The Star-Crossed Lovers from District 12 (Wattys Finalist 2013)

Chapter 8

A million questions stream through my mind. Why? Why me? I hoped my face didn’t look stupid. I’m pretty sure I still have the same facial expression. “Why don’t I let you sleep on it and you can give me your answer in three days, okay,” she says. She walks away and has a Peacekeeper escort onto a hovercraft. Gone. I feel hands go onto my shoulders. I turn around to see Gale.

“You found out didn’t you?” he asks. I just nod my head. “They asked me to be an announcer during the games. I said no,” he says. He gives me a hug. “It’s all up to you from here on out.” Then he leaves to go back to the Capitol with Claudia. I see Peeta walking towards me. “What was all that about?” he asks suspiciously. I just go into his arms. “I’ll tell you when we get home,” I say. Once everyone leaves we walk home hand in hand. We both needed a shower badly. Peeta decided to take a shower in the basement while I took one in our bathroom. When I got out I put on my pajamas and braided my hair down my back. When I put my arms down from braiding my hair I saw my wedding ring in the mirror and it made me realize that I’m no longer a Everdeen but a Mellark. I smile. Peeta comes into the bathroom with his pajamas on.

“How’s my Mrs. Mellark?” he asks. He gives me a kiss on the cheek.

 “Happy,” I respond. I put my arms around his neck.

“So what happened with you and Paylor?” he asks. I take my arms off his neck and leave the bathroom. I go and sit down on our bed. His face is filled with worry. He comes and sits next to me and folds his hands. “What’s wrong?” he asks with sorrow in his voice.

“You’ll find out one way or another,” I say.

“What?” he asks in a worried voice.

“Remember when we voted to see if there was going to be a Capitol citizen Hunger Games?” I ask.

“Please don’t tell me that they are going to have one,” he says. I nod my head. He gets up and begins to pace. He closes his eyes, probably trying to fight flashbacks.

“It gets a lot worse,” I say trying not to make eye contact with him.

“The only thing that could make that worse is if they wanted us or someone we know to host it or something,” he says. I don’t respond. He stops pacing and drops to his knees right in front of me. I look right into his light blue tear filled eyes.

“Please don’t tell me that they want us or someone we know to host it,” he says. I nod my head. He pounds his fists on the floor.

“Who?” he asks.

“She asked Gale to be an announcer, but he said no,” I say.

“Is that it or is there more people?” he asks. He looks me right in the eyes again. I can’t keep it in any longer.

“She……also asked me….to be the…..Head Gamemaker,” I say. He gets up and pounds his fists on the wall. He puts his hands up against the wall to steady himself. Tears begin to run down his face. I walk over there and wrap my arms around him and I put my head on his back.

“Did you say yes?” he asks.

“I didn’t give her an answer. She told me I have three days to give her one,” I say.

“Are you going to do it?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” I say.

“You’re actually thinking about doing it?” he asks while turning around. I wipe away his tears away with my thumb. He puts his arms around my waist.

“I might do it so they can get a taste of their own medicine. Plus it’s not like it’s going to go on for seventy five years. It will be for one year only,” I say. “But I’m not going to make any decision unless you are on board in case I decide to do it,” I say.