the calm before the storm {marr}

Meal time is break time. A time to reflect on what we've been taught and what we've had to endure. For some of us, it's harder on others. Careers have it easy while the ones in the lower districts do not. We are the ones that come from poor families. We are the ones that have to contest with others to survive to the next day. I've been surviving since I was born. A house with little food. A house that is poor but rich in love. That's what really kept us all going because at the end of the day, if you can hold your head up and see the good in life, you can always prosper when the sun is blocked away. Just because the sun is gone behind the clouds doesn't mean it's not there. It's only waiting for you to believe in it to shine again. It'll come back.

Always.

My tray is topped with food that I've never smelled before. This healthy stuff they think will give us energy does not even look good to me. I'm used to my own cooking and my own district eight food. This looks like it's packed full of color and unnatural smells, so when I look to the tables and notice lain, I know where I need to go. Maybe he'll understand my distaste for this capitol food? Perhaps, he'll be able to lift my courage to try this strange and unusual food they want us to eat?

"lain!" I bring my voice out with something that resembles a happy tone all the while remembering how we first met. The horrible creatures that dare to pick on him. The one that I bent down to, gave my hand to, and then glared at those bullies as if my own brother was being tormented. I'm no stranger to breaking up fights nor putting my two sense in either. As it is, before I even reach him, I can see the amount of sadness that radiates from his posture alone. His head down as if the world was trying to swallow him up. My heart aches for him and my speed increases until I sit beside him, automatically giving no room for him to move his elbows.

"Cheer up, buttercup. Things could always be worse, you know. This food for instance... it's not natural and they expect us to eat it." I chime in, and turn to him with a grin. I bump into his shoulder and then take the spoon in my hand. "You think I'll die if I eat this?"

I poke at something red that moves when I touch it, but in it has little dots of orange as well. I raise my eyebrow and then put the spoon down for a moment and turn to him. "Are you okay, lain?"

This boy is like my brother already. When we first met, I was trying to defend him- picking him up off the ground like I did Jory that one time. The look on his face was similar. Without words, I knew he appreciated what I had done, but I also didn't have any other choice. To bully anyone is something I can't stand. I won't stand for it and with these games coming up, I'm almost assuredly to think that he's going to already be their target. His last name matches that of the recent victor. A brother to someone who actually survived yet he has no qualities that I can see just yet. Outwardly, he seems a bit shy and scared. He limps with his leg and that isn't a good thing, but inside his mind, I'm sure he's a brilliant person just waiting and itching to show everyone what he can do. Don't judge a book by the cover my dad would tell me. He also told me that as the first born, I had certain obligations to attend to. I had to protect those brothers of mine that couldn't do it theselves.

lain is different. He's not helpless and I can see that in him. He's just uncertain. Someone that needs an encouraging word. Maybe, I can be that voice for him?

"Good!" I state when he tells me that he's alright. However, his words don't match the tone of voice and the sigh did nothing to compliment each other. I shake my head and let it go but listen further about the food.

"I refuse to eat something that I don't know what it is, nor what don't look normal. I've went without before, I will not let that stuff touch my tongue." My shoulders lift up without a care in the world and the tray is pushed away from me. I sit there, arm touching arm with lain and then prop my head on my hand. That is until I witness his next statement.

"It means a lot to me that you would say that. Don't let anyone push you around. It's not cool. You are a Miristioma. You have power in your blood. You have some great things to come from being a victors brother. I guess that also means that they are afraid of you, too. You know. Being a Miristioma." I reach over, taking a grape from his plate and popping it into my mouth. All the while, a huge grin comes across my face and I tilt my head to the side.

"You just let me take that grape without even flinching. Toughen up." I tease him, and flash my eyebrows at him. Almost immediately, I reach over to take another grape, curiosity flooding my thoughts. Will he stop me or will he let me take another?

I feel like I'm lecturingn one of my brothers, sort of. Though, this guy is my age and my height - almost. He's just a little shorter than me, but with his build and my build, I can see why we might be the ones picked on. We are thinner than most; gaunt. We lack what others have, but do we really lack more morality though? I think we do. I think we have better minds and hearts than anyone else in this entire building and as I take a grape from him, I want him to stand up for himself toward me. Usually, as I have found out, that it's harder to stand up to your friends then your enemy. So, when I go to take another grape from him, he doesn't do a thing, again. Almost ready to sigh, he immediately grasps onto the edges of his plate and he moves it away from me.

Laughter erupts when he speaks. Complete joy overfills me as the grape touches my lips but never passes them. Instead, it stays within my fingers and then my hand falls to my lap as the laughter proceeds and I shake my head.

"You are brilliant, lain. Don't let anyone else ever tell you any different." I nudge him once more and the laughter dies down into a chuckle and then merely a smile as I pop the stolen grape into my mouth. I bite down hard on it, squishing the juice and chewing without even thinking about it. This is a normal peice of food. A normal, non-altered grape that tastes just as pristine as the sun that was used to grow it. The essense of this moment will forever stay in my mind for as long as I can live.

