When the Mockingjay Sings - Coriolanus Snow/Treech

Chapter Eighteen

Athena's heart was in her throat when the sun started rising on July's last day. She tried to sleep that night; for hours, she would close her eyes, hoping sleep would greet her, but it never did. Only mortifying images of children slaughtering each other could be seen.

"you okay?" Treech; she could see her in her peripheral vision, leaning against the siding of her bedroom door.

Athena had her hair pulled back into a bun similar to the ones Gracie loved to put on. She had on a yellow sundress and white shoes. She had been ready since sunrise, patiently waiting for noon to hit.

Treech stepped into her room when he got no response from the girl. He sat beside her in the bed and slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulder, pulling her into him.

"It's going to be okay," he reassured; she couldn't help but snort at him.

"Coming from someone who got reaped," her voice cracked.

Treech didn't say anything. He knew there were no words he could say that would comfort her.

Athena was never worried for her own sake but for the others. She tutors so many kids in the district and can't imagine what it would be like if they got reaped. She had nightmares of Gracie's name being called. With the mayor no longer controlling the names, she had a higher chance of being picked than ever.

Athena looked at her watch and noticed the time.

"I gotta get going," she sniffled, standing up and leaving the room.

"Athena," she stopped at the door to see Treech hurrying out of the room. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into him, kissing her. Athena felt herself freeze in shock; his lips were soft, moving against hers. Athena wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him back. She felt her hands running through his hair, playing with it as he squeezed her waist.  She held him tight; the feeling of his lips against hers made her feel almost giddy, making her head spin. She felt her hands running through his hair, playing with it as he squeezed her waist.  The kiss made an unknown sensation flow through her body; she had never been kissed before, and now she understood why people liked it so much.

He pulled away from the kiss and cradled her face. The two were breathing heavily, gasping for air.

"You'll be okay, I promise," he pulled her into a long kiss again before opening the door for her.

"You should get going." Athena was at a loss for words. She couldn't find anything to say.

Her cheeks were on fire when she stepped out of her house without another thought.

Athena took the 20-minute walk into town. A few hundred people were going to the city centre, and many parents were holding their kids' hands. Terrified that they may one day outlive their child, every parent's worst nightmare.

When she got to the entrance of the reaping stage, there were three lines: the underage boys, underage girls and the parents. Athena scanned her surroundings and saw multiple of her students. She's never seen them so grim.

She waited in line for another 20 minutes before she got up to draw. There was a table with two Capital people sitting there. They were wearing all white with a tablet next to them.

"Name," the lady spoke sternly when Athena approached them.

"Athena Brightsworth Highbottom," the lady's head snapped towards her.

"Highbottom?" She questioned, searching for her name on the tablet.

"Ironic, right," Athena bitterly spoke. The Capital lady flushed surprisingly, wrote down her name on a slip of paper, and put it in the girl's bowl.