𝒊 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖, p.m.

01.

The letter from the Capitol was sitting on my dining room table as I began to carefully open it. Anything from the Capitol nowadays didn't bring about the same amount of anxiety as it once did, but it still wasn't pleasant. The Capitol had been spending the past two years to clean up the mess that Snow had created by being overly kind to the districts and consistently inviting us to visit.

President Paylor had become the best president Panem had seen. She was doing the best she could to reinvent the country and right the wrongs of the past presidents. The Hunger Games hadn't taken place in 2 years and the peacekeepers had become much more...well peaceful.

I finally opened the letter that was addressed to me with the gold Capitol seal on it. My eyes scanned over the letter as I took it in multiple times before I finally realized what it meant.

Dear Capri Acosta,

You have qualified for The Memory Reduction Project (TMRP). 

If you would like to set up a consultation or more information, please call Dr. Ovan's office at ***-***-*****.

We look forward to hearing from you.

May you find peace,

Dr. Ovan

I couldn't believe I had prequalified for the project. The Memory Reduction Project was a new procedure that the renowned, Dr Ovan had created. He wanted to give every Panem citizen the ability to erase one dreadful memory that they have to bring more peace to ourselves. Peace was the new motto of Panem and the Capitol would stop at nothing to bring it to us.

The Project wasn't mandatory by any means, but almost every person in the Capitol had gotten the procedure. Commercials would play everyday of happy citizens in the Capitol discussing how their past trauma is gone and they feel free. I hadn't formed an opinion on it, I was just afraid of any type of procedure. But according to the top doctors in the Capitol and the districts, Dr. Ovan's procedure was legit and safe.

Still, some citizens in the districts were still not completely sold on it. They believed that memories made you who you are, they shaped you. My parents had that belief and so did most of the people in my inner circle.

Qualifying for the project was a mystery. Dr. Ovan never revealed how he found those that needed it most. He just assured us that it was safe and would bring about peace. 

"Everything okay?"

I looked up to see the tall and tanned male standing over me with his white peacekeeper uniform on. Ryder. He had been my boyfriend for the past year and I had cherished every moment of it. We had recently bought a decently sized house in District 2 after Ryder had been promoted. I knew he would propose to me soon, so it felt like my life was finally coming together.

"Look." I said, handing the letter from Dr. Ovan to him as he read it through quickly.

"Huh. What are you thinking?" he asked, as he kicked off his work shoes and took a seat across from me at the dining room table. The demeanor on his face shifted as his eyes scanned the letter.

I shrugged, not having the right words. I wasn't sure how I felt. I didn't understand how this doctor could find people that he believed needed a memory erased. 

"I didn't think I had a memory that needed to be erased."

Ryder nodded at my words as he still held the letter in his hand and continued to read through it.

"Maybe it's worth going for a consultation?" Ryder offered, staring over at me with his ocean blue eyes. "One of the other peacekeeper's wife prequalified and had the procedure done. Apparently, she seems a lot happier."

"But, what memory needed to be erased?"

"I guess she had some abuse issues with her step-dad." 

I nodded at the solemn admission. I had not experienced anything on that level, so I was truly confused on what would've made me qualify. And, how did they even have the information of my memories to know I qualified? Although the Capitol was trying to rebuild trust and peace with Panem's citizens, they still terrified me on some level.

"I guess I'll give the office a call...I mainly just want to know how I prequalified." I admitted, taking a deep breath as I grabbed the letter back from Ryder and stuffed it back into the envelope it had come in.

I felt Ryder walk over to me and rest his hands on my shoulders as he began to give me a light back massage. 

"Maybe it'll be a good thing? For us? For you?" he whispered, as he placed a gentle kiss on my head and then on my ear. 

Maybe it would be a good thing except I had no idea what memory was paining me. What could be weighing me down? I thought I was happy with my life, but maybe there was something I still couldn't let go of.