OLD VERSION - Fangs (An Enobaria Story)

Chapter 16

Picture: Iris Abbot
*Ashton POV*
I see her make her way to the front, blood drained from her face, fist clenched at her side. Why is no one volunteering? She stands next to Ira. "Volunteers?" No one steps forward. She looks at me, her soft gray eyes glossy with tears. I wish it didn't have to be her, I wish it was anyone but her. "Wonderful!" Ira exclaims. She walks over to the boys bowl. "Ashton Abbot!" Why me? I start to panic. It can't be us together. As I make my way to the front, I hear James yelling. "I volunteer as tribute!" He yells, running to the front. "What's your name dear?" "James Clemonte." After the anthem plays, they're taken into the Justice Building. I visit Iris with my parents. She instantly gets up and runs into my arms when she sees me. "You're going to be okay," I begin. "Enobaria will get you sponsors, make them like you, dont trust anyone, you can do this, I love you." She hugs me again, before going to my parents. "Time's up!" She refuses to let go, so a peacekeeper grabs my shoulder and drags me out of the room, and I decide to visit James. "You didn't have to volunteer." He takes my hand. "Of course I did! I couldn't let you go into the arena with Iris!" "I'll protect her, don't worry." I instantly feel relieved. After I leave him, I go home with my parents. Enobaria comes up to me. "Protect her." "I will." I kiss her, and she leaves with the others for the Capitol.
*Enobaria POV*
I sit in the train with the others, Iris, James, and Manuel. Manuel won the 59th Hunger Games. He has blonde hair and black eyes. He was assigned mentoring this year. We gather to watch the other reapings. Gloss and Amethyst in District 1. James and Iris  in District 2. Andy and Maeve in District 3. Jay and Marin in District 4. Anthony and Enid in District 5. Edgar and Queenie in District 6. Tatum and Zadie in District 7. Kai and Zahara in District 8. Jerry And Antonia in District 9. Pascal and Arabella in District 10. Edward and Genevieve in District 11. Mark and Maisie in District 12. Gloss, I recognize. The son of a victor. His mother is Amber Grandine, who won the 34th Hunger Games. I have to get Iris out the arena, for Ashton. I don't know how I feel about James volunteering. I don't want Ashton in the arena with Iris, but his best friend? I have to save Iris, but what happens to James? He's Ashton's best friend. I can't save them both. After the reapings, James pulls me aside to talk. "Please put Iris first, I don't care if that means I die." He walks away. I walk into my room, and state blankly into space. She doesn't deserve this. I lay down, and drift off to sleep. Even after a year, the nightmares never went away, and I don't think they ever will. I fall asleep again. After we arrive in the Capitol, Iris and James are handed over to their prep teams, and I'm taken to where the other mentors are. The other mentors exchange some conversation, but the mentor for 12, Haymitch, sits away from the group, drink in hand. I talk some with the mentors from 1, before we're taken to the chariots. Iris and James are dressed in silver armor. Iris looks older, more mature. I don't want this for her, I wouldn't want this for anyone. I give her a hug. "You look beautiful." She looks down, but smiles. "Thank you." The tributes all mount the chariots. Iris and James wave and smile to the audience. The cheers are roaring for District 1. Probably because the son of a victor is a tribute this year. District 12 is last, in terrible coal miner outfits. Maisie smiles and waves, while Mark looks straight ahead. Neither of them are very tough looking. I'm sure James could easily snap their necks like twigs. After the parade, we meet Iris and James at the chariots again. "You did great." I tell them. Iris smiles shyly. She was always shy. I don't know if she could kill someone if she had too. But she has James and the others. She'll be okay. At least I keep telling myself that. She gets an 8 on her private session, and James scores a 10. Impressive. Gloss and Amethyst both score a 10. Jay gets a 9 while Marin scores a 7. Well, at least she tried. The others all average around a 6. Queenie from 6 gets an unusually high score, an 8. She looks so scrawny, you wouldn't except it. The next day, it's interviews. Ophelia spent all day getting Iris ready. I walk in to her wearing a beautiful baby blue gown, fitted until her waist, then flairing out, her hair tied into pigtails. She looks so much younger, more like 8 than 13. She's beautiful. I hug her. "You look beautiful. You can do this." "Thanks." She responds shyly. In her interview, she talks about Ashton, and her life back home, even mentioning I'm Ashton's girlfriend. "Iris Abbot, District 2!" After Mark finishes, we head back to the tribute center. We have to say our goodbyes now. "Enobaria, promise me that if I die, you'll look after Ashton." I nod "I will. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."