Ripped - Hunger Games Fan Fiction

Amazing - Chapter 17

“YOU LOOK MAGNIFICENT!” Tatiana exclaims.

“Thank you, I wouldn’t without Valeria though,” I say and Valeria somewhat blushes, but I can’t really see with all of her make up on.

“I will see you tonight,” Valeria says hugging me.

“Thank you so much,”

“Don’t mention it, I’m glad I could help,” She says, walking out the door with someone else who I wasn’t introduced to.

“Well, let’s go, we don’t want to be late,” Tatiana says ushering me out the door, into a black car.

I don’t talk the whole way there I can’t find anything to say.

“I hope you’re not like this on stage. Won’t be a very exciting reunion,” Tatiana exclaims.

“I won’t be,” I mumble.

“Good. Because we are here,” She says and my heart jumps.

“Oh god,” I whisper.

“You will be fine,” She says slapping my shoulder.

“I know, I know,” I mutter.

I get ushered down to a place under the stage. It’s pretty dark and I can’t see a lot, just things extremely close to me. Someone walks up behind me and taps my shoulder. I turn around slowly and look straight into Valeria’s eyes.

“Tatiana is out in the audience, I am going to guide you here, I won’t be coming up with you though,”

“Coming up?”

“Like in the arena, a pedestal rises up onto the stage. Cato will rise up first and his prep team will rise up with you. They’ll go up first, and then you’ll be right behind them, he’ll make his way, greeting them and then finally getting to you,” She says and I try to take it all in.

“Okay, I think I got it. So his prep team are coming here?” I ask.

“Yes, they are on their way now. Cato is on the other side of that wall,” She says, pointing to a wall that looks like it was made this morning.

“Can’t he hear us then?”

“No, it’s soundproof,” She says in a low voice.

We hear footsteps and we both turn around simultaneously to find who I assume is Cato’s prep team.

“You must be Emerald!” they squeak rushing over to me and hugging me.

“We’ve heard all about you,”

“He didn’t stop talking about you,”

“He loves you so much, he kept telling us,”

They all overwhelm me with comments. I stand there and just look at them all. They’re even more different than the people I saw on the street. One has slightly blue skin with bright purple hair.

I hear the audience cheering and I assume Cato has gone up.

“Alright, the prep team is going up first, so you guys get up onto the pedestal,” she says, pulling them up, “Then you will go up on your own, make it more special,” She says smiling.

“Okay. I just want to get p there,” I say slightly jumping.

“I bet you do,” She says while walking over to the pedestal, “Follow me,” She says waving me over. I do as she says and walk behind her.

“The audience erupts in cheers as the prep team rise up out of this dark space.

“Nearly your turn,” she says, rubbing my back.

I pull on the hem of my dress.

“Don’t forget to smile to the audience,”

“I won’t be able to stop smiling,”

“That’s good. Alright, your turn,”

As soon as I start rising, I can see the crowd and they are all cheering, obviously hasn’t stopped since Cato had risen up.

“Shh, there is one more person I would like you to say hello to,” Ceaser says.

“Who would that be?” Cato asks.

By this time, I’m fully on stage now and walking towards him, tears forming in my eyes.

“Turn around,” Ceaser says and Cato turns around.

I run up to him and jump into his arms.

“I missed you so much,” He whispers in my ear.

I wipe my eyes and clutch him to me tightly.

“I missed you too,” I say laughing/crying into his shoulder.

He pulls back and holds me at arms length and then crushes his lips to mine.

Ceaser clears his throat and we look over to him and chuckle.

“Come and take a seat,” He says, patting the couch next to him.

I wrap my arm around Cato’s waist and he puts an arm around my shoulders.

“I love you,” He whispers in my ear,

I turn my head and smile up at him, “I love you too,” I say and he tightens his arm.

“So Emerald,” Ceaser starts, “How was watching the games, knowing Cato was in them?

“Watching them was terrible, I couldn’t watch him killing people, it wasn’t my Cato,” I say and he takes my other hand.

“How were the games from your perspective Cato? Knowing Emerald was back in District 2,” He asks and Cato sighs.

“Horrible, The Games weren’t all that bad, but then as soon as I thought about Emerald, it got a whole lot worse,” He says, looking straight into my eyes.

“How did you both get through it?” Ceaser asks.

“You go,” Cato says.

“Okay, well, I had my best friend stay with me for pretty much the whole time, from the parade to yesterday,” I say and the audience sighs, “Yeah, she’s a pretty good friend,”

“Julia right?” Cato asks

“Yep,”

“Well, what about you Cato. How did you cope?”

“Just keeping focused, not making stupid little mistakes that could cost me my life,” He says.

“Well that worked for you. Let’s have a look at some of the highlights, actually, before we do, what did you think about Glimmer, Emerald?”

I scoff at the name,

“I will admit it, I did get a bit jealous and angry at her in some parts,” I say, blushing.

“That’s sweet. Cato? Anything to add?”

“She kept bugging me, it was like she believed we could be together. I woke up several times and she was resting on my arm or clinging onto me, I just gave up,” He says and every chuckles, including me.

I lean into him and he hugs me.

“Let’s watch some of the games then,” Ceaser says and I breathe in deeply, the first time it was hell, it’s going to be worse now.