I am Katniss, Daughter of Apollo (Percy Jackson/Hunger Games Fanfic)

Chapter 7

Katniss's POV
Today is Liz's birthday. June 15. I feel bad because I didn't know. But I told her I had a surprise for her. Except I don't. What do I do? I want to give her a gift for being a great friend, like a little sister to me, like Prim, like Rue...
Then I had an idea. I remembered Connor and Travis saying something about asking their godly parent for a blessing, or something. I wondered if Apollo would do something for me, for Liz. I also recalled Liz's frustration with Apollo never answering her.
Apollo, I thought, closing my eyes and concentrating. If you hear me, or if you're listening or however you do it wherever you are, please send me a bow. Not for me, I already have mine. One for Liz. It's her birthday today. Please Apollo. I hesitated, unsure whether my mouth would remember how to form my next thought. Please....Dad.
I opened my eyes, and was disappointed that there wasn't a bow in front of me. Then I laughed out loud. Did I really expect a bow to just appear in front of me? Furthermore, I thought, almost bitterly, did I really expect Apollo to hear? To listen? After all these years, why would he? I shook my head and continued my chores in Cabin 7.
"Hey."
I turn around and see Liz leaning against the frame of the doorway, a polka dot party hat placed lopsided on her head. She holds out another one to me. I grin and put my on the very top of my head.
"Hey! You have to put it crooked! It's the new style." She said with a giggle, trying to reach for mine. I ducked swiftly out of her way and said,
"I make my own style. I don't follow trends."
She nodded in mock seriousness. "I like you're way of thinking, Katniss." With that she pulled her to the front of her head and grinned broadly, "Now I'm a unicorn. A polka dot unicorn."
I laughed and quickly turned my back to her to pile my clean clothes into a drawer. I bent down when I noticed a piece of paper sticking out from under my bunk. It was stuck under something. I got down on my hands and knees, looked under the bed. My eyes widened. Laying amongst a few dust bunnies was a bow. The piece of paper said, "I haven't forgotten you, Katniss. Or Elizabeth."
Slowly I got back up, my back still to Liz, the bow concealed behind my body. I looked over my shoulder to see if she was still there, and sure enough she was still leaning on the doorframe, giving my a questioning look. I flashed a smile before turning my head away from her again.
"I wanted to get you something for your birthday, Liz." I said softly.
"Katniss, you're new here, you didn't know. It's okay, really. Tonight we get to have ca-"
I spun around, but instead of showing her the bow, I landed on top of it. I tripped over my own foot and went crashing to the ground.
"Ow." That was all I could say.
"Oh my gods! Katniss, are you okay? What did you trip over?"
"Foot." I groaned.
"Do you need help getting up? What did you land on anyway?"
I shake my head to say I didn't need help, but I don't move for a few more moments. My eyes watered with the pain of rolling my ankle and falling on my face. I wasn't crying, and it didn't hurt that much. I mean, compared to some other things like getting stung by tracker jackers for example, that really hurt. But it was one of those involuntary reactions.
"Katniss?" Liz repeated nervously.
I lift my head to see Liz standing over me, a concerned expression on her face.
"I'm fine." I grunt. I moan as I stand up, but I got up too fast, and I stagger as spots dance through my vision.
"Katniss. Are you sure you're okay? I mean, you passed out the other day, and now this..."
"I'm sure I'm fine." I say, frowning. I bend down once more to pick up the bow.
"Oh Katniss, that's a nice bow. Where'd you get it anyway? I just remember you showing up with it...."
"This isn't mine." I say, rubbing my sore jawbone. That'll be bruised by tomorrow."This one's for you. I-I asked Apollo for it. I just noticed it under the bed."
"Wow! Really, Katniss? You shouldn't have!"
I wince as I try to smile as I pass the bow to her. She stares at it in awe.
"Katniss. It's....It's....amazing!" Liz says breathlessly.
"Glad you like it." I say, rolling my ankle around in the air, grimacing with each revolution.
Liz is looking at me with a concerned expression again.
"Are you absolutely sure you're fine Katniss?"
I bite my lip. "Uh-huh."
The thing is, I wasn't sure if I was or not. But whatever the injury, major or minor, I wasn't going to let that interfere with Liz's birthday.
"I have an idea, Katniss. We never got to finish our walk near the water's edge, remember? Let's go stick our toes in the sand!"
"Whatever you want, birthday girl. Oh, I'm just going to change my shoes first." I add, remembering how long it took to take my boots and socks off.
I look in one of my drawers and find what I was looking for. A pair of flip flops.
Liz is already at the door as I straighten up after putting the shoes on. My ankle and face still hurt, but I'm just going to ignore them right now.
"Come on, Katniss! Before it gets dark!"
I laugh, as it's only mid-day right now.
I link arms with her as we walk to the water's edge. It suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know how old she was turning.
"Liz?"
"Mm-hm?"
"How old are you turning?"
She smiles and turns her head towards me, "Fourteen. I'm fourteen today."
I smile back as we take off our flip flops and set them on a nearby rock. I walk slowly into the water with my pant legs rolled up. I walk ankle deep, then shin deep, then knee deep. I stand there for a minute, my back to Liz, my arms outstretched, my pants soaking.
"Katniss, you'll be all wet!"
I put my arms down and turn towards Liz. I flash a mischievous grin, then I close my eyes and let myself fall backwards. I relish the cooling sensation as my body sinks underwater, and I sit down in the shallow water for a moment, curled up with my arms wrapped around my legs. I hear another splash nearby and know Liz is coming to find me. I push myself back up to the water's surface and see her bubbling towards me.
"Liz! Over here!" I call.
She pops her blonde head up out of the water, and I start striding towards her.
"Haha, very funny." She says.
I swing my arm around her neck and we head back to the shore. We slip our flip flops back on, then laugh at the squeaking sound they make with our wet feet on them. We exaggerate the squeaking all the way back to our cabin, where we quickly change our clothes after another camper tells us we're gonna miss the cake if we don't hurry. In our dry clothes, we run to the Dining Pavilion in our squeaky flip flops, laughing the whole way. We sing Happy Birthday to Liz, my voice being the loudest and most purposefully off-pitch along with Connor and Travis. Liz grins from ear to ear. We all eat delicious cake that Liz says is her favorite flavor, something called Funfetti.
"I don't know what that is." I say, "But it tastes amazing."
We all wander back to our cabins, commenting on the cake, the song, and the day. Some people call out happy birthday to Liz as we head into our cabin. I climb up to my top bunk, then hang my head over the edge to find Liz on her bottom bunk, examining her new bow.
"It's a compound bow." I comment.
She jumps, not realizing I had been there. "I love it, Katniss. I really do."
I smile then sit back up in my bunk, replaying the day in my head. I look down at my ankle and notice it's a little bit swollen and pink. I'll get it checked tomorrow, I think to myself, my mind wandering to the Hunger Games when I slept in a tree. I guess that's why I wanted top bunk.
"Goodnight, Katniss."
"Goodnight Liz, happy birthday."