The Next Generation: Chapter Fourteen: "Happier"

The weekend is boring. I have Lynna, of course, but you can only play YAHTZEE! Too many times. My stomach pitts at the thought of seeing James at School, he’s texted me about a hundred gazillion times, but I’ve ignored him. Even Mom seems to notice something and tries to comfort me. I just told her I’m on my period because it skipped last month, so my cramps are just freaking killing me. She looks at me like she knows I’m lying, but just buys me extra pads and Ice Cream. I’ve already eaten all two tubs. When I finished the second one, I couldn’t recognize myself. What i’ve become? A sob-story girl from a drama romance teenage movie?

I got a letter from Uncle Beetee, though.

*Dear Miss Willow,*

*Good day! I’ve heard you’ve met a certain Miss Lynna. A firecracker of spirit, isn’t she? I’ve only met her once, on my visit to District 2 for a Business Trip, and naturally your Uncle (is that what you call him?) Gale was there. He is quite nice, him. Talented and empathetic.. He was really useful in the second Rebellion. I hope you and Lynna get together well. I believe you two will be the best of friends. I, of course, know you have best friends already, but what’s wrong with widening your horizons?*

*I am excited to see you at the Gathering in a few weeks. I assume you know about Digit, my darling adopted son. You two should get along well. His mother was murdered, poor thing. I believe it was money, or perhaps disagreement with the Rebellion. I don’t know, the case hasn’t even hit court yet. What a wonderful thing to have Justice and Democracy now! I truly enjoy being a part of it. Your Uncle Gale and Plutarch have wonderful ideas for the economy of Panem and recovery from Snow!*

*Back to Digit. He’s an excellent creature. Your age too! 13. He is very smart, I think you might have to catch up to his G.P.A score! I mean no offense, Willow. Digit is kind and a Little shy. But you watch, once he gets talking, it will take a while to shut him up! It’s truly wonderful.. I must mention, please don’t mention the topic of his father. He ran off when Digit was only 7, and therefore a touchy subject. He wears a gold necklace from his mother, and hardly takes it off. Please don’t ask about that either. I know you won’t, your an extraordinary young woman, Miss Willow.*

*I can’t wait to see you soon. Please give Miss Lynna my respects. Tell your mother, Soldier Everdeen, that I have the most perfect music idea for her at the Gathering. As for your talented and selfless father, give him my best wishes. He’s a wonderful man, you remember that, Willow.*

*Love Your Uncle Beetee.*

 (Beetee Latimer)

I dutifully told my parents and Lynna what he requested, and bit down my annoyance at the mention of Gale. Uncle. I may like Lynna, but should that mean I like her father? I don’t think she likes him, anyway.

On Sunday, I asked her while she drank Arizona Tea and I did the Lunch Dishes, “Lynna, what are your brother’s like?”

“Oh, Jake and Boggs are super cool,” she was quick to say.

“Boggs is an odd name, how did he get it?” I ask

“Oh, his real name is Micheal Boggs Hawthorne. Boggs is after one of the commanders that your mother, father, and my mother had during the Rebellion. He was with them while they were on the way to the Capitol, but he tripped over a bomb. It blew off his legs, he died from Blood loss. Prob lived for about, I don’t know, 45 minutes or so after. Anyway, he was super important to your mother and Gale. Mostly your mother. He was cool, so Micheal goes by Boggs.”

“Oh, cool,” I say. With a sudden thought, I say, “Do you think we’ll always be carrying around dead people's names around with us?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I think as we grow older, and the generations stretch, there’ll be fewer and fewer names of those died for us. We’ll just name our kids meaningless names, like Rose and Tom.”

“Tom and Rose are boring names,” I comment

“Exactly. If I ever have kids, I wanna name them something…odd. Different. You know what I mean?”

I think back to my secret lists of names hidden in my desk. “Yeah, I understand. To make them something special.”

“Right, being a part of something special makes you special.”

I grin. “The special part being the name.”

“No, the history of us, the child, and the meaning of the name.”

I pause. Huh. I like that way her words flow off her tongue like poetry. “I like that. That we are special.”

She chuckles. “Everyone is special in their own way, regardless of whether or not they or you know what sets them apart and makes them special. It is why Love happens, I think. The person, or persons, notice something about that person that sets them apart. That makes them *them.* And they like that. It confuses them, and heals them at the same time. Like your parents for example. Your mother noticed your father’s kindness and selflessness. Your father recognized your mother’s Fire and empathy. Together, they took what one didn’t have, your mother being Kind, and your father being Fire, and they melted them together into one, so they both have it. That’s why, when they were apart, they didn’t feel the same, because they no longer had that something. It’s why your father and Gale would never work together. They both had too much fire.”

I let out a breath. “Woah..You know…a lot about love.” I shut off the water and turned to Fridge. As I open it, hoping new food has spawned since lunch, she replies, “Well, not a lot. My first love was arrogant.”

Seeing no new food, I grab a peach and set down across her. I bite into, letting the juice pour down my thin lips before wiping my face with my sleeve. Ahh, peaches. I look up to see her looking a little annoyed, but with a small smile on her face, an eyebrow raised as she looks at me.

“What-?” I say dumbfounded, trying to decide If I should take a second bite or not.

She snorts. “Your really dumb, aren’t you?” She asks

“No…?”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”

It was weird.

Hm.

Wonder who that first love was?

I dress quickly and excitedly in my tights, red short-sleeved hoodie, gray long sleeve, and gold locket with a silver “W”. I add my usual natural base of makeup and brush my long hair. I arrive in the kitchen, blue backpack on my hip naturally quite quickly.

