Once you got to their front porch, you knocked on the door. Seconds later the door is flung open to reveal Sonya. She squeals and wraps her arms around you tightly and you return the gesture.
She was in a deep red knee length dress. The sleeves went down past her elbows, leading to a small charm bracelet secured around her wrist. Her hair went down in a braid over her shoulder, and she had some black flats just like you.
"Come on in," she exclaims, hugging Trinity real quick and dragging you into the house. The Carters were one of the wealthier families of the district, being close friends with the mayor. Their house was two stories just like yours, but it was much larger. You first walked into the living room which had three black leather couches in the shape of a U placed where just the corners were touching. There were two in tables with lamps on each one by the arms of the back couch. There was a large projector screen tv sitting on an entertainment system up against the wall, and there were various decorations placed on the walls. Unlike your house, there was no wall separating the kitchen from the living room, so you could see where Mr. and Mrs. Carter were preparing dinner.
"Hey mom! Dad! (Y/n) and Trinity are here," Sonya calls, walking into the living room, still having to pull you along so you didn't try to run back out the door. You hated being put on the spot in other peoples houses.
"Oh (Y/n)," Mrs. Carter exclaims, rushing out of the kitchen and running up to you to envelop you in a hug. She was a skinny woman with bright blond hair and soft brown eyes, and was about your height. You smile as you hug her back. She was the next closest thing to a mom that both you or Trinity had, so it felt good for just a few seconds to feel at home even if you were on the opposite side of the district. When you were younger, and you weren't able to babysit Trinity on your own, you would come here until your dad picked you up, so they all became like a second family.
"We're so glad you could come," she says, pulling away from you and bending down to hug Trinity.
"Well thank you for having us over Mrs. Carter," you smile politely, shuffling on your feet nervously. Ya they had become like a second family, but I had been so long since you had seen them you were worried if they still thought of you like a 'step daughter' or anything like that.
"Oh honey. Call me Julie," Mrs. Carter smiles before rushing back to the kitchen, only for Mr. Carter to come striding over to you.
"Hi (Y/n)," he says in his normal gruff voice that made him sound angry, but you knew better after years of knowing him. Mr. Carter was a large, bulky man that could put most of the peacekeepers to shame. He was almost a foot taller than you, and it's obvious who Newt and Sonya got their ridiculous height from. That's the main reason they have so much money is that the capitol is willing to pay extra for him to work at the dams. To help fix repairs or to help build anything they need there. That's how him and your dad met because they both work at the dam.
"Hi Mr. Carter."
He pulls away and smirks down at you. "You always were overly polite. I've told you not to call me that," he chuckles at your red cheeks.
"Ok Mr. C- uh James," you stutter, looking around nervously. He chuckles again before picking Trinity up, and setting her on his hip.
"So how have you been little chef," he asks your sister. She giggles at his nickname for her.
"I've been good. But I really miss school! I can't wait for summer to be over so I can see all my friends," she exclaims. (This is so me lol)
James laughs before walking into the kitchen with Trinity still on his hip. He was probably gonna let her help cook dinner. A smile is on your face when suddenly another pounding on the door makes you jump. Sonya must have run upstairs because now it was just you in the living room. You walk over to the door and crack it open only to reveal Minho.
"Hey (Y/n/n)," he laughs as you open the front door the rest of the way and let him inside.
"I didn't know you were coming," you say surprised.
"Oh what you don't want me here? Fine I'll just leave," he says, spinning around and walking back to the door.
"Minho," you whine, grabbing his wrist and pulling him into the living room with a laugh.
"Hey dude," Newt jumps down the stairs and comes over to give him a bro hug.
"Ah Minho! I was worried you might not come," Julie laughs, coming up to give him a hug. James doesn't say anything, just nods his head at the dark hair boy and continues cooking with Trinity. He always had a little something against Minho ever since he caught him flirting with Sonya.
"Hi Julie," he says, starting a small conversation with her.
"You look nice," you hear a British accented voice say beside you, making you jump. "Sorry, love," Newt laughs. Looking him up and down for a second, you realize he looks very dressed up compared to the normal hoodies and shorts you see him in. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans that looked almost brand new, and a short sleeve, button up green shirt. He had his normal tennis shoes on, and his hair was as messy as ever.
