Mentors

46

As this girl trips over her weak feet, she falls to the ground.

"Raina what the hell are you doing!" yelps Katniss, seeing me run to her fragile body. As I flip her over, I know for sure who it is.

I have no logical answer for how she got here, or how she survived. What are the odds I find her now?

"Help me lift her," I tell Katniss.

"Raina, why are you-"

"This is my older sister, Katniss! Help me!"

She's taken back by my screaming, but helps me anyway.

"Okay, but I don't appreciated being yelled at."

I don't answer her. My sister Mayella is boney and probably weighs less than I do.
My memory becomes fuzzy, bringing her into the district and to urgent care. Katniss told me I kept losing consciousness and was dehydrated, said the doctor. I'm sitting in the dining hall with Peeta, saying nothing as I drink my extra glass of water they provided me. How could she be alive?
I look over to the table in front of me and see Talisa and Roman sitting and eating. They spot me and wave. Their genuine smile reassures me. Even though most of my family is gone, they might be all I need. But how will my older sister act when she recovers? If she recovers.

Staring at my friends who are tables away was a mistake of mine. I couldn't really prepare myself for what I was about to see. At first, they're fine. Talking and laughing quietly amongst themselves. Out of nowhere I hear Talisa scream. She stands up in her wheelchair to see blood. Has her water broken? Something doesn't seem all that right. Roman sits her back in her chair and wheels her out of the room, swerving through people yelling that it's an emergency. The feeling I've been feeling most hits me yet again. That heavy drop to the stomach, and my unsteady breathing catches Peeta's attention.

"It's okay," he says. "We can go after her."

As must as I want to, I'm frozen in my place. He stands up and gently grabs my shoulder. My legs feel numb as I walk. Peeta talks about if the baby will be a boy or a girl. When he continues to speak, I zone out greatly. He may just be trying to calm me. Peeta leads us down a hallway with twists and turns and he runs into Prim.

"We're looking for Talisa's room," informs Peeta.

Prim nods, taking us down a few rooms and to a closed door.

"Your friend Roman is in there. I would say only family or whatever, but... just go in. I won't tell." she smiles a little.

"Well thank you nurse," I tell her, grinning.

She opens the door for us and we walk in quietly. It wasn't needed, because the room is full of her cries and shrieks. The doctor is trying to calm Talisa down, and Roman holds her hand. Immediately I think the worst. That something has gone terribly wrong. He motions for Peeta to grab her other hand, and I stand next to Roman. As the Doctor talks to Talisa loudly over her discomforting sounds, I turn and ask,

"What's going on? Is she okay?"

Roman just smiles a little.

"She's going into labor, Raina. Legend says it's painful." He playfully nudges me.

"Damn right it's painful!" Screams Talisa.

I don't know if I want to be in here for this. It may be too much stress to watch the events that will be taking place. But I know she needs me. I'm going to pull through. She sure has. She's survived the hunger games and the beginning of a civil war with this thing lodged in her stomach, waiting to come out. And now that it is, her reality is kicking in. She rants on how she's too young and doesn't deserve the pain she's in and that she should die. I know for a a fact it's her wobbly emotions poking at her. Roman's reassuring words calms her the tiniest bit. The medical woman tells her the procedure that will take place, and that this many people shouldn't be in the room and that we should all leave. I squeeze her hand gently before dragging my feet to the exit. She calls out before we all leave,

"Wait! Roman needs to stay."

He doesn't seem too surprised, but still nervous.

"Hey," I put a hand on his shoulder.
"Go birth a baby."

He rolls his eyes before sending me a goofy smile, walking back into the heart of the room.

*
Effie bets her hat that it's going to be a boy, and I agree. She sits with Peeta and I in the hallway occupying little brown chairs. Effie babbles on the topic of babies, even saying that one day Peeta's children will look like little heart breaking angels.

"Thank you Effie, but I don't know if Katniss is really too keen on children one day. I mean look at our circumstances now. If we were to win this war and start a new life, there's a small possibility. We plan on fighting for the freedom of Panem. And give Rosemary and Talisa's baby the future they deserve."
After his statement, the room falls silent. An unbearable, tense silence.
Katniss soon meets us carrying Rosie. Rosemary wails, swinging her arms up and down, grabbing onto Katniss's hair.

"Someone take her, I have to sit." she says, wearily. She doesn't even wait for any takers, she just places the now crying infant into the arms of Effie. There are no more seats for her and she doesn't even care, she just sits on the floor. She leans against the wall and exhales deeply. Many sounds are heard behind the door, different types of screaming and crying. I say to myself it's normal. Having a baby should hurt. That's life. But it isn't until I hear a high pitched little cry, that I feel at ease. I see Katniss smile to herself at the sound, her eyes closed. It isn't until minutes upon minutes when Roman allows us to pile in the tiny room.
There, my friend lays. She looks worse than any arena could have done to her, but there's something that the games didn't give her, which this did. Happiness. The smile on her face and the tears down her cheeks makes me internally jump up and down. She looks down at her baby wrapped in a little grey blanket.

"Well?" I say gently, smiling.

"It's a boy." she announces.

We all exchange silent cheers, congratulating her. People start suggesting names, but she just shakes her head and laughs.

"Thank you guys, but his name is Noah."

"Oh, how beautiful!" Effie wails, clapping her hands together.

"Hey, Roman. Would you like to hold him?" asks Talisa.

"Me? You trust me to do that?"

"Of course. I trusted you with my life. Why not his?"

He walks closer to her bed and ever so carefully takes Noah from her. Roman sits on the edge of the bed and looks down with a tiny smirk. His eyes must open for the first time, because he then looks at Talisa, studying hers.

"He has your eyes. Blue." he exclaims, fascinated.

"Mostly all babies are born with blue eyes, it's possible they won't stay that way," responds Talisa.

"Way to be a smart ass, Lisa." he rolls his eyes.

"What's with the sudden nickname?" She hisses.

"I personally like Lisa better." I announce, butting in.

We all exchange a soft conversation, with Katniss and Peeta standing in the back, taking turns with Rosie. Prim soon comes in and does a checkup on Talisa and her baby. She says that she may return to her compartment tomorrow.

"Congratulations, sweetheart. We are so proud of you," Effie starts.

"But we should really get going and give you time alone. Rosie needs a nap anyhow." says Peeta. A little beep sound comes from Katniss's wrist and she looks down at it.

"I'm wanted in command. So are you." She tells me.

I give her a soft goodbye and I touch Noah's tiny cheek.

Now, it's back to reality. Civil war, a rebellion. Important people want me to do important things that will effect the outcome of our future. I don't know what is to come, but I sure as hell need to be ready for it.