Foxface POV

"Time to wake up Ginger!", Ginger's mom sang joyfully. But only Ginger could tell it was hollow. Grief was buried inside it. After she had lost her brother and father in a electricity accident last year, the capitol had placed cameras in every home that had lost a family member to that accident. Maybe President Snow thought there could be talk of rebellion, powered out of grief. So, every year for the reaping Ginger's mom had to act super excited as she woke up her kids, Ginger and Jezebelle. Only this year, it was different. Ginger had signed up for tesserae, and her name was in 42 times. The odds were not in her favor. But luckily they were for Jezebelle, as her name was only in once.

Ginger reached the table first, and was delighted by what she saw there. Pancakes, waffles, berries of all sorts, and apples. It was priceless to her and Jezebelle, but Ginger knew it must have cost her mom a fortune. She wolfed down everything on her plate, and more. "Hungry much?", Jezebelle snickered. Ginger burst out laughing, but her joy was short lived. "I laid out your clothing on your beds, girls" So, Ginger headed upstairs and changed. She put on a beautiful short white dress, with red ballet flats. She let her mom style her hair, and it ended up being down in perfect curls. Jezebelle walked in, and Ginger gasped. "Jezey, you look beautiful!", Ginger cried. "You too, sis". Jezebelle looked oddly subdued, as if her mind was elsewhere. The girls headed downstairs and headed out the doors, to the Reaping.

In the line, they met up with Ginger's friends, Willow and Deckly. Willow and Deckly had been dating for a year now, and it wasn't hard to see why he liked Willow. Her perfect, long, straight, black hair tumbled in sheets around her waist. They were perfect for each other. But they often made Ginger feel like a third wheel, and it was no fun third-wheeling. As soon as they were in their designated areas, the reaping began. Their district escort, Gia, started off with a speech about the Treaty of Treason, then how the Hunger games began. "Ladies first!", Ginger hated how she acted like they were being chosen to go to the best place in the world, when they were being sent to their deaths. Anyway, Gia picked the name, and took forever walking to the microphone. Please don't be Jezebelle, or me, or Wi-"Willow Hearts!

Shit.

They pulled Willow up to the stage, but before I knew what was happening, I yelled out, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" "GINGER, NO!", Willow screamed. She clung to me, begging me not to go, "Stop it Willow", she was crying, and I knew if I looked her in the eye I would start crying, and I couldn't afford to look weak. "Well, come on up dearie!". I wanted to roll my eyes, but knew that the cameras would catch every detail. So, I slowly walked up the stairs. "What is your name, dearie?" Ack. What I really wanted to say, was "1)stop calling me dearie 2)why would I tell you capitol bitches anything about me! 3) I will not tell you idiots anything about me. But in the end all I said was "My name… My name is Foxface Stones". I was surprised how easily the lie slipped through my mouth. Everyone in the crowd burst out laughing, they knew my real name.

"Well, Foxface, may the odds be ever in your favor". Wow! She really believed that?! Either I was a really good liar-I doubt it- or Gia was really gullible-I'm guessing she is. "Now for the gentlemen" Gia said. "Bolt Fires"

No… NO! This can't be happening to me! I searched for Bolt's face in the crowd, and soon found it. Bolt detached himself from his girlfriend, who just so happened to be Jezebelle Stones. Poor Jezebelle, first she is losing me, and now Bolt. And to be honest, I sincerely doubt either of us will return. They ask us to shake hands, and while we do that, I'm heartbroken by what Bolt says to me. "I promised Jezebelle that I would get you home to her." Oh Bolt…

As I sit in the room waiting for my family, I think about Bolt's selflessness, and how he is willing to sacrifice himself to get me home. I decide then and there that I will get Bolt out of there, no matter what it takes. Suddenly the door creaks open, and My mom and sister walk in. "You have 3 minutes" a peacekeeper tells us. After embracing both of them, I tell them what to do. "Mom, Jezebelle is not to take Tesserae, it's not worth putting her name in more times. You can get by if you are careful". I don't mention that they will get money when my cold body returns, to cover one month of grieving, but the look in my mom's eyes tells me she knows. She opens her mouth, but I shake my head no. Jezebelle sits in my lap for few seconds, but it seems like eternity. This will be the last time I see them, so make it good, I tell myself. "Jez, go say goodbye to Bolt". I tell her. She nods, and gets up and go out. "Take care of her, she needs you more than ever. Neither of us will come back", I tell my mom. She nods. "Time to go" the peacekeeper told my mom. She gets up. "Tell Jezebelle…" I choke. "Tell her I love her, and Bolt does too". With that being said, I say what more needs to be said. "I love you!" I yell as the peacekeeper yanks her out. With that done, it's time to go.

Marvel POV

I slowly put on my nicest clothes, which are pretty nice, me being in the district for luxury and all. "Marvel, time to go!" My mom yells, but I pay her no heed and waste more time. Maybe, just maybe I can be slow enough to miss the reaping. But my mind knows I can't. My name is in too many times. 57 times. Still, I slowly meander down the hallway and stairs, effectively killing another 5 minutes. By the time I reach the bottom of our stairs, my mom is yelling at the top of her lungs. I shrug at whatever she says, and walk out the door.

I get to the reaping on time, but barely. I join my friends in 17 year old section. They are all laughing it silly, but it's easy enough for them to do that, as their name is only in once. Once out of thousands. The odds are certainly in their favor. But not in mine. Anyway, I put on a smirk as our district escort, Lucy, wobbles like a turkey on stage, in 7-inch heels. She shows us that stupid video about the treaty of treason, and the victors, all that. Soon comes the reaping. "Ladies first!" She draws a name quickly, looks at it, frowns, then plasters another fake smile on her face. I get the feeling that she doesn't want to be here anymore than we do. "Glimmer Benson!" I inwardly groan. Glimmer may be one of the few girls in the district who doesn't hate me, but I have to make a ton of apologies to her, and somehow it just won't seem sincere when I'm trying to slit her throat. At least I'm pretty good with spears, but Glimmer isn't good at anything! I can't see her lasting longer than the bloodbath without any sponsors, but luckily, her pretty face will get her some decent sponsors to keep her alive. As useless as she is, I'd hate to see her die. After all, we were best friends as kids. "Time for the Gentlemen!", Lucy somewhat shrieks. "Marvel Quaid!" Everyone steps back to make space for me to go up there. It takes awhile because I'm kinda numb inside, like this is all some weird dream. But my brain says otherwise. No matter how hard I try, I'm still numb. We are ushered to the justice building, and I sit there, knowing anyone who does know me, will deny knowing me, just for the sake of their popularity. It happens every year. Well I've got an hour, might as well cry myself out, because there isn't going to be room for weakness in the capitol. So before I know it, I'm sobbing like crazy. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was girl with really bad hormones, but then again, I'm a boy. Suddenly the door creaks open very, loudly. I buried my head in my knees hoping whoever was here, wouldn't ask me to look at them, as then they would see my tears. Everyone in the district knows Marvel never cries, never, no matter what. But they just sat there next to me, rubbing my back. After a while, I risk lifting my head, only to see Jack. Jack was part of my group of friends, but he wasn't as rude as some of them. "Look, Marvel, we both doubt that you will come home alive. You might, but the chances are slim. You know D2 has the best tributes. Anyway, while you are gone, I look after your family, make sure they are eating and all that. Just promise me, you will try to win, because no matter what they say, they need you, and…", He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "This might sound stupid, but…. I need you". He blurted it out, then got up and left. Marvel thought, maybe Jack had been his real friend all along.