I open my eyes to bright sunlight streaming through the window of Katniss, my Mom and I's bedroom.

Today is the most dreaded day of the year, the reaping. And this year just happens to be my first one.

I notice Katniss isn't in her bed. Although she barely ever is at this time in the morning she goes out to hunt with her best friend Gale. Gale has three siblings, the youngest, a girl named Posy, then 9 year old Vick and finally Rory who is my age, 14.

I slowly get out of bed careful not to wake my mother who needs all the sleep she can get. I sneak down stairs and sit down on one of our old rickety wooden chairs and wait for Katniss to get back. I know this could take hours but she will be back in time to take me to the reaping.

Katniss wouldn't allow me to take out a tesserae but she takes three tesserae's each month just to feed me and my mother. She has been doing this for 4 years and they add up so, this year Katniss' name is in there twenty times. And I'm terrified for her.

Then there's me. I'm as safe as you can get with my name only in there once, but you can never be sure.

I'm not sure how long I'm been sitting here waiting for Katniss but my mom comes down the stairs and tells me it's time to get ready. I'm so scared for what might happen today but I decide to try and not think about that. By the time my mother boils the water for our bath it's been over an hour and Katniss still isn't home. But I continue to get ready. After my bath I come out to find the same clothes that Katinss wore on her first reaping set out for me. It's getting later and I'm starting to worry about Katniss. Right as I'm about to tell my mother I'm going to look for Katniss, she walks in the door.

"Look at you!" she says "But don't forget to tuck your tail in little duck." "Quack" I say and this makes her laugh. As Katniss heads over to the bath, I can't help but think of what might happen today. By the time Katniss is ready to go I'm on the verge of tears.

Katniss notices and comes and sits beside me. "You want to see what I got you today?" she hands me a little pin with tiny bird on it. "It's a mocking jay pin and as long as you have it nothing bad will happen to you."

Just as Katniss finishes put the pin on my shirt the horn goes telling us it's time to head to the square for the reaping.

By the time we get to the square I'm really starting to freak out. Katniss pulls me aside and says "Ok it's time to sign in. All they do is prick your finger just to take a little bit of blood. It doesn't hurt that much. I'll pick you up right after. I love you."

I go to the next peace keeper they prick my finger and tell me to go join the other girls my age. Once I get there I see the mechanically up beat Effie Trinket, district 12's escort. "Welcome, welcome! We are here today to choose one young man and woman to represent district 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games! Ladies first." I hoping with all my heart it's not Katniss. Effie walks back over to the microphone and reads the name. It's not Katniss. It's Primrose Everdeen