The Quater Quell: 50th Hunger Games

Chapter 2

               After about an hour or so of shoveling horse manure we call it quits. "I had a really good time with you this morning." Walt says. "With me? Really?" I question. "Uh yea, that's what I said isn't it?" Walt joking says and gives me a small push. He really had a good day with me. And is flirting with me, dressed like a clown! I think to myself. I get a little giddy and try my best to flirt back. "Well, of course you had a good time with me. Who wouldn't?" he gives me a funny look and I push him back a little. He steps back and almost falls into our wheelbarrow of horse crap. I catch his arm and blush. Oops. "Hey now, no need to get aggressive missy!" I giggle and and he looks down into my eyes.

                We stand there looking into each other's eyes. I thought he was going to kiss me for a second when Jade and Shade burst in giggling. "Hey you two! Quit all that kissing!" Shade shouts. Walt and I both look at each other. I wonder if he is as red as I am! "We weren't kissing Shade." Walt says. "Yeah, That's not what it looked like!" Laughs Jade. "Lets go Raven, we have to get ready for the reaping." Jade and Shade hold hands and walk away to say goodbye and to wish each other luck.

              "Looks like they were getting along good huh." I say, a little annoyed. "Yeah...but hey, after the reaping do you want to hang out?" Walt asks. Walt sees my hesitation. I don't really feel like celebrating the doomed fate of another friend. "Not the party." He assures me. "I mean, like, a date?" "Date?" I ask. "Yeah, let's go on date. What do you think?" What do I think?! I think that there is no way a guy like you wants to date a girl like me. I think to myself. "Well, I don't know. Autumn is teaching me to hunt and ive got my farm to look after." I reply. "Oh, uh yeah. Of course. What was I thinking." I could tell Walt was hurt. "See ya at the reaping." Walt frowns and begins to walk out of the barn.

           "Walt!" I call out. "Yeah?" "I didn't mean it like that. Im just really busy and I-well actually, id love to go on a date with you." I smile. "Really? I thought you were turning me down like your sister said you would." My sister? "Uh ,no?" I say in confusion. "Okay great! Ill see you at the after the reaping and we'll talk then." Walt waves and runs away. Why would my sister tell Walt id turn him down?

                 I meet up with Jade and we head towards her house. "So!" She gleams. "So what?" I ask. "Sooo what happened? Did yall kiss?" She questions. "No. I think we were about to though before you and ol' Shade walked in." "Oh shoot. My mistake Raven. I really didn't know." "Its alright...He asked me on a date though." "WHAT!?" shouts Jade. The cows in the pasture next to us look over at us. "Yeah. At first I told him no but then-" "Raven!" she interrupts. "Pipe down Jade and let me finish. At first I told him no but then, he started walking way and looked disappointed. I told him I changed my mind and he said he will talk to me after the reaping." I explain.

             We come up to Jades cabin and I walk her to her gate. "Awe Rave, im so happy for you! Make sure you look cute tonight for Walt!" she hugs me and runs inside. I head home and down the old beaten path that leads to my tiny cabin that I call home.

           "Mom? Dad? Im home!" I shout. My dad comes out of the kitchen looking handsome. "You look great Dad." I compliment him. "Thanks kid, it gives me a chance to dress up again." He smiles. Dad used to be our Mayor but stepped down to make my mother happy. She didn't like the way the District looked down at us for having more than everyone else. She grew up poor and wasn't used to the finer things in life. We still had our connections though. We didn't have to live poor, but we chose too. My parents would kill me if they knew I took out tesserae this year to give it to our neighbors. Their kids couldn't take out any more.

             They had maxed their limit. Their livestock died and so did their youngest son. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I couldn't help. The peacekeepers were strict and would execute anyone in our district for giving away food. Someone snuck them a loaf of bread once and the new mayor had to order his execution. The only way to give away food or get free food was to sign up for tesserae. Each order of grain lasted about six months. They would give you it for free in exchange for your name to be thrown into the reaping bowl three more times. So, one day I couldn't take it anymore and I signed up for a two years' worth of tesserae.

               My mother came out of her room and asked my dad to help her button up the rest of her dress. "Go get dressed sweetie. And wake up your sister too!" she calls out to me as I race up stairs. "Robin! Wake up!" I shout. I burst into our small bedroom. She was still asleep. Really?! I hated how she was always to girly and lazy and never did anything around the house or even for our District. Her job was in the warehouse, keeping track of all the feed. That's it. She's never worked a day in her life.

             "Wake up." I kick her bed. "Well good morning to you too sis" she says through a yawn and a stretch. "Get up, the reapings in less than an hour!" "Oh my goodness! That's all!" "Yep. Hey, I gotta quick question for ya." "Yes Raven?" she looks at me with a toothbrush in her mouth. "Well, I was hanging out with Walt today and he asked me out. I told him yes and he was surprised. Said something about you telling him id turn him down?" I turn around and look at her. "Well, you know how you are-can be. You've never really had a boyfriend and a bit of a loner." "I am not!" I defend myself. Robin gives me a look and continues "So, about a year or two ago Walt comes over to me in school and was asking about you. You know, if he had a chance with you. So, I told him probably not."

            "You told him what? You mean after all this time, Walts liked me all these years and im just now getting a chance with him!" I pout. "Sorry Rave, you just don't really put yourself out there in the dating world. Lots of guys have came up to me and asked about you before but I know how proud you are of you work and animals." "Its okay." I reply. I know how I can be too. I think to myself. "Anyways, what are you wearing to the reaping?" I ask. "The usual. You?" she replies. "I havnt gotten that far yet." "Well make it cute. Walt will be watching!"

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