Ditching School [OPEN]

[teaddict]

Wake up, open the windows to let the crisp air in (though it’s anything but fresh), make the bed, wash up and dress up.

That’s how Saphina’s day usually starts. And to be completely honest, she’s starting to get bored of it. She stared as her reflection as she tried to untangle the knots gently with a brush that her grandmother had gifted her. She stopped and looked at the brush, turning it so that she could see every inch of the brush. At first glance, it seemed like such a crude and cheap thing but in actuality, it’s not. There were intricate carvings in it and very, very small precious gems embedded in it. She wondered why her grandmother would even bother to waste her money on this but something tells her that it has been in the family for a long while.

… those were the thoughts that always flooded her mind everyday she tries to make herself look presentable to the world… not that anyone cares over here.

People are too preoccupied with trying to survive even just the day to even bother them with trying to indulge in the simple pleasures of life. But Saphina would have to admit that the mere thought of trying to survive never popped up… not once.

Well, with the exception of that one time when she was punished by the Peacekeeper for skipping school. She had wondered if she would survive the punishment.

Which she did.

Sighing softly, Saphina placed the brush on her the small table before her eyes scanned her small and dingy room. By the window, there’s her bed (or rather, just a mattress) that was made out of stuffed straw. She didn’t have any pillows but she does have a patchwork blanket that she made her grandmother sew from the scraps of cloth that she smuggled out of the factories. The workmanship is anything but fine but it didn’t bother her since there’s a lot of different types of fabric there… from leather to the finest lace, of course her grandmother would have a tough time sewing them together.

Her gaze then swept up to the window. It looked as if it would fall off any moment now. But no one bothered to fix it because rather than spending money on that, it’s best to spend it on food. She did have a big family that is made out of mostly males. Shaking her head slightly, she lets her gaze rest on the cracked mirror again, looking at her reflection.

“Saphina, hurry or you’ll be late!” Her mother’s voice rang out from downstairs and that broke Saphina out of her trance.

“Yes mother!”

Saphina’s reflection was now smiling back at her. Who cares if she has such a crappy room? Who cares if she didn’t have much to eat? Who cares if she’s working herself to death? That is the nature of Panem and she has long learned that longing for the luxuries that the Capitol has is nothing but a waste of time. So she’ll enjoy the days that she’ll be living… that is until the Hunger Games.

Opening the door and listening to the comforting creak, she made her way downstairs, greeted her whole family and sat down for their meager breakfast before heading out of the house. She purposely walked slower than all her brothers, watching as their backs disappeared in the distance before stopping altogether. Her smile turned into a mischievous grin. She had decided that instead of going to school today, she’ll ditch it.

Changing directions, she headed into the town instead. Saphina knew that it was pretty risky and she could get caught but that’s the only way for her to reach her favourite lazing spot.

[kiah]

HUTTON KAPPA

The air whipped him happily in the face as he sucked it in, breathing deeply as he wandered through the streets. His feet were the only thing to be heard as he trotted through the deserted streets. He smiled to himself. He loved the peaceful sound of the morning, the mesmerising singing of the birds, and the soft sounds of people preparing for the day ahead, it all made Hutton smile. The sun’s rays slowly crept over the buildings as he wandered further and further into the town. His footsteps became quitter and quitter as the town woke up around him. he felt like he would just float away into the clouds, he felt his smile grow bigger on his face as he wandered through the streets.

He felt like dancing. He felt like spreading his happiness to the world around him. he just felt like making the people around him as happy as he was, he could feel his feet start to skip beats, as they moved to the rhythm in his head. He started humming happily, dancing to the beat. He stopped in his tracks. He had to dance, he had to see smiles on the faces of the people that were now entering the streets around him. he was practically buzzing with excitement. He looked around himself, grabbing the closest girl to him, he started singing. His voice was cheerful as the words to the song made their way to his lips then existing, to make a lovely sound. The girl was surprised at first, but then a smile spread on her lips as she realised who it was, she laughed happily as Hutton spun her around singing to the people who gathered to watch.

He looked around at the gathering people, they were laughing and some were evening joining in. this made the smile on Hutton’s face grow, his is what e loved about life, he loved to see the happy faces of his district, there wasn’t much to smile about, so why not make a boring day, into a g=day that you were going to remember for a while. By now most people that had gathered to watch were now dancing a singing together. Hutton let the girl, Dianna, Go as he walked through the crowed, as he walked people patted him on the back and gave him friendly smiles. He had made the rest of their day enjoyable. What one innocent act of friendliness could do to a group of people, Hutton thought as he walked through the crowd. He walked up too one of the people who weren’t joining in. he recognised the girl, but he wasn’t sure from where. He tapped her on the shoulder, gaining her attention.

