Wilted Roses ; The Hunger Games

XXI. broken records

EVEN THOUGH ROSE would only be gone for two weeks tops, going through a new district each day, her goodbyes from Willow was a rather tearful one. Since it was only customary for Roses mentor and crew to travel along with her victory tour, Willow was left in the care of Amara (much to her displeasure.) When she was first told the news, her first argument was, 'but she's mean and she smells like cigarettes!' Quickly followed by asking to stay with the old Victor Mags Flanagan instead, though Finnick said it would be fine— as he was particularly close with the victor of the tenth hunger games— Rose didn't know her well enough to leave Willow with her. Rose found it unfair how the day after Willow decides to forgive her, she's shipped away to tour the districts against her will— even though it's been a tradition for over fifty years and the president would never delay it over something so quaint.

The moment Rose stepped back onto that train, it's like she traveled back to the past, first arriving with Connor as they sat in silence though understanding everything the other was saying. Rose could almost hear Connor asking Portia to see the other reaping's, his voice simply a faint echo that was just out of reach, the brightest star in the night sky that was light years away.

Rose could tell it was difficult for Finnick as well, the moment they stepped on together she saw the way the muscles in his jaw clenched, the way his eyes tightened as he takes in the surroundings. They were both drowning in the unbearable guilt and trauma that was brought with the games, but there was always an understanding that they were drowning together.

Rose was the first to do anything about it, grabbing onto his hand and squeezing it just like she did to Connor or Willow whenever she saw they were overwhelmed. He looked down at her, a look in his eyes Rose couldn't quite distinguish though they simply exchanged faint smiles.

Though their moment was shattered when Portia pushed herself through the two of them, her vibrant purple hair matching her outfit which was— of course— decorated with an assortment of feathers, from the tip of her hat to the feathery texture of her puffed out skirt.

"Ahh, smells just the same as we left it! I just love these old memories." Portia exclaimed, Rose stayed silent though the boy beside her gave her a look which clearly signaled her to think before she spoke. She mouths a tiny 'oh' before beginning to ramble about the design of the tablecloths.

"I already have your speeches prepared!" Portia practically jumps in excitement as she pulls the cards out of her handbag, Roses lips formed a line as she takes the cards from her hand, skimming over the contents as she attempts to ignore how fake it made her feel. Like a fraud. But she couldn't go rogue, lord knows she had nothing of her own prepared, and she never truly did have much of a way with words. She could form one sentence wrong and everybody she loved could be executed, Portia had to create this with such precision and Capital flair that it would hopefully inspire and motivate others (not to burn down their houses.)

"Thank you." She breathes out, her surroundings making her feel simply suffocated as the two of them walk off to get comfortable in their old rooms again.

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"We will be arriving in District Twelve in an hour tops!" Portia announced, the enthusiasm wavering from her voice at the mention of the district. Finnick had told me that for his victory tour, everybody dreaded going to Twelve. The smoggy air, the starving children littering the streets, half the population shoved in the dangerous mines 24/7 so they could never truly look 'clean', I was told it was because those in The Capital weren't used to such drastic changes from their normal luxury— but Rose knew it was because they hated seeing what they did to what Rose assumed was once a beautiful town. "Do you have your cards ready?" She asked and Rose nodded as she was sitting down opposite to Finnick at the old table, trying to get used to the place again.