When The Canary Sings

My Bright Red Face

First Person: Becca Blue: 

"Wakey, wakey," a voice rang out. How familiar those words were, seemingly harmless, but as sharp as a dagger, reminding me of when Chip said it. I opened my eyes, unsure if the voice taunting me was a nightmare or not.

I found Will kneeling on the edge of my bed, bouncing up and down. His clothes were covered in soot.

"Will." I groan, throwing an extra pillow at his soot covered face. "The sun hasn't even woken up yet. Plus, you're covered in coal dust and soot. What do you want?"

"I want to sleep, and your house is closer to town than the Seam." He shrugged. "Can I?" I groaned, knowing I'd need to wash my sheets again. But how could I say no to one of my best friends? I know he was tired, because of the victors visiting, he and all the other sweepers had to take extra shifts sweeping up and washing away all the coal dust.

I groaned but pulled open the covers and made a spot for him next to me. He shook off his broken shoes and leaped into the spot I had made him.

"Do you know what day it is?" He asked, staring at my ceiling.

"It's not day. You should never be awake before the sun. She's supposed to be the first one awake." I groan, turning round to face the soot-covered boy in my bed.

"Yeah, well too bad." He mumbled. "Today's show day," he said in a sing-song voice, and I chuckled, hitting him with a pillow.

"Sleep so you're not tired. I don't want you passing out in front of all of Panem because you can't handle a big audience." I mumbled, and he flung his arms over at me, I chuckled and started playing with his hair, and just like that, he was out like a light.

The next time I woke up, Will was practically hanging on me, I didn't mind though. What I did mind was the sun gleaming in my eyes through the window, and the talking downstairs.

"Good mornin', Mrs. Blue." I heard Haymitch greet my grandmother from downstairs, and I sprang out of bed. "Mind if I steal Becca for a bit? The victors'll be here soon." He said, and I could hear my grandma agree and offer him tea or coffee. She had been up for hours, like usual, making candy at the stove. Making something.

When I said no one should be up before the sun, Mamaw was exempted from that rule.

"Go up and get her, she should be awake by now." Mamaw said, and I immediately sprang up, Will sat up after me.

"You gotta go." I said, ripping the covers off him. He looked at me groggily. "I'll see you soon. Or you can just follow me from a distance, but bye!" I said in a hushed tone. He just smirked tiredly.

"Yeah, see ya later," he mumbled.

"You know, I could have not told you, and then you'd be dead." I retaliated, grabbing his hands and pulling him out of my bed. 

"Why?" Will drawls, taking a step closer to me. We were practically chest to chest, so I had no choice but to look up into the boy's sky-blue eyes.

"Cause Haymitch would kill you for sleeping in my bed." I said, crossing my arms. "Now scat before he really does kill you."

"Fine, fine, but just know I ain't scared of no drunk," He drawled with a yawn, but three taps at my door were enough to send him practically jumping out of my window.

But before he left, he left a sleepy, messy kiss on my cheek that was enough to turn my whole body bright red. Enough to send butterflies rippling through my stomach and trembles down my spine. Stupid flirt, I thought, stupid stupid!