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1 week before the reaping
(TW: mentions of war)
THERE WERE VERY FEW THINGS that irritated Eyana, and one of them was when something she planned didn't go according to her plans. It wasn't that she was a perfectionist; she just didn't like the fact that the last week of June had such cold days. It was not normal; there was no logic.
Things without logic make her uncomfortable, as if she has no control over a situation. Again, she wasn't bossy or anything like that; she just enjoyed to have control over her own life and body, something she lacked during the dark days of the war.
The sense of being hunched in her parents bed, covered in cold and hunger, and terrified of the loud noises that plagued the Capitol streets was something Eyana remembered vividly, even though she could not recall nearly everything that had transpired in those nightmare and faraway days.
Her mother had disappeared on a cold summer morning, a morning like those, but with more fog, or maybe it was smoke; she didn't remember for sure; what she knew was that she couldn't tell the difference at the time.
And, while Eyana vowed to herself that the absence of rationality was the one thing that terrified her the most, she knew deep down that the memories of her mother and the war, or possibly the lack thereof, were what troubled her the most.
Regardless, there was something unsettling about the ambiguity, and that did not please her at all.
The skylight window was open, allowing the improper temperature to enter Eyana's room. She sighed and hugged her arms in a ridiculous attempt to warm herself, then glanced around the room for her red uniform blazer, which she spotted on top of the crystal and book shelves.
In all honesty, she had never been fond of the red hue of her uniform; it just didn't fit her. Yet since the uniform was the only item of apparel permitted in the academy, she opted to wear the blazer only in cold weather and rarely wore it during lessons.
In the school days she had no choice but to wear the red item, which resulted in her turning up her nose in annoyance. Despite her lack of fashion knowledge, Eyana was able to recognize when something was in very poor taste, and unfortunately for her, the everyday uniform suited the statement well.
"Nyna! Open the door!" Haakon's scream sounded from the other side of the wooden door, and she furrowed her brows worriedly as she approached the door, attempting to place one of the jacket sleeves on her arm. "Finally, I thought I was going to have to scream even more!" The youngest muttered this as he walked by his sister without looking at her before throwing himself upon the unmade bed.
"What are you doing up so early?" Eyana inquired, perplexed, as she approached her wardrobe to retrieve her heels, and giggled when the youngest sigh exaggeratedly was heard by her. "Dad is downstairs, and he insisted that we all have breakfast together." He muttered as he stared up at the skylight window, too busy to observe Eyana's astonished expression.
To say that she was surprised was an understatement. Damian Astrea wasn't the right person for family moments or anything like that; the girl didn't even remember the last time they had any kind of meal together or the last time she had any kind of chatting with him. He was always too busy at work to have any kind of interaction with his children.
Eyana approached her brother and sat down by him as she put on her shoes and covered up her expression of surprise. "He is downstairs?" Haakon slowly nodded in response to her question, resting his chin on his hand to give his older sister a closer look. "He said he wanted to talk to you!" The youngster swiftly shook his head in response, and Eyana couldn't help but sigh nervously.
She was really frustrated since her father only gave her a few words of attention when he pointed out something she had done incorrectly. The sermon was so brief that it hardly qualified as a conversation—rather, it felt more like a syllable-for-syllable exchange, and that was the worst part.
He didn't even care enough to give her a proper reprimand.
However, she couldn't resent him; although she remembered little before the dark days, she could recall some instances in which her father treated her with love, and, despite appearances, the man who sang her lullabies was still alive; at least, a good portion of him was still directed at Haakon.
As long as Haakon was okay, she would be too.
Eyana looked down, meeting the younger boy's enthusiastic gaze once more, and smiled as best she could, trying not to worry him. "Well, what are we waiting for? "Let's eat!" She stood up and extended her hand to the youngest, who quickly accepted it and hurried out of the room, tripping over his pajama trousers, which were too large for him, the girl let out a nasal laugh as she picked up her schoolbag and walked towards the door, following her brother.
As she proceeded down the stairs, Eyana could smell the cinnamon and chocolate buns, which made her stomach grumble in response. It's no surprise Haakon left the room quickly; the boy can smell the sweets from a long distance.
However, upon entering the dining room, the girl quickly changed her posture, prepared for a half-lecture, and stretched her back when she noticed her father, who seemed too busy reading the newspaper and eating a croissant to even notice the presence of the girl in the silent room; well, it was almost silent since her little brother had a bad habit of eating with his mouth open.
"Good morning." She said this and mentally cursed herself for having spoken with such a low and insecure voice; she felt like an insecure child around him.
"Good morning, Eyana; sit down." Her father responded by just looking over his glasses at her and returning his attention to the newspaper, waiting to hear the sound of her chair so he could say what he had in mind.
The girl sat down, hoping that one of the housemaids would serve her as usual, and when that happened, she gave a polite smile and looked at the cinnamon rolls in front of her, eager to try them. However, Damian seemed to have other ideas in mind.
