The Forgotten Days

▬▬ 𝟏𝟔 ∙ 𝗝𝝾𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝝾𝗻

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 16 ∙ 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗

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JOHANNA MASON became the first female victor from District 7 in the 71st Hunger Games.

I remember watching her games and seeing her training one day. I peeked in before my appointment and found her sobbing on the floor with a 100% fatality rate on the edible plants test.

I didn't think much of her after that, especially not when everyone else around her was mostly competent in something. She got the first one in history for private session scores, and cried her way through most of the interview, blubbering like a child.

But one day, cheers exploded from the mentors' room. Even if I wasn't inside, I saw the news on the screens as I headed back to the Tribute Center after my last appointment, falling over my feet in exhaustion. The headlines exploded with color and shock. Johanna Mason, tribute from District 7, receiver of the lowest training score in history, has won the 71st Annual Hunger Games.

The Capitol liked her a lot more after that, even when she showed that her personality wasn't that frivolous, scared girl. She was sarcastic and unafraid to say what she thought. They were all taken aback by her interview, even more when she refused to look even a little grateful that she had won. She delivered her speeches coldly, staring down at her cards the entire time, never once lifting her head to address the grieving families as she droned on about Panem and the Capitol's generosity.

I don't like victory tours. I don't like talking to the new victor when they come to visit District 4 and we have dinner, or when I travel to the Capitol for the ending party. Moxie wastes no time getting me out of bed early morning and hauling all of us—Finnick and I for our mandatory visits, and Shelly and the other victor, I forget his name, since they mentored—out of bed.

"I don't remember them ever mandating that mentors had to go to the Capitol party," I comment, but Moxie only waves off my noticing.

"It's always been like this, I guess you just got unlucky your year," Shelly whispers to me as the train starts zooming away from the district. The sea soon disappears and is replaced by factories, immaculate streets, and lavish houses before I see the towering buildings of the Capitol.

"Quickly!" Moxie chirps as the train slows, parading us around the city until I see the Tribute Center. I steal a look at Finnick, who alternates staring in front of him and at his shoes.

"We're here," Moxie stops us, pushing us all to our designated stylists. A wave of gratitude crashes over me when I see Aqua waiting for me, her hair cut short after years of growing it out. We walk side by side to the Remake Center.

"I like the hair," I smile, "it suits you."

"Thought I would change it up a little. Everyone else seems baffled by it, you don't know how reassuring it is to get a good comment." We stop by the entrance, where the prep team waits for me. Told them to keep it light. I'll see you in a bit, then." She begins walking away to a room off the side, where I presume my dress is stored. She turns back to me with a wink.

"And don't worry, you're going to look stunning," she says, like I ever doubt her, before disappearing into the room. As the prep team begins to work on my hair and nails after rinsing me down once, she comes back out with a dress in hand.