Burning Desires

Chapter 5

The shower feels cool against my warm skin. I lean on the side of the shower, letting the cool water run down my naked body. I hadn't realized how hot I'd been until I had stripped down from the ridiculous get up I had to wear for the tribute parade. I rub soap up and down my body, ridding it from the shimmering powder that Xia so ferociously caked onto my body. I watch as the water changes to a bronzy color as it melds with the powder. My hair hangs over my face, the aqua colored dye dripping off my head to the floor of the shower. I turn the steady stream of water down, slowly turning off the stream.

I climb out of the shower and onto a fuzzy lilac rug in front of the shower. To my surprise, the mat begins to blow hot air up my body, drying me off. In a matter of minutes, my whole body is completely free from water. I walk towards the large mirror on the wall. I stare at my reflection. I have my normal hair back, and my body is free from excessive shine. But, at the same time, it feels weird to see me looking so raw. It feels as if something has changed. I sigh.

My life will never be the same because of the games. But, I never realized that I would change so fast. I hear a knocking at my door. "Shit" I say to myself "I took too long"

"Coming!" I called, rushing out of the bathroom.

"It's me" I hear Pearl's voice call back "Can I come in?"

"I'm naked!" I call back, with a fake tone of offense.

"Oh, who cares? I know what you look like" Pearl says "Just let me in!"

I laugh and walk over to the door. I cheesily cover myself up with my hand and swing open to the door. I am greeted by a smug faced Pearl. "You're ridiculous, you know that?" she says to me.

"That's my goal" I wink at her.

She smiles, walking into the room and closing the door behind her. I turn towards the large closet as Pearl sits behind me on my bed. As I slip on a pair of underwear, Pearl looks at me contemplatively and says "You good?"

"Yeah" I respond, flipping through the thousands of hangers in the closet "Why?"

"You have a sort of melancholy look on your face" Pearl shrugs her shoulders "It just didn't seem like you"

"Well, I don't really feel like myself today" I respond "I feel... different"

"What do you mean?" Pearl asks, her brows furrowing up in confusion.

"I don't know" I say, picking out a tight pink crochet sweater from the closet "It's just, I feel like I've changed. Like something about me has just gotten up and left my body"

Pearl gets up off the bed and walks over to me. She rests her hands on my shoulders and looks me in the eye, as if she were about to give me a pep talk. "Nothing will ever change who you are" she says, her green eyes staring into me with overwhelming amounts of intensity "Nothing. Got that?"

I smile at her "Got it"

She smiles, before looking down at the floor. "Oh!" she says, bending down and picking up a pair of canary yellow skinny jeans.

"You should totally wear these!" she says, thrusting the jeans into my arms.

I look down at them. They looked absolutely ridiculous. But, for some reason, they made me feel happy. I smile. "I guess I'll wear them" I say, faking a tone of regret.

Pearl laughs. "Don't worry, they'll look great on you" she slaps my butt "Plus, your ass will look great!"

We both laugh. I slip on the jeans and pose in the most exaggerated fashion. "How do I look?" I ask jokingly.