OLD VERSION: Little Sister: A Cashmere Story

Chapter 9

We step out onto the platform, and Velvet runs over to me. "Cashmere! I missed you!" I hug her, but I feel horrible, thinking about the prostitution. I have to tell her, but now isn't the time or place. I just got back, it'll have to wait. I spot my mother, and I run over to her. She hugs me tightly. "I missed you, darling." I'm terrified to return to the Capitol, when I have to sell my body. I'm only 16! After I finish at the train station, I return home. I don't get a new house, since I already lived here prior. I sit on my bed, thinking about everything that happened. I want to cry, but I don't. A few days pass, and I'm already wanted in the Capitol. Great! I throw on a spaghetti-strapped gold dress that goes down to the middle of my thighs. I leave my hair down. I board the train to the Capitol. Gloss was also wanted. "How long will I have to stay?" I ask him. "A few days." He answers. We arrive in a few hours. I go to the address I'm given, and knock on the door. An older man answers. Dear god, this is going to be awful. I put on a fake smile, and just try to get this over with. "Hello Cashmere." The man says. His voice is so annoying. He's pretty ugly, honestly. I have to have sex with him? I walk into the house. It's a pretty nice house. A mix of sky blue and bright green color the house. He brings me to his bedroom, and we start getting undressed. God, I'm not ready to do this. He pulls me over to the bed and then he starts kissing me. Even kissing Archer was better than this. When we actually start, it's terrible, I hate every second of this. I hate him, I hate this. I suddenly feel bad for Gloss, he's had to do this for a whole year. But he'd be used to it, wouldn't he? In the morning, I throw on my clothes and leave the house. I have another customer the next day, but it wasn't nearly as bad, he was actually kind of attractive. I'm relieved when we finally get to go home. I stay silent for most of the way back. Gloss notices I've been terribly quiet. "What's wrong Cashmere?" I finally speak up. "This is horrible." He puts an arm around me and sighs. "I know." I try not to cry. I just want for all of this to be over. I wish the games never happened. Over the next 6 months, I get more customers. As much as I hate it, I start to get more used to it. The victory tour wasn't too bad, but the people in the districts stared at me coldly, and District 8 was definitely the hardest. I found it hard to avoid Amora's painful gaze. I was relieved when I returned home. Velvet and Gloss started dating around the time of the 65th Hunger Games, and I'm happy for them. I haven't found anyone for me yet, but I will one day. Maybe things will get better.

*11 years later*
Me, mom, Gloss, and Velvet sit in the living room, waiting for the Quarter Quell announcement. Velvet and Gloss are married, and Velvet announced she's pregnant! Finally, President Snow steps up to the podium, and a boy arrive with a small wooden box. Snow opens the box, and takes the envelope inside. "On the 25th anniversary, for rebels to remember that their children are dying because their parents chose to start the violence, each district will vote to choose the tributes that represent them." I can't imagine someone voting you in the games. Must have been awful. "On the 50th anniversary, so that no one will forget that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, each district must send twice the number of tributes." "On the 75th anniversary, so that the rebels do not forget that even the strongest can not overcome the power of the Capitol,  the male and female tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors."