Chapter One: Welcome Back to Panem High!

At the bus stop by the Everdeen house, Primrose Everdeen and Rory Hawthorne wait for the bus together, hand-in-hand.

"How are you doing without Katniss?" the dark-haired boy asks his girlfriend. Prim, as she's called, looks over.

"She's been e-mailing me every day," Prim says, "Us, really. Mostly about how she doesn't miss Buttercup at all." At the mention of the ugly cat, both of the sophomores laugh.

"Miss Gale yet?" Prim asks with a smile, knowing that the oldest Hawthorne has been at college for two years now.

"Yeah. The worst part is when he comes back then leaves again."

Prim nods, holding her schedule in her hands. This year, she helped her boyfriend to organize his school supplies, and his schedule is neatly folded and tucked in his backpack.

"Can we sit in the back of the bus this year?" asks Rory. Prim shrugs, "Sure!"

Next to them, Vick Hawthorne, a junior, is on his knees to be even with his little sister Posy, who will be a freshman this year.

"Ready for your first day?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Posy says with a grin, "I can't wait, it's going to be great!"

"Good attitude," the tall boy stands back up, patting his sister's head.

"Stop!" Posy says, "You'll mess up my hair!"

"Sorry," Vick mocks, "That you won't be a princess on your first day of high school."

Posy flicks him, "Hey, now that I'm a freshman I can actually start looking at boys!"

"Right. The first boy that lays a finger on you will get punched by Gale, Rory, and me."

Posy sighs, "I'm not the one that had two girlfriends last year," she says.

Vick, remembering the scenario, swallows hard and looks at the concrete.

"You going to try to get Madge back this year?" Posy asks.

Vick looks up as the calm senior, like himself, walks quietly to the bus stop and talks to Prim.

"Yeah," he mumbles, "But it's not going to be easy."

"No joke," Posy says with an amused smile.

Vick rolls his eyes as the bus approaches their stop.

Once the doors of the bus open, Vick gets on first and goes to the back. Madge walks with Prim and Rory and sit back there with him.

Posy finds her best friend Bonnie, a fellow freshman, and sits next to her.

"Hi!" Posy says happily.

"Hi Posy!" Bonnie says with a grin.

"Can you believe it's our first day of high school!?" Bonnie asks with a grin.

"I sure can't!" Posy says.

"Are you scared?" the brunette asks.

"Yeah, a little," the dark-haired girl confesses, gray eyes looking excited and nervous.

"Me too," Bonnie says, "And I thought I was the only one!" she adds, brown eyes sparkling with relief.

"We'll do awesome, I know it!" Posy says. Bonnie nods shyly.

At the next bus stop, Clove and her step-sister Athena sit on their driveway and mope.

"I can't believe it's the first day of school," Athena says quietly, as a conversation starter.

Clove looks over. "Cato already started classes, I bet," she says flatly.

"Theo, too," Athena says. Thinking about their ex-boyfriends' smiling faces makes both girls feel sad.

"But… It's our senior year," Clove says, brown eyes looking slightly hopeful.

"You're right. We should enjoy it. Move on from them," Athena says, "Find new boys."

"Yeah, I know," Clove says, "I already know who mine is."

Athena glares for a second but softens her glance, "Yeah, I know. The same as mine."

"Then I guess only one of us can have him. And the other one finds someone else for someone else."

Athena sighs, but nods, "Yeah, I guess."

Clove thinks back to last year, when she, Cato, Glimmer, and Marvel rode in Gloss's truck to school.

Cato had graduated, and the two had broken up the day he left for college. Glimmer had never graduated, but nobody knew what happened to her. Marvel had branched off and made new friends that Clove never cared to associate with.

"Don't think about… You-know-what-or-who…" Athena says quietly.

Clove nods, looking up as the bus comes to pick them up.

The two girls climb on and head to the back. Athena glances away from Vick, sitting next to Madge on the bus and remembering the time he had cheated on her last year. Really, she had been used for him to cheat on Madge.

"Hey," Rory says cooly.

"Hi," Clove says sadly.

Athena waves.

"Cheer up!" Prim says, "It's your senior year!"

Clove nods, Athena looks at the floor of the bus.

Just as Prim finishes talking, the bus stops and picks up Nate McIalwain, a senior with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He sits across from the group in the back cheerfully and smiles at them. Athena and Clove both gaze at him, then look at each other.

His best friend Elijah Crowly hops on and plops down in the seat across from him with a smile. "Good morning," he says cheerily.

"Hi!" Nate says with a smile.

"Hi Elijah," Madge says quietly.

"Well, aren't we all just rays of sunshine today?" he asks teasingly.

"I am!" Nate says. Nobody else says anything.

Next the bus picks up Marvel and his two housemates. Edward and Kelley O'Callaghan are Irish exchange students. Marvel is a junior this year. Edward came to America last year as a freshman, and Kelley came over the summer and is a freshman this year.

Marvel's girlfriend Poppy is already on the bus. She greets him with a large smile upon seeing him. "Hi you!"

"Hey." He takes the seat next to her.

Edward takes the seat next to them and greets them with a cheery smile. "Goudmornin'Poppy!"

"Hi Edward!"

His brother Kelley sits with Bonnie and Posy. The three all spew out their nerves for the first day of school.

Jason Hollow and Locke Gedeckt, two sophomores, hang out with the others on the back of the bus. Locke, who lost his deceased father's pocket watch a while back, is still devastated over it. His socially awkward friend Jason tries to make up for the lack of his cheery disposition but it doesn't work so well.

The next to board the bus is their friend Tanner Cooper, a junior who is gay and also in love with Locke. He sits in the seat opposite the duo and tries to be cheery but has a hard time being happy upon seeing his crush so upset.

The last bus stop is at the orphanage next door to the school. Linus Shatern and his best friend Arrow Caverly get on the bus together and look for a seat in the front.

"Linus!" Elijah says, waving him over. The blonde walks over and his dark-haired friend follows. Linus gives a little nod to indicate that this is the same Elijah that he's in love with. Arrow ducks his head for a second, heart hurting, but puts on a smile to greet him.

"Hey Arrow!" Nate pipes up.

Arrow smiles at his old lab partner, "Hi Nate."

Linus and Arrow sit down together and both are trying not to look hurt.

"Are you excited for our senior year!?" Elijah asks enthusiastically.

Linus smiles, enjoying how his cerulean blue eyes flicker when they're happy. "Yeah, I guess," Linus says.

"I sure am!" Arrow says, restoring to his normal disposition.

Nate smiles, "This is going to be a great year!" he says.

"Sure is," Linus adds.

All four boys smile.

Tanner looks over. "I'm so excited for the first day!" he says, "At a big high school, wow!"

Arrow laughs, "I don't think we've met. I'm Arrow Caverly."

Tanner waves, "I'm Tanner Tyson Cooper! It's nice to meet you!"

Linus smiles and whispers to Arrow, "He's out of the closet, too."

Arrow looks over. "You know, if you weren't gay with me, I would push you off a cliff for saying stuff like that. So stereotypical," he ends it with that typical Arrow laugh on the end.

"Please don't push me off a cliff," Linus says, teasingly batting his brown eyes.

The black-haired boy rolls his eyes but laughs, heart beating hard in his chest.

Linus turns his attention to Elijah and Nate, laughing loudly together. Arrow follows his gaze, hurt all over again.

"Oh God, Nate, you're just too hilarious!" Elijah says between laughs.

"Hilarious and adorable!" Nate teases. Elijah bites his lip. That's exactly what he was thinking, too.

"You Ok?" Nate asks, and his friend zones back into it. "Oh, um… Yeah."

Linus looks out the window again, hurt.

Tanner turns to Locke and Jason, two sophomores who just transferred last year.

"Guess what?" he finally asks.

It takes a second for either of them to respond. Jason says, "What?"

"I saw Ben yesterday."

Ben Hoffsteader, this year a junior, is the school bully. He gives everyone hell, especially Tanner.

"So what?" Jason asks bitterly, remembering the fights they had last year.

"He… He looked different…. His eyes were red, he looked tired… He just buried his face in his knees…"

Locke looks slightly interested but Jason just scoffs, "Serves him right."

"Yeah," Locke mutters, resting his head against the seat.

In the Odair car, Finnick drives his wife Annie, adopted son Skeeter, and Skeeter's girlfriend Rue to school.

Annie, a guidance counselor that was promoted to the high school, looks out the window and smiles.

Skeeter and Rue, who have been best friends since first grade, sit hand-in-hand and chat a hundred words a minute. Once again, the two don't have the same lunch, which upsets the sophomores.

"Oh well, at least we have the same chemistry!" Rue smiles.

"Yeah, and glee club." Both are excited about this.

Skeeter speaks up again, "Hey, did you hear!? We finally found some kids who were willing to make a pit for glee club!"

"Really!?" Rue asks, "Awesome!"

"And that includes Jason and Locke," Skeeter says, "After much fighting."

"Cool!" Rue says, "And I got Tanner to sing!"

"Is he any good?"

Rue nods, beaming, as Finnick parks the car.

The two hop out.

"Thanks, Mr. Odair!" Rue says.

"Thanks Dad," Skeeter says, smiling.

"I'll talk to you two later," Finnick says, hugging both of them. Annie hugs Rue and kisses the top of Skeeter's head.

"Have fun on your first day!" she says.

Skeeter grins, "You too!"

Then the two go in the school together for their first day.

The first meeting of the glee club happens seventh period, the last period of the day.

This year, Athena is the only senior singer. Marvel, and Tanner are the juniors. Rue, Skeeter, Prim, and Edward are the sophomores. Prim also plays in the pit. The freshman are Bonnie, Kelley and Posy.

The three lone freshmen sit in the back of the room. Rue and Skeeter glance back at them and smile.

Mr. Everdeen steps up to the podium and looks at his glee club fondly.

"Welcome back, everyone!" he says, "And welcome to glee club!"

They all grin.

"It's going to be quite the year, I know it!" he says enthusiastically, looking around. "I'm Mr. Everdeen, I hope you know that by now…" he says with a laugh.

