"Maybe it's been years
since I genuinely smiled.
Maybe it's been years
since I wanted to be apart of anything."
Dexter Lowhill, District Elevens sixth winner of the 69th Hunger Games at the ripe age of eighteen years old.
It was his last reaping for...
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"If it werent for the baby."
Dexter didn't want to see what everyone got on the training scores.
He sat next to Marina on the couch, watching as she painted her nails a vibrant and sparkly red. Eris and Freesia were on the other side of the couch, talking quietly. Quiet enough so Dexter and Marina couldn't hear them. Dexter didn't want to know what they were talking about. He knew Freesia was technically his mentor now, too, but he didn't really want a mentor. Dexter liked being alone, anyway.
"I'm sure you'll all do fantastic!" Copper announced, sitting uncomfortably close to Dexter. Dexter just laughed awkwardly and scooted away a little bit.
Copper had shown up a couple of hours ago. He claimed the train ride to the Capitol would've made his hair frizzy and make him sick, but everyone knew why the Capitol escort didn't want to go on the train: he was terrified of Eris. It wasn't uncommon for people to be scared of the young girl, especially people who had never had a genuine conversation with her. The two tributes had secretly enjoyed their limited time without the escort, as the only time he spoke to Eris were the most awkward and passive-aggressive words ever created, and whenever he spoke to Dexter he found ways to make everyone in the room uncomfortable.
"How are you feeling, love?" Marina asked quietly, shaking his knee affectionately. Dexter blinked out of his thoughts at her voice, nodding a little.
"I'm good," he smiled. It was clear that Marina didn't believe him, but Dexter didn't want to be questioned anymore, so he turned away.
Everyone scored pretty high or somewhere in the middle. The lowest so far was District Nine, both with sevens. But what Dexter did, and whatever the hell Eris came up with in the training room, they were bound to score much lower.
"Dexter Lowhill, District Eleven," Caesar announced on the TV and everyone began to hold their breath. Dexter watched intently, knowing that his score would be much, much lower than the first time he did this. He had gotten a ten during his first games, but he wouldn't be shocked if he got a zero today.
"...with a score of five," Caesar frowned as he revealed the score, and everyone in the room sighed.
Dexter furrowed his brows, rolling his eyes a little and taking a swig of the flask Haymitch had given him. "Damn, how'd I score that high?" He mumbled. Marina shook her head and got up, commenting on how she needed a drink.
"Dexter, that is one of the lowest scores I've ever seen," Freesia commented from the other side of the couch. Dexter just shrugged as Caesar began to read the next person's score: Eris.
"Wait till you see mine," Eris mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Eris Eyre with a score of... three," Caesar announced, more disappointed than when he said Dexter's score. Dexter looked over at Eris and smiled which she half ignored, half smiling while Freesia put her head in her hands. Copper was too busy shaking his head to notice how amused Dexter seemed to be.