The maids, who were always talkative with the younger ones, now found themselves silent with the man's heavy presence.
"Next week, it's the reaping day." The older man began, this time looking away from what he was reading to notice the posture of his eldest daughter, who didn't dare turn her head; however, she was confused; he never paid attention to that day, it was rare to find something that caught his attention.
It wasn't out of benevolence; Eyana was fully aware of this; that man's superiority complex was well veiled, but it still there; nonetheless, he was far different from the majority of Capitol people who relished the punishment that games offered; Damian was a completely different case.
He didn't care about the children who died in the arena every year; he just despised the fact that they came to the Capitol to do so; in his opinion, they weren't even worthy of dying there, and while he didn't watch the games or agree with them, he treated the districts like wild animals; after all, they were the reason he was a 'widower'.
Eyana had never watched the games either; she tried to convince herself that they weren't important and that they didn't add anything to her life, which was in fact true.
She moved the plate away from her, losing her appetite since she wasn't sure what her father would say to her. "Yes, it is." That was all she could say without stumbling, attempting to avoid the man's keen gaze while glancing at Haakon, who appeared to be too busy shoving food into his mouth with his hands.
"It will be on the day of the Plinth Prize." The man spoke a second time, this time setting down the newspaper to pick up his cup of hot coffee. "How do you feel about the prize?" He questioned, and Eyana sank her nails into her legs in an unsuccessful attempt to calm her nerves.
The girl swallowed some saliva. "I am confident, father." That was a lie. She was smart, but only in topics that required logic and precision; in other areas, she was good, but not the greatest; however, she didn't dare to mention this in front of her father since she didn't want to ruin their first 'talk' in months.
"I see." Damian replied in a forced voice, and the girl had to hold back tears because of the new mocking tone. "I'm going to enroll your brother in a school today; you're dismissed." He said, returning his gaze to the newspaper, entirely disregarding his daughter, who was pleading with him for more attention.
"Why are you going to put Kenny in school?" Eyana asked, although she already knew the answer: two more tutors had left due to the youngest's departure; however, she only asked to prolong some of the attention she wasn't used to receiving.
"He's not getting along with his new tutor." That was all he replied, and a nod formed in her throat. "Now go; the car is waiting for you at the entrance." The man ordered, and she had no choice but to obey what she was told, as she say goodbye to her brother, who waved his hand full of the dirty of the sweets, which strangely made her feel a little better.
And without further ado, the girl walked to her car, ready for another day at the academy.
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Hilarius found himself tapping his foot anxiously outside the big academy structure, while his sister was already huffing and puffing in frustration at his impatience.
"Would you mind stopping?! It is beginning to give me a headache!" Delythena muttered as she massaged her forehead, and her frown intensified as she noticed her older brother with his head raised, gazing about the property's garden.
However, she was promptly ignored.
"What is he doing now?" Pup asked through a yawn as he approached the pair of siblings. "Guess what." The brunette replied tiredly while leaning on one of the columns and giving a look of disgust to Hilarius, who still had his head up.
The black-skinned boy let out an annoyed groan and leaned on the opposite side of the column from Delythena. "He's looking for Eyana, isn't he?" He inquired sarcastically, already knowing the answer to the question.
"Like always." The girl responded tiredly. She had heard the name of her brother's crush so many times that she was beginning to learn too much about her life. "He's like a stalker, but the idiot has to understand that she doesn't care about him!" She stated it loudly, and Hilarius swiftly turned his head to her, forming an irate and dramatic expression.
"Yes, she does!" He protested like a child, while the other two cringed at his actions. "Five months ago, I lent her a pen, and she still hasn't returned it!" The boy with the curly hair noted it proudly, as if it were a win, and Delythena had to suppress a grimace of disdain.
"Oh, please, Hilarius, give up." The girl replied tiredly as she approached her brother and grabbed his arms, shaking him. "Even though I'm one year younger than you, I get more girls than you do!" Delythena pointed proudly, and the boy had to suppress a wince. Pup behind them attempted to stifle his laughter with a strained cough.
"This is not true!" It was true, Hilarius ignored all girls other than Eyana; since he was a little boy, he had only had eyes for that girl, and he wasn't willing to give up on her so quickly. "And if she didn't return it, it must be a sign!" He proceeded to try to persuade the duo to support him and tried to convince himself too.
The other two looked at each other, and Pup hit his forehead with his hand with some force, while the other boy went back to looking around the garden in search of the girl. "Yes, a sign that she lost her pen!" Pup spoke, but it fell on deaf ears, as the girl his friend was looking for had already arrived.
Eyana found herself arm in arm with Vipsania Sickel, and the two found themselves involved in a conversation with Iphigenia Moss, who was walking backwards while talking to the pair.
She was too busy to even notice the pair of blue eyes that followed her intently.
"Heavensbee is looking in your way again." The Sickel girl said to her best friend, and Eyana moaned, making the other two girls giggle, as they were used to this happening all the time.
