Melting Ice

Chapter 18

Kayla

"Oh my god it's so cold!", I shivered as Xander and I were walking along the beach.

"Oh, um...here", he awkwardly says, throwing one arm around me, "Better?".

Although it wasn't, I said,"Yeah, thanks", after a long silence, I picked up the conversation again, "Woah, look at all the fish!", I say pointing at the rock pools. We run over to them and crouch down.

"So many colours...", whispers Xander.

"It's beautiful!", I gasp.

"Not as beautiful as-", CRASH! A wave hitting me right in the face, cutting of Xander sentence. The salt water stings my eyes as I try to regain focus.

"Oh god, I better I look awful!", I cry.

"No, no you don't", he says calmly. I giggle slightly at this. "Here, let me help you up", he offers reaching for my hand. As soon as our hands touch, I feel a spark inside of me, a burning feeling in my cheeks, but I like it.

As I stand, my foot gets caught on the rock, sending me back down. I end up on Xander's lap! Oh my god!

"Are you alright?", he asks checking for bruises on my arms a face.

"I should be asking you the same!", I giggle, blushing slightly.

"Nah, your as light as a feather", Xander tells me. We sit there for a few seconds in complete silence, "Now what?". Clearly, I wanted to kiss him. I really like him but, I don't know how. Instead at first, I get lost in his eyes and without knowing it fully, I'm leaning closer and closer to his lips. Xander does the same so our lips touch gently. My heart pumps incredibly hard in my chest and my stomach erupts with butterflies. This...is...amazing. I feel as if everything I have ever felt has been released into the air, making me free, like a bird. My first kiss!

When we pull apart, our jaws drop and break out laughing.

"Woah", he gasps.

"What does this mean?", I mean.

"I don't know! Would you...er, um like to be my...girlfriend?", Xander asks.

"Yes!", I laugh hugging him.

6pm

"Open your eyes", Clove says, just like they did in the Capitol. A full length mirror is before me and shows my reflection but it doesn't look like me! It shows me a young, beautiful women in a beautiful dress and heels.

"Woah!", I gasp trying to walk I heels, "It's perfect!". I still can't believe that it's me in the mirror.

"So you had your first kiss?", Clove asks unexpectedly.

Crimson builds up in my cheeks, "How did you know?".

"I saw it. I was gonna find out sometime", she says.

"How?".

"I'm your big sister, I know you very well. You start picking your nails when your nervous, you hate milk on it's own and you like like Xander".

"Yeah but that's obvious", I argue.

"You haven't cried since my games". The...games! Anger builds up inside me, I feel the wave of memories wash over me, the whips come down...

"Now, your going to be a good girl and tell us everything", he hisses in my ear.

"I-I don't know where she is!", I cry.

"Liar!", he yells bringing the whip onto my bare body.

"Ouch!", I scream but never crying. That's what they want, they want me to suffer, that's all they want and if I don't show them pain then I'm not a part of there games. The games! Bri...my only real friend is dead.

"Kayla!", Bri cries, "Duck!". Without thinking about it I draw out a knife and duck. I feel the air rush over me as something hits the ground. But it wasn't the ground because a cannon went off really near. Checking my surroundings, I get up and call of Bri...nothing.

"Bri! Brianna!", I shout, "Stop messing, someone just-". There in front of me lays the body of my best friend with a spear sticking out. Her golden blonde drapes over her shoulders and her-what was tanned- skin is cut and bleeding. Bri's diamond blue eyes stare back at me but show no emotion.

"No, no, no!", I scream into the air. I refuse not to cry but I scream my heart out until her body is taken and I ache.

"Kayla!", someone calls, "Your okay, look at me!".

"I'm Kayla Kentwell and, and I'm 13. I-I live in 13 with Clove, my sister", I whisper into her arms when I release it was all vision.

"It was so bad!", I tell her, "I'm so scared".

"It's okay, I'm here", she soothes which always really helps.

I stay with Clove until Xander comes in, telling us Cato wants to go. A smile creeps up on his face when he sees me.

"You look pretty", he tells me as we are walking out the house.

I giggle slightly, "Thank you. You look great!". Don't judge me, what am I supposed to call him? Voluptuous? He doesn't fit that category. Awkwardly, I move my hand closer to his so occasionally our hands bump. Jeez, just hold my hand! Once again, I "accidentally" touch his hand only this time I grab his hand gently and wrap his fingers around mine.