Aria: District One
My annoying alarm clock wakes me up with a start. I sit up and slam it with my fist and it shuts off. I stretch and look across our two room house at my mother, Ella, and my brother, Mike. Both in separate beds of course. We were just lucky enough to get three comfortable, Capitol worthy beds. Then I suddenly remember: It's Reaping day again and my brother and I are still both eligible. Mike rolls over to face me, eyes open.
"Aria," he whispers, worriedly, "It's Reaping-"
I cut him off there "Yes, yes, I know." I sigh.
I don't want to think about it anymore. I get up off my bed and shuffle to the other room in our house, which has a kitchen and dining room in it. The other room is our sleeping/living area.
I am not sure if you can imagine how close the three of us are. Except my father, he left our family for another woman named Meredith. Unfortunately, the Peacekeepers caught wind of their scandalous relationship and they killed him. Meredith was also pregnant so they let her off the hook. I see her every once and a while in the square holding her baby, Mike and my step-it, but I just glare at her thinking You are the reason my father is dead. They could at least turn her into an Avox.
I open the refrigerator door and get out a bag of potatoes, milk, and cheese. Because it is much too warm in the house, most of the time, we are forced to keep most food in the refrigerator. I next get out a frying pan, cheese grater, and a wooden spoon. Mike quietly comes in and sits down at the little wooden table.
"I am making cheesy hash browns, your favorite." I tell him, while pouring a bit of milk at the bottom of the pan.
"I just don't want you to leave." He says instead "I would miss this. You making breakfast every morning and being there for me." I smile sadly and a tear runs down my cheek.
"Don't worry, Mike, there are, like, what, a few hundred thousand people in District one?" I start shredding the potatoes into the pan when Mike shrugs.
"I suppose." He says quietly.
Ella then walks in, hair sticking up every which way. She yawns and moves towards me. "Mmhm, smells delicious Aria." She says, hugging me.
My mother was devastated when Bryon, our father left us, but then it became shock when the Peacekeepers killed him. Mike and I almost couldn't get her to eat.
"Good morning, Ella." I say back. She moves over to Mike and hugs as well then plops down on the chair next to him. By now I am done shredding potatoes and I start mixing them to avoid burning.
"How is work, Mike?" Ella asks, suddenly. Mike shrugs again. He started working at one of the many factories for Capitol luxuries already to support our family. I clean others clothing and I am not sure what my mother does with her time when we are gone. "Well, I haven't been hurt yet, or sucked into a machine." He says, glumly. Ella nods, "Indeed."
I turn off the stove top and shred some last minute cheese on top. "Breakfast is done!" I exclaim, carrying the pan to the table and setting it down. Ella smiles and walks off to fetch spoons and plates. She once had beautiful china from Bryon when they married, but she smashed it all when he cheated and the rest when he died. All but one, I have one small saucer, left hiding under my mattress, and she doesn't know it. Ella comes back, all smiles, with three plates and spoons and we dig in.
After that we get dressed for the Reaping Ceremony. It is mandatory to show up unless terrible illness or you are on your deathbed. The Peacekeepers may kill ones who don't listen.
I pull a dress on over my head. It is a beautiful light green velvet dress given to Ella from Bryon. You can imagine how wealthy he was. I also had a white pearl necklace and matching bracelet and white slip on shoes. I look into the mirror and sigh. My dark hair is piled up in a messy bun, strands of hair hanging in my face. I looked beautiful in a tragic way, like I was later going to my own funeral, which in a way I guess I was.
Mike comes up behind me to look at his reflection and I move to my bed. Since Ella ran over to a friend's house quick, I lifted the mattress up to retrieve the saucer. I glance at its elegant details and use of blues. "Mike," I say, looking up at him wearing one of Bryon's old suits. "Take care of this for me, if I go?" He moves towards me and I give it to him. He nods and we hug. "I love you, Mike." I whisper, tears streaking my face. "I love you too, Aria." Mike says just as quiet. The door opens and Ella walks in. Mike and I pull apart. "Ready to go to the Square?" Ella asks us both. I nod and wipe my face with my hand. She walks back out and I grab Mike's hand as we walk out together.
*A/N*This is my second story and I am so excited! It is a Hunger Games/Pretty Little Liars crossover. I will try to write more. I apprecitate critism to help with my mistakes. I hope you enjoy! ^^
