Raina

Here I am now, an hour later, walking as fast as I can to the floor where Kolton's family stays. It's difficult to walk fast with a baby in your arms. I've recently been getting to know his family, helping his mother with Kolton's many siblings. I've been keeping them company and befriending his twin sister. She looks so much like him it's insane. I have decided if I can't guarantee his safety, I can guarantee his family's. I knock on their familiar door and his sister Brooke answers the door. She greets me in a hug.

"Hey, Raina. How are you?"

"I'm holding up," I say, turning to the rest of her family. I am face to face with someone unfamiliar. Her long, red hair flows below her belly button. When she looks at me, her face has this smirk that only a career would give their victim. I know straight away she's out to get me for something. I've come across too many careers seeking blood to not know. She's looking for blood. And I'm not giving her the satisfaction. I don't even know her name, but my presence must already set her off. She certainly must know who I am.

"Hi," I smile anyway, bobbing my sister up and down against my shoulder. I'm done playing frenemies with people I come across. No matter if she ends up pulling my hair and hitting my head into a concrete wall, I'll still have a smile on my face while she does it.
She wouldn't even think about it though, I think to myself.
Because she knows I'm an experienced killer.

"Hello," she states coldly. I hold out my hand for her to shake. My other arm is occupied by Rosie.

"My name is-"

"Raina. I think I'm aware of your name. Didn't you know that all of Panem knows who you are?" She refuses my hand shake and a lump in my throat forms.
"I'm in your school," she picks at her perfectly polished finger nails. "Same grade."
I nod, faking a smile.
"Right, so you must be-" I pause and she looks up at me, a playful smile on her all too pretty face.

"I'm Charity... Kolton's girlfriend."

A barely audible oh escapes my lips and I smile more. Kolton really chose a bitch! I laugh in my head at his stupid taste in girls.

"Lovely! I'm his friend. Hence why I'm here."

"Oh. Please, you're not his friend. He would have killed you if it came down to it. Allies aren't friends." As the words leave her mouth, Kolton's family looks at her, horrified. Brooke gives Charity a nasty look before smiling at the baby in my arms.

Before I get angry, I say the most logical thing I can think of.

"Well, I tend to think allies as more than friends. Death partners if you will. That is if you're willing to put your life in the hands of another person, that takes a lot more than just a little trust. Don't you think?"

Her smile fades and she just stares at me.

It's honestly charity work to be put in this girl's company. Pun intended.

"Why are you here?" she finally asks the itching rude questions she's been waiting to ask.

"I'm Kolton's friend. Along with everyone in this room. I came to tell the news that he's alive."

Everyone looks over and gasps excitedly. Brooke jumps up and down in the air, starting to cry.

I continue.

"Katniss promised me that she'll get him from the Capitol soon. They're sending a fire squad to rescue him and other captured past victors."

"You mean the Katniss Everdeen?" Charity scoffs.

"That would be the one." Brooke replies, squeezing me tight being careful not to hurt Rosie.

"What makes you think I'm to believe that Katniss Everdeen will want anything to do with you?"

Instead of defending myself, I just laugh.

I sit on the bed between Kotlon's mother and one of his many younger brothers, Daniel.

Daniel is twelve years old, so we get along fine.

"Hey, Raina. Can I hold your baby sister?" asks Daniel excitedly.

"Certainly. But be careful, she's the only family I have left."

"That's not true, Raina. You have us," announces Brooke.

All the other siblings agree along with Mr and Mrs. Helia, before they begin shouting different sentences of sureness.

"And you have Katniss."
"Don't forget Peeta!"
"We would love another girl in the family."
"Rosie is our family too! Right everyone?"
"Yeah!"
"You saved our brother's life!"

"Woah, woah, woah. How did I do that?" I ask, confused.

"If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be alive, and a rescue plan wouldn't even be considered." says a sibling.
I turn my head and see more people walking in. Roman and Talisa. As if the room couldn't get any more crowded. There's barely room to walk. Now there's a wheelchair in the mix. Their presence makes me ecstatic anyway.

I leave Daniel to hold Rosie, and I hug my friends.

"A rescue plan is in motion?"

"Not yet. But they're working on it."

"You all are making me claustrophobic, come and get me when you get me my damn boyfriend back," says Charity. She pushes past me, bumping my shoulder with hers, as she does the same to Roman.

"Oh trust me, we won't! Snobby bitch!"
Roman shouts.

"Roman!" I can't help but chuckle.

"Who is that girl? Seems a tad full of herself," asks Talisa.

"Kolton's girlfriend." Brooke answers.

"I never liked that girl, I tell you. Age fifteen don't know anything about relationships." Mrs. Helia says, laughing to herself.

"She doesn't sound too fond of me." I say.

"She's not fond of anyone but my brother, and all her feelings toward him are fake. She dated him for attention as you can tell." Brooke sighs.

"And Kolton is too naive to realize it?"

"He was for a while. Until I finally had the decency to tell him. So he dumped her."

"Dumped her? Then why was she here?"

"That's the thing. We don't know why. I was only playing nice when she knocked on our door. She was quiet until you walked in. Then she was back to her jealous nasty self. She sees you as a threat, Raina. She thinks that if- when, my brother comes back, he'll crawl to you."

I just laugh. He wouldn't crawl to me. We're friends. Allies. Nothing more than that. Me? In a relationship? While I have more important things to worry about?

"He's not going to be himself when he comes back. He'll be broken, scared, confused, and tortured. We all know that."

"And he's still going to be my brother. And your friend. So you better take away the competition before Charity messes with his brain. The only charity work I would like is for you to put her in her place."

I smile at Brooke, and she mirrors it.

"Well, I should really get going. I promised I would meet Primrose in the dining hall. She wanted to sleepover mine tonight, and help me take care of Rosemary." I start to take my sister from Mrs. Helia when she shakes her head.

"You go relax, dear. We will take care of her just fine. It will keep my children occupied and quiet if there's a baby here tonight."

"Oh. No, Mrs. Helia. I can't put that burden on you."

"Burden? Why, I say it's a blessing. Go on." she smiles.
I hug her, heading towards the door.

I hug Talisa, Roman and Brooke goodbye; along with all the younger brothers that tug at me to hug them.
I head down the hall and walk to the elevator lift, ready to see Prim.