Gale Hawthorne X Reader -The World Has Caught Fire-

Chapter 9: The Announcement

Y/n's POV

(a week later)

I wake up with the glistening sun on my face. Even though it's freezing outside, the sun still manages to wake me up every morning. I get out of bed and get in the shower. As I shower I think about the announcement, it's gonna be later today. I get out, change into clean clothes, and go downstairs. 

I talk to my mom about how I very much don't want to be a mentor in the games. She understands and tells me that it won't last too long and it'll be okay. About 5 hours later I go over to Haymitch's to check in on him. When I walk in I see him asleep on his table, knife in hand and a half-full bottle of white liquor sitting next to him. I roll my eyes at his drunkenness but go over to him and wake him up. He told me to wake him before the announcement aired.

"Haymitch. Wake up, the announcement is in 15" I say and shake his shoulder "C'mon, don't you want to be awake and sober enough to even know what the announcement is?" He's still out like a light. I see a pitcher of ice water and dump it on him. He jumps awake and swings his knife at me, he realizes it's just me and puts it down.

"Why did you wake me?" He said

"You told me too. Remember? Or were you just drunk when you said that?"

"Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Anyway, thanks I guess" I picked up the bottle of white liquor and smell it, the smell makes me dizzy.

"Ugh, how do you even drink this stuff?" I ask

"How do you not? It's horrible but you get used to it, and it makes everything seem to just...disappear, your problems anyway. I'm surprised you haven't turned to it yet, you know in your condition and all"

"My condition? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Face it, sweetheart, you're messed up after the games. You have PTSD, you wake up at least 4 times a week screaming, you get flashbacks even after seven months, and some days you don't even get out of bed. That's what I mean by 'your condition' Anyone with two eyes can see it, but you're just too scared to admit it. I see it, Gale sees it, your mother sees it, Peeta sees it, everyone you know, they all know you're messed up" I roll my eyes

"You're wrong. I don't need to turn to alcohol to drown out my problems, I'm perfectly fine." I say, but I'm lying, Haymitch is right about 'my condition' every word he said was true. And to be honest, maybe it would be nice to just forget everything for a while, I was tempted to grab the bottle and walk out of there but I couldn't. I can't be like Haymitch.

"Okay, whatever, sweetheart. You keep telling yourself that"

"I will. Because it's true. Take a bath" I say and walk out of there. I think about what Haymitch said. I'm not messed up. I think. I'm 100 percent fine. If I keep telling myself I'm fine, then eventually I will be. Right?

I walk in and drink some water to clear my head. The announcement is in like 5 minutes so my mother and I are sitting in the living room waiting. The tv turns to Caesar Flickerman and he's talking about this year's hunger games, and Gale and I, and our wedding, and everything like that. The results are finally in, and the dress that got chosen was, of course, the longest, tightest around the waist, and hardest one to breath and move in.

"Wow, this is awesome," I say sarcastically

"Oh, dang it. I'm sorry sweetie" my mom says

"Of course, it's the one I was praying it wouldn't be. Hey, how long do weddings last?"

"About like 3 to 6 hours,"

"Ugh, I'll probably pass out or something for the lack of breathing" We keep watching. President Snow comes out and a little boy who follows him is holding a box with envelopes in it. Each envelope has a different twist for each Quarter Quell. He explained again why we have the games, and what each Quarter Quell has been, then he picks up an envelope, slowly opens it, and then reads it out loud.