Mom is up, oddly, and so is Father, even weirder, because he’s normally already at the shop. I glanced out the window, it rained last night. Dew clings to the grass. I can already smell it. I love rain, and mornings like this, when the dew hangs just right, and the grass is just the right shade, when the air smells perfect and fresh…

We went to the Market Yesterday, and got my favorite, breakfast burritos, so I grabbed two from the freezer and threw them in the microwave. I turn to Mom and Father, “Morning!” I say cheerfully

They look at eachother. “Darling, we’ve something to tell you.”

I frown. “What?”

“Please don’t be too upset, ok? He’s not gone forever.”

The microwave beeps, but I ignore it. “Who’s gone?”

“Haymitch, darling,” Father tells me.

“What? What do you mean? He’s coming to the family gathering-right??” I don't know what my life would be like without him.

“Calm down, Willow, Of course he will be.” Mom says

I let out a breath. “Ok…why did Uncle Haymitch leave?”

“To see Aunt Effie, he missed her and Lily. He’s staying with her until the gathering.”

“Oh…”

I can’t help feeling disappointed. I love Haymitch, and even though he lives three houses away from us, he hardly visits, because as much he loves My mom and Father, something about “too much fire and headbutting” makes him only visit about once a week or an important occasion, like HayHay’s Birthday next month.

I decided to make light of the situation. “So he’s off to marry her?”

They both laugh, “I don’t know, far as I know they hate each other,” Mom says

“I’m not so sure, love. He left because he missed her, and during the Rebellion, they seemed very close. They’d make a very cute couple.” Father defends

“Them?” Mom laughs, “sure, hon, sure.”

I roll my eyes and grab my burriotes. Mmm…I take my first bite just as Lynna walks in, wearing a white denim jacket and baby pink skirt with little roses on it. Pretty. Her eyes are lightly covered in mascara and sparkly pink and white eyeshadow, her lips colored pink. She grins at me, and for some reason I grin back. She looks gorgeous.

“Ready, Willow?” She says

“Yep!” I answer, stuffing another bite in.

“Bye mom! Love ya!” I swallow and run over to father, hugging him, his cologne and bread smell washing over me. “Love you, Father!”

“Bye, Aunt Katniss, Uncle Mellark! Thank you!” Lynna says, and we head out, half a breakfast burrito in my hand, a full one in the other.

“Are you nervous about James?” Lynna asks

“I honestly don’t know. The weekend has been really boring, and I just want to see everyone, you know? The thing is, he’s been texting me all weekend, I haven’t looked at any of them.” I say

“I get that. How many texts has he sent?”

I whip out my phone, looking at the notification bar on my cherry blossom lock screen, “56” I tell her, my stomach begging to churn. I eat another bite to quiet my rising worry.

“Jeasus Christ. That’s a lot. He must be desperate,” Lynna says, attempting to laugh, but it sounds more like a drawing cat.

“I suppose.”

I sniff the perfect air, and grin, despite my anxiety. I love this smell…it’s hard to explain-why-and the exact smell of it-it’s just-perfect.

We reach the school entrance just as I get halfway through the burrito. My mouth hurts from eating hot food so quickly. Kids mull around, waiting for the 30 minutes to pass for school to start. Friends, pairs, trios, fours, a whole pack, walk, gossiping, enjoying the wonderful wind and breeze. I notice a redhead, short with blue-gray  eyes full of laughter running and dodging kids with ease, two of whom must be her friends following her, the boy looking outraged, but the good kind of outraged. One Is tall and gangly, with blond hair and sparkly blue eyes, the other just a few inches shorter than him, a girl, with a head full of brown hair and brown eyes.She is head over heels laughing and looking like she needs popcorn, this is so amusing.  They look so happy. The blond boy calls out, “Lillyonna! You better have not!”

She glances back at him, somehow dodging the teacher in front of her without even looking, and calls back, “Of course I did! You two would look so cute together!!”

“Argh!!”

He finally catches her, as her energy winds down, and pins her to the school wall. “You didn’t!” he growls

She stares at him, and I realize she is blushing. He seems to now realize, too, and how close his face is to hers and immediately pulls away, blush filling his pale skin. “Sorry…”

Me and Lynna catch eyes at the same time, and grin. We both know the same story between the two of them. “They’re so cute!” Lynna says, and we burst into giggles.

“C’mon, let’s go to the Art Room,” I tell her. She nods and we head to the entrance.

I see him first, and pull to a stop, my laughter dying faster than I thought possible. He is as handsome as ever, dark hair, sports jacket, black t-shirt. His eyes catch mine. “Willow! Please! Let me explain!”

My hands shake, but lynna prods me forward. “C’mon..get a hold of yourself!” I tell myself, and walk toward him, head high.

“Willow!” Then he is wrapping his hands around me, his furry head nuzzling in the crook of my neck and shoulder, and I feel myself melt. “James,” I whisper.

He pulls back. “I’m sorry…I was scared, and sad, and just wanted comfort. I’m really, super, duper, mega sorry!”

I laugh, “That’s a lot of apologies…sure you can keep it?”

“Yes!”

“Hmm, I don’t know. You really scared me. Say…you be my personal maid for the week?”

“Deal!” He hugs me again, and I catch Lynna’s *ooooh~* gaze at me before she enters the school. I glare at her.

I feel higher than the sky…all my worries-gone. Me and James, friends again, Lynna, a new friend, and seeing my whole, wonderful family in a few weeks.

I feel more happier than I have ever been in my whole life.