"Who ever thought a Capitol girl would fall for a District girl, huh?"
"Not me"
When Reef Murphy was reaped to represent her District in the 10th annual Hunger Games she expected to die protecting her young district partner.
She didn't expect to...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
AS REEF AND the rest of the tributes are dumped back into the cage, the entire atmosphere of the cage is different, the tributes talk to one another about their Mentors, some like them and others don't but it's all hot gossip right now.
Reef sat with Mizzen behind the rock they claimed, him gushing to Reef about how cool he thought his Mentor Festus Creed is, when Reef got a look at Mizzen's Mentor back during the interviews she thought he looked like kind of a dick but looks can be deceiving.
"What about your Mentor? She seems nice and kind of pretty"Mizzen tells her with an innocent smile on his face.
Pretty? Persephone was pretty but not just that she was sweet, kind, and Gorgeous.
"Reef!"Mizzen shouts shaking her arm and pulling her out of her thoughts, the older tribute turns to look at Mizzen. "I asked you about your Mentor"
"She's nice, sweet even, she's gonna bring food for both of us later just in case yours forgets,"Reef tells him honestly.
A smile emerges on Mizzen's face. "That's nice of her"Mizzen responds.
Reef began to notice the way her stomach filled with butterflies at just the mention of her Mentor, she hadn't felt this way about someone since Pearl Fisher a girl she never had a chance with and the same thing was happening now, there was no way she and Persephone could ever be together coupled with the fact that she didn't even know if Persephone liked her that way and also because she's be dead in a few days.
Everything was doomed.
Reef decided at that moment she'd do everything she could to suppress her growing feelings and focus on making sure Mizzen got home.
REEF PLAN WAS almost immediately gonna be very difficult, as around mid-day a whole group of Mentors turned up in their crimson red school uniforms, as the sea of red approached them Reef quickly spotted Persephone among them, the girl in question smiling brightly her perfect white teeth on show as she waved at Reef.
Reef's cheeks began to turn red as she looked at her, Reef quickly diverting her attention to Mizzen who was looking at Reef with confusion. "That's your Mentor Reef, why have your cheeks gone red"Mizzen asks, Reef quickly clamps her hand over his mouth so nobody would hear him.
The pair from Four walks up to where Persephone is standing, no sign of Mizzen's mentor just yet, Persephone extends her hand out through the bars, two tin foil-wrapped packages in her hands. "For you and your little friend here, as requested,"Persephone says her smile never leaving her face.
Reef reaches out and when her and Persephone's fingers touch, it's like fireworks go off inside her and her stomach begins to do backflips. "Thank you"Reef responds gratefully.
Reef hands one of the packages over to Mizzen a smile appears on the young boy's face as he opens it up and sees sandwiches and fruit inside, Mizzen tells Persephone thank you before walking away a little to enjoy his food. "Stay in eyesight!"Reef calls out to him.
"Okay Mom"Mizzen responds sarcastically.
Laughter escapes from both Persephone and Reef's lips, the pair sitting down on the dirty ground in front of one another. Persephone looks over at Mizzen curiously. "You are very protective of him aren't you?"Persephone asks.
Reef sighs. "Well, first off he's just a kid who needs looking after,"Reef tells her Mentor honestly. "But he also reminds me of my younger brother, since they are both the same age"
"I bet you miss him a lot?"Persephone questions.
Reef sighs once again. "Along with the twins, they're only three so they don't understand what's going on,"Reef tells her.
The two fall into a peaceful silence, taking in what the other has been saying before Reef breaks it. "What about your family?"Reef questions.
Persephone looks at her confused. "My family?"She asks.
Reef rolls her eyes. "yes, your family dummy, I mean you know about mine, so I'd like to know about yours"Reef clarifies.
Persephone pauses for a moment thinking about what she should tell her. "It's me, my mom, my dad, and my sister Clarissa, she's only thirteen but is already my parent's perfect child, she even has a boyfriend and I guess I'm kind of a disappointment to them because"Persephone starts her voice beginning to break.
"You don't like boys?"Reef asks whispering the question quietly so nobody can hear, Reef, understands how important coming out is and not wanting to out her to everyone.
Persephone nods her head, tears welling in her eyes, Reef reaches out and takes Persephone's hand in her own, butterflies emerging in her stomach as she does so, she gently squeezes her hand forcing Persephone to look at her, her stunning brown eyes staring back into Reef's baby blue eyes. "I don't know what people have told you, but you are amazing just the way you are,"Reef tells her a kind smile on her face.
Persephone seems to cry more but in between sobs, she manages to speak. "Nobody has ever told me that before"Persephone tells her honesty embedded in every word.
"Well they are stupid, I may not have known you that long and I think you're cool and I don't really like people outside my family and my friends Coral and Mizzen"Reef tells her honestly, institutively reaching into her pocket and pulling out Coral's bracelet, she fiddles with the charms as Persephone just looks at it.
"It's beautiful"Persephone gasps out.
A smile falls onto Reef's face as she thinks about Coral. "My friend gave it to me when I got Reaped as a good luck gift"Reef explains.
"So that's what was happening"Persohone responds.
"I'm sorry what?"Reef questions.
Noticing the look of confusion on Reef's face she tries to explain. "We were watching the Reaping live and where allocated our tributes as it was happening, and I wondered what was going on with you and that girl. I thought she was your girlfriend for something"she explains.
"Did she make you jealous?"Reef asks teasingly.
"Shut up,"Persephone says playfully as laughter escapes her lips.
The nice moment between Mentor and Tribute is broken by a scream erupting throughout the area and when Reef turns to look, she sees the girl from Ten Brandy has grabbed hold of her Mentor, the older girl squirming in her grasp as Brandy yanks her towards the bars of the cage and in one swift motion slits her throat.
