The 100th Annual Hunger Games

Balcony

"Did you know about this?!" I ran to her the moment my eyes landed on her.

Ash paled, and for the first time I'd seen her, she looked a bit frightened.

Disbelief and disgust worked it's way through me.
"Is that why you chose me?! Because of him?!!" I hissed.

Ash shook her head. "Have you been to the balcony yet?"

"The what?" The odd question caught me off guard.

"I'll show you." And without another word, Ash pulled me back through the main chariot area, past all the carriages and horses and tributes.

She dragged me up a staircase and to a balcony that overlooked all the tributes in their gaudy finery.

Her elongated eyelashes were a shimmering green, and got tangled in the breeze.

"Why did you bring me up here?" I asked, my former anger calmed by the cool wind on my cheeks, sending me back to the one place I was happy and alone, in the highest trees, out of sight, the branches underneath me dancing in the gust.

"There's no cameras." She whispered.

"How would you know?" I snarked, fingering the itchy lace sleeve's hem.

"Trust me, anyway. When I was pulled aside, weeks before the reaping. I was caught doing something I shouldn't have. The peacekeeper who caught me doing it told me for my crimes, I'd have to make sure of one thing.
Which was to bring you into the games.
They threatened my family . . ." She paused and shuddered. "I don't know why they wanted you here, or how they made sure I was in the games itself, but I had to do as I was told, or else."

"I think I could answer part of your question." Both of us turned our heads to the staircase behind us.

Wesley stood, twigs formed like a crown resting on his brow, entangled in his messy blond hair.

"Which part?" Ash asked, her eyes drifting to the space below them.

"Think about it. The Hunger Games are getting bland. More and more twists will occur, but that's not all. In the districts, there have been rumors between the mayors. They want things to change."

"We tried that and lost remember, they killed the whole district again, district thirteen. As well as every victor since." Ash protested. "And that doesn't answer why Juniper specifically was brought."

Wesley shifted his weight, "I was talking to some of the other mayor kids, and all I've spoken to have confirmed my suspicions.
Every tribute that was selected, had some sort of attachment or entanglement with the mayors child sent."

Ash glanced between us. "Soo, that means. . . . You two . . ."

Wesley flushed, which made me smirk at his discomfort.

"Every person in this game was preselected right, but what about volunteered tributes?" I asked, steering the topic back on track.

Wesley and Ash shrugged.

The anthem blared in our ears again, and we hurriedly raced back to our chariot.

I grumbled when I saw Aiofe making his way towards us.
"Chin up, smile darlings, they're going to adore you!"

  I saw Wesley roll his eyes out of the corner of my own, and climbed aboard, ignoring his outstretched arm and gathering this ridiculous dress myself.