I edged over in my bed, taking in all the smells of my room. I could smell fresh homemade pancakes coming from the kitchen... Just waiting to be eaten. I wondered if I could get up now...

Today was the day of the Reaping. Sure, you could say I was scared, but obviously a twelve year old girl from district 10 would be scared. My name was in the bowl sixty-seven times, because of the traditions of the tessera. I have always hated the tessera. Our family is quite poor for District 10. You would expect us to be more fortunate, but we are no better than District 11. Maybe even worse. The only reason we have a save home is because of all that tessera.

I got out of bed and put on my fuzzy bunny slippers. I sneaked into the kitchen and walked over to the stove. I smelt the wonderful, crispy smell of the pancakes. just when I was getting out a plate, I heard a voice say, "wait for me!" I saw my dad in the doorway. He held out his arms, ready for me to run and then jump in them. I ran as fast as I could, then jumped of of the ball of my foot and started weeping.

"Dad! What if I get chosen? This is such a dreadful day already!" I shrieked.

"Don't worry, Levinia. Anyways, there are lots of other names in that bowl. You aren't going to get picked. Pancake?"

I slowly wiped the tears from my eyes with my blistery hand, and then nodded. "Two, please."

My dear dad got a spatula from the drawer, and quickly scooped up two pancakes and put them on a plate for me. He spread on some nut-sauce, joust how I like it. The nut-sauce is chocolate spread with hazelnut. I think it was called nutella before Panem even existed.

Dad comes with the pancakes and sets them down on the table. He sits down with me. "Sweetie, I have something to tell you. I have to go work in the fields until 3:45, So I'm probably not going to make it to the reaping," he says sadly. "But I'll be listening. If you get picked, I will run as quick as I can to see you."

I understand why Dad must work in the fields. Our district is Livestock, so we work in the fields, growing corn and beans and things like that.

I think Dad must see the pain in my eyes because he smoothly says, "Listen to me. We lost you Mum and your older sister in the Games, and this is not going to happen. You will not get picked. You understand me?"

I slowly nod. You see, my older sister, Kayla, got picked when she was seventeen. Another girl from District 6 sliced her chest and spilled her guts out, to get revenge. Revenge, you ask. You see, a while ago, District 6 was mortally dieing away, and my family was the only ones working in the fields then, so we had the choice to help them or not. But we needed the food for ourselves, because we were poor and hungry. That girl from District 6 had a terrible disease. It was then that a boy from District 3 came and saved her life by feeding her medicine. She had wanted revenge on our family ever since. And she got it.

My mom was so devastated when Kayla died, she committed suicide by heating herself in the oven. Nobody has ever talked about them anymore.

"Let's get you dressed," he slowly says. He picks out a tight pink dress with buttons up the sleeves. I quickly slip it on.

"Beautiful," he says, and admires me a bit longer. It is then that he brushes my long blonde hair until it is so straight that it reaches my knees. He then ties it up in a tight fishtail braid.

"If only your mother could have lived to see you today. You look so much like her," he sighs.

Then my Shih Tzu dog, Clover, barks from the shed.

"Leave him there," my Dad says, and puts a finger up to his lips.

He kisses me on the nose and then pulls on his dusty overalls.

"God's blessings go with you," he says, and then departs the house, leaving me there.

I walk outside, and pull out my scooter from the shed. It is old and rusty, and it used to be Kayla's, but I think I could ride it there.

As I ride, the scooter wheels creak, and when I pass a coming house, I put my foot down to pick up my best friend, Brim.

I scoot up his very steep, hill-like driveway, and then jump of my scooter, leaving it on their lawn. I knock on the door loudly.

His mother, Hili, answers the door.

"Hello, Levinia, darling. Brim is almost ready, just getting on his patchwork hat. You nervous?"

I nod slowly. Hili gives me a hug, then Brim comes to the door.

"Hey," he says slowly. I give him a big hug. It will be hard for him, because I'm not sure which gender they will put him under.

See, Brim is a transgender, which basically means that he used to be a girl, but felt like a boy, so switched genders. Still looks like a girl, though. Partly boy, anyway. Her old name was Brimla. He is still my best friend, of course.

"You nervous?" I ask. He nods. He is my age, so it's his first time too. "Time to go," says Hili. Hili has to work in the fields as well.

"Okay," says Brim.

Brim kisses Hili, then runs to her shed and pulls out his scooter. "Ready?" he asks.

I bring up my three fingers on my left hand to my lips, and then touch his head.

"Ready."