Tidal ~ Hunger Games [2]

six

+ toast +

I sat at the kitchen table, the sun rising outside as the sunlight gleamed in from the large window that sat over the sink. I stared at it, watching the warm winds mingling into each other as the birds flew past, on their way to the ocean to catch breakfast for themselves, or maybe even snatch something from the nets set off the shore before they got picked up this morning. I clutched the mug that was in my hand, the warm tea inside of it warming up my hands as I let out a deep breath, lifting the cup to my lips as I took a small sip of it. I didn't sleep at all, and it wasn't that I didn't sleep it was more that I couldn't sleep. I had stared at the ceiling and blank wall for hours on end, tossing and turning as I lay there with my eyes wide open.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, the sound of slippers hitting against the floors as they got closer. I looked at the doorway as my mother made her way into the kitchen, pulling her silk robe closer to her as she looked over at me. "You're up early, sweetie" she said to me with a smile as she walked over to me, putting her hand on the back of my head as she kissed the top of my hair gently.

"I'm used to waking up early now" I said to her quietly as she looked down at me, nodding her head as she looked in my mug quickly, probably making sure it was just tea and not anything else. "There's still water on the stove if you want a cup" I said to her as she looked over at the stove top, the kettle sitting there as she nodded her head, patting my back gently before walking away from me.

"Why are you up this early? The suns barely up" I asked her as she opened up a cupboard, pulling a mug out as she reached into the jar on the counter and pulling out a teabag. "I was going to go into the school today, get everything set up for the first day back" she said to me as she turned to face me, my eyebrows raising slightly as I looked over at her. "You're still working?" I asked, her hand on the handle of the kettle as she poured the hot water into her mug. "Of course I am" she said with a small smile, grabbing a small silver spoon from a drawer as she pushed the teabag in the water, letting it steep for a moment as she turned back to me, a smile on her face.

"What are your plans today?" she asked me, her tone soft and loving as it always was, genuinely curious about what I was thinking about doing. "I might go to the Odair's" I replied with a small shrug, not having made up my mind quite yet. "We can walk together into town if you'd like" she told me with her eyebrows raised, a small smile falling onto my face as I nodded my head. "I'd like that" I replied as I took a quick sip of my drink, setting it down on the table in front of me. "You want some toast?" mom asked me as she pointed her thumb over her shoulder.

"No, thanks" I told her with a small shake of my head, her smile faltering slightly before she managed to keep it poised on her face, but I caught it. "Are you sure? There's these jams that was in one of the crates, you could use that instead of butter if you want something sweet" she responded quickly, pulling the tea bag from her cup as she balanced it on her spoon, walking over to the sink as she pulled the cabinet out towards her, the trash cans sitting hidden inside. "No thank you, I don't really like the jams from the Capitol" I told her, watching as she threw out her tea bag, sitting her spoon in the sink as she turned back to me, a concerned look resting on her face.