Jaded ||| Johanna Mason

sixteen

This chapter is quite long and I apologize but it's the last chunk of important plot before our lovely Jade meets Johanna!

"Who can we trust in each district? We have to make it out. They're gonna come for us."

"You'll have to go through 2 to get anywhere else. Trust Jade Machry. She will help you. Tell her you knew Nero."

***

"Fucking finally," Jade muttered as she walked through the door, tossing her duffel bag to the side with a sigh. She'd been shipped off to the Capitol two months after the games to do some endorsements and attend to a patron. Snow was trying to distract from Annie.

Her mental state hadn't improved since she'd been rescued from the arena. The damage had been done. Her interview was a mess, with Annie frequently laughing at nothing and avoiding questions, she ran off at the end.

The rest of the victors were working double time to try and cover it up and get the focus off of her. Snow wanted people to forget until her victory tour when she'd hopefully be more present.

Jade did not want to deal with unpacking everything, so she got herself a glass of water from the kitchen and sat in her living room. And the moment her butt hit the leather, a rather rushed and loud knock came at her door.

"For fuck's sake. Can these people not solve their own goddamn problems once in their lives." Jade huffed as she pushed herself off of the couch. She assumed it would be a victor or some journalist coming to interview her. The last one didn't go so well, though.

"And have you thought about treatment to reduce the looks of your scars? I know they were in style when you got them but people are starting to enter a new age of fashion."

"What did you say to me? Domitia get this bitch away from me!"

Yes. Not very well at all.

Regardless of who was at the door, Jade would be in more trouble if she didn't answer. With a heavy sigh, Jade set her cup down and walked to the entryway, pulling open the door without even thinking about it.

The moment it was open, Jade started to speak. "What do you wa—"

"Please, you have to let us in!"

The words were rushed and desperate, a much different tone than Jade expected. She hadn't looked at who was outside her door but she did after hearing their plea.

There were two people there. The one that spoke was a short, malnourished girl. Her hair was fire-truck red. Jade honestly couldn't tell if it was normally that colour or if it had been augmented. But her hair was dry, frizzy, and falling out of a ponytail.

Her skin was ivory. The sun washed the girl out and Jade could see a few freckles peeking out from beneath her collar.

To Jade, the girl looked to be a few years older than herself. Maybe in her mid-twenties. But her face had age lines that didn't match the other parts of her body. Wrinkles on her forehead and cheeks were the obvious result of stress.

Beside the girl was a boy, a few years younger. He could have been Jade's age. His hair was oak brown and he had some freckles too. Despite his malnourishment, his features were sharp. It was obvious the two were siblings.