"elowen, if you say those three words again i swear i will put an axe through your skull."
"go to sleep, johanna."
╰┈➤ In which Elowen North of District Seven, dealing with fresh trauma from her Hunger Games, falls in love with Seven's other feisty...
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Aeneas finds Johanna and I wrapped in each other's arms in the morning. He looks puzzled but doesn't comment, which I'm grateful for.
"Up, up, you two," the neon-haired escort chimes. "Fifteen minutes."
I press my hands against my eyes. Johanna smacks me with a pillow, making me yelp. "Get up, scaredy-cat. I don't want to be late because of you." She doesn't mention the kiss.
I groan. "You can use the bathroom first. I'll be a few minutes." Johanna throws the pillow at my face.
"Oww," I complain exaggeratedly.
"Scaredy-cat," says Johanna before closing the bathroom door.
I press sleep from my eyes, and head to the connecting bathroom in my own room. I take a cold shower, making sure to program the complex Capitol shower carefully. I brush my teeth with an electric-powered toothbrush, much unlike the rough, heavily-bristled wooden things used for oral hygiene in District Seven.
An outfit is already lain out for me in my room. It's a loose brown shirt and black pants made of a soft, smooth material I have no name for.
I decide to check on Rowan as well, and find her in her room. She is dressed in the training outfit for this year's tributes, a fitted, black and navy sports shirt and pants with the tribute's district number on the back and sides of the shirt, and on both of the flap pockets on the sides of the pants.
"Good morning, little redhead," I say, using the nickname inspired by another meaning of Rowan's name, which is literally "little redhead".
"Hey, Low," Rowan replies, nervousness in her voice.
"Let me help with your hair," I insist, starting to work my sister's red hair into a single long braid. Just as I did the night before the reaping.
When I'm finished, I say, "Remember the plan."
"I know. Thanks," Rowan says, exiting the bathroom.
-
Breakfast is rushed, and I have to force myself to take tiny bites of food. It all sticks in my throat.
Rowan and Jude, both wearing the same training outfits, are to walk down to the training centre by themselves. I pointed out that since they are both on the younger side, it would make them look weak to have Johanna and I walk them down to training, especially with Jude's incident during the parade.
"Rowan," I say just before she has to leave. Rowan walks towards me, her head tilted slightly to the side in question.
I hold out my hand, and Rowan gasps when she sees the precious wooden locket I hold.
I shush her. "I remembered them from the house before we left. Your district token."
The lockets I hold look simple and unembellished, but are dear to my sister and I. They are made of coarse wood that smell of the woods in District Seven, and are connected to a worn piece of rope that make them into a necklace. The wood is unpolished and carved into a rough heart shape.
