How Could You? - An Everlark AU

Chapter 1

~Present Day~

The sky outside gloom's, the clouds getting darker and the rain hitting harder. Yesterday was just fine. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Prim was smiling. She still is, and I hope it stays that way. But today just seems as if everyone and everything got... darker. But it's 12, of course everything's gloomy and sad. A leaf flies past our window. Would any of this change? Maybe, maybe not... maybe there might be a day where I don't have to see lonely leaves fly past the window. A day where it's shining with sun rays and butterflies fluttering everywhere. Prim and I would play in the fields. That would be perfect. I can imagine it now. The sun shining on our backs and through the leaves around us, dappling the ground as the summer wind rustles the leaves gently, creating an aura of peace. A thunderclap brings me out of my thoughts as lightning quickly ensues, making the dark room light up and scaring Prim. She's always been scared of thunderstorms, but to me they were just like an ordinary day.

"Hey, you okay, Little Duck? It's just the rainstorm. It'll pass soon." I say to her.

"I hate thunderstorms. I can never sleep." She says and rolls over.

"I'm sorry, Little Duck." I say. "Hey, why don't you come over here?"

"Okay... thank you, Katniss." She says.

She moves her covers off of her and walks to my side of the room. I slide over in my bed and she joins me. My bed is the bigger one of the two. I have a full bed, and she has a twin bed. Dad gave me his when we moved again. We get the only room. He has to sleep on the couch. Mom stopped paying Dad a few months ago. The courts and things have been having to get whatever she can scarpe up. But she doesn't have much. She spends it all on those stupid drugs. They took her away from us. Dad also got written up. And he has to take up odd jobs. Which doesn't last and doesn't get us much. I have to contribute my own money that I work my ass off for. To keep my family alive. I pay the rent, electricity, power, heating, air, food for all three of us, clothes for all of us, and things that are wanted for holidays, school, or special occasions, cell phone bills, T.V. bills, gas, car bills, and doing the financing and taxes. All at sixteen years old. I am even setting aside money for a vacation that I want to take my family on. It's for Prim's thirteenth birthday. We've only been on a vacation when it was only me still. She always talks about DisneyLand. So, I'm going to make it happen.

"Katniss, I don't want to go to see Mom today. She's worse than the last time we saw her." Prim says.

"It's a part of the deal, Prim. Mom can see us once a month. She still has a right. Even though she isn't the best mother." I say.

"I just miss the old Mom." She says and sighs.

"Just get to sleep. We have school tomorrow." I say.

"Okay. Night." She says and rolls over.

"Night, Little Duck." I say.

I wrap my arms around her protectively. I pull her close to me. The thunder storm still scares her. I just keep the only person I care most for close to me.

~

The sun that shines down on my face wakes me up. I open my eyes to see the curtains open. I turn to my side to see if Prim's there, but she isn't. She's obviously up. But I'm usually the one who wakes up early. I crawl out of bed and put on my usual casual clothes. A plain shirt and plain shorts. I wear other things, but if I'm not going out of the house then I don't need to dress up. And school doesn't care what students wear. I walk out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me which squeaks every now and then. Prim is in the kitchen making tea and eggs on toast. Two plates, two cups and pairs of forks and knives sit on the counter.