Everyone laughs with him.

"And this group is going to be quite fun for all, I hope…"

"It will!" Rue says enthusiastically.

"That's the spirit, Rue!"

Skeeter smiles at his girlfriend.

"Hopefully over the year we can find some more singers. And, of course, the pit!"

"It's exciting!" Marvel says. Everyone nods.

"So does everyone know who's who?"

They all nod.

"Wow, good!"

Everyone smiles.

"Can we sing now!?" Skeeter asks enthusiastically.

Mr. Everdeen laughs, "Well, Skeeter, I don't have any real lesson plans for today. So why don't you all do your spunky little group number to kick us off?"

Athena sighs, looking at her feet, "Gee, Mr. Everdeen, I don't know if I'm in the mood for it quite yet…"

"Singing will always make you feel better!" Skeeter says, grinning, "Come on!"

Athena looks up, smiling slightly. "Maybe…"

"Come on!" Skeeter says, plugging in his iPod and turning up the speaker. And the music starts anyways.

Rue hops up and joins him, Edward and Marvel following. Prim skips up to the freshmen and skips down to the main floor, dragging Posy with her. Soon Edward drags Kelley and Bonnie with him, as well.

Athena, being the only senior, starts it, "See the people walking down the street! Fall in line, watching all their feet!"

Marvel jumps from the step to the main floor, "They don't know, where they wanna go but they're walkin' in time!"

Everyone joins for the chorus,

"They've got the beat,

They've got the beat,

They've got the beat,

YEAH!

They've got the beat!"

Skeeter takes Rue by the hands and spins her around.

She giggles, "All the kids just gettin' out of school!"

Edward interrupts, spinning Posy around and laughing, "They can't wait to hang out and be cool!"

Skeeter takes it back, "Hang around 'till quarter after twelve, that's when the fall in line!"

Everyone pipes back in,

"Kids got the beat!

They got the beat,

They got the beat!

YEEEEEAAAAAH!

Kids got the beat!"

Prim picks up with the next line, "Go-go music really makes us dance! Do the pony puts us in a trans!

Marvel takes it again, "Do the Watusi just give us a chance! That's when we fall in line!"

"'Cause we got the beat!

We got the beat,

We got the beat!

YEEEAAHH!

WE GOT IT!

"We got the beat!"

Everyone looks to the newbies now.

Posy sings first, "Everybody, get on your feet!"

"We got the beat!"

Kelley picks up next, dancing smoothly in his green converse, "We know you can dance to the beat!"

Tanner gulps and tries the best he can to dance well even though he feels uncomfortable, "Jump back and get down!"

Bonnie sings last, "Around and around and A-ROOOUUNNDD!" she nails the high note and everyone dances around.

"We got the beat!

We got the beat, we got the beat!"

And everyone strikes a pose.

Mr. Everdeen applauds, proud of his glee club.

"Very nice!" he says, "So I'll let you in on a piece of news."

Everyone sits back down.

"So, as you may have seen in the news recently, two parents close to the Liberty High Area were murdered last night."

Skeeter looks up, terrified, "No! No! Please tell me it wasn't Jason!"

Soon, everyone starts listing their friends that live in the Liberty High area. "Or Caeda, or Finny, or Faorin, or Indigo, or Bubbles…" Rue mutters, "Oh no…"

"'ErArtelind!" Edward says, looking up.

"Yer'littlegierlie-friend!" Kelley teases.

Mr. Everdeen shakes his head, "No, actually the child was one girl. And her name is Daphne."

Rue and Edward feel bad but relieved that it isn't any of their friends.

Skeeter, emotionally destroyed by this news, frowns, "Oh no… I know how awful that can be…"

Mr. Evedeen nods, "She's being sent to the orphanage here by Panem, because they couldn't find a foster home for her by Liberty."

"Aw," Skeeter says sadly.

"She said the only way she would come to Panem would be on one condition."

"Which is?" Bonnie asks.

"Joining our glee club," Mr. Everdeen says, smiling slightly.

"When does she start?" Rue asks excitedly.

"Monday," Mr. Everdeen says, "And I really want to welcome her in with special hospitality. But you guys are all really good with that."

The group exchanges looks and nods.

"Good. Have a good evening, everyone!" Mr. Everdeen says, as the bell rings and suddenly, the first day is over.

A/N: WELCOME TO HUNGER GAMES HIGH SCHOOL! So, this is SOMEWHAT of a sequel to my story Hunger Games High School, but you don't have to read that to understand this so PLEASE stick with me here! Ok, so it's a lot of characters to keep track of but I promise it'll get easier as the year goes on. So PLEASE if you liked it favorite and follow, and I would LOVE it if you would leave a review in that box there. I try to update weekly, usually either on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays.

Jason and Locke belong to SinfonianLegend. 72 Hours Remain. READ IT.

Linus, Arrow, and Daphne belong to Wetstar. Not Forgotten. :D AWESOME STORY.

The rest are all mine, and of course, Suzanne Collins's.

I do not own anything relating to the Hunger Games.