After reuniting in District 12, you, now a victor of the Hunger Games, and me, now a Peacekeeper, we were learning how to adapt to our new lives.

It was a sunny day, a hot day. The summer sun beat down on our skin as we hiked through the woods, your cousins laughing as I swatted at mosquitoes buzzing around my ears. It was hot enough to prick small beads of sweat around my hairline, but not exhausting. The shady trees and the constant light breeze made it feel nice. Even if I wasn’t used to being outdoors, so surrounded by nature, I found your presence calming, comforting even, noting how comfortable you were in the District.

Even a district like this. District 12.

You were a victor. You deserved more. Yet, you almost seemed like you wanted to be here. You liked it here.

Eventually, we reached a clearing of the trees that surrounded a large lake, the sunlight reflecting off of ripples in the water. A small shed sat near the shoreline, and your cousins had immediately began to take off their jeans and t-shirts, sprinting and cannon-balling off of the pier that stretched out to the middle of the lake.

I set my bag down, watching as you pulled your dress down over your shoulders and shimmied it off of your body, leaving you in a knitted lavender two piece. Your smile tugged at my heart, and I immediately pulled my white t-shirt over my head, the sun now beaming on my chest as I stripped from my jeans, sprinting after you and racing down the pier behind the rest of the Covey.

The water was cool and refreshing, especially in the hot sun that was now straight overhead. Your laughter as I came to the surface made a smile stretch across my lips as I treaded over toward you, your wild, wet hair sticking to your face and shoulders.

This life had been cruel to me. To both of us. But we had each other. We were together now, even if it wasn’t in the best place or under the best circumstances. Here, at the lake, I felt, for the first time in a long time, at peace.