"I'm pregnant," I said to Haymitch, pretending that he was Ceaser Flickerman. Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, Talon and I all sat together in a small room, practicing for our Interviews.
"You have to say it with some passion. This is your baby girl we're talking about, not a rock," Haymitch criticized.
"I'm pregnant!" I said again, this time with lots of enthusiasm. I opened my eyes wide and had a beaming smile on my face. The corners of Talon's mouth curved up a little bit, but there was no real smile. No laughter.
"I'm being serious, Willow. The Interviews may be the most crucial part of the pregame preparation. The Parade is a good introduction, the training is helpful. But the Interviews is what makes people fall in love with you. It's what kept Katniss and Peeta alive and I need you to use the interview to keep yourself alive," Haymitch replied. "Plus, you're not exactly happy that you're pregnant. You're going into the Hunger Games. This is more of a tragedy. So you need to sound somber."
It had been easy to ignore the challenges ahead of me for the past few days. I was more focused on winning the Games then the pregnancy. So Haymitch's word were a cruel reminder. I looked away from Haymitch, trying to quickly blink away the tears.
"I'm pregnant," I whispered. I didn't try to make my voice sound sad;it did it all on it's own.
"There. Much better," Haymitch replied, clearly unaware of my sadness episode. Finally, the tears retracted and I looked back towards him.
"I'm not in the mood for this right now," Talon said, clearly wanting to leave. I have been noticing his pain this entire training session. "Do I really have to be here?"
"I think that you should stay," Katniss said.
"I know that you're hurting Talon," I said, reaching across the table and putting my hand on top of his. "But the games are in two days. We have Interviews tomorrow. I understand that you want to be alone. But I think that you need to focus on doing what you need to to keep yourself alive. Right now, the Interviews is what will be keeping us alive. So let's just finish this and then you can be alone all you want."
Talon didn't say anything, but did a small nod. The practice for the Interviews continued, with us running through different situations. We learned about how to charm the audience and how we should speak when they ask about the pregnancy. By the end of the session, I felt very confident in my abilities to make the Capitol love me. All I need now is for the sponsors to give up their money and Cinna to make me look beautiful.
By the time we had finished the training session, it was past lunchtime and all of us were hungry. We dug deep into the food, eating to our heart's content. After the meal, I went up to my room, wanting to spend some time alone. I wanted to just focus on my Interviews without having any distractions. I need to nail these Interviews tomorrow, otherwise Talon and I will be fighting through the Hunger Games alone.
I had only been in my room for about ten minutes before someone knocked on my door. I groaned. It must be Haymitch. He was still a bit unhappy about my attempts to charm the audience. He said that I was mediocre, at best. So he's back to try to fix the holes.
"Yes, Haymitch? Are you here to tell me that I'm as charming as a slug?" I said with sarcastic enthusiasm.
"Actually, no. I think you're much more charming than that," a familiar voice said through the door. My heart dropped. I knew that voice. I would know that voice anywhere. It was the voice that I had cherished for three years. I longed to hear that voice, especially since I had left District 12. It's a voice I had terribly missed. I instantly launched myself out of my bed and opened up the door to see Luke standing there, a beaming smile on his face and a sparkle in his beautiful blue eyes.
"Luke!" I screamed, wrapping my arms tightly around him. I instantly stared crying, my tears gently falling on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, too.
"You're not supposed to be here. How did you do it?" I whispered with my arms still around him. I never wanted to let go.
"I charmed a Peacekeeper and got onto a train. Then convinced an Avox to let me in. It wasn't that hard, really. She's a sucker for love," Luke replied.
"I'm so happy you're here."
Luke started to take his arms away, breaking our hug. I made a protestant noise and wrapped my arms tighter around him. Luke laughed and gently unwrapped my arms. He didn't let go, though. Instead, he towed me into the room, my hands in his and then he kicked the door shut.
"That's better," He whispered, leaning into me and putting his lips on mine.
