Mentors

10

I'm dragged from my sleep again due to nightmares. He's not awake, though. Waking him for the millionth time because of me makes me feel awful. I roll over to his side and adjust myself in his arms. Just knowing that he's there is all I need this time.

Packing up and going home, only to be coming back for the games in less than a week.
I stop at the hob before entering my home, greeting Greasy Sae. Sitting in the kitchen is Prim, looking through the photos on the camera.
I take a seat at the table with her.
"I love these two pictures." She says, showing me the one where Peeta and I are smiling. Along with a next one with him kissing my cheek.
"Was it fun Katniss? You look super happy here."
"It was moderately interesting."
"Are you two going to be married someday?" she asks.
"Prim, we already had a Capitol wedding," I exclaim.
She purses her lips.
"I mean, will it ever mean anything to you? He loves you. I've known it all my life. That's why I would make you look at cakes in the bakery for all those years. You would trade game with the baker man and then I would talk to Peeta about cookies and you. He usually gave me pastries without telling anyone."
She just spilled so much of what she's kept from me. She is sure good at keeping secrets. I should be angry with my sister for all the other things, but this set me off.
"Primrose," I say calmly, "you ate pastries without telling me? And you never shared?"

"That's not the issue right now. The thing is, I know you care about him. You just have to show it."
"Prim,"
"Wanna take me to the bakery?" She asks.
"No," I stand up and retreat to my bedroom.

I'm half asleep as I stir in my bed. My eyes are closed, but I can tell its morning from the sun shining through the open breezy window. How many days has it been open? How many days since Peeta has been up here to open it? Prim comes into my room and shakes my shoulder.
"Wake up, Peeta is here, you must get ready."
"Ready?"
"The reaping. I'm going to send him up here if that's alright."
"Mmhm." I groan into my pillow. Another sleepless night I have gotten. How come he hasn't been with me at night? Has my mother spoken to him? Did I scare him?
A light knock on the door makes me open one eye.
I mumble words that reassemble "come in."
I hear him walk in and over to my bed.
"Good morning princess." He sits and places his forehead onto mine.
"It's time to get up." he whispers.
I mumble more words and I'm surprised he understood what I asked, because he walks over to my closet and picks me out an outfit to wear.
"A dress?"
I open my eyes and look at the one he's holding. Not sure if it's a dress or a jumpsuit but it looks appropriate to wear to a stupid reaping. "I have no idea what that's called but I will wear it."
He folds it nicely and places it on the edge of the bed. I point to a pair of boots and a brown belt and he places them down too.
"Thank you." I say, "Do you know how to braid?"
"I can try."
I get dressed, sit in between his legs and hand him a hairbrush. He gently combs his fingers through my hair first. I close my eyes tiredly until he finishes. Just a year ago, it was my mother braiding my hair complicatedly. A year ago, I volunteered for the games. I was sure that one/both of us were to die. I would never have pictured this.
"I'm finished."
I stand up and look at it in the mirror, it's a nice braid down my back.
"I am impressed." I tell him.
He takes out a few loose strands by my face and smiles at me. His hand rests on my cheek.
I stand on my toes and kiss him.
The door opens and Prim rushes in.
"We're going to be late-?" She sees us and slowly backs away. "I'm fine with late." she closes the door.

We are escorted by peacekeepers to the stage, and watch the pile of children surround the square for the usual reaping. There are less kids in the bowl this year, since your name is only in if you have a sibling who is also 12-18 years of age. Prim is not beyond them this year. Gale is not ether. He is no longer in the reaping bowl at all since he is now 19 years old. He has younger siblings, though. Two eligible for the reaping. One Prim's age and one who is twelve. Each family stands in their own spot, hands clenched together. If only there were something I could do about it. To make this stop. The justice building door opens and Effie Trinket stomps out in her abnormally high heels. I grab Peeta's hand and look out into the crowd. In the square I see Prim standing with my mother.
"As usual, ladies first." Effie lacks her peppy excitement for the games.
She reaches her hand in the bowl and pulls out a surname.
"The Belle Family. Mother with three children eligible for the reaping."
Everyone in the crowd turns toward to what must be them.
"All of you girls, please step forward."
My breathing stops when I get the realization. The mother must choose who goes into the games.
There is a twelve year old little girl, a fourteen year old girl, and what looks like a seventeen year old girl. She was in my classes at school. I look her dead in the eye. Volunteering is still aloud. It would only be right for the girl to volunteer for her siblings.
"Mrs. Belle, please choose our contestant for the games."
The mother starts to tear.
I can't feel emotions on stage. Not this time.
"Sweetheart," the mother walks to the middle child. "I'm so sorry."
She just stands there, dumbfounded.
"You're serious?" she sounds angry.
"Honey, please listen to me."
"Obviously you don't love me enough to choose me to die." the girl says flatly through gritted teeth as she walks up to the stage.
God, witnessing that was awful.
"What's your name?" Effie asks.
"Raina. Rania Belle."
"Here is our girl contestant, Raina Belle!"
The crowd is silent. I can imagine the hatred this mother will get for choosing this girl.
"Now for the boys."
Effie wastes no time picking a family out of the bowl.
"The Helia family."
A large family approaches the stage. A mother, father, three brothers and what I can tell are twins. A boy and a girl.
"What a large, lovely family here! Which young man will it be, Mr and Mrs Helia?" Effie babbles.
"If you go, I go." The 15 year old says to her brother.
"I'm sorry but it doesn't work like that. You can't go."
The looks on the parents face as they try to pick a precious child of theirs for possibly certain death. Certain death? Not if I, a mentor has anything to say about it.
"I'll go." The twin says."
His sister begs to be taken instead. I close my eyes and exhale deeply as I listen to bickering on who should go. All the brothers telling their parents to be chosen. Finally the brother twin cuts them off. "I volunteer!" he walks up to the other side of Effie. The mother cries into her husband's arms. I feel like doing the same.
"What is your name?" Effie says.
"Kol-" he stutters. "It's Kolton."
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the district 12 tributes, Raina Belle and Kolton Helia!"
They are escorted to say their goodbyes in the justice building.
My head feels dizzy, and I grab onto Peeta's shirt for balance.
"We should get her onto the train." I hear Peeta tell Effie.

A/n oh my gosh 2k reads?! I love writing this story so much and thanks to all of you who comment and read these chapters as I update them! You are all awesome, my goal for now is 3k reads and to update more often. thanks again, peace
-jenn