I wake up to birds singing. How they can the be singing on the most horrid day of the year? I think. I'm an only child. I live in District 10; the live stock district. I get out of the bed and put on blue tunic and black leggings. I walk downstairs. I see a note on the table.
Dear Tara,
Do you mind stopping by the bakery to get some bread?
Love,
Mom
I sigh and grab my jacket. I walk to the bakery. I have enough for five loafs of bread. We have money because I'm the daughter of the florist. My dad died from a disease. I walk into the bakery. I get the bread and head back home.
I put my jacket on a hook. I sit down and eat some of the bread. After I'm done eating I head to the flower shop.
" Hey Mom! Need any help?" I ask.
" I'm good Tara. I have a surprise for you to wear to the Reaping," Mom says. I hate that word so much.
" Okay," I say as I head to my room. I get a bath and go back to my room. I look on my bed and see a aqua dress. I gasp and put it on. It goes to my shins and is has straps. I brush my dirty blond hair. I put a flower head band in hair and glance at my clock. I spent more time in the shower. The Reaping begins in one hour.
When the hour passes I go to the square and head to the fifteen section. We go about the Reaping stuff. Jayla sticks her hand into the glass ball and says " Taraxacum Vega."
I walk to the stage and try not to cry. My nightmare has come true. I will be going into the Hunger Games.
Jayla picks the boy tribute." Dustin Belum." He walks to the stage. Right before Dustin gets there a voice says" I volenteer! I volenteer as a tribute!" That's the voice of my boyfriend Riegan.
Then everything goes on normal. I'm put in a room in the Justice Building and sit down.
My mom comes in and starts to cry. I hug her and cry with her. After a few moments of that my mom pulls something from her pocket. She hands it to me. It's a pendent necklace. The pendent is a bouquet of flowers.
" This is your district token. I want you to wear it in the arena," My mother says. " I love you. I will collect every flower and put them in your room. Please come home."
" I love you too," I say as she fastens it around my neck. The Peacekeeper comes in and takes her away, only after I kiss her cheek.
I board the train with Riegan, Jayla, and Lindsey, my mentor . I go to my room and change in blue skinny jeans and yellow top with gold sandels. I cry in my bed.
There's a soft knock on the door. I wipe my eyes and open the door. Riegan stands there. I sob into his arms. I finally stop kiss him.
" You are going home. I'm just a boy who owns five horses. You have a flower shop to own," Riegan says.
" No. If you die then I die with you. I can't face life without you," I say.
" It's the same for me. Lets' make a pact. We ally. Right in the arena we meet each other. Deal?" He asks.
" Deal. Come on lets go to dinner," I say. I kiss him and walk to the dining car.
As soon as we get there I announce " We want to be allies. And we want to hide nothing from us,"
" Fine with me. I wanted to ask you that too. Apperently you did it before me," Lindsay says. " Now, what can you do?"
" I can do nothing , but grow flowers," I say embarassed.
" I might be able to send you a rake or a really large shovel," Lindsay says.
" I'm pretty good with a knife," Riegan says. I gasp.
" There will be knives there grab some if you can," Lindsay says.
After dinner, We go to watch the Reaping recaps.
1:
Girl: Samantha
Boy:Greg
2:
Girl: Alexa
Boy: Max
3:
Girl: Tatiana
Boy: Seth
4:
Girl: Cassidy
Boy: Vick
5:
Girl: Allison
Boy: Ryan
6:
Girl: Elli
Boy: Hunter
7:
Girl: Kadia
Boy: Daniel
8:
Girl: Addison
Boy: Mason
9:
Girl: Cadi
Boy: Jorden
11:
Girl: Sarah
Boy: Joesph
12:
Girl: Madison
Boy: Brad
None of them stick in my head. After the recaps I head to bed. I throw on some blue pajamas and get into bed. I cry again.
When I wake up I see a person sleeping in the chair. I ,carefully, walk over to it. It's just Riegan.
" Riegan? Wake up buddy," I say to him. He wakes up.
" Hey there, Miss Tara," He says.
" Why are in my room?" I ask.
" I heard you sobbing so I spent the night here," Riegan says.
" Oh you heard that?" I say.
" Mhm. Come on get dressed and lets go get breakfast," He says and leaves.
I grab a purple top and a purple skirt. Along with purple flipflops.
After breakfast we are already at the Capitol. Before we got off I go back to my room and grab the dress and the necklace from yesterday.
After getting waxed, which hurt, I meet my stylist. I'm naked. My stylist comes in. Thank God it's a girl.
" Hello Tara! My names Cammie. Let's go and have lunch," Cammie says. I nod and pull on a robe.
I go into the sitting room. " So what am I wearing?" I ask.
" You will be dressed like a Swan," Cammie says.
After lunch, I'm put on to a white dress that has feathers on it. I have a white beak. I have shoes on that look like webbed feet.
After the chariot ride we go to the Training Center. I asked Lindsey to put the dress in my room. I go up to my room to get a shower and change.
I step in to the shower and turn on the hot water. I see Rose petals and use that. I step out and am instantly dry. I walk out of the bathroom and go to the closet. I select a short navy blue skirt, a navy blue tank top, and black flats.
I go to Riegan's room and knock on the door.
" You can come in!" He says.
" Hey!" I say.
" Hey Miss Tara. Nice outfit. After dinner, do you want to come to watch a movie?" He asks. I laugh.
" Thanks. Sure, should be fun," I say still laughing. He has white face paint on his nose.
" What are you laughing at?" He asks.
" You have face paint on your nose!" I say in between laughs. His face turns bright red. He wipes it off and sits down on the bed.
" We still have a while until dinner. So what do you want to do?" He asks.
" Well, I was thinking we could do a little of this...," I say and kiss him. Sparks fly as we kiss. Since we are only fifteen we can't go farther then making out. If we get out of this alive, I want to marry him. We come up for air and I say, " I love you."
" I love you too," He says and pulls me back into a kiss.
After dinner and the recaps we head to bed. Riegan comes to my room and lays beside me.
" What are you doing?" I ask.
" I wanted to sleep beside you incase you start to sob," Riegan says.
" Okay well, goodnight. I love you," I say.
" Night. I love you too," He says.
The next day is the first day of training. After breakfast Jayla takes us to the lowest level.