Somewhere In The Orchards

Chapter 3 - Diamonds in the Rough

The goodbyes are all just words, just tears shed and just thoughts transformed into soothing utterings. I feel this tightening in my chest and I don’t know why I feel as if there’s something inside trying to break free. I close my eyes and breathe. Lilly hasn’t come to say goodbye, but I am not sad.

I am angry. I feel betrayed. I feel used. I know I’m not supposed to be selfish but what if it’s your life on the line? What if you both swore on a promise that in the end, it was only you believing it actually has some bond on it?

I didn’t say much just like the little ones. Aunt Marie kept saying sorry and goodbye. Apparently, Lilly couldn’t make it because she’s too heart-broken because of the reaping. My thoughts are now blurry and everything just slides through without meaning.

Soon, we are ushered into one of the capitol trains but different from the ones they use to deliver the goods. My district partner, Thresh, talks with me inside the train car, on plush violet seats while we wait for our mentors and the escort.

“Your sister came to me to say goodbye.” Thresh starts.

And she did say goodbye to her boyfriend. But not to her little sister, “Yeah. Good for you.”

“She told me to keep you safe.”

“Oh, she did? That’s great.”

“Rue. Your sister’s –“

“She’s a coward! She shouldn’t have made promises she couldn’t keep,” I say, my anger rising up. “At least if she went in, she’d have a chance! But what do I have?”

“I’m sorry.”

I stop. The words make me stop. “Don’t say that. I hate those words.”

“Rue ... Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. I -”

“Please don’t make promises, Thresh.” I say under gritted teeth.

I was gonna answer back when there’s enthusiastic giggling coming towards us. I look around and see that Seeder and Bran come in from the connecting car along with the blue haired escort. The giggling stops when they see me and Thresh.

“Well, it looks like you’re ready for the games.” Bran says. It’s good luck that he’s our mentor this year unlike last year where they got Chaff, who’s probably the least of a mentor you’d want.

I didn’t even notice my position. I’m standing right in front of Thresh with my hand clenched into fists and my eyes glaring at him. I look like a little girl pathetically fighting against a guy as large as Thresh. I’m not supposed to hate my sister but this heavy feeling in my chest wills me to, and so I give in. I sigh and hide my anger.

“Hello! I’m Rue.” I smile to the escort. He’s about the age of Bran probably 34 or something. They look like dads, except Bran looks like a dad who works and the escort looks like a dad who’s just a dad because he has kids.

The escort smiles back, oblivious of my recent scene. I can clearly see that he has purplish blue hair and his forearms are dotted with small clear gems. Diamonds. I can remember that they’re called Diamonds, when Lilly ... oh never mind that story.