After the televised event, I went to Rue's house.
Rue's house was in the Victor's Village, since her parents are victors themselves. The Reaping is tomorrow.
I get to Rue's house where bread is waiting for me. Peeta still bakes all the time, even though he doesn't work at the Bakery anymore. There is no lack of treats in the Mellark household.
"How are you, Willow?" Peeta asked me, handing me a piece of bread.
"Good." I replied, taking a bite of the bread. Katniss looked tormented.
"How could you be good when you just heard about the Quarter Quell?" Katniss asked. ''The Hunger Games are hard enough in two weeks. I can't imagine being in it for three years."
"Chances are that no one is going to be in the game the whole three years, Mom." Gale said. "Whoever get's reaped first is a goner."
Rue looked like she was about to start crying. The Reaping is always hardest for the Mellarks. Katniss and Peeta fear their kids being a part of the games more than anything. Rue and Gale have heard the terrible stories. They've seen the tapes. All of us have. But it hits much closer to home and they both look so afraid when they watch the tapes, as if the past is suddenly going to change and they're about to see there parents die.
I sat down at the table, suddenly having a terrible headache. Haymitch had just left to go do something. Probably find some cheap alcohol. The room had fallen into silence until Finnick Odair walked in.
Finnick would visit often. Especially if it was close to the Reaping, since he's good friends with Katniss and Peeta and this is a hard time for them. There's other past victors from District 4 that can be there.
"Why so quiet?" Finnick asked. Because of my headache, it seemed like he was screaming. I winced and closed my eyes, debating going back home. My stomach was starting to hurt, too. "Willow?"
I looked up at Finnick. His usually happy and energetic demeanor had changed to a look of concern. "Are you okay?"
"I feel kinda sick." I replied.
"Do you want me to go find Prim?" Katniss asked. "She's at the Hob."
"No, that's okay. I think I'm just going to go home. Tell Annie I said hi." I said to Finnick. He simply nodded, still seeming concerned. They all looked concerned, but they knew better than to try to help me. I'm a very independent person who likes to do everything on their own.
When I got home, my mom wasn't there anymore. She probably went to the Hob. She sells blankets that she makes. I hunt for the meat with throwing knives, she uses that meat for yarn, then sells the blanket. It's an effective cycle.
I was almost asleep when there was a knock on my door. I got up, for a second the world span around me, then went and got the door.
"Luke?" I asked, seeing my boyfriend at the door. He usually doesn't come to my house.
"You didn't show up at the Meadow. I was worried." Luke replied.
I put my hand to my forehead. "I'm sorry. I totally forgot. I don't feel good."
Luke frowned and grabbed my hand, pulling me back to my room. We both sat on my bed, his arm around my shoulders and my head on his.
"I have something for you." Luke said, reaching into his pocket. Out he took a diamond ring. The diamond was huge. On either side of the diamond were aquamarine stones. This is a ring that you can't get from District 12.
"This is a District 1 ring, isn't it? How much did that cost you?" I asked.
"Don't worry about it. It was worth it. I got the aquamarine from Finnick and Annie." He replied.
"What is this for?"
Suddenly, Luke got very serious. He turned to me, grabbed both of my hands and looked straight into my eyes. "Willow Undersee. I love you so much. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Tomorrow is our last Reaping. If we both get out of it safe, will you marry me?"
I smiled, yet I was shocked. This is something I never suspected. "This Hunger Game is three years long. We're going to be in another Reaping in three weeks."
"I don't care. Please. Marry me."
I nodded and he engulfed me in a big hug. We sat there for a long time, until I pulled away. "You should go. I don't feel good."
He nodded, put the ring on my finger, gave me a quick kiss and then left. I quickly fell asleep.
I woke up to find that I was about to throw up. I ran to the nearest bucket and threw up for many minutes. When there was nothing left to throw up, I sat against the wall, exhausted. My mom soon came in, finding me in my ill state.
"Maybe you're just nervous." Mom said, brushing out my hair for the Reaping.
"I'm not anymore nervous than I usually am." I replied. "I'm just sick. With any luck, I won't get Reaped. Then I would get to be sick on the way to the Capitol."
"Please don't talk like that." My mom said. I could see the tears in her eyes, but I didn't say anything.
Rue and Gale showed up soon after that, ready to go. Since Peeta and Katniss are mentors, they have to go to the Justice Building early. Soon, we were off to the Justice Building, the three of us hand in hand. I gave my mom a quick hug before she went off with the parents. The Peacekeepers pricked our blood. Rue and I had to separate from Gale, so he could go stand with the boys. He stood right next to Luke. Luke smiled at me and pointed to his ring finger, pointing out that I was wearing it. I smiled back at him, but the smile felt empty. Not enough Luke can make me feel better right now.
Effie Trinket came to the stage, dressed up in a crazy yellow Capitol outfit. She doesn't look any older every year. Probably from the help of lots of Capitol plastic surgery.
"Welcome everybody to the 100th Hunger Games." She said in her funny Capitol accent. She caught my eye and smiled. Effie visits us sometimes, too. On the big screen, the story of the Dark Days played, reminding us of the Rebellion, the loss of 13. All of it. She introduced Katniss and Peeta to the stage. Katniss looked pissed off to be there. Peeta smiled and waved, but all of us knew that all he could think about was Rue and Gale in the crowd. Haymitch no longer came to the Reapings. He was getting too old to mentor.
"Ladies first." Effie walked over to the ball and stuck in her hand, changing somebody's life forever. As I watched, the world started to spin. I swayed a little bit, feeling light headed and feeling like I was about to fall over. Rue put her hand on my shoulder, keeping me steady.
"You still don't feel good. You shouldn't have come." She whispered to me.
"It doesn't matter if I come or not. No matter what, if my name's pulled out of that bowl, I'm going to the Capitol." I replied back. Rue didn't say anything after that, but she kept her hand in place.
Effie opened up the slip. She hesitated before speaking. A look of pain flashed on her face, something that only someone who knew her well would notice. Rue and I both knew her well. We looked at each other, knowing that one of our names was on that slip. Effie never would've hesitated if it wasn't.
"Willow Undersee," Effie said in her wind-chime like voice.
An awkward hush fell over the crowd. I stared at Effie for a second, wondering if I was dreaming. I knew I wasn't, though. I am living my worst nightmare. I looked at Rue, seeing the look of panic in her eyes. She looked up at the stage. I know her so well that I knew that she was about to launch forward. I grabbed her arm hard.
"Don't." I hissed. "Your mom would never be able to take. It's okay."
Rue looked at her mom up on that stage. She stepped back, but I could tell that she wasn't happy about it. She wanted to volunteer for me.
Feeling dizzy, I made my way up to the stage. Once I got up there, I could see the boy's section. I found Luke quickly. His blonde hair stood out amongst the others. I could see the tears in his eyes. I almost started bawling when I saw him, but I took a deep breath and sucked it up.
Please don't be him. I thought when I saw Effie walking over to the other Reaping ball.
"Talon Erwin." Effie spoke out.
Talon Erwin? I've never heard of him. I saw him walking up to the stage with me. He was younger than me. 15, maybe. Gale probably knows him. He looks so small and timid. Not the kind of guy that should be in the Hunger Games. He won't make it the three years. I'd be surprised if he made the first few weeks.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your District 12 Tributes!" Effie said. The two of us were dragged into the Justice Building. I barely made it inside before I started to throw up again.
***
Do you like what you've read? Go to my website ( https://haileyladonna.wordpress.com/) and sign up for email notifications. There, you'll find work not published to Wattpad, as well as blog posts and updates on my life.