The Next Generation: Chapter Six: "Lucky and aroused to be here"

When the bell rings for Lunch to end I don't know what to do. It's my free period, James and Merecdes, too. But I don't know where Mercedes is, and Lynna was sent to the office so she can be tested and given a real schedule, not a 'lazy, copied one' as the Vice Principal told us when she came to tell Lynna of the News.

"What should we do?" I ask James

"I don't know," he says, at lost for words, because his friends are fighting and he doesn't know what to do. That's James for you, confindent and outgoing to silent and sad.

To cheer him up, when I know it should be Mercedes I am looking for, I say, "Wanna play Basketball?"

He looks up, a small smile on his lips. "You will? But-you hate that game."

"Maybe, but you need cheering up, and I need to sharpen my skills." I say

He grins and stands up, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from the empty table just as the 8th graders come filling up the lunchroom. I Laugh, "James, I can walk, you know,"

He looks back at me, his grin reaching for the stars, "Yes, but your slow!"

"I am not!"

"You are too!" He shouts back, and I feel like a little kid again, back when we first became friends.

I *was 8, and a little shy in 3rd grade. He was new and confused, and was sat by me on the first day of school. He wore a little suit, complete with a tie and dress pants. I turned to him in my soft orange dress father had bought me and said, "I've never seen anyone but my father in a suit, are you an alein dressed as an adult?"*

*He said, "Yep! Wanna help suck the brains out of Clara over there?" and pointed at a doll that looked exatly like Clara from The Nutcracker. I grinned and said,*

*"You dumbnut, Zombies suck brains, not aleins. How are an alein, and this dumb?"*

*"Well, let me explain, Miss SusyShorts. Zombies eat brains, not suck them."*

*"It still goes down their throats, therefore they are sucking, and eating brains. "*

*"Huh." and grabbed my hand pulled me to the doll, and said, "Allow me to show you," and we started playing Zombies Vs Aleins right there and then.*

We set up in the empty court and He starts the check-off. Soon, all i feel is the sweat and laughter of the game. I'm a lot better than I thought I was, and almost beat him, 20-22. I'm pooped, and my watch reads 5 minutes 'till 7th peirod, History, my only class by myself. Well, I don't know about Lynna. I plop down on the bleachers, and rip off my flannel. My blouse is soaked. Great, thanks a lot, dumb little man who created puberty. I look over to James, he too has taken off his sports coat and his dark blue shirt sticks to him with sweat, but he is a boy, and him sweating is no deal. I am girl, and people will stare. Girl's aren't supposed to sweat.

James catches my gaze and says, "What?"

"Nothing...just, - eh."

He smiles at me. "Come on. I'm your bestie. what is it?"

I sigh and admit the truth, "I'm sweating like a beast, and I'm a girl. Also, I'm worried about Lane and Mercedes. And I'm hungry."

He laughs and scooches closer to me, and leans his furry head on my shoulder. "We all are, Willow. We all are. But 24 years ago, Your mother was almost dead."

I get his point. I lean my head atop his as well. "Yeah, we've got it good, don't we?"

"Yeah. I'm lucky to have you as my friend, Willow."

I smile, not knowing how to take that. "I'm honered."

"And?"

"I'm glad your my friend, too, James."

"Good," He says, getting up and handing me his Sports Jacket. I blink. "what-"

He rolls his eyes and before I can say Jack Sprat he's got wrapped around my shoulders. I can't thank him before the Bell ring and he is gone, and I am left even more confused. I am almost late to class.

After School

I feel so tired, as if I have been dipped in drama and fryed when school finally ends. I've never had so much happen in just a few hours. I just wanna go home and fall asleep. Me and lynna have just passed the school exit when James catches up to us.

"Hey! Wait!"

I let out a sigh. "Yes?"

He glances at me questionignly, and gives a quick smile at Lynna. She merely nods in reply. "Can I come to your house? Just for dinner, at least?"

I frown. "It's your dad's game night. You always help with those?"

He gulps and looks down. "I-uh, It's canceled."

He's lying, but I go along with it. "Alright, you can come. Dinner is around 6-5, depending on what Mom's making."

His face lights up. "Awesome! Do ya think she's making those tubers majiggers? I love those!"

I laugh at his vocablary, and say, "We just had those last night. Prob soup or something."

"Oh. WHatever. Your mom is awesome at cooking, I don't care."

"RIght, ok. Let's go."

