Chapter One
Hi again everybody! This is The 100th Annual Hunger Games! This story was formerly on Tratieluver14's account, so just a heads up if you were reading the other story.
ELIZABETH'S POV
I awoke to something, more like someone, poking my face.
"Layla!" I yelled as my sister's blonde hair and blue eyes came into view.
"It's reaping day! Besides, Luke is here," Layla said in a mocking tone. I threw my covers off at the mention of my boyfriend's name. My cheeks were bright red as I got my reaping dress out of my closet. Luke Tide was half the reason I was alive, and I loved him even more for it. Ever since my father died stealing fish and my mother began to abuse Layla and me and was taken away, Luke and I had taken care of each other and Layla. I knew for a fact that Layla and I weren't the only ones in District Four without parents, but we were the only ones who weren't in the orphanage. I had Luke, Luke had me, and Layla had both of us. Surprisingly, life was pretty good.
I slipped on my turquoise reaping dress. It was my mother's before. It was a simple, straight, "flowy" dress and matched my strap sandals perfectly. I went down to meet Luke and waited impatiently for Layla.
"Layla, come on! Luke isn't going to want to wait forever!" I yelled to my sister.
"Hey, how's my favorite Wave girl?" a voice murmured in my ear.
"How's my favorite Tide guy?" I returned, turning around to see Luke.
"I'm great if you're great," Luke said. How can you not love him? He wrapped his arms around me and leaned in.
"May the odds ever be in our favor," I whispered before leaning forward into a kiss. I pressed my lips against his and put my hands around his neck. His hands travel to my waist and I smiled as wide as I could.
"We better get going," Luke says when we finally break off. I nod and, with Layla in tow, head towards the square.
As soon as we get to the square, I see Selina Pink, District Four's escort, her green hair sticks up like a bush and she is laughing with another Capitol member. I roll my eyes and exchange glances with Luke, we both hate the Games and the Capitol, so whenever we see Capitol members actually being happy—we feel nothing but hatred. The Hunger Games are a touchy subject for me because I've lost two family members thanks to them. My grandmother killed herself before she entered the arena, and my aunt was killed by a Career when she was in the final eight.
I gave Luke another good luck kiss and went over to the fifteen year old section of the crowd.
"Tina!" I called to my best friend, Tina Blue.
"Lizzy! I haven't seen you since…..yesterday! Let's hope the odds are ever in our favor today. Oh…look…it's our good friend Crystal," Tina said with a glare in the direction of our life long enemy. Crystal had been trying to ruin my life from the time we met in third grade. She was jealous of my relationship with Luke, and the fact that I was more popular than her. She was shallow, annoying, and flat out mean. Tina and I hated her.
"Shh, the reaping's starting," I whispered. The clear plastic balls onstage hung like death threats. I shivered and looked over at Luke. He smiled and I blew a kiss. I couldn't go to the Games; I had to stay here with Luke. I only had four slips in, so my chances were slim. Layla only had three and Luke had five, I figured we would be fine.
"Ladies first!" Selina Pink called out to the crowd. I crossed my fingers and closed my eyes. Not me, please not me.
"Crystal Jones!" Tina wheeled around to face me, my jaw slacked in relief. By this time our friend Jewel had joined us, even though she didn't belong in this section of the crowd, and she too had a shocked face.
"My daughter's best friend would like to volunteer!" Mrs. Jones yelled.
"Yeah, like she even has a best friend," Tina snorted under her breath.
All of a sudden, someone grabbed my arm.
"My daughter is never going in those games, so you will be taking her place," came the voice in my ear.
"NO! I don't volunteer, no I don't want to," I screeched. I saw Luke running as fast as he could through the crowd.
"Don't touch her! Selina, don't you see she's being forced against her will?" Luke hissed.
"This is certainly interesting," I heard Selina whisper. Luke tried to pull me back, but I was already onstage. Through my tears I could see Luke and Layla.
"Mrs. Pink, Selina! Please I don't volunteer, I don't want to. I hate Crystal Jones; she doesn't have a real friend at all! She's spoiled, obnoxious, and jealous," I cried.
Selina's eyes seemed to softened at this, as opposed to Crystal who shot me death glares.
"I'm sorry sweetie, but you're up here and I don't see any other volunteers," Selina said with genuine unhappiness.
"I-" came a voice from the crowd, but I cut it off before she could finish.
"No Layla," I said quietly. She nodded in understanding and threw herself into Luke's arms. Luke's shoulder was already wet with her tears. I faced the cameras and, as bravely as I could, narrowed my wet eyes. Very slowly, I dragged my index finger across my neck as a symbol of what Crystal and her mother would be. The crowd gasped, and then turned the attention back to Selina.
"Now for the boys," Selina said trailing off. She stuck her hand deep inside the ball and pulled out a slip.
"Damien Moore," she called. I knew Damien somewhat well. He was one of my friends, but I knew he would have to die if I wanted to survive. Damien walked up on stage and we shook hands. I sent a glare to the cameras and waited to be taken to say my goodbyes.
Today the odds were not in my favor. Great. I just can't wait for the Games to really start.
AN: So, what do ya think? I love the Hunger Games, so I decided to write a fic for them. Also, I know I used two last names from Shake It Up, but I swear to God I didn't mean to. After I finished I went back and read the story and was too lazy to change it. So, Tina and Crystal's last names are here to stay. I decided also to try to base my characters off of real life people. Elizabeth is obviously me, Tina is Alexis (tratieluver14 and my bff), Jewels is one of my friend's nicknames. Layla and Luke are the people I never had in my life, but I wish I did.
-Liz
