Cattle run (open & Axel)

I'm so hungry my stomach is growling audibly so I give the bar keeper a slightly embarassed smile.
"Hungry?" He asks me and my companion so we nod in reply.
"Well, you're in luck. We have stew or cornsoup tonight. Just find a table and we'll be right with you. A beer?"
I cast a side glance at my friend, who is still underage but simply put two fingers up and nod. "Make it two."
While I unbutton my heavy leather jacket, that my grandfather has passed down to me, I let my gaze wander around. The place is busy, most likely because it's the only one in town. The wooden furniture is heavy but without any ornaments or fancy design. It's a simple, old place and I like it. Just like a lot of other people who have occupied most of the six tables. Only one table is almost empty with only one girl sitting there. It strikes me as odd that a girl would go to a bar alone, especially one who is as young as her. I'm guessing she's no older than 16.

"Let's ask her." I mutter to Brian at my side and pull Storm closer to me so he won't cause any problems.

"Excuse me, Miss." I attempt to be as polite as I can and offer her a wide smile.
"My friend and I would like to eat a bite. Would you share your table with us?"
For a moment I wait and study her face. She doesn't seem scared or offended by our approach but her expression doesn't reveil much. Briefly my green eyes fall on a small booklet on the table with a pencil next to it. We might be disturbing her.

At first she seems to hesitate which makes me think she might be waiting for someone. While I take my old cowboy hat off so I don't seem impolite at the table the girls starts telling me the story of her life or so it seems. She's certainly not the shy kind when it comes to talking. Briefly I exchange a glance with my companion and then sit down opposite of her. The accent she talks in is quite different from our districts. It sounds faster and quirkier whereas in 10 we speak slower and with less emphasis.

She's quick to judge me as somebody who has a lot of stories to tell, which is true but how could she know? I guess she's just going by our clothes from d10. Then she asks to hear a few stories. Her rambling overwhelms me a little so I simply smirk and motion for myself and then my buddy. "I'm Jack Lexington, that's Sam O'Reilly. We're from district 10." Just to make sure nobody is thinking we're here illegally I add. "We're bringing cattle and horses for the district."
I guess I forgot my manners because Sam chips in. "Nice to meet you and shakes her hand across the table."

The waitress comes and takes our orders so we order two bowls of stew to go with our beer. The ale soothes my dry throat and quenches my thrist. A little nervous I look around because I really don't want to start telling some random story as she requested. So I raise my brows while I ask. "Are you here alone or are we stealing somebody's seat?"
Sam nudges me and then says. "What do you want to know, Bella? That name really suits you." I can only smirk at the young red heads boldness.

I can tell that Sam is making a better impression than me. The ride and then long nights outside under the stars have worn me out. So I really have to make an effort to be polite. Rubbing my hands over my face I tell myself to try a little harder even if I have nothing to proof to this stranger.

I look at her from tired eyes when she tells us that she comes here to be alone, which seems odd. Out of all the places you could be left alone a pub is the last one I'd choose. Then again it's so cold outside that many other places are too uncomfortable.

"I guess it's too cold outside at this time of the year." I comment and hear Sam say that he'd go somewhere with her, which makes me shoot him a look. How can he be so obviously flirting with this girl he met a second ago.
"I'm sure you'd find some volunteers to be your company." Why am I trying to match up with Sam?

She continues to ask questions about our travels and what it's like outside the districts. This topic makes me tense up immediately because of my unauthorized trip to district 5 years ago, which not only almost cost me my leg but also earned me a few weeks in the detention center. She's obviously not referring to that but our authorized travels.
So I take a drink from the stine, then say. "I've done this trip 9 times. Usually with older guys but this time they couldn't find anybody but this green horn here." I ruffle Sam's red hair.
"Outside the districts there are a lot of wild, dangerous animals that like to attack you or your cattle. There are no roads, just tiny paths. I have no idea whether the capitol always knows where you are but I doubt doubt it." Actually I know that for a fact since I almost died out there when those damn careers half cut my leg off.
"Plus how would I know that they see me if I don't see them?" I raise a brow with a smile.