"No it's fine. Uh- th-Thank you," you stutter, your cheeks turning red. Looking up out of the corner of your eye, you see Newt has a small smirk on his lips, only making you blush even more. "Where's Sonya," you ask nervously, deciding that there was something on the ground that you couldn't take your eyes away from or you might die of embarrassment.
His body shakes with chuckles. "I'm making you nervous aren't I," he laughs, obviously a rhetorical question, but you answer anyways.
"Oh shut up," you grumble, but not in a mean way. "I'm just gonna go see where-"
"Dinner time," Julie calls.
You mentally sigh in relief before rushing over to where Trinity, James, and Julie were setting the table, hoping your cheeks would calm down before you had to sit down and eat.
Once all the silverware and napkins and plates were set down, Sonya, Newt, and Minho come into the large dining room, and you all pick seats. Around the table it's James at the head, then Julie, Newt, Minho, Trinity, you, and Sonya. Julie starts dishing out the meal on each plate, and you all dig in.
"So (Y/n). How is your new job," Julie asks after a minute. You were trying to eat as much food as you could so you wouldn't have to talk at all, but you guess the game makers weren't on your side tonight.
"It's uh- it's good. The lady who runs the shop is really sweet, and she's paying me extra to help deliver orders around the district," you say, trying to keep it plain and simple.
"That's good that she's letting you work for her. Also wasn't there a boy you mentioned Sonya? David or something," she asks, and your eyes go wide as you look at Sonya out of the corner of your eye. Why would she tell them about Devon?!
"Devon," Trinity corrects, fits of giggles tumbling from her lips.
"Oh yes yes. Isnt he in your class," she looks at Newt this time. Something about his expression has changed. It's turned into a scowl now as he aims his head as low as it will go, but still looking at his plate. No one seems to notice as he nods his head once. "So How is he," she continues, as if excited to hear about all the boys in your life.
"Uh- He's Uh- He's good. He's thankful that he has another person who can help him with the deliveries so now he's not the only one running around the district," you laugh before shoving another bite of vegetables into your mouth.
"Anything else... you want to say about him," Julie asks suspiciously, and suddenly you understand where she's getting at.
"Oh god no," you laugh. "He's just a friend-" But Trinity cuts you off.
"No he's not," she exclaims loudly. "(Y/n) and Devon sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes love. Second comes-"
You clamp your hand over her mouth as your cheeks flush a bright red. You and Newt seem to be the only two not enjoying this while the rest of the table cracks up.
"I do not like him! Either way he likes another girl, and I like someone else to." Holy shuck why did I just say that?! You feel Sonya nudge your ribs to where no one can see, and she smirks at you. She found out about your little crush on her brother, and surprisingly she was cool with it. Actually she kept begging you to confess to him so he would stop pestering her about you.
"And who might that be (Y/n/n)," Minho asks suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Bloody hell man. Back off her alright," Newt snaps suddenly. The whole table goes quiet as he glares at Minho. After a few seconds his face turns to pure regret. Standing up so quickly it's surprising that his chair doesn't tip back, he stormed out of the dinning room and stomps up the stairs before you hear a faint slam of a door.
"I'm gonna go check on him," Julie says quietly, calmly getting up from her seat and walking to his room. Everyone else stays quiet for the rest of the meal before James gets up and stormed up the stairs to, leaving you, your little sister, and two of your best friends.
"Are we in trouble," Trinity whines, looking up at you with sad eyes and a pouty lip.
You sigh, wrapping your arms around her. "No were not. Newts just in a bad mood," you say, resting your cheek on her head.
"Mmhm," she says with a yawn. You chuckle.
"Someone seems tired," you say, petting the top of her head. Seconds later she tips into your lap, suddenly exhausted from the long day. "I think I need to get her home," you say, lifting her limp body up and pulling her into your lap. "Oh but I don't want to leave without telling them goodbye," you tell Sonya, nodding your head up stairs.
As if on cue, all three Carter's walk down the stairs, looking rather glum. "Uh- I'm Uh- Sorry about earlier," Newt mumbles, looking down and grabbing his wrist in his hand.
"Hey man. Never happened," Minho says, getting up and giving him a bro hug. Newt chuckles before looking over at you as seeing Trinity's limp body in your arms. A small smile graces his lips before asking, "You want us to walk you home?"
