Horizons.

Horizons - Chapter 3 - Gathering.

"Oh okay... of that's how you wanna play it" He says. 

"It is" I nod in satisfaction. 

"Are you telling everyone at lunch then ?" 

"Yes.. I think we're gonna mention it casually, do you reckon that'll be okay?" I ask concern playing on me, they're bound to be upset. 

"Yeah I guess they're going to want to find out before you tell people at mentor's speeches tommorow ?" He says. 

"Yes I thi-" but I'm cut off by a knock at the door, Louis nods me through to the dining room as he goes to awnser it.

I spot Harry on the other side of the room but I've been cornered by Hanna,Beth, Sabrina and my mum and dad. The girls pull me into a hug. 

"It feel like we haven't seen you in ages!" exclaims Sabrina. 

"Yeah why didn't you come to the square with us yesterday ?" Says Hanna. 

"I was emm" I look at my parents, shit they're still here. 

"Well ?" says Sabrina.

"I was hunting" I wince waiting for the verbal ambush.

"Flora, I told you,you shouldn't hunt in your condition especially now, you should list-" Starts my mum, I close my eyes and block her out. 

"But Mum, hunting is fun, especially with dad, I caught my first deer the other day Flora!" I hear Ox and open my eyes smiling at him. 

"Ahh did you Oxy ? you'll be better than me in no time" I laugh completely blocking out my mum's comments, but I know I'll get it in the ear anyway next time I go for a check up. I catch Harry's eye and he heads over as Mum rolls her eyes and Dad grins at me and they move on, Harry ruffles Ox's hair on the way past, Ox always comes to see us, I think Harry more so than me, he really looks up to him. I'm scared for him though, his 9th birthday was a few weeks ago and in a couple of years, he'll have to try his chances in the reaping. 

He hands me a drink and I take a sip greatfully as Louis comes back through and ushers us all to the table, I'm sat with Harry on one side and Lou on the other opposite my dad, my mum's next to him and she glares at me but I just smile back at her, I love having them back and everything but just because I'm not 18 doesn't mean I'm a child, I went through more than they could imagine while they were in the Capitol, I've grown up way too quickly.

As they serve the food I'm probably drooling , I never knew sophie was such a good cook, Sophie and Lou together seems like a pretty winning formula actually, as we all dig in there's murmers of appreciation and everybody joins in conversation but I'm wondering when the right moment will be to mention it.

I look at Harry meaningfully but he looks cluelessly back at me, he moves his head gesturing for me to whisper to him but it would look really suspicious, besides it can wait. As we finish people start to get up and help clear plates before dessert, I move over in my chair tucking stray curls behind his ear. 

"Should we tell them now ?" I say moving back and looking at him. 

"It's as good a time as any" he murmers, I notice Louis is looking at us as him and Sophie bring in dessert. Everybody starts to eat and I leave it to Harry to bring it up. 

"We got a letter from snow yesterday" he says as casually as possible, but that brings a stony silence over the table as everyone listens in anticipation. It seems as everyone's stopped eating. 

"What did it say ?" prompts Louis casually.

"Emm that there's been rule changes in the reaping that concern .. Flora" He says, if everybody wasn't already listening hard they would be now, I bite my lip, Harry may aswell give up on the casual now. 

"What else did it say ?" Says my dad. 

"They're changing the 'victors can't be entered into the reaping' rule, and Flora's still of the appropriate age so..." He trails of and there's silence as I watch everyone realise what this means. 

"But they can't do that !? surely?" Says Sophie breaking the silence. 

"What about the emm baby ?" Says Zayn asking the question that everyone has on their lips. 

"They said no medical condition can save you from the the reaping" Harry murmers. Everybody is silence. 

"But it's okay, there's still one chance in a couple of hundered right?" I say trying to brighten it up, but feeling anything but bright as I watch the dismayed faces of everyone I love. 

Harry and Louis do their best job in cheering everyone up and the tone does lighten even though everyone is annoyed and upset and I almost feel bad, for ruining Louis and Sophie's evening. 

We end up being the last to leave. 

"Well that didn't go to badly" Whispers Louis in my ear with grin as we say goodbye.