Averie Sage >> District Four >> done!

Averie "Avie"  Sage

If I had a nickel for every time I felt underestimated, I'd have enough money to feed everyone in this damn district.
    "Avie, don't this this. Don't do that. You can't handle it."
I'm on the edge of insanity. Let me handle my life! I promise I'll show you all how far I'll go. Or at least go as far as I can in the confines of this district. And I mean, what can I say? At least I have the water. How anyone else could go their whole life without being able to submerge in a body of water and just lose themselves in that calm sense of serenity is beyond me. I've seen on television and have heard enough stories to know that not every district gets that one sense of relief. At least I have that. I can easily escape my mom and dads angry voices bouncing from wall to wall. All they do is argue. The past two years have been the biggest headache. Has it been that long since my parents have been on bad terms? Two years? Two years since the first time he hit her and I hid in the broom closet with my sobbing little sister. Teegan and I never used to get along. We're only two years apart and as much as I'd hate the admit it, we're just alike. I guess that's why we never got along. But once the beatings began, my sister and I have never been closer. Should I feel guilty that our friendship grew out of fear? But doesn't everything grow out of fear around here? We spend most days just sitting by the water, no matter how tired we were from working all day. The fatigue doesn't seem to get to you and the need to lay in a bed seems less urgent when you're just too scared to go home. 
    "We could run away," she'd say. "Find a new family somewhere."
What an idiot my sister is. What an idiot I am because I've thought the exact same thing. We both knew it couldn't happen. Besides, who would take us in? We've only a few more years before we can just marry off and finally leave the shithole we call home. So in the meantime, we just sit in the sand and wish we were fish. Sometimes we'd braid each others hair. Or more so, I'd just braid her hair. She hates trying to do anything with my hair. She says it's too thin, tangles too easily, is too dried out and just doesn't do what she tells it. Sorry to tell you sis, but we are related and your hair isn't too far off. She has sea green eyes, like me. There's not much to me. I'm a stick with human features. My lack of figure and fullness destines me to forever look like a twelve year old. I suppose that's why people underestimate me so much. Tall, lanky and skinny. No one could care less how I'm probably one of the best swimmers around for my age and can work underwater better than most people do on land. Everyone just looks past it. Because I don't have a voice. That's why I can never tell my dad to screw off every time he hits my mother. If I could protect everyone, I would. But until then, I guess I'm bound to the life of a girl who'll sit by the water and braid her sisters hair and just wish she was a fish.