I have a friend here. I have this person beside me that has made me laugh and that I can help. He sees me for who I really am and for only a moment, a dreadful feeling over sweeps me. One of us will die. One of us will die before the other and that's a given fact and to whom that will be will not be known. The future is uncertain but the smile on my face doesn't fade because right here and right now, I am happy.

"Tomorrow is a brand new day, lain. Tomorrow, we will show them all up. The duo force. What stations have you worked with yet? Any at all? I want to because the fire goddess. Think I can become the flame?" My storytelling comes out in my voice and obviously there is no such things as goddesses. "And you? The fire God you can be? By the way, can I have some more grapes? Their actually the first normal piece of food I've seen here. Actually, can I have them all if you're not going to eat them?"

The grapes are the prize that I'm wanting. In order to truely see how much frienship is going to be had here, will depend on how he responds to me wanting the grapes. But right before that, I want to know about the stations that he finds more interesting and needed. I want to see how much we are alike in what we feel we need to learn but if we both have the same knowledge going in, we aren't really helping each other. At this point, I feel like we're going to be friends throughout the hunger games. We are this weird little duo, the duo force, he now claims that we are. I am okay with this. I am really, truely okay with becoming the duo force with him because already, as long as you have someone to watch your back, then you have nothing to fear. He's doing as much good to me and I am to him, I can only hope.

"Hmm, If I set myself on fire, I would... be the girl on fire? Who wants to mess with the girl on fire? Fire spreads like wild... taking down everything in its path." Though his reaction is to put his hand over his mouth and acting like he's being really serious. "Do you really think I would do that to myself? lain... seriously. You're joking?"

My mouth drops in astonishment, wondering if he's being truthful about his reaction, though it don't stay long at all. My hand is extended and finds solice in pushing him away from me in a joking manner and then my attention falls back to the grapes that are in his plate on the other side of him. With one eyebrow raising in a questionable sort, I ask, again for his fruit. His responds automatically has that laughter exiting my throat and my head hitting the table in front of me.

"lain!" I shout and immediately reach over to take the grapes, but they are too far away for me to reach, what with him in the way. "But... I want your grapes! Ladies first... or do you not consider me a lady?" I ask shaking my head to the pouty lip of his.

"I have three little brothers and a baby sister. That lip was invented by me and used by all. You have no power over me." I taunt him and stand up fast, only to reach around him and take stem of the grapes and take a few steps back, popping one in my mouth almost immediately and grinning as big as I can. "They are mine now. Come get me, Iain of eleven. If you do not, then I shall hold these grapes hostage for all time."

I take another grape and hold it out. "These are so good! Want one?" For some reason, I feel so at ease around lain. Like all the troubles that we're fixing to go through are just null void. Like it's not happening and I'm just back in district eight playing with a classmate or my brother or just enjoying being fourteen. How can he do this so easily for me?

The grapes are a sweet reminder that we will be friends for the rest of our lives. For the rest of what we have to live and if I was to die tomorrow, I will be okay with that. This laughter that escalates from some fruit is heartwarming and gold. How many people can say they come into the capitol with a death sentence and then fight over the most stupidest thing? Yes, I've got the grapes and yes he's trying to come after me for them, but the whole point of the now is to have fun; to laugh with one another. Having a grim future is to come, but right now, why should we sink into the depression of an impending death or the thought of it at least? I say no!

lain and I are doing what we need to be doing. We are a team already and I know as long as we stick together, that we will be okay. We have to be. This is too much fun when I do end up snatching the grapes from his plate that makes him get up to come after me. He's quick to sit down and only then do I remember that his leg causes him a lot of trouble, but I can't show him my fear that he can't do what I can. That's not the point of this. He can try again and again, and I'll not show him that I feel sorry for him. He's capable of doing whatever he sets his mind to no matter how long it takes him or how many times he has to try.

He will succeed. He will!

And he tries once again to get to his feet and even though I keep offering his own grapes back to him, tries once again with a quiet voice for the grapes back. It makes me ponder if I've gone too far? If the fun is already gone. Something about his tone of voice and the body language doesn't match the words. Is he fearful for someone to hear us? What could happen? I shake my head.

"But... they taste so much better stolen. If you work for your food, it's much more entertaining... I mean, erm... rewarding. These grapes are getting sweeter by the moment!" I pick yet another grape off the stem and hold it between my teeth and let my teeth slice it down the middle before deciding to hand the stem of them all back. Before, I can though, I study them. I take my own eyes off of my frienly opponent an start to count the remaining round morsels. "Eleven left. If I take three more, it'll be eight left, and then it'll definately be mine. I am district eight. You are Eleven. May the odds be ever in your favor..."

I let the smile play on my lips as I coax him over with my index finger waving at him. "Come at me, Bro. Let's see what you are made of! Your grapes are in danger!"