Chapter Text
I awoke to the sound of my own tears, the remnants of a dream slipping away like sand through my fingers. Confused and disoriented, I pushed myself up from the cold, hard floor, realizing that I had once again ended up here instead of the comfort of my bed. “Ughhh,” I groaned, rubbing my sore muscles. Clem must have shoved me out of bed last night, just like always.
Why do we always end up on the floor in the morning?? the voice of Cecilia echoed in my mind, a mix of irritation and resignation.
Because Clem always pushes us out of bed, I retorted silently, exasperation creeping in. The thought was met with an exaggerated sigh from Cece.
Ughhhhhh, she responded, as we finally managed to rise from the floor and shuffle toward the kitchen, the familiar warmth of breakfast anticipation drawing us in.
Today, I’ll make breakfast for the family Lia, Cece stated, her determination clear. “You can just wait and mentally prepare for reaping, okay?”
“Okay, Cece,” I agreed, surrendering control.
With Cece in charge of our body, I focused on orchestrating the day’s events in my mind. We first prepare breakfast. Next, we bake some warm, fragrant bread with the family for the bakery we run. Next, we eat stale bread sandwiches for lunch. Then we get all washed up and dressed in our best. And finally, we would brace ourselves for the reaping, that ominous event looming over us like a storm cloud, casting a shadow on our otherwise mundane existence, and we all hope that we don't get picked.
Once Cece is done with breakfast we go and wake up Mom and Dad and our sisters ; Clem, and Emeli. I have another sister, Viola, but she’s 24 and is married to a peacekeeper named Frank. Only me and clem can be reaped this year so our family made us take a bunch of tessera. I have my name in 25 times, 23 more than the required amount, and Clem has hers in 34 times 27 more than the required amount. Mom and Dad said it was only fair since we really need the oil and grain.
Anyways after everyone is up and we’ve all eaten breakfast we go around our normal till about after lunch when Mom and Dad sit me and Clem down. Mom starts by saying, “Since you both are the only ones in the reaping this year we have decided to allow both of you to eat one cupcake before the reaping ceremony” “Oh, and” Dad continued “ If you do get reaped we won’t come visit you. You know how Mom gets at the thought but we will send the other sister to give you a special trinket for you”. As I hear this I think ughhhhh same old spiel Mom and he give us every year.
Yea but at least we get cupcakes this time remember last time he made us all not eat lunch so we could still eat a good dinner thinks Cece as dad talks.
Oooooo we get cupcakes this time?? thinks Parry, another one of the people in my mind with me.
Yea Parry we doooo I answer him.
Yayyy I've never had a cupcake beforeee thinks Parry .
I start to answer Dad back. “ Okay Dad I'm going to eat my cupcake then go take a short bath okay??” “Okay Lia” he replies. I stand up and go grab a cupcake but I let Parry have control of the body as we eat it so he can enjoy the taste of it. Then I head to the small bathroom and bathtub and turn it on. I fill it halfway just enough to wash myself in, then I wash myself till clean and get out. Cece and Parry hateeeeee baths so they never talk or hang out in my brain as we take them.
After I've dried the body I let Clem know it's empty and go grab my one nice shirt and pants. Mom says I should call the shirt a blouse but I never do, but she also says I shouldn't wear pants to special events so eventually I make myself go grab the prettiest dress I have so she doesn't get angry and hi- ........wait what was i thinking about about oh I already have my dress on that's nice. Oooo I also have on my pair of tights and my pair of almost too small flats.
As I head down the stairs I heard Cece think, gosh why are these shoes so small . I ignore her and head toward my mom to get my long hair braided into a bun, like always, but when I find her, she is holding scissors in her hand. “Hey Lia I think we should cut your hair today okay.” Mom states. I know that she expects me to say yes . “Really???” i reply “yes it's time for a trim anyways” she answers. “Okay, how short are we going this time?” “ I was thinking of a pixie cut so you can stop getting hair everywhere” “okay” I sit down in the chair and she starts to cut my copper hair to a pixie cut that ends right by my ears. Once she’s done, I go off and sit and wait until 4 o'clock the time we are all meant to gather in the area near the justice hall.