Author's Note: Well this is my first fanfiction. I really hope this goes well haha.

Today is the day of the reapings. My mother spent all of her month's savings buying a dress for me to wear. Most of the kids dress up nicely in case their names are picked. I still can't believe she did that. She doesn't earn much because she works in the wheat fields with my dad. I do like the dress though. It comes down to my thigh and is a turquoise blue. It has a frilled skirt and it's strapless. If I do get reaped, this will be my favorite article of clothing.

"You look rather splendid, my dear."

"Thanks, Mom. Where's Dad? Is he still crying?"

"Yes, he's still crying. I tried explaining to him that you will most likely not be reaped this year, but he told me he had a nightmare in which you were reaped. He's not getting over it. He's hiding down in the wheat fields."

Every reaping day, my dad cries and hides in the wheat fields. His best friend, Plower, was reaped for the second Hunger Games when he was only twelve. That was twenty four years ago. Plower came in eighth place, but was killed by a girl from district seven. Since I'm his only child and we live in district eleven, he wouldn't be able to handle it if I were reaped.

"It's still possible that I could be reaped..."

"Rose! Don't think like that. Even if you are reaped, you're smart and you're fast."

I guess she's right. At least about the being fast part. I used to race the other kids here in eleven. We would run from the shopping area to the wheat fields. I always came in first. I still run a lot, but I don't use it for fun. I help my parents in the wheat fields sometimes, and their job is to take the wheat to the miller. The sacks of wheat are pretty heavy, but I can still run with them in my arms. I guess I'm pretty strong too. Though, I'm not too sure if I'm smart.

I climb down the ladder from our treehouse and look for my dad. I find him laying on the floor crying.

"Dad, can you not be a pessimist just for a while?"

"No, I can't. You're my only child, Rose. If I were an optimist and you were chosen, I wouldn't survive the heartache. Being a pessimist will better prepare me if you are reaped."

"Come on, Dad. Let's just get this over with."

We walk up to the square in front of the Justice Building. There's a peacekeeper who tells me to give her my finger. She pricks it and rubs my finger on a sheet of paper. I walk over to the fifteen-year-old section and stand by my friend, and only friend, Lily. It's a tradition here in eleven to name girls after flowers.

"Good luck, Lily."

"Good luck to you too, Rose."

The anthem plays and a strange looking man from the capital gives a long and quite boring speech to remind us once again why we have the Hunger Games. I tune him out until he's finished. He leaves the stage and our district representative, Donovan Seascratch, takes the stage. This year he's wearing a bright pink wig, a shiny green suit, and some bright red stilettos. Capital people always look so strange.

"As always, ladies first!"

Donovan reaches into the big glass bowl full of all of our names. He lifts a name and almost begins reading it, but he places it neatly back into the bowl. He does this every year to "add to the anticipation". He snatches up another name and reads it aloud.

"Rose Thornberry! Congratulations, Rose, you will be representing district eleven in the twenty sixth Hunger Games!"

He says it as if it's a happy thing. I scan my environment in search of my parents, and find them standing outside of the square. My mom is crying and holding my dad, who has collapsed. Their only offspring is going to die in the Hunger Games. You're smart and you're fast. Like that's going to help me. This all feels like a dream, and it's happening too fast.

"Come on, deary! Hurry up!"

I climb onto the stage, and I don't not what to think. I'm the daughter of two simple field workers. How on Earth could I possibly win. Now I feel like a hypocrite for telling my dad not to be a pessimist. I'll win for you. Don't you worry. I'm lying.

"And now for the boys!" Donovan quickly clip-clops his way to the boys' bowl. He does the same grab-then-drop-then-grab-another thing.

"Digger English! Congratulations!" How can that stupid man think that this is something to be proud of?

I see three boys standing together. They're hugging each other now, and I think two of them are crying. Wow, he's only fourteen. He has light skin, unlike mine. Most people here in eleven have dark skin. Before the war, some people from the other districts moved here for the cleaner air we have here. His hair is almost white, and his eyes are a deep emerald green. He's very tall, almost too tall to be fourteen. He looks solid, unlike most of the field workers. Most of them look like they haven't eaten in days, and most of them haven't. His parents must be shopkeepers.

"People of Panem, these are your district eleven tributes! May the odds be ever in their favor!" I look over to Donovan, and he looks like he's going to cry, but he's smiling. Those eyes don't say he's happy...

As soon as the cameras are cut off, we are escorted into the Justice Building. Digger and I are placed into different rooms. God, he's so cute. I walk into the room I'll be saying my last farewells to the people I love. The peacekeepers shut the door behind me. I'll call this the farewell room.

The door opens, and Lily walks in.

"Rosie, you better not die. You win these games and you come home a victor. Is that clear?"

I nod my head, but I have no idea what to say. We hug for about a minute, and cry into each other's shoulders.

"I know it's not much, but I want you to take this back."

Lily hands me the sapphire studded ring I found, and gave to her when we were little. Lily has been my best friend since we were little. We met each other in the berry class in school. We quickly bonded and vowed to each other never to have any other friends. The purpose of having no other friends is so that no one can come between us. I found the ring one day while helping my dad carry the wheat sacks to the miller. It must have belonged to someone from the capital because nothing that nice is sold here in eleven. Now she's giving it back to me. This ring is now the most precious thing I have ever owned. I guess you could say that I just reaped what I sowed. I gave her the ring when it was of little value to me, but now now she's giving it back and it means so much more.

The peacekeepers drag Lily out of the room. She's reaching out for me. I'll be ok. It's fine. This is just a dream. I need to stop lying to myself and accept the fact that I'm going to die.

It feels like hours before my parents come in. We say absolutely nothing to each other. We just stare at each other and hug and cry. The peacekeepers walk in again and take my parents away. I'll never get to see them again, and all I get is three minutes?

Donovan Seascratch walks in with Digger to tell me that it's time to go.

"Isn't this great? You're going to be the talk of Panem!"

"Look, Mr. Stiletto, this is the worst day of our lives, so could you please stop acting like this is a good thing and shut up? All of Panem will not be talking about us because they'll be talking about the careers like they always do. There is no reason to be excited."

"Digger, I know this is hard, but I honestly think you two have a chance. I know that I'm being annoying, but this is all an act. It's part of the job description. Now let's get on the train and go to the capital, dearies."

"So you do have a brain!"

The three of us start laughing. I'm starting to like Digger. He's smart, intelligent, strong, and unbelievably cute. If I die, I hope he comes back as the victor. He has a better chance than I do anyway.