I had shared a lot of kisses with Luke over the past three years, but none could compare to this. No other kiss made me happier. No other kiss was more passionate. The kiss started out as soft and gentle, but soon became very heated. We had our hands all over each other. Our hair, our chests, our waists...not a single cell left untouched.
"I wish I could've seen your Parade outfit," Luke said between kisses. "I was on the train when it aired and I haven't gotten around to a TV since."
I pulled away from Luke, looking him in the eyes. If he hadn't seen the Parade, then he hadn't seen the outfit. If he hasn't seen the outfit, then he has no idea that I'm pregnant.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, seeming confused.
"I have to tell you something," I whispered. I wasn't sure how he would take the news. It's very exciting news, of course. If we were back at home, then the news would be amazing. We would be so happy. But in these circumstances... a pregnancy isn't ideal.
"I already know," Luke snapped in reply.
What? How does he already know? If he really hadn't seen the Parade, then there's no way that he knows. Even most of the Capitol doesn't realize I'm pregnant and are still speculating over the mystery of my pregnant belly.
"How can you already know? That's impossible," I replied.
"I saw it."
"You just told me that you hadn't seen the Tribute Parade."
"What?" He asked, seeming to be as confused as I am.
"I'm pregnant," I replied.
"Oh my god, Willow!" Luke wrapped his arms tightly around me, clearly very excited by the news. I didn't smile along with him. A moment later, he seemed to understand why I wasn't sharing in his enthusiasm. He unwrapped his arms and looked at me, a dark look in his eyes.
"Oh my god, Willow..." Luke said, repeating the same words, but it had such a different meaning.
"I know," I replied.
The two of us sat in silence. I watched Luke, trying to read his facial expressions. He was staring at the wall, clearly deep in thought.
"You have to win," Luke said.
"Well, yeah. Obviously I have to win," I replied.
"No, I mean like, you have to win. It's the only way to save him. Or her."
"Her," I whispered.
"Her," He mimicked.
Luke's POV
I stared at the wall. I could feel Willow's eyes on me, so concerned that I'm going to realize the truth. I am not the father of this child. I can't be. It's impossible. Well, it's possible. We did the things necessary to make a child. But it must be Talon's. Clearly Willow didn't meet Talon for the first time at the Reaping, like I had thought. They must've had a romance going on for a while. That must be why she was so hesitant to say yes when I proposed to her. She had claimed it was because of the Games, but really it was because of Talon. She couldn't bring herself to push Talon away and she couldn't bring herself to commit to me.
I can't let this go unpunished. First, Talon kisses my girl. Second, he gets her pregnant. I can't hurt, Willow. Despite all of the cheating and all of the lies, I'm still in love with her. That will not change. So how can I hurt Talon without hurting Willow? Well, I can't kill him. He's in the spotlight right now and I would never get away with it. Plus, the Games will do it for me. So what can I do?
"You have to win," I said, playing the role of sympathetic father.
"Well, yeah. Obviously I have to win," Willow replied.
"No, I mean like, you have to win. It's the only way to save him. Or her." I wasn't really sure if I cared about the child. I love Willow, so I will love her child. But can I really love a child that was born off of my fiance's unfaithfulness?
"Her," she whispered.
"Her," I mimicked.
Willow's POV
"Baby, I really have to go. I'm sorry, but if anyone catches me in here you'll get in huge trouble. I can't let that happen," Luke said, kissing me.
"I love you," I said to him.
"I love you too."
And then he was gone. It was as if he had never arrived. I felt my heart crack a little bit, having to say goodbye to him again. It was hard enough the first time. I hated having to do it all over again. Is there any chance that I will get to see him again? I won't see him today, for sure. I have the Interviews tomorrow. I probably won't see him before then, either, considering how most of the day is going to be consumed with making sure I look beautiful. Then the morning after that is when the Games begin. Next time I see him will be three years from now, if I'm lucky enough to be crowned victor.
***
The long day of waxing, plucking and moisturizing was finally starting to come to a close. Which meant the Interviews would be soon. After my team of stylists had finished with me, they sent me off to Cinna, who handed me a dress.