He smiled widely at her, and gave a very deep bowed, “Care to dance?” he said in a formal voice grabbing her hand. Without waiting for her answer the twirled her in a circle, he started singing again, before looking at her closely, waiting for her answer, the same goofy smile plastered to his face.

[teaddict]

Saphina was walking towards the town square however the street was slowly becoming congested due to a growing crowd… right in the middle of the street. She quirked a brow, wondering what was happening because honestly, the only reason there would be a crowd is either due to something that is related to the Capitol or the Peacekeepers. She hoped it wasn’t the latter since it usually means punishment.

How’d she know? She had made her own crowd due to the Peacekeepers far too often.

“Excuse me… Sorry… Let me through…”

After a little bit of pushing and shoving, Saphina nearly stumbled forward and into the ground once she reached the front of the crowd. She was rather thankful that she didn’t. She didn’t feel like hurting herself soo early in the morning. She looked up before blinking… and she blinked again.

Seems like the crowd stopper was a boy that was dancing happily as if there’s nothing wrong with District 8… no, with Panem itself. The girl that he was dancing with seemed to be enjoying herself, evident by the huge smile on her face as he sang and led her in the dance. Saphina couldn’t help but to smile with her, wishing that perhaps she could dance the way they are, leaving all of her worries behind.

Not that she has any anyways…

She had been in one of her zones and didn’t realise it when there was a tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see that the boy was in front of her, grabbing her hand and asking her for a dance. Before she could even answer, she was twirled around and was now dancing with the boy who had began to sing again. When he had stopped singing and was looking at her rather expectantly, she took it as her cue to say something… something that was probably related to his earlier question.

“Well, you’ve already made the decision for me,” she laughed rather merrily before holding onto his hand properly, now dancing with him instead of making him do all the work alone. “But I guess it wouldn’t hurt to say that I’m honoured to be dancing with someone as jolly as you,” Saphina continued before she too began to sang what he had sung. Sure, she didn’t know the lyrics but at least she got the tune right. She’d admit that she’s no singer but if it’ll make the mood merrier, she’d gladly sing.

[kiah]

The goofy smile on Hutton face only grew the more the girl says to him. he feel himself warm ion the inside. And he draws the girl closer as she starts to dance with him. Then she sings. Her voice is beautiful. It is clear and Hutton pauses to listen to her voice, to let it flow inside him, but after a couple of moment Hutton bursts into singing again. The sun had just began to peep over the rooftops, eager to see the citizens of District 8 smiling, having fun. As its rays start to fall onto the town below, people start to pull away from each other and the singing starts to die down. The day has begun, Hutton thinks to himself, relaxed.

The area around him was now full of life, full of people going about things, but there was something different, people were smiling, they was even the gleeful sound of laughter in the air. Hutton couldn’t help it any longer, his smile never died, he was just so happy, that he had been able to make a normal ordinary day, into a day that would flourish, and be remembered for weeks to come. He took a step away from the girl, ending the dance. His eyes danced happily as he started down at the smiling girl. “Well, that was fun. We should do that again!” he said his smile was all fox and his voice radiated in life. “Oh yeah, and by the way, my name Hutton,” He said, he added a little bow as he stared at her. Hutton could feel his boyish charm coming out to play as he came out of the bow. He deicide to go along with it. “And you may be?” he said his voice mimicking the annoying voices of the capitol. He made a face in mock disgust as he finished the question, before the same goofy smile dominated his features once again.

The buildings around him that usually look dull and boring, lifeless and dirty, today have some life, they seem to look more welcoming as the sun comes out. The rays of the sun spray the building with s new look when you feel like nothing, nothing can make it go downhill. The sun its self looks radiant, shining with a new look, making the area in which its rays touch seem just as beautiful. Looking back down at the girl, it looks like the sun has touched her; she glows with the sun’s rays, making her look like an angel. Her eyes dance in the sunlight as Hutton looks down into them, they are sparkling with life, with happiness, and mischief, like she knows she should be somewhere else but yet here she is now, having so much fun, that the place where she should be is creeping further and further away into the shadows of her thoughts.

“have we met before?” he asked slowly. “No!” he says brushing the thought away casually, “I would remember such a pretty girl like you!” He adds almost as casually, but adding a little wink, a wink that is full of fun, that represents Hutton as a boy who loves to have fun, and a bit naughty at the same time. Once again a smile lit up his face,boy that was becoming common.