imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

t h i r t y - s i x

Katniss,

I'm sorry we didn't get to say good-bye. The king seemed to think it would be safest for the families to leave as soon as possible. We tried to get to you, I promise. It just didn't happen.

I wanted to let you know we got home safely. The king let us keep our clothes, and Prim is spending every spare moment in those dresses. I suspect she's secretly hoping she never grows another inch so she can use her ball gown at her wedding. It really lifts her spirits. I'm not sure I'll ever forgive the royal family for making you guys watch that firsthand, but you know how resilient Prim is. It's you I'm worried about.

Maybe this isn't the right thing to say, but I want you to know: when you ran for the stage, I've never been so proud of you in my life. You've always been a fighter, a beautiful and talented one. And now I know that your moral compass is perfectly aligned and you see clearly when things are wrong and do everything you can to stop it. As a mother, I can't ask for more.

I love you, Katniss.

Mom

I sigh in surprise. I never thought Mom would say something like that to me, much less that she'd be proud of me for what I did.

The Elite are given the option of eating in their rooms, and I take it. I'm not ready to see Peeta yet. By the afternoon I'm a bit more put together and decide to go down to the Women's Room for a little while. If nothing else, there's at least a television, and I can stand to be distracted.

The girls seem surprised when I walk in, which I guess is to be expected. I do tend to hide from time to time, and if there is ever a good moment to do that, it would be now. Glimmer lounges on a couch, flipping through a magazine. Even her presence irritates me today.

Delly and Esim sit at a table drinking tea and talking as Nina stands in the back, looking out a window.

"Oh, look," Glimmer says to no one in particular. "Here's another one of my ads." The idea of her flipping through her modeling pictures of herself irritates me more.

I wander over to sit with Delly and Esim.

"How are you doing?" Esim asks sympathetically.

"I'm fine. It's Clove I'm worried about."

"At least they're together. They'll make it as long as they have each other," Delly comments.

"How do you know Clove and Cato are together?"

"Peeta told me," she replies, as if it's common knowledge.

"Oh," I say, disappointed.

"I can't believe he didn't tell you, off all people. You and Clove were so close. Besides, you're his favorite right?" she says.

I glance at Delly, then at Esim. They both carry a look of concern in their eyes but also maybe a sense of relief.

Glimme laughs. "She's obviously not anymore," she mutters, not bothering to look up from her magazine. Clearly, my fall is to be expected.

I change the subject back to Clove. "I still can't believe Peeta put them through that. It was disturbing how calm he was about it."

"But what she did was wrong," Nina remarks. There's nothing judgmental about her tone, only a quiet acceptance, like she's following instructions.

Esim speaks up. "He could have had them killed. The law is on his side in that one. He showed them mercy."

"Mercy?" I scoff. "You call having your skin torn apart in public merciful?"