hope in our eyes || 37th hunger games ✔️

Too Late

Lily

-

"What made you volunteer?" Liam asked while smiling at the crowd. You could see a couple of girls swooning at the front while I rolled my eyes in disappointment.

"For the fame and fortune, it will be a huge honor to participate as a tribute." I answered with a fake smile while giggling the whole time. I repeated the lines Sydney told me while she was coaching me for the interview.

"So, Lily, a few of us were very curious, why did you leave your family behind to participate?"

"You were trying to kill my sister. She's the only thing I've got left, and I promise her, that I will come back... but I'll never become the monster that past victors have become." I said honestly.

You could hear a pin drop in the huge auditorium as people stared at me, some in disappointment, others in pride. But what confused me the most was the expression of approval on the Head Gamemaker's face.

But it wasn't until I saw Sydney's expression that I knew I had screwed up.

-

All eyes are on me in the elevator. Sydney bites her lip while she mutters quietly under her breath, Mags and Sam are chatting about tomorrow. I freeze. Tomorrow is the day we'll go to the arena, the day I'll have to apply my survival skills in order to live.

"So." I'm broken out of my thoughts by Colin's fake cheerful voice. "That went well." He adds while winking at Sam and I.

Unintentionally, Sam let it slip that he won't kill anyone, 'cause he doesn't want his conscious marked. He's very religious in that way, but you could imagine Liam's reaction to that. I suppose he doesn't like us very much, especially after the events of today.

"Yeah... I could see the gamemakers radiating with joy." Mags snaps back sarcastically.

Sydney is now biting her nails anxiously and staggers out of the elevator as soon as we arrive. Mags and Colin follow quietly behind her, as Sydney bursts into tears and locks herself in her room.

"You did nothing." Colin tells us while glancing at us with pity. His forehead is damp with sweat as he struggles to break free of Mags's tight grasp. "Lily, why don't we take a walk. We have a lot to discuss." He adds while dragging my arm towards the elevator.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" I ask rudely while walking alongside Colin.

"How old do you think I am?" He says randomly. I look at him suspiciously. He's up to something.

"I don't know... Twenty-eight. Why are you asking me this?" I answer in confusion. If he wanted to discuss his age, he could've done it with Mags.

"Matthew Summers." He says, watching me like a hawk. I freeze.

"How do you know that name?" I snap as I feel a wave of anger overcome me.

"He was a good boy, a survivor, even more than that. I used to watch the countless times he used to save you. However, being a survivor wasn't enough, he suffered the same fate as you could right now, with that sharp mouth and those words." He says back while glancing at the peacekeepers around us.

"Shut up!" I snap. "You know nothing about my brother."

"Oh, but I do. You see... he figured me out. He knew the truth, all of it." Colin says mysteriously while measuring his words carefully. "You see.. he figured out my real last name, not my adoptive name. And even if he knew, he managed to keep a secret. I doubt you ever could do that. Listen, Lily, have you ever been told a secret?" He asks.