IN WHICH,
The boy who frequents your father's workshop carves a place for himself in your heart.
'He's looking at you. He's looking at you as if you're his whole world. If anyone could see him right now, they would immediately understand one thing:...
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"Treech Lockwood."
His name, which usually brought a smile to your face, now left a bitter taste on your tongue. The announcement of his name resounded in your ears. Your hands gripped the rough fabric of your jeans, and your breathing came to a halt.
"No!"
You cried out, not even thinking. Eyes turned to stare at you, and even the mayor had looked at you incredulously. You didn't care about that now. You refused to. Treech wasn't going to the games, you wouldn't accept it. Running up the pathway, you desperately tried to rise to the stage in hopes you would be able to say goodbye. Just one last goodbye.
Treech looked over at you, his attention focused on only you. Carefully, he took steps towards you. If this was his last chance to see you, he'd hold on to you with every bone in his body. He knew what the Hunger Games entailed. He also knew that while he was a force to be reckoned with, there was always going to be someone in that arena who was stronger than him. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill him.
As he leapt off the stage to hold you once more, he was stopped. His arms were held back, trapped in the grip of the Peacekeepers who restrained him.
"Let me go!" He protested, rashly trying to fight off their hold on his arms.
You were almost at the foot of the stage, so close to him. Two Peacekeepers had appeared beside you, holding you in the same fashion. Not bothering to look at them, you kept your eyes only on Treech. You felt that if you diverted your gaze for one moment, he would be gone the next.
"Just let me say goodbye. Please!" You urged the Peacekeepers, being met with a grunt that could only mean no.
The rest of the district was unmoving, afraid to speak. You knew from the silence that they were pitying the pair of you. How tragic, for two sweethearts to have to part like this.
Tears threatened to spill from your eyes, only for you to furiously blink them away. The day the Capitol and its ignorant citizens would see you cry was the day you would die. That wasn't today.
You relaxed for a moment, and in turn the Peacekeepers hold on you weakened. This was your chance. Inhaling, you broke yourself from their grasp and instantly bolted for the stage. Please, you thought. To be held in his arms once more would be a privilege.
Treech watched your movements and the way you had ran for the stage. Ran for him. With brute force, he managed to shake off the Peacekeepers momentarily, running to you with the same intensity.
You were met with a giant force as the two of you collided. Looking up, you gazed into those honey brown eyes and smiled weakly.
His arms caged around you greedily as he then proceeded to hide his face in the crook of your neck. He chuckled, not because the moment was funny, but because the both of you had just blindly rushed into each other in the heat of the moment. Not even thinking about the consequences. If this was considered treason against the Capitol, so be it.
"You better come back, you hear me?" You whispered into his ear a silent plea. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you." Tears brewed in your eyes, clouding your vision. You hid your face in his shirt, away from the prying eyes of the Capitol.
"I promise darlin,' I'll do my best." His voice shaky as his clutch on you was now tighter than ever. "I'm going to come back on that train, and everything will be just as it was before."
His hand reached up to run itself along your braid again, just as he had done before the Reaping. It then moved towards his head, taking his hat off to reveal his dark chestnut curls.
Treech looked at you once more with an urgency in his eyes. You didn't know if you would ever lay your eyes on his again. The amber glow that you would see in your dreams, dotted with specks of honey and sage. Your view of him was obscured as he leaned in to place his hat on your head.
"I trust you'll return this to me once I get back?"
He utters, and it seems he's unsure about this statement himself. Searching his eyes, you could see that he was trying to make himself believe what he just said. He was staying strong, for you. He'll come back home, for you.
Before you can say anything, he's ripped away from your hold.
"I'll return it to you in person! I promise!" You call out to him, and he flashes you one of his sweet smiles before being engulfed by the darkness of the train along with Lamina.
He was gone. He was going on that train and you didn't know if he was coming back.
Soon, the crowd at the Reaping site dissipates, and all that's left is you and the hole in your heart. If you were being completely honest, the only thing that was keeping you together was Treech's hat. It was here with you, and perhaps that meant his presence was never fully gone. You knew though, his presence would never truly disappear as long as you were here and you thought of him.
While Treech was forced to participate in the Hunger Games, you played your own game. A dangerous waiting game which would either rebuild or destroy everything you had hoped for. Freedom from the Capitol. A chance at happiness. A life with Treech.
That night as the rest of the district celebrated their children's safe return home, tears stained your pillow and your thoughts faded into nothing.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE!! so tempted to make the ending cutesy and all but i'll worry about that after i put yous through heart wrenching angst 💓💓
