This is the my side of the story of the hunger games for all those Katniss and Peeta fans out there.
I wake up to the usual soft silky blanket and the lovely feathery pillows. The soft tinkle of my alarm chimes beside me. I know what day it is, it's the Reaping. I make a small movement to get up but can't be bothered and fall back asleep. 15 minutes later I sigh and force myself to get dressed.
"Hmm" I say quietly,"what shall I wear today, the pink gown or green dress. So many choices" I think, in the end I go with the gown, pink beats green any day. I walk to the small tea table and pick up a jam tart and muffin.
"MUFFINS" I whine, "We had this three days ago! Seriously I live in district 1 A.K.A the richest district in Panem, shouldn't I get some variety of breakfast? I eat the muffin grumpily.
"Come on your late for your defense lesson." Said mum hurriedly as I wandered down the cold marble stairs. "Are you ready yet
"Yep" I said miserably "I'm sick of these stupid defense lessons it's not like I really need them, I'm never going to be drawn because I've never deliberately put my name in the draw!" I didn't tell her about the time I put my name in cos my friends double dog dared me to.
"Also there's a parcel that just arrived this morning," she continued waving her hand towards a large wrapped gift on the table.
"Ooo" I said excitedly running [or waddling] in my pink lace gown until I reached the present. I gave it a quick shake like I always did to guess what was inside but instead of a rattle or clank of what a usual gift would sound like there was a yelp. I knowing what might be inside I ripped the wrapping paper of and opened the lid. Inside I found a fluffy little ball of fluff and a note, only the cutest little pup for the sweetest little girl it said. As soon as I saw that present I kind of predicted that it was my boy friend that sent it but seriously! A box of chocolates would be more than enough not a dog, in fact dogs are supposed to be something that fetch a ball or round up sheep not a little pile of fluff that does no more than eat, sleep and poop!
"Ooo a puppy!" squeals my little sister Spark. "I bet it's from your boy-friend she said teasingly and lifting the dog from my arms.
"Ready sweetie?" mum said sweetly, she was so obviously her favorite daughter.
"Yep" said Spark much more enthusiastically than I did.
I've always dreaded Sundays, the day I go to defense lesson. It's because mum's always paranoid that I'll be drawn out at the reaping and have to go into the Hunger Games with no experience and die. That's the thing I hate the most about my family and friends, they think I'm the most delicate thing on earth and couldn't even hurt a fly, well I think I could take on anyone right now if I wanted to. My dad's the owner this company called the C.B.M [couches, beds and more] and is one of the richest men in district 1. I meet up with Cou short for couch [my boy friend] outside the building, waiting, as usual.
"Hey" he said giving me a soft hug "Did you like the present I got you?"
"" Cou I said slowly "I know your dad's rich and works in the best furniture company, but my dad is just as rich and can by cute dogs just as cute as Bicci [Spark's name for him] and also you don't have to lavish me with gifts cos I already know you love me. Before he could say anything the siren signaling start of lesson chimed and we had to go inside. As all the students bustled into their classrooms, we got a few stares from the other kids. I looked up and Cou had a huge grin of smugness across his face and was around my waist, this really mad me annoyed because it seemed as if he was showing of! The lesson was extra brutal today since it was the day of the reaping, it was the toughest school and it was also the most expensive of any other in Panem so only people with rich daddies like me could go to such a school.
Finally the time had come for the reaping, ever since I was a child I found it nerve wrecking heading into the large stadium and praying my tab wouldn't be fished out. This time I didn't feel nervous at all, probably because it was the last year of the reaping and the odds would be extremely against my favor if I were to be drawn.
"Ladies and gentle men" Winty Snigg's voice boomed over the chatter of nervous children. "Welcome to the 74th annual Hunger Games and may the odds ever be in your favor! She started telling us about the tradition and history of the games and I pretty much tuned out for the whole speech. By the time she started with the draw it was an hour and a half later.
"Ladies first!" she sang skipping over to the huge bowl.
"It's okay, she won't pick you" whispered Cou.
"I never thought she would!" I hissed.
"Kitty Lauren!" she chirped tapping her long pink false nails. Kitty Lauren, where had I heard that name before? I breathed out a shaky breath realizing she was one of my friends in kindergarten.
"Any volunteers?" called Winty trotting over to help kitty on stage.
"I volunteer!" I said in a surprisingly brave voice.
"Oh goody!" she sang calling me up.
"No what are you doing!" said Cou "Why did you do that"
"I don't know, she's my friend I guess," I said automatically making my way up on stage.
"And what is your name?"
"Glimmer Pree" I said, concentrating on keeping a straight face and steady voice.
"Just wait here, glimmer and we'll see who is the boy tribute is." I looked at Cou, he was looking at me to, and in fact he was staring at me with his mouth half open. I raised my eyebrows, with my "Are you going to help me" face.
"Gerdal per-uh"
"I volunteer!" shouted a voice in the middle of the crowd. Wow he's desperate I thought, Winty hadn't even finished speaking.
"Err ok here's district boy, I guess" she continued. I looked back at Cou and gave him a pleading look to rescue me.
"Wha-?" I gasped, he was backing away why would he do that? Before I could do or say anything he was gone, swallowed up in the crowd. I felt my fists clench as the anger rose inside of me, now I was glad I volunteered; now I could see his true colors and he was nothing but a traitor who cared about nothing but himself. I managed to force a smile on my face as I shook hands with the tribute Marvel Halt and kept my face calm as I was walked in the tribute building. The cameras followed us in so there was no space for me to even sigh without everyone knowing that all this was just a huge mistake. My face lit up into a grin as my worried family rushed in.
"Oh my darling" my mum sobbed and gave me a hug.
"Mum I won't get many sponsors if you keep this up" I hissed into her ear as she was hugging me. Through her tears and pain she was able to compose her face into a convincing look of pride. My sister and father caught on pretty quick.
"Don't go" Spark sobbed in my ear. "I'll miss you", her voice broke.
"I'll miss you to. I promise I'll come back, trust me." I didn't know what I was doing when I made that promise but I realized that I had to keep it no matter what. My father came up and hugged me. As he did he slipped a ring in my hand.
"It'll protect you in the games" he whispered in my ear.
"No dad don't" I said and pushed it back in his hand.
"Glimmer, just take it" He closed my hand round it and stepped back.
"You have one last visitor," said the peacekeeper, "Her name is Sindra Halt". My family backed out the room to let a young lady with dark orange hair to come in.
"Hello Glimmer" She said quietly, her eyes staring at the carpet. "I came here to tell you about Marvel".
"Why" I said confused at what shed have to do with him. "He's in the other room if yo-"
"I'm his sister," she said quickly cutting me off. She looked up and I could clearly see the resemblance. "He's my brother so he tells every thing"
"Everything?
"Yup and he just told me why he volunteered, Because of you