Grain & Blood | A Hunger Games collection

System Overload: Chapter Thirteen

Iris

Today would have been a week after the day that I went home. But I decided to stay, and two weeks after I made the decision I'm finally leaving. With the girl I think I love.

She smiles at me from across the room. She's wearing a dark blue denim jumpsuit, much like the one she wore in my District, but with green sequins on the ankle. I'm wearing something much the same, except mine is green with blue sequins.

I pick up a makeup brush from the table and coat it in eyeshadow. Never done makeup in my life, but it's what Kamalyn's doing and I'll just copy.

"Iris! Not like that! Here, let me do it." She starts dabbing the powder on my eyelids with the brush, which feels uncomfortable but I'm fine with it.

She smiles at me and sits back down at her dressing table. I honestly can't wait. Tonight, live television. Tomorrow, District 8. Then the rest of the Districts, skipping four. It'll be wonderful.

"Are you ready?" I ask. This is the moment I've been waiting for since it was arranged a week ago.

"Yes."

Kamalyn grabs my hand, looking suddenly worried. It's not the girl I know. But we're working on it, I'm trying to get her more like Kamalyn from the arena.

"We'll be fine, won't we?" She asks.

"Yes. Together. "

"Together."

I know what she means. How will the Capitol react? Nobody really knows that I'm alive, and how will they react to a gay couple?

We walk out into the corridor, hand in hand, across the vast halls and towards the stage. It's fine, I'll be okay, we all will.

Towards the start of the cameras, I drop her hand and run towards the area below the stage, sort my hair out and walk up the steps to wait behind in a temporary seating area.

The lights are blinding and I'm nervous. How do I do this? I can't go home without Robin. He was my brother and it hurts too much to think about him.

Kamalyn walks in, looking quite flustered from the cameras.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You're not fine."

"I'm not fine," she confirms.

"Don't worry! They love you. And so do I." I lean in and we kiss.

"Thanks. I love you too."

"How far have we come, huh? Hated each other back in the arena. Now we're a couple."

Kamalyn laughs. "Yeah."

"You'll ace it. Go get them, girl!"

She smiles and walks over to the stage exit.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the winners of the 36th Hunger Games, Kamalyn Hutcherson..." Kamalyn walks out with a smile and a small spring in her step.

The crowd cheers and I'm no longer nervous.

"...and Iris Sheaf!"

I walk out, at first trying not to smile but giving up all hopes of that. They're surprised, but cheer nonetheless.

"You're doing great," I whisper in Kamalyn's ear.

She smiles, grabs my hand and lifts it high in the air.

I laugh with happiness and joy, and turn towards Kamalyn, just wishing I had the courage to kiss her now.

As it turns out, I don't need the courage. She leans in and kisses me on the lips. Passionately, not letting go. I don't care what the country thinks. This girl is mine and she always will be.

Thanks for reading! I don't know what Rose wrote yesterday but I trust her. 

[Rose write something here] (ha ha I didn't 😝)

If she wrote nothing yesterday then I'll look like a fool but it doesn't matter lol.

-Katherine & Rose