The 37th Hunger Games: The Beauty of a Pearl

Chapter Four

The water runs down my bare back, each drop soothing my skin. I have been in the shower for at least twenty minutes now, but I don't care. My legs had gotten tired of standing so I sit on the cold floor, hugging my knees. The others are watching the recap of the reapings, but I don't care about that. I'll figure out who the other tributes are later. I run my fingers over the bracelet my father had given me. I will never take it off. So many thoughts whir around my head. Damian and I dated two years ago, and I really thought we had something special, something irreplaceable. But then last year he was drawn for the Games. I stayed faithful and I watched every single second of them, no matter how much it tortured me. But then my heart shattered. He had formed a relationship with the girl from District 2. I couldn't believe that some girl he had known for barely a week could steal him away from me, that his love for her could really triumph over ours. The day Damian arrived home, he had raced over to me and hugged me and told me he loved me. I just pushed him away. I didn't need his crap.

I hang my head and my heart sobs. I haven't seen him since that day, and now suddenly seeing him and realising that he will be my mentor is just too much. The water streams down over me, masking my tears. I hate him for what he did to me, I really do. But I miss him. I miss the love we shared. A loud knock on the door interrupts my thoughts and I quickly rush out of the shower and cover myself in a towel.

"Don't come in you pervert!" I yell, knowing that it must be Damian.

I can hear Damain laughing from the other side of the door. Everything he says and does pisses me off.

"I thought you were drowning yourself in there or something." 

"Oh like you'd give a shit anyway. What do you want?" I spit out at him.

I turn off the shower and tighten my towel around my dripping wet body. Suddenly the door pushes opened and I step back.

"I could have been naked!" I protest, hitting him on the arm.

Damian laughs in that cute way that can make your heart melt. I look away. The last thing I need is to fall in love with him. 

"Well, you're not naked, are you?" He sighs and his tone becomes more serious. "You can't go on hating me like this Ariana, I am going to be your mentor after all, which means you'll have to see me and speak to me everyday. 

"Oh joy." I mutter as I walk into my room, picking out a shirt and pair of jeans from my closet before sitting down on my bed. 

"You know what? Don't worry about me hating you. I'm sure you could always make friends with this year's girl from District 2. They do seem to be your type."

Damian frowns at me and sits down next to me, ignoring my glare at him.

"You really think I loved her? Three days. Do you really think I could have fallen in love with someone and forgotten you in three days? My mentor made me pretend to be in love with her. The Capitol thrives on romance. They said that if I developed a romance with someone I would get heaps of sponsors. I was scared Ariana, I was scared that I wouldn't make it. All I wanted was to come home to you."

He holds my hand and stared in my eyes. For a moment I stare back, his deep green eyes drawing me in. But then I look away and throw down his hand. I can't believe I was fooled by his act for even a second. I frown at him.

"Yeah, well you may have come home, but you don't get me back. I could never do that you. I waited for you Damian. I watched that darn television everyday hoping that you would be safe, but doing that killed me inside because you were with someone else. I couldn't sleep and I wouldn't eat. You ruined me Damian. Just get out of my room."