"So your outfit is going to be in correlation with your Parade dress," Cinna explained.
The dress, of course, was amazing. It was all black, with simple red rhinestones. Very simply, yet very elegant. The dress was strapless and would fall to my ankles, once I had it on.
"How is it connected to my smoking dress?" I asked.
"The bottom smokes," he explained. My eyes drifted downward. Cinna must've hit some sort of button, because it did start to smoke. The smoke wasn't overwhelming-just enough for it to make an effect.
I put the dress on. I was very stunned with how it looked. I had never felt so beautiful.
"Are you ready?" Cinna asked as he did something to my hair. I couldn't tell what he was doing.
"Ready as I'll ever be," I replied.
Cinna finished my hair and turned me towards the mirror. I recognized the hairstyle he gave me. It was the side braid, made famous by Katniss during her Hunger Games.
"It's beautiful," I whispered, stroking the side braid.
"I'm glad you like it."
Cinna rested his hands on my shoulders, as he always does. The Interviews were nearing. In just a few minutes I would be on a stage, listening to charming Chris and handsome Tetrick playing up to the crowd, racking up the sponsors. The thought made me sick to my stomach. Not only because I don't want them to have any sponsors, as a competitor, but also because I don't want to talk in front of the entire Capitol.
"I can feel you trembling," Cinna said. "Are you nervous?"
I nodded.
"You know, Katniss was really nervous before her Hunger Games. She had done a terrible job during her training with Haymitch. He thought that she was going to make a mockery of herself. She said that she had no charm. She went out there to really make an impression on the viewers."
"Peeta was the one who shined in those Interviews. I've seen the tapes," I replied.
"But Katniss didn't fail and neither will you. Plus, you've got something huge to announce. She went out there with nothing," Cinna encouraged me. "You can do it."
Finally, it was time. I went in the elevator down to the training floor. All of the 24 tributes stood in a line, Chris at the front and Talon at the back. Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch are all with Talon and I.
"You guys are going to be fine," Katniss encouraged. "Willow, he'll ask you about the Tribute Parade. You make the announcement. Talon, he will ask you about the pregnancy. You tell Panem that you're going to protect her baby girl. The Interview is practically already over with. You just have to open your mouth and let the words come."
There was no time to reply. The Tributes were starting to walk out on the stage. I heard Peeta murmur a quick, "good luck," before vanishing. A few moments later, I was on this huge stage, with all of the Tributes sitting on chairs in the background. First up is Chris. She has three minutes to talk and then the buzzer will go off, announcing the next Tribute. Caeser is a great host, doing his best as well to make us look good.
Chris is perfect, as expected. I try not to focus on her. I turn my attention to the front row, scanning for Cinna. I'm relieved to see him and he's looking right back at me. Yet, to my surprise, he's not sitting with the other stylists. Usually only stylists sit in the front row. Yet, sitting right beside him is Luke. His eyes are locked with mine. His lips start to move. He's mouthing a word to me.
Beautiful.
The corners of my mouth crawl into a smile. Suddenly, I'm not so nervous. I barely even notice that the entire Capitol is watching me. I just know that Luke is here. Everything is going to be alright.
Suddenly, my name is being called. I wipe my hands off on my dress and make my way up to the couch to sit beside Caeser. The bottom of my dress starts to smoke. It's very settle, yet very mesmerising. I can't help but to stare it at myself. I can hear a chorus of oos and ahhs from the crowd.
"Willow Undersee," Caeser Flickermen laughs. "That is one beautiful dress. Dear Cinna, inivative, as always."
Lots of applause.
"No comparison to the Girl on Fire, of course. I don't think any Tribute costume is going to top that anytime soon," I reply. I feel surprisingly comfortable up on this stage. My statement is followed by more applause.
