(Hiya! Welp, this is my first Hunger Games fic. Please go easy on me. I obviously do not own any part of the Hunger Games series. This is just a fun fic. Enjoy!)

Plot: Before Katniss and Peeta became the Star-Crossed Lovers of the 74th Hunger Games, there were the original lovers of the Hunger Games just a few years after Haymitch won. Although their story didn't have such a happy ending.

Chapter One: The Reaping

Kurt

When my name was pulled during the reaping, I didn't expect it. How could I have? I don't think anyone ever really does. Just a few days ago, I had turned 17. I only had to wait it out another year. And now I don't know if I'll even make it to the end of this one.

Mother cried, of course. She held me close to her and I let her. I know the likelihood of me coming home is slim to none. No one has won from my district since Haymitch Abernathy. I can't even remember who has won from before him.

Putting everything aside, I tried to appear as calm as possible. The girl who was picked from my district, Lillian I think her name is, was not. She was sobbing hysterically on stage. I've seen 12 year olds act more calmly than her.

Now that we are on the train to the Capital, I can finally get a closer look at the girl from my district. She is no longer crying, but her nose is still bright red from rubbing at it. She is tiny in every aspect, but that isn't surprising either, not from our district. Her dirty blonde hair was tangled around her neck, reminding me of tiny hands choking her. I closed my eyes to the thought. If I have to kill anyone, I'd rather it not be from a little girl from my district.

"Your name is Kurt, right?" she asked. It was the first words I've heard out of her from the forty five minutes we've been sitting in this room waiting for our mentor.

"Yes. And you're Lillian, right? How old are you?" I asked.

"Fifteen. I know what you're thinking, that I seem weak. Don't underestimate me," she said. However, it was hard to take her seriously since her voice was shaking.

The door suddenly busted open and Haymitch appeared through the doorway. He gave a half hearted wave and slumped down into the chair in front of me. I knew that he was only in his twenties, but he looked much older than his age. He picked up the bottle in his hands and brought it to his lips. After taking a long swing, he set the bottle down to the ground and stared at us both. Lillian's hands were balled into hard fists, and she seemed very annoyed.

"Drinking now, are we, Haymitch?" she asked, her voice taking on a much harder edge than before. He stared at her.

"Do you both know each other?" I asked. I only knew Haymitch at a glance. After he had won the games, I saw him even less. He hardly ventured out of his home, that I knew of.

Lillian gave a short bark of a laugh. Haymitch took another swing of the bottle. I looked back and forth between them, confused.

"My sister wouldn't have approved of your behavior, you know," Lillian said. Haymitch cupped his hands together and his mouth drew into a hard line.

"Lillian, you must know-" he started, but was cut off.

"Yes, yes. It isn't your fault, am I right?" Lillian seemed to ooze rage now. She stood up quickly and kicked out her foot to knock over the bottle, spilling it and staining the white carpet.

"She loved you, and she died for it!" Lillian screamed.

Haymitch picked up the bottle off the ground slowly and set it back upright. He stood up just as slowly and looked at me in the eyes.

"Sorry. Don't feel like talking right now. I'll see you both in the morning."

I jumped up to tell him wait, but by the time I did, he was already out the door and gone.

Gaia

I wasn't expecting to get called at the reaping, but then again, I was. I had a nervous gut pinching feeling that something seriously wrong was going to happen that day. My family all came to see me go, but I told them not to worry. I was going to make it home.

Usually Districts like One or Two have the winners, but I wanted to let my mentors know that this year was a win for District Seven. The boy from my District this year that was called is thirteen years old and as thin as a fern tree. He hasn't said a word the whole time we talked with our mentors. I don't know if he's just scared or if he's really dumb. I decided that if he must die, I will be the one to do it so that I can make it quick.

I think my mentors, a very elderly woman named Nora and a guy in his thirties named Mal or Sal or something like that, can see that I have a spark in my eyes. I need them to understand that I need to win and make it home.

After everything I had gone through today, sleep will not greet me. I toss and turn in my soft mattress that I am not used to. I miss the rough mattress that I shared with my two twin younger sisters. I miss the smell of the forest filtering in through our bedroom window, with the long crack going up in the glass that whistles when it's windy outside. I will make it home. I will make it home. There is no going back.

When sleep finally catches up to me, my pillow is wet from my tears.

There are 24 of them, just like every year. The tributes this year look even better than the last. There is a desperation in their eyes to live. If only they knew what was to come. Nobody will except this years Hunger Games. They all wonder, what is next? Will I be the first one dead? We all wait in wonder to find out.

(So, my first chapter. I don't know, I like it. I hope that you all do too (: Please review and also look forward to the next chapter! The next chapters name: Let the Games Begin! Please look forward to it.)