2a11a5bc5132a"Admittedly, she stayed in the shower a little longer than necessary, reveling in the warm water and the white noise of the stream hitting the marble floor and walls. By the time she stepped out, she smelt like brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It was a comforting reminder of home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="06a97d215a0b659c715cce29efa5ca71"Wrapping a towel around herself, she entered the walk-in closet that Effie mentioned. The small room–which was really the size of the small office that was converted to Rye's bedroom at home–was full of clothes all in her size. She didn't want to think about why they had so many in her size, or ponder on how they even got her size. It was somewhat disturbing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f29476ba9f247e76595f5c7b1a9f431a"She got dressed in a pair of black leather leggings and a dark pink tunic, completing the look with a pair of white sneakers that she was thinking about stealing for the last few days of her life./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5189d82bd146ab4db6058e3861942fe6"Before Rosemary could leave to go to Rye's room, Effie knocked on her door and called her for dinner./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="12a8d35e34b1fb80e4619dab79f8fbc0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I guess I spent more time in the shower than I thought./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="05faa357dfa8a3e6f4342dea858b34be"Hopefully Rye wouldn't be too upset that she hadn't shown up./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="661abc70955401f2298f011abff7b383"He wasn't. When she met him and Effie in the dining car, he grinned at her. "I'm pretty sure I didn't get out of that shower until my skin pruned like an old man."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f2f189b13c9dd8a9408ab03bf1150f9"If Effie hadn't been at the table with them, Rosemary would have laughed and spit some kind of stupid joke at him. But she was, and Rosemary was shy with strangers. Instead, she laughed and sat in the seat next to him and across from Effie at the table, staring with wide eyes when she noticed the food laid out in front of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="655331c190ede95ac232cdb61f6ff668"There was a big hunk of roast beef, pink and thinly sliced, with turrets of thick gravy, both white and brown. A ham sat next to it, decorated with rings of pineapples and heaps of brown sugar syrup. There were scalloped potatoes with white cheese and green chives, candied bacon, pasta in a light green sauce, various kinds of roasted vegetables, and a huge basket of rolls./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7baaa58fcf9f95b1e4271d3fa2b3bdef""Please dig in!" Effie told them with a smile. She waved her hand at a girl in the corner that Rosemary hadn't noticed until then, and gestured to their drinking glasses. "They'll need a drink of their choice, of course."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a4c353fe84bfc5b63cfb8c8171199f01"The girl nodded but didn't speak, and looked at Rosemary first, expectantly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d033fff7565db5ffb50e04b1c1a0b71d"Within a few seconds, Rosemary realized who this was–or what she was. She was an avox. They were prisoners of the Capitol who were once traitors. They had their tongues cut out and forced to serve Capitolites as punishment for the rest of their days. She thought that it was a barbaric and horrible way to treat people, but the Capitol didn't see it that way. They saw a lot of things in various messed up ways./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8d6f7188e692d2c366839d967073e9a7"The Hunger Games was just one example./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eac63f56c717ee798d56139440445df4""Um, may I have water please?" Rosemary requested of her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc6add62f10bbcaa5d03b6cbb0573bba"While the avox nodded, Effie frowned. "Are you sure you don't want something else? We have wine, juice, carbonated beverages, iced teas..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46595ee2fcb3d0fa84d7c860a919b9de""Iced teas?" Rosemary raised her eyebrows. None of her Capitol books had mentioned so many beverages. It didn't really focus on food at all, just that the Capitol had em style="box-sizing: border-box;"too /emmuch of it. "Tea is usually hot."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e96ea791df066af84e58cf013267a78e""In District 12, maybe," Effie conceded. "But in other districts and the Capitol, where the climate is different, the teas are cold so they're more refreshing. Would you like to try one? They come in various flavors and fruits."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7a1a5484c116513772d26a31bb08c96f"Rosemary looked at the avox. "Do you have...peach tea?