We begin the walk to my house, old coal dust from years ago still brushing past sidewalks. The remaking of the District took so long, Mom tells me.

Lynna breaks the silence of our footsteps. "So...Mercedes and Lane?"

I let out a sigh. "Can we stay off that topic? At least for now?"

She must see the tiredness on my face because she nods, and instead says, "So what is there to do at your house? Could we go to the woods?"

"Yeah! Maybe with a girl you'll finally let me come too!" James exclaims, jabbing me playfully with his arm. I force a laugh. James could go the Woods anytime he likes. It isn't forbidden anymore, but for some reason, people like to act like me and my family owns it. And I like the woods as my place. Strangers would ruin the peace, the beauty of it. "We could go swimming," I suggest. It would be better than tramping through the animals.

"Yeah! Let's go!" James whoops

"I'm not the best, " Lynna admits, but agrees to go.

We reach my house and Mom surprises me at the door with Uncle Haymitch and Father. "Hi, Mom!" I say, hugging her, then Father, and Uncle Haymitch.

"James wanted over, and Lynna's staying with us, right?"

"Right," Uncle Haymitch says with a chuckle.

"Afternoon, Mrs. Everdeen." James says, giving Mom a wink and nods at Uncle Haymitch and Father. "A pleasure as always, men."

"Uncle," Haymicth corrects, with another laugh."

"Of course," James replies.

Lynna rolls her eyes as Mom clears her throat. She glances at Father and Haymitch and says, "Willow, how would you feel about a family gathering?"

I gasp, smile, then frown. I've always loved people all over the house, but Mom can't stand it. She loves them all, of course, but the stress just runs up to her head. But mom suggesting one makes me shout, "Yes! Who's all coming? Why are we having one?"

"Well, we haven't had one in a while, school ends in 2 weeks, well, one, since today is friday, and if the whole family could meet Gale, Lynna, and the rest..."

She sucks in a breath as if scared, and I know why, but I just wanna see everyone to be annoyed about seeing Gale. "Ooof, why can't school just end?' I grin and glance over at James and Lynna. I say, " Can my friends come too?"

James straightens. He's never come to one, I've only ever had two, and each time he asked to come, mom always said no because she was worried that they were to young to be around such stress, which makes no sense, because I was around the 'stress', and when she was around me age she was off killing people.

"I-, Alright. But if they get injured, or need anything, it's on you, ok? You gonna be like, the hostess."

The Hostess?

"I can't wait. Who's all coming?" I repeat.

She smiles and says, "It's not yet all confirmed but, us, Uncle Haymitch, Aunt Effie, Aunt Octavia, Aunt Johanna, Aunt Annie, Uncle Beete, Uncle Flavius, Uncle Jacob, and of course, Nick, Zane, Digit, and Lila. Oh, and your Uncle Gale and his wife Aunt Elizabeth, and their kids, Micheal and Dylan."

"Digit?" I ask

"Beetee's adopted son, dear. He's around your age, was adopted a few months ago."

"Oh, ok. Cool."

We finally rush inside, aroused with exciment. Lynna exclaims, "My dad getting shot must not be true, then!"

Oh, right, I forgotten. "Right! That's good news!"

James let out a laugh and said, "I've been wanting to break into one of theses things for ages!"

I let out a breath. "Ready for swimming?"

That night at dinner, (Rabbit and Tomato soup) my hair is dripping with pondwater, James, for once, is not flirting, Uncle Haymitch pretends that no one notices him slipping Wine into his soup, Lynna eats like she's never seen food before, and We all talk and laugh like a regualar family.

"So, James, Who have you got your eyes on?" Haymitch says with a wink at me.

Confused, I, and everyone else, direct our attention towards James, midbite of a particalry greasy Rabbit leg. He averts his eyes from all of us, blush consuming his face.

I laugh, and answer for him. "Madge, he's been sweet on her for years."

Lynna laughs and everyone chuckles while James spits out his bite, spewing protest. But he's as red as the soup.

"Come on, son, don't lie," Father says,

"Oh, like you did?" Mom replies Jauntily recieving laughter from him and Uncle haymitch and confused looks from us kids.

"Alright, fine. Maybe-maybe I do like Madge.." James stutters and we all crow with 'I told you so's' and 'when are the babies' and 'oooooohs'.

I can not wait for the family gathering. And If lynna is this cool, perhaps Gale and her brothers aren't that bad. And Digit seems cool. And Lily has always been intresting.