Panem High: Freshman Year

Chapter 18

"Because Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence."

"Hamilton wrote fifty-one of eighty-five Federalist Papers," Cato shot back.

"While Jefferson was off in Europe getting drunk and hooking up with random French girls," Clove added.

"Would y'all shut it about all this nonsense?" Johanna said, rolling her eyes.

The group laughed. "While the Hamil-nerds are trick or treating tonight," Marvel smirked, "do the rest of you guys want to come over?"

"I will," chimed Finch, taking a sip of her latte. 

October and November were her favourite months of the year- the perfect time to curl up in leggings and a big sweater with a good book and a latte. She relished the weather, cool but still sunny, and the goosebumps she got from the wind. She loved the red and yellow foliage, and the dried out caramel-coloured leaves that decorated the ground. Autumn was the best time for a friendly basketball game, what with the perfect temperatures of spring but without the dampness, or a walk through the woods. All year long, she yearned for apple pie and warm breezes and crunchy leaves and pumpkin spice lattes: and now it was here. She wanted to savour it. 

"Me too," said Glimmer, tucked under Marvel's arm.

"I've got nothing better to do," Johanna groaned. 

"I might have to take Prim and Rue trick-or-treating," Katniss said, "so I'm not sure if I can. I'd ask my mom to, but she hasn't exactly been up to things like that lately."

"My mom is taking Angelina and her friend Pixie; I'm sure she wouldn't mind if they tagged along," Marvel suggested.

"Okay, well as long as that's okay with your mom, I'll be there."

"Me too," Peeta added quickly. 

"I'll go," said Thresh. 

"Don't you have to take Dannick?" Gale asked. 

"No, your mom asked my mom to help her take a few of the boys trick-or-treating," Thresh explained. 

"Oh, yeah," Clove said. "Hazelle and Samuela are taking Callum, and they're being nice enough to let Sean tag along, even though he's only eight."

"Yeah, Graham is going too," Johanna said of her ten-year-old brother. 

"So is Matthew," Annie said. 

"Terrence got invited, but Mom says I have to take him," Delly added glumly. 

"I take it you aren't coming over, then?" Marvel asked. 

"I can't, sorry."

Finch knew that Kiona was going out that night with Faith and Chelsea (Finnick and Cato's sisters, respectively), but to be  honest, she didn't exactly know who was taking them. 

"Finnick?" she asked. 

"What's up?"

"Who's taking Kiona and Faith and Chelsea out tonight?"

"Um..." Finnick stalled. "Now that you mention it, I'm not really sure."

"Cato?" 

"You know what? I don't know either," he replied. 

Clove sighed. "Julia is taking them," she told them. 

"She is?" Cato asked. 

"Yes."

"She's your mom," Finnick laughed. "Shouldn't you have known that?"

"I guess- wait how did you know that?" he asked Clove, and Finch held in a snort at his incredulous expression.