"You should give him a chance; the poor boy runs after you like a little dog!" Iphigenia said with a little pity, even though she found the situation funny and the tall girl had to massage her forehead.
"Well, it's his fault; if he knew how to notice the signs, he would know that I don't want anything to do with him." Eyana answered by drawing the other girl closer to her, she prompting her to gaze at Vipsania, and the two laughed at their friend's frustration.
"There, we just lost him!" Delythena expressed her frustration, and Pup crossed his arms indignantly, realizing he had been talking to nothing for the last few minutes.
The tired girl exchanged a look with Pup, and when he nodded, she pulled her brother by the collar of his blazer to their side. "You have to give up or take action!" She spoke determinedly, and the other boy nodded frantically behind her.
Hilarius gazed at them, perplexed, attempting to break free from his sister's embrace and return his gaze to the other female. "You can't go on like this! And you can't even force her to like you!" When the other boy responded, Hilarius' eyes appeared to glow unusually brightly, and his mouth expanded in a smile.
The other two looked at each other again, this time worried, and Delythena let go of her brother's collar, slowly moving away and turning her back to the duo, which made Pup look at her with the look of someone who had just been betrayed. "Where are you going?" He called out in a whisper to her, and Delythena looked at him over her shoulder. "I don't want to see what this will lead to; I'm already embarrassed enough for today." She said this as she walked further away.
"It's still 8 a.m." He responded.
Delythena shrugged. "And it's already enough to me for today." And without waiting for further response, she dashed up the stairs, leaving a Pup with an abandoned puppy expression behind.
Eyana was so lost in conversation with her friends that she jumped a little when the youngest Heavensbee arrived in front of her with a tired expression, but when she was about to ask what she wanted, the youngest just muttered 'good luck' and went. running towards the academy's gym in a hurry, which made Eyana confused.
Her confusion vanished as soon as she spotted Hilarius sprinting towards her, and before she could flee, the other two girls pulled their friend towards the lad who was approaching them with a smile.
Pup watched the scene with embarrassment, but unable to look away.
Eyana was about to turn away from him, but the boy placed his hands on her shoulders, making her nose wrinkle. "Are you going to see the Hunger Games?" He asked, and he advanced faster than she could respond. "Good! Me too, and I have an intriguing bet!" He said, and his smile appeared to widen as he thought.
"What he is doing?" Vipsania inquired attentively, as she stood with Iphigenia next to Pup. "Killing me with embarrassment, possibly." He replied, and the other two nodded, following his gaze.
"I don't want to --" She started but he interrupted her. "You're missing the opportunity for me to leave you alone forever." He said, but this time a lump formed in his throat, yet he was pleased to see that it caught her attention. "Go on." She nodded for him to continue and he breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn't watch the games, but if that was the price for him to leave her alone, she could make an exception.
"You know those dog fights Festus watches?" Hilarius inquired, and the girl nodded in confusion. Festus had already dragged her to one or two of these fights, and he looked like a child, watching the dogs cling to each other's noses.
"Each of us will choose a tribute to bet on, and the one who comes closest to victory wins!" He said it as if he had given the best idea ever, and Eyana had to stop herself from making a face of displeasure; she didn't care about the games but betting. It seemed a bit much.
"And then?!" He inquired hesitantly, still resting his hands on her shoulders. "Win what?" She replied tiredly, anxious to get rid of the clasp and from him for good.
Hilarius gave a relieved smile, and Eyana had to hold back a grimace at his reaction. "If I win, you'll go on a date with me." He replied, and his heart seemed to beat faster at that possibility.
The girl glanced at him in surprise but decided to ask. "What if I win?" She inquired, and the boy hesitated for a moment. "If you win, I won't bother you again, and I'll leave you alone for good." He responded with a lump in his throat, trying not to flinch at the idea.
Eyana appeared to pause for a moment before nodding. "So we have a bet?" Hilarius inquired as he extended his hand, which was most likely wrapped around the girl's smaller hand in a firm hold, causing a shiver throughout his body, which he knew wasn't due to the cold morning. "We have a bet!" She replied, and Hilarius waited for him to be lucky enough to win.
Hilarius turned his back on the girl with a smile on his face, not knowing that in less than a week the circumstances of the bet would change and they would be playing the games from the sidelines; however, for him for now, it was a victory, which made him raise his thumb towards Pup, who was looking at him with a shocked expression.
Pup gazed at the girls with his mouth wide, then returned his gaze to his best friend, who had a silly smile on his face, and his face frowned even more in disbelief.
"I can't believe this idiot did it." That was all he could say.
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Hi, I'm sorry for the delay in the chapter, but I hope you like it. <3
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I would also like to warn you that English is not my first language, so if there is any error please let me know.
with love, lua. <3
Delythena - pretty
Damian - who takes and conquers
a little meme:
𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐄𝐔𝐋𝐌 - 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝘆 ☽
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