Lilly Everdeen POV
I run through the arena with a knife in my hand as I run from the district 2 brute, once I realise I can't hide anywhere I straight up my aching battered body and I turn towards the man.
"You can't hide anywhere 12 look like I finally get to see your blood on my sword" he snarls and just as he lunges at me with his sword I duck and….
I awake with a jolt gasping for air; I can feel the sweat coating my body. I flinch when I feel a hand on my shoulder but I quickly relax because I know that touch, its Katniss.
"Another nightmare?" she asks knowingly, I nod and I lay back down on the mattress that I share with my two sisters.
"Yeah, we better get back to sleep with tomorrow being the reaping" I say bitterly, I feel Katniss lying back down and she falls back asleep and after a while I fall back into a dreamless slumber.
The next morning I wake up to an empty bed, I walk out of the room and I am greeted with mum doing Prim's hair at the table. I walk over to Prim and I place a kiss to her forehead, today is Prim's first reaping so we are all trying to act like it's a normal day to not scare her anymore than she needs to be. After I have a few pieces of fruit for breakfast I walk over to Haymicth's house to find him sat at the table drinking some liquor, as usual.
"It's that time of the year again isn't it?" he asks as he looks up at me, he may be a drunk but I look up to him as a father like figure, after all he did mentor me through the games and we mentor together.
"Yep I'm afraid it is." I say, he looks at me slyly and chuckles to himself.
"At least you get to see Johanna" he says, I smile at her name. Johanna Mason district 7 victor, since I became a mentor we have been drawn together and she is my girlfriend. My family doesn't know because I don't like talking about my time in the capitol and since we are unable to travel between districts Johanna has never come up in conversation, only the rest of the mentors know.
I stay at Haymitch's for a while before I leave to get ready for the reaping, I am gay and a lot of capitol girls love that so snow has made me become an escort for those people in the capitol. I wanted to refuse but he said that if I said no then he will torture my family, I am not the only victor to become an escort district 4 victor Finnick Odair is one of the most popular. Johanna was told but she refused so needless to say her family were killed the next day in front of her. Everyone in district 12 knows about Snows threat and because of that the district hates him even more than before, my family know which is the main reason why we never moved into the victor's village or that we don't use any of the money I get for doing those acts. I walk into the bedroom to see both Prim and Katniss sat on the mattress dressed in their reaping outfits, I get dressed in my suit trousers, white crisp shirt with a black bow tie and black suspenders. I walk over to the bed and I kneel down in front of the two girls.
"Whatever happens today I just wanted to say that I love you ok" I say, prim nods and goes out to mum I look at Katniss and I can see anger in them.
"I saw the capitol peacekeepers today, they wanted me to tell you that you have a meeting with a girl when you arrive in the capitol" she spits it out like its poison; we both know that this meeting is another word for person I have to sleep with.
"Don't worry about me ok, listen I have a weird feeling about today so I want you to promise me that no matter what happens today you will not do anything stupid do you understand me?" I say in an urgent voice, she nods and we go and meet up with Prim and mother. We walk down to the town square, we arrive at the signing in post and this is the place for me to part ways with them.
"I'll see you when I get back from the games, stay safe" I press a kiss to each girl's foreheads as I make my way to the inside of the justice building and I once I step through the doors Effie is all over me.
"Lilly how many times have I told you not to wear that shabby bow tie when you need to be presentable." She huffs out, I roll my eyes and I walk to stand next to Haymitch. I don't wear the capitol bow tie because this was my dad's and it's the only thing I have left of his, we wait to be introduced by the mayor of 12 before we walk onto the stage. As I stand on the stage I look out to the people and my eyes lock with Katniss who I can see is nervous, I send her a small smile and I can see the fear calm when she sees my smile. I listen to Effie ramble on about the importance of these games and why it is such an honour to be chosen, I roll my eyes dramatically witch earns a smile from Katniss in return I listen intently though when she steps up to pick the female tribute and the name that is pulled is the name that I never wanted to hear leave Effie's lips. It was Prim.