The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

5

It was the same routine. Johanna didn't make any indication that anything was out of the ordinary. I secretly wanted to point my finger at her and say 'I saw you'. But I'm not five and if she doesn't care about me then I won't care about her. 

She continued with our usual five-thirty morning wake ups. What had changed is that she's not nit-picking me anymore. No, now she's...encouraging me. Instead, I now have to block out things like 'Nice One!', 'Keep at it!', 'Better than the last'...ect. I prefer training in silence but I can't remember my mother giving me this kind of encouragement before. So, I let it slide and take it in stride. 

Not that any of this matters anyways. I'm not going to stab someone with my axe or chop their head off in the arena. No, I'm not killing anyone!. Because I refuse to play. Refuse, to let Snow win. 

I don't know how Johanna will take it so I've decided not to tell her at all. She'll find out soon enough when she watches the games. I don't care if I 'disappoint' her. This isn't about her, she's not the one going into that arena. I am. And I don't want blood on my hands. Simple as that, besides what was I going to do with my life?, Make paper?...it's almost laughable.

But I'll pretend to be her little prodigy or whatever it is she wants me to be in that arena. She's still my mother at the end of the day and I want what days we still have together to remain pleasant. Or at least, normal. 

Gasping breaths and tired arms. I wiped my brow in satisfaction of completing another training. What I didn't expect was my mother to sigh and give me a curt smile. "How are you taking it?".

Woah. It had everything in me not to do a double take. She looked at me impatiently with her arms crossed and lips tightly smiling. As if she had to force it. I scoffed and kicked a small stone that was too close to my dropped axe. "Like you care".

I looked back to her and she surprised me when she started laughing. She more cackles my mother. "Sure, I'll take that. Now answer my question Victoria".

I glared at her. "No. I don't think I will Johanna".

My mother was the only one to call me strictly Victoria and nothing else. Not Vicks or Vicky. I think it's to put more distance between us. That, or she knows it pisses me off and she gets a sick twisted enjoyment from it.

She scoffed and I could see a bit of anger climbing up in there. She smirked at me. "Johanna, that ones new". I didn't like how twisted she looked. 

I frowned. "Not like you'd know. We don't talk Jo-mother". 

It's almost sad how foreign that word was to say out loud.

She tusked at me. "I want you to remember something. When you're in that arena I'll be there doing all I can to get you out.". I watched her approach me until she held my chin tightly. "I'll be damned if they take you too!. I'm your mentor now Kid, I'll get you through this. Because you and me, we're family. And family doesn't ever give up on eachother".

She looked so determined that I couldn't not nod back at her. She then huffed and rolled out her shoulders before stomping back out towards Victors Village. Leaving me alone and beyond confused. What on earth does Johanna Mason know about family?!?.

Reaping day came faster then I thought it would. I decided to wear a light blue dress while leaving my hair straight. What with all the money I've accumulated from Johanna everyday, buying a pretty dress wasn't something I ever had to think twice about. When I entered the small tailors of District Seven the shopkeeper stared me dead on and whispered 'We made it especially for you, dear'. Of course they did, because Trent and I are one of four celebrities in District Seven. And I could tell instantly as I walked around my district that after the announcement everyone is angry and distraught.