"No, no. I don't think that the Girl on Fire will be topped anytime soon. Katniss' costume sure did make an impression on us. Your costume made a big impression on us, too. I don't think any of us are going to forget that for a long time. There's a lot of confusion on the message Cinna was trying to send, with Talon holding that baby in the chariot. And you looked much larger in the stomach than you actually are! Tell me, what was that all about?"
It's time. The moment has come. I'm not so comfortable anymore.
"Actually, Caeser," I pause for effect. "Cinna was trying to send Panem a message about myself. I figured out on the train to the Capitol that I'm pregnant."
A hush silence falls across the crowd. Everyone is stunned. The surprise only lasts for a moment, though, before there's wild applause throughout the Training Center. I can't help but to smile. Despite the tragedy of being pregnant, I am actually kind of excited about it.
"Well who's the father then?" Caeser asks. "Is it Talon?"
I don't reply right away. I'm too stunned. Why would anyone think that it's Talon? Just because he's my fellow tribute does not mean he's the father of my child. Then I see my facial expression on one of the big screens and I realize that the shock on my face looks bad. It's making it look like it is Talon.
"No. Oh...no. He's not the father," I replied.
"Well then who is?"
"A boy back in District 12," I say. I look over at Luke. I'm pretty sure that everyone catches on to the look, including the camera man, because suddenly Luke is on the big screen.
"Oh. A special boy, I assume?"
"Yes. He's my fiance," I reply. More applause. The crowd is totally loving me.
"Well, congratulations to you, Willow, for the child. Boy or girl?"
"Girl." Again, applause. The Capitol will not stop cheering for me. This is nothing like the reaction they had towards Katniss during her "pregnancy." But it also been announced in a somber sort of way.
"There's a downside to all of this, though. I mean, I am going into the Games. I may not come out alive. My daughter might not come out alive. This isn't your average Hunger Games, either. We'll be in that arena for three years. I have to fight through more than just two weeks," I said.
"That's quite tragic. I hope for the best. For you and your daughter. But you got quite the score during those training sessions. I mean, an 11! We hardly ever see scores that high. That's the same score that Katniss received, you know. And she became a victor."
"I was so excited about the score. I was really proud of Talon, though. I couldn't believe that he got a 12! You never see scores like that anymore. I don't remember ever seeing one while I've been alive," I replied.
"I've only seen a few twelves in my day and most of those were from the last Quarter Quell! With all of those returning victors, there was bound to be a few twelves. But I haven't seen many more than that. That's saying something, considering that I've been doing this for 65 years!"
The buzzer goes off. My time is off. There's lots of applause as I walk off the stage. I take my place next to Talon.
"Nice job, Knives," Talon whispers before standing and making his way over to Caeser. Talon is, of course, very charming. The Capitol loves him. Lots of laughter. Then the mood gets serious. Caeser asks about the pregnancy.
"So, big news, your fellow Tribute is pregnant! How do you feel towards that? There's really only one Victor. So you must see it as a sort of... advantage. She's not going to be very physical when she's got a baby in her belly."
"I don't see it as an advantage. Willow and I are a team," He replies.
"A team?"
"Yes. We have an alliance. I have to be allied with her. This is about more than just her own life. There's another life to be thinking about, too. A young life. I don't think any of the Tributes are going to be quick to go after Willow. We're not monsters. It's one thing to be taking the lives of others. It's a whole different thing to be taking the life of a child."
"You feel very passionate towards Willow, I see."
"Yes. I feel very passionately towards her. I am prepared to protect her with my own life. If I lose my own life protecting Willow, at least I will be saving two lives. Willow and I are very good friends. We're very close and I'm already very close to her kid. I want to make sure she stays alive, at all costs. I'm really hoping the sponsors are going to recognize how large her chances of winning. But she's going to need some help. I will be there to help. And hopefully the Capitol will, too." Talon flashes a smile at the camera, buttering up some sponsors. Then the buzzers go off. It's all over. The Tributes start to leave the stage. I look towards Luke, hoping to get one last look at him before tomorrow morning. But he's not there. I can see the back of his head, storming out of the Training Center.
***
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