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c3fa9e59f9437501f3aba33c8640cb9e"The avox nodded and then glanced at Rye for his order./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="204a37cdbcad3046ff5e231c06ab9274"He was easy to please. "Can I get a carbonated beverage, please? I'll take a random flavor."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6f3d918f0113e29d6734339c2eb75c32"While the avox got their drinks from the cold bar on the other side of the car, the three of them loaded their plates with food. Effie stuck with a large spinach salad with cranberries, nuts, and chunks of grilled chicken while Rye and Rosemary were up to trying new meals they had never had before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7de0eeb69faaa9c243dc235c7761adae"By the time the avox put her glass of iced peach tea in front of her, Rosemary's plate was full of food. She had a piece of ham, some candied bacon, two rolls–with a small dish of butter–vegetables, and some pasta. Before she started eating, she tried the peach tea first./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48139290274da287b2643961a40592b6"It was delicious!/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="57daef373bc183f2eb5ab0e59eb4bca7""This is really good!" she said quietly, earning a bright smile from Effie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0f737546f6a92551b7c851e3044a0020""Of course it is!" she was about to say something more, but the car door slid open. Haymitch Abernathy stumbled into the car, stinking strongly of spirits and...puke? "Oh, here's your Mentor!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ef9ae87a627928e61d2331166289b1d9"Both Rosemary and Rye knew who Haymitch Abernathy was. Rosemary had never met him before, but had learned about him in school. Rye, on the other hand, had met the man in the Hob on the other side of town, where he occasionally traded baked goods for a bottle of spirits with his friends. He had also served the Victor at the bakery once, but Capri pissed Haymitch off about something and he never came back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7f87d4b86790ef23c8c0513e7bc87024"Rosemary honestly didn't think much of Haymitch, except that he probably hadn't been sober since he was crowned Victor of the 50th Hunger Games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2df7932a60ec77435ce8d2ba8aad4768""Ah, the baker's kids," Haymitch grunted, almost falling into the chair next to Effie. "I'll take a whiskey, neat."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82e69362102c09ae134b46063e4dccff"The avox hurried to the bar and returned with glass just as quickly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7c4fea83e103610ac4fe2159010659a3""To number 40 and 41." he raised his glass toward Rosemary and Rye before swallowing down the whole glass. The avox took the empty glass from him without prompting and went back to the bar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1be6aa9f774d10685958611a65a4407f"Rosemary glanced at Rye uncomfortably. She didn't know what he meant, and she certainly didn't know how to deal with this man. She was hoping her brother could./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3c2510e9bdd749faa19686a2e91c7354"Rye got her drift and nodded at her. They continued eating and he waited until Haymitch got halfway through his plates and three drinks in before he brought up mentoring for the games./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="309298574c28e32652bb01d1c7083b7b""So, Haymitch..." Rye drawled, eyeing their Mentor intently. Haymitch simply raised a pale eyebrow at him. "I get that you're probably tired of mentoring a bunch of kids that eventually die, but I'm gonna need you to try. One of us is going to survive and we're going to work hard to do so. We just need you to work with us."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="935ef5c7d463477bf2b7060b86699a89"Rosemary always admired how easily Rye could talk to someone, even if it was a stranger. It was something that he and Peeta shared, and she was stuck with tripping over her tongue and being unable to correctly translate her thoughts into words./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db5d5c6370a4907bba92036739860224"Haymitch, it seemed, fell under Rye's spell like everyone else did. "Can I keep drinking my liquor?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="259b8403523c5dd150605ec749443a9b""You're a grown man, do whatever the fuck you want, dude." Rye waved his hand impatiently, causing Haymitch to smirk and Effie to gasp at his crude language. "Just help us. Deal?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fbbf8eea2a3f9ea64a0b5cbc15b6cecd"Haymitch pursed his lips and stared at Rye for a long moment before he glanced at Rosemary, who just looked at him pleadingly. "Deal. Finish eating. We have a lot to go over."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p