FIRE ON FIRE ( cato hadley! )

chapter three

——☆ FIRE ON FIRE
chapter three: the reaping

     THE MORNING OF THE Reaping arrived in silence. Lilia woke early, the weight of the ceremony pressing down on her chest before she even opened her eyes. She lay there for a moment, her eyes shut, wishing she could stay in bed and pretend the day wasn't happening. But she knew that wasn't possible.

With a deep sigh, she got out of bed and dressed in the simple clothes her mother had laid out for her. A white dress, clean and plain, with blue hemming on the bottom. She curled her hair, letting the loose blonde curls fall onto her shoulders.

When she went downstairs, she found her parents waiting for her in the kitchen. The tension in the room was high, but they tried to hide it behind forced smiles.

"Good morning, sweetheart," her mother said softly. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Lilia replied.

Her father came over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Whatever happens today, Lilia, we're here for you. I love you."

"I love you too," Lilia whispered.

They ate a small breakfast in silence. When it was time to leave, Lilia's mother unveiled a small necklace with a single seashell, one that Lilia had found on the beach as a child and had always treasured.

"Keep this with you," her mother said, placing the necklace on her. "For good luck."

Lilia nodded, clutching the shell tightly in her hand as they made their way to the center of the village, where the Reaping would take place. The walk felt longer than usual, and Lilia couldn't help but stare as everyone headed to the same destination.

When they arrived, the square was already filled with hundreds of people, the usual fisherman market replaced by rows of children and their parents.

Peacekeepers stood at the edges of the crowd, their white uniforms highlighting their appearance. The stage at the front of the square towered over them, the Capitol's symbol displayed proudly behind it.

Lilia found herself in the section designated for the girls, surrounded by other teenagers who looked just as frightened as she felt. She caught sight of Maya just a few rows ahead, and moved closer to her.

"Hey, Maya," Lilia whispered, taking the girl off-guard.

"Oh my goodness," Maya breathed, placing a hand on her chest. "You scared me."

Maya wrapped her arms around her friend, which Lilia immediately reciprocated.

When they released each other, Lilia turned to the boys section, trying desperately to spot Adrian in the crowd. It took only a few moments to spot the head of dark brown hair, standing taller above the rest.

When they locked eyes, Adrian gave her a small, reassuring smile. But, even from a distance, she could see the fear in his eyes.

The mayor of District 4 stepped up to the podium, and the crowd fell silent. His voice echoed through the square as he gave the traditional speech about the history of the Hunger Games, but the words barely registered in Lilia's mind. All she could focus on were the two glass bowls sitting on the stage.

When the speech finally ended, the Capitol representative, a woman dressed in an extravagant outfit stepped forward. She was smiling, as if the Reaping were a celebration. It made Lilia sick to her stomach.

"Welcome, welcome!" she announced, her voice high-pitched and overly cheerful. "It's time to select the tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games! Ladies first!"

Lilia's heart pounded in her chest as the woman reached into the glass bowl filled with slips of paper. She held her breath, her entire body tensing as the woman pulled out a single slip and unfolded it.

"Lilia Conway!"

A gasp escaped her lips. Lilia couldn't move, couldn't think. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat, pounding in her ears. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening.

Lilia felt the eyes of everyone around her, their gazes heavy with sympathy, which confirmed that she'd heard her name. Stepping out of her frozen state, her legs moved, carrying her forward through the parted crowd.

The girl barely registered the Capitol woman's words as she was ushered onto the stage by the peacekeepers. Once positioned, she stood there, looking out at the crowd of faces, but she couldn't focus on any of them.

All she could think about was the horror of what was to come — the arena, the other tributes, knowing that she would have to kill in order to survive.

"Now for the boys," the Capitol woman said, her voice shaking Lilia out of her thoughts.

Lilia held her breath again, praying silently that Adrian's name wouldn't be called, that at least one of them would be spared this fate.

But the world wasn't that kind.

"Adrian Reed!"

Lilia's heart shattered in that moment. Her eyes snapped to where Adrian stood, seeing the shock on his face that reflected her own. He stood frozen for a moment, just as she had, before finally, slowly, making his way to the stage.

When he joined her, Lilia wanted to hug him, to tell him everything was going to be alright. But, she couldn't move. She couldn't do anything.

As they stood side by side on the stage, the Capitol woman beamed with delight, as if she had just won the lottery.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for District 4!" the woman announced.

There was no applause, no cheers, everyone remained silent. Lilia felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back, refusing to let herself break down in front of everyone. She needed to be strong now.

She felt Adrian's hand brush against hers, and she glanced at him, seeing the determination in his eyes despite the fear. He gave her a small nod, a silent promise that they would face this together, whatever came their way.

But as they were led off the stage, Lilia couldn't shake the feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.

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Her mother's arms wrapped around her first, pulling her close. Lilia inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the scent of saltwater and lavender that came from her mother's clothes.

"You're strong, my sweet girl," her mother whispered, her voice trembling. "Remember who you are."

Lilia nodded, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. Her father stepped forward next, his hands resting on her shoulders. His eyes, usually so full of warmth, were filled with seriousness.

"Lilia, you can win this," he said, though the words seemed empty in her ears. "Just...fight. Trust your instincts."

"I will," Lilia promised, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked between them, studying their faces into her memory. She didn't know when, or if, she would ever see them again.

In an instant, two peacekeepers entered the room, pulling Lilia out to board the train. Quickly turning back, the girl shouted to her parents, "I love you both!"

With one last look at them, Lilia was forced onto the silver train. As the doors closed behind her, she let out a dry sob. With a lurch, the train began to move, pulling her away from everything she had ever known.