Our dinner arrives and I thank the waitress and then dig in without waiting even though I know better. "Sorry, hungry."
Once the first bite of hot stew has reached my belly I turn my eyes back on her. "It can be dangerous to ask so many questions about the forbidden areas. Why do you want to know? Any plans of running off?" My blunt question almost makes me chuckle.

The girls words sound so naive to me. If only she knew what trouble her questions could put her in. It's none of my business so I remain silent. When she mentions that she won't hold anything against us she doesn't even know what she's saying. If I told her everything I have ever done I'd probably wind up in detention three times and get whipped on top.
It's a virtue not to brag about your adventures, I guess. At least in a country like Panem.
While I stir my stew, that is awefully hot and blow on it sending small clouds of steam travelling through the air she tells me that she just wants to find a lover and live happily ever after.
I eat a spoonful and the remark. "That sounds very sweet...but not very realistic."
The fact that she's so naive almost ticks me off. If she had been through what I had to experience she wouldn't talk like that.
"Dream on, unfortunately live doesn't work like that." I state quite bitter but Sam gives her an apologetic look and nudges me. "C'mon, don't ruin her dreams."

When I look back up in her eyes I see that she doesn't want to know about love stories with bad endings, not does she want her bubbles to be burst by some lonesome wrangler. "I'm sorry..." I mutter. "Just had a lot of bad luck myself."
I can't even look at the girl when I confess that little bit of my own life.
Sam takes the explanation out of my hands and states as if it was something to be proud of. "His wife was last years female tribute from district 10. She made it to day..." Instantly I shoot him a glance that could have killed. "Shut your fucking trap." I holler at him and throw my spoon on the table.
Before I storm off I tell the girl. "Excuse me."
Then I get away as fast as I can. For some reason Sam mentioning Noreen like she was some sort of celebrity makes me really upset today. It's worse than on other days. Maybe because I'm so far away from home. Maybe because Faith and the babies are not here to help me keep my sanity. I'm not sure but it hurts.

In the bathroom I stare in the mirror at a face that looks much older and worn out that it really is. So I splash some water in my face and lean my elbow against the mirror. After a while I calm down because I know Sam didn't mean any harm.

He is looking at the girl in a quit insecure and irritated way trying to explain what happened. "I'm really sorry. I don't even know him that well. I guess I said something wrong."

Her tears are unexpected for the young guy since it was him who got yelled at, not her. Tears always make him uncomfortable and take his ability to be reasonable. "I'm ...err..I don't understand why you're crying." He studders for a lack of better words. "C'mon, it's not so bad." Trying to comfort her somehow he switched seats to the other side and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? Do you want to hear a joke? I know some good ones."
It was obvious she wasn't but Sam had no idea why.

When I finally calm down and my conscience starts knawing on me I return to the table but even from across the room filled with people I can tell something is wrong. Sam has switch chairs and the girls shoulders are rising in a rapid fashion. She's crying. Of course I know who caused it. Some girls are like tender petals that can easily fall apart. My girlfriends never were that kidn but I've seen friends sisters fall apart like that.
"Oh dear." i mutter to myself and then cross the room with hanging shoulders.

Slowly I approach them and see how dumbstruck Sam looks. When he sees me he immediately gets up and apologizes. "I had no idea you'd freak out like that."
In my deep voice I tell him not to worry. "Don't worry about it. You didn't mean no harm, I'm sure." I sit down next to him again and sincerely apologize to him. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's still a very sore topic for me, so forgive me."
Then I look across the table where our new friend has almost curled up in the corner. I try to find some right words but close my mouth again.
My second attempt works better because I'm almost as bad with crying girls as Sam is. "Look, I'm sorry if my yelling scared you or my words hurt you. I really am. It was out of place and I apologize that I let myself go."

She doesn't look up or answer so I do what my companion did before and sit next to her. "If you'd prefer it we can go and sit somewhere else....or I could make up for my mistake and tell you one of those adventure stories that you asked to hear," My tone is gentle and caring and I hope she understands that I'm being sincere. The last thing I wanted is to come here and cause trouble for anyone.