"Um," you bite your lip, considering your options. Ever since your mom disappeared you hated being out on the streets alone at night. It just felt like anyone could jump out from a dark corner, and you knew you wouldn't be able to protect Trinity if you had to. "Would you mind," you ask all three of your friends nervously.
"Nah. It's not a problem for me, cause I have to get home to," Minho shrugs. After some quick goodbyes, all four of you walk out the door, you carrying Trinity in your arms, her head leaning on your shoulder. You all stay mostly quiet because technically your out after curfew, so your hoping no peacekeepers find you.
Just like it had with Sonya, a question blurts out of your mouth without even processing it. "Are you guys scared?" The games were coming up in less than two and a half weeks, which made the drawing almost a week from then, and it's all you had been thinking about for a while now.
"Eh. I've been more worried about trying to get a better job than working for Mrs. Shuckface," Minho shrugs. Looking over at the blond girl, she gives you a sad look. Shaking your head, already knowing that she's thinking about. If you didn't have to, you weren't going to worry Newt and Minho with the fact that your name was in the bowl 20 times.
"A little," Newt admits, ducking his head. "I just don't want Sonya to get picked."
"I'm not going anywhere big bro," Sonya says, pulling Newt into a headlock. She was a lot stronger than she looked, so she gave Newt a little bit of a battle to let go of him.
"Oh what are we? Chopped liver," Minho says in a mock hurt tone, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, but being careful to not wake Trinity. Newt and Sonya's laughs dye down, and now he's the one who asks.
"How about you," he asks, looking at you with a sad expression.
You sigh, wanting to Skip the drawing and just crawl into a hole and die. "I'm Uh- I guess I just don't want them being left alone," you bounce Trinity once, nodding down to your little sister. "I mean it's not like any of us are gonna get picked," you scoff, your hatred of the capitol boiling up in your stomach. With the thought of the reaping, you wrap your arms around your little sisters sleeping figure even tighter, cherishing the knowledge that she is safe and happy.
The rest of the walk is completely silent, only the sounds of your feet crunching on some torn up gravel and your heavy breaths. You were walking past a dark ally way, and you subconsciously peaked off to the side. Obviously there was nothing there, but you still stepped a little closer to Minho who was walking along right next to you, and sped up a little bit. Thankfully no one noticed your change of pace it was so subtle.
Eventually you got back home, and you gave everyone a side hug, still holding a sleeping Trinity, and you turn to go inside, but Newt stops you. Minho and Sonya already walked off, so you gave him a concerned look. "Is everything ok," you ask, leaning against the door frame while readjusting Trinity on your hip.
"Uh- ya. I just um- wanted t-to apologize again for earlier. I um- I just Uh-"
"Ya," you ask him confused, urging him to go on.
"I don't know. I guess I just Uh- I guess I just got upset because Minho flirts with Sonya a lot, and your like a second sister to me," ouch. Your pretty sure you physically winced at his words. "But I just got overprotective like I do when he flirts with her." He hangs his head low, grabbing his wrist in his fist tightly just like earlier. It was his nervous habit.
"Oh it's fine. But I'd probably apologize to him, not me," you grumble, unable to control your tone at what Newt just said. First he says you look nice, then he says your like a second sister to him. How often does he tell Sonya she looks nice? The thought just didn't sound right.
"Uh- ya. Ya your probably right. I'll go ahead and let you get some sleep." He reaches towards you, and gives you an awkward side hug to match the conversation. "Goodnight," he says before jogging off in the direction Sonya and Minho went.
Oh god what just happened?
...
The next week went by way too quickly. It's like the whole world was put on fast forward while you were put on rewind, and those two battled each other. The days went by almost an hour a second, while the long, sleepless nights left you squirming around on your bed. By the day of the reaping your eyes had black bags under them, and your head hung low, unable to keep it up like your mother taught you to.
There's a knock on your door, and you look up. You had just been standing in the middle of your room, looking down at your dressed up self, wishing today wouldn't come. Your little sister comes into the room and just stands in the doorway for a second. Multiple times she opens her mouth like she was gonna say something, but just ends up closing it again. After a second you just hold your arms out, and she runs into them, crying into your dress.
"What if you get picked," she cry's, fisting your dress in her small hands. You didn't feel like saying anything. You didn't know if you could say anything. All you could do was hold her crying figure tightly, and that seemed to be enough for her.
All too soon, your dad called you down to come eat and to begin the day.