Chapter 1

"Get up!" I hear my mother screaming at me. "Do you want to be late!"

Does it seem like I care? I think in my head as I pull my covers off my body. My family and I are fortunate enough to live in district one. I see it as a curse. The whole world thinks that you are self centered and arrogant, but I'm not. That is why my family despises me. I look out my window to find the crowds of people already forming at the place of the reaping.

I search my closet for something to wear. I think about dressing casually, just to piss off my parents but then I think of the punishment I would have from the capitol. Oh, how I hate the capitol. Having us teenagers kill off other teenagers. Having us watch our friends die…

I decide on a purple satin dress that comes to my thighs. Since this is such a "special event" I pull on a pair of purple heels as well. I open my door and walk down the stairs. My family sits there, staring at me as if they don't know me.

"What?" I ask.

"Out the door," My dad grabs a strong hold on me. "Now."

"It's nice to know that I'm so loved," I say under my breath. It is about a five minute walk from my house to the town square where all the other teenagers are already lining up. I find the line marked 16 and I take my place in line. I feel like a pig about to be slaughtered, packed in by other ones just like me accepting their death sentence.

A woman looking a bit to cheery comes up to the microphone.

"Happy reaping day!" Her voice booms. Happy? How can anyone find this day happy? She must be one of the capitol's lap dogs. Her voice carries on as I lose myself in my thoughts. I come back to it just as I hear the choosing of the female tribute.

"Our female tribute is… Annabel Seetholl!" Did I just hear that right? I knew that I did once I was being pushed by people from the crowd to the stairs up onto the stairs. I see sympathizing looks from all of my friends. I knew on the inside that they didn't care. They were truly just glad that it wasn't them.

"Now it's time for our male tribute," She reaches her hand with her claw like nails into the bowl holding the names. She clears her voice, looks down at the name, and then reads it. "Our male tribute is… Ambrose Leeckheart!"

Ambrose? I think in my head. For some reason, that name jumps out at me. Then, it hits me. Ambrose! My best friend when it was fourth grade! I felt like my head was about to explode. Could this really be happening! I close my eyes and pinch myself. When I open them again, I'm still standing on stage, Ambrose right beside me.

"Here are the tributes from District 1 for the 81st annual Hunger Games!" God, how that woman's voice annoys me! I am then being pulled off stage by two burley looking men. If I had it my way, I would be kicking and screaming, But, I have to act as mature as I am.

I am put in a room where people could come and visit me. First is my best friend, Sasha Kingston. We make small talk. She tried to have sympathy for me but this is District 1 after all. People should only care about themselves. Next is Ambrose's dad. He treats me more like family then my own does.

"I was told by Ambrose to give you this as your token," He drops a necklace into my hand. Attached to it, is the mockingjay. Upon seeing this, I know the guards will be prepared to take it away from me, so I hide it before they can see it. The guards come to kick him out, then no one comes.

I sit for ten minutes and that is when I realize something. My family isn't coming to see me. They want me to die in the Hunger Games! With this, I am outraged. You all want to see me dead! I shout in my head. Well, I am going to disappoint you again by winning the games!

I am dragged yet again. This time, to the car that will take me to the train, which will take me to the Capitol. The thought of even going to the capitol makes me want to puke. I have been this way since Katniss Everdeen won, even though she disrespected the Capitol. It is dangerous grounds, but that is what I hope to accomplish.

"Ambrose," He looks up at me, his beautiful blue eyes looking at me. "Do you remember me?"

"Of course," A small smirk crosses his face. He brushes his dark brown hair to the side. "How could I?" Ambrose is a freshman in high school. There is no doubt that he's handsome. With his blue eyes, his dark brown hair, and his somewhat muscular build, I can't help but smile when I see him. Except for today. Today is the worst day of my life.

"What happened to us?" I ask. The question is genuine.

"I thought you changed," He replies. "After all, you were hanging out with some of the most selfish girls in our district."

"I just pretend to be friends with them," I say, for some reason that kind of ticked me off. It should have been obvious that I don't truly like them! We spend the rest of the car ride in silence. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, we arrived at the train station. I compose myself, and prepare myself for the cameras.

As soon as I open the door to the limo, I am bombarded by a million flashes. I'm almost blinded so I have to walk slowly to not hurt myself. Once I get onto the train, for some odd reason, I feel almost safe. The safest I felt since I was at home sleeping.

The annoying woman comes into my room, even though the door was closed.

"Greetings Annabel!" Her voice is still cheery. "My name is Alexandra, but of course you know that by now." I did know that from all the other reapings I watched, but that doesn't mean that I want to know it.

"Hello," I say as politely as I can manage, though I don't think that it was all that polite.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour, so be sure to get ready!" Alexandra leaves at this point and leaves me to myself. I sit down on my bed and sigh.