Innocent Girl - A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 20: Remembering them

Finally, the reporters die down, all leaving to go back to the Capitol. Then we're kind of just left standing there.
"Ready to see which house you got?" Katniss asks.
"House? Oh, right, house. I get a house. Wait. I get a whole house!" My three mentors chuckle, and beside me, I can feel Julien's excitement.
"Do you have anything you need to get from your old house?" Dean asks. I think for a moment, then turn to Julien.
"No," I tell Dean. "How 'bout you, Julien?" He also thinks, then answers.
"Just Mother. Oh, and she might have something for you," Julien glances at me, as if afraid of my reaction. But strangely, the normal pang of sadness, or slight excitement that she's going to pay attention to me is absent. More than a mother's love that I'll never earn matters.
"Okay. Let's go, then."

We make our way to the Seam, my three mentors striking conversation with Julien. When we finally reach our house, I pause.
"I... Would it be okay... if... you guys wait outside...?" I ask, unsure. Katniss and Haymitch both nod, eyes understanding even though only Haymitch is the only one who really knows why, and Dean nods too, though slightly more confused.
"Welcome back home," Julien says bitterly, opening the door to our shack.
"Missed it so much," I say with equal parts sarcasm. Julien laughs humourlessly, and we enter together, closing the door behind us.

"Mother?" Julien calls. "We're back." There's a moment of silence, before there's a small shuffling. A figure appears in the kitchen, from the entryway that is my mother's room.

"Almond." Her face comes into view, and my body stiffens. "You won." She stares at me, and all the days of thinking that after going through all of this, that I wouldn't get scared, disappears into the abyss. I look away shamefully, as if I'm guilty of living. Or maybe I am. Am I?

"I-Yes. I came back. I..." I pause, unsure of what else to say. "I'm sorry," I blurt out.

"Almond," Julien says quietly, and though his voice is gentle, I know he's scolding me. I look up for a second. Then, more shuffling. I look up again, only to see my mother, as close to me as Julien is. My eyes widen in fear, and Julien grips my hand in his. But I barely notice, as I look right into my mother's eyes for the first time in a long time. And I realise that maybe, the only feature we share in common, is our eyes. A deep-almond brown; the colour I was named for. But her's are slightly discoloured, while mine are bright, yet somehow, still muted. Then her hand suddenly shoots out, and I instinctively cover my face and duck. But when the blow never comes, I shakily look back up.

In her hand, lies a golden bracelet lined with four butterflies. Green, blue, white, pink. I look up at her, her face hard.

"My sister's birthday present. She left it for me when she went, and that I would have to give it back to her when she returned. For you. You returned." I gaze into her eyes, searching for any hint of lies or fakeness. All I see is the slight reluctance I saw when she gave me the dress, but her eyes have softened.

So I take it.

~~~~~

Haymitch hands me keys, as we stand in front of a house. They showed me around about an hour ago, and Julien and Mother are both inside, settled in. My house is, as expected, next to Hyamitch's.

He promises not to throw liquor bottles that smash my window in.

"It's getting late..." Katniss says, and I do realise it is. We say our goodnights at head towards our respective houses. I'm now neighbours with my mentors. Just befor I go inside, Haymitch stops me.

"I need to show you something."

"Need, or want?" I ask. Haymitch glares at me. "Alright, alright." I follow him as he heads to his own house, next to mine. He opens the gate that leads towards the backyard, and leads me deeper in.