Quietly, we exited the house. I stalked behind her, wondering why we were out of the house two hours early. We entered District 2 square and I was surprised it was already teaming with people. Of course, it was mostly people who were setting the event up but some were early arrivers like us.

"Stay here," my mum commanded and she scuttled off into the event preparation.

I crossed my arms and observed the scene. Over off in the distance, were train tracks leading towards a huge looming mountain, the centre of the military of Panem. Closer, were cameramen and commentators scattered along the edge of the square.

Some workers were hanging banners on the buildings, all relating to the Games. The Peacekeepers were helping with the splitting of the ground for the audience.

When the event starts, all the children between the qualified ages will be separated into age groups with the oldest, 18 at the front and the youngest, 12 at the end. Families will have their places in the perimeter of the ground. Through the corner of my eyes, three huge desks are being set up. It's for the sign in of every citizen of the District, a special desk for the children qualified for the Games and another for others. Attendance is obligatory for all and will be punished severely if you don't show up unless you have an excellent excuse... like dying.

A huge stage was being prepared in front of the Justice Building; the place where all official businesses were managed. On the platform, chairs were lined up against the wall where the mayor, the Capitol's escort and the Victors of District 2 would be sitting. Due to the increasing number of Victors, only the most recent will be on the stage, the older ones will be filed in a special section in the crowd.

I caught a glimpse of a purple streak disappearing inside the Justice Building. It was most likely Caroline Bliss, District 2 escort. From what I deduce from her was is she's a pain in the neck. She's always ecstatic, having been given the escort role to one of the best Districts and always lecturing in her unusually high pitched voice. People sometimes wondered how she was even hired.

I saw my mum emerging from the crowd, holding a small a piece of paper. I shot her a puzzled look but all she did was stuff it inside her pocket.

"It's almost time for the reaping, we should get in the line," her hand gestured towards the tables.

There was suddenly a long line of people in front of the desks that were definitely not there when I arrived. Officials from the Capitol were sitting behind the desks, with two huge book spread out infront of them, the registry of the whole District.

I meander over to the end of the line behind a thirteen year old girl. My head rose above the sea of the people in front of me and I see them, prickling the fingers of the children before stamping their blood on the book. It's the Capitol's way of having a 'mistake-free' way of signing in.

I chew the side of my mouth as I slowly approach closer to the desk until I was the next person. I moved up and saw a grumpy old man.

"Name?" he intoned.

"Cato Hadley," I answered.

He flipped the pages of the book till he reached to the 'H' section. He stuck his hand out. I put my hand into his, palm facing outwards and he prickled my finger with a technological device needle thing. The man then roughly stamped my finger onto the small box next to my name.

He ushered me inside, looking impatient. I grit my teeth, biting back a remark. No good fighting with an official from the Capitol. I rushed past where a Peacekeeper, wearing white armour and a helmet, directed me towards the front. He roped me in, smiling underneath his visor.

And then it hit me. It was Andrew's brother. At the same moment, Andrew came into the section.

"Hey, I see you got change," he commented first.

Rolling my eyes, I stayed silent, observing the stage, waiting for him to change the subject. Now the seats on the podium were filled with people. A microphone was stuck in the middle and two big bowls were evenly separated across the stage. The one on the left was the girls' and the other was the boys'.

"Hey, you ignoring me or something?" Andy asked.

I was about to respond when the time clock struck noon. A loud echoing sound ranged out and all the chatter fell silent. The mayor, in his black suit and red tie, stepped forward to start off the ceremony.

He spoke about the same thing every year. How Panem came to be. We, the Districts and the Capitol, rose from the ashes from natural disasters that destroyed the continent - North America. Each District specialises in an area and transports their goods to the Capitol.

How the rebellion started against the Capitol. District 13 led the charge of all the other Districts except 2. The first rebellion led to District 13's destruction while the others were forced into poverty with starving people.

Lastly, he spoke about how the Hunger Games came to be. The Hunger Games were created to keep the Districts in order and as a 'forgiveness' of the whole rebellion after they defeated us. District 2 had the most lenient punishment. The other districts weren't so lucky and most slipped into constant starvation. Only three districts manage to stay above the water, District 1, 2 and 4. These Districts are the Career Districts where children train for the Hunger Games. It's almost viewed as an annual competition in these Districts. I certainly do.

Listening for the eighteenth time in my life, it has been implanted in my brain. The mayor then concludes with a 'thank you' to the Capitol and the list of all the past Victors from District 2. Finally, he went back to his seat, with a satisfied smile.

Out strutted Caroline Bliss with an enormous smile plastered on her face as she took the stage. Staring at the figure infront of me made me want to throw up the food in my stomach. Sure enough, she wore a purple outfit. Her white hair, streaked with blue, curled in ringlets down to her waist. A ridiculous pin, shape like a rose, was attached to the side of head.

"Welcome to the beginning of the 74th Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favour!" she announced.

She rambled on how it's a pleasure to be in District 2. No duh. District 2 was the highest position you can reach as an escort. District 12 being the lowest. She beamed at us and the cameras, describing how District 2 looks as beautiful as always. By that time, my eyes drooped down. When will they start so I can volunteer?

"And now!" declared Caroline, shaking me awake again, "We shall find out the District 2's tributes! Ladies first!"

She crossed over to the ball filled with slips of the girls' names in my District. Her hand picked a small slip out of the ball, and leisurely went back to the microphone. She slowly opens the slip of paper and in a clear voice revealed the girl chosen.

"Clove Ilett!"

Clove? My partner in class assignments. Not her, I groaned inwardly. Clove came from a miner's family but due to their position in society, she was determined to start a new future for herself and her family when she graduates. Her work ethic is amazing. And this bore fruit in the form of her top rank in the girls' section in her age group. We usually got paired together in group assignments due to alphabetical last names. I have a strange relationship with her. We talked and laughed in class but ignored each other outside of it.

Clove climbed the steps onto the stage. She's small for her age, almost like Andrew. Her dark brown hair flowed down. Her sepia eyes darted around as if she's been caught in a trap. Caroline immediately dragged her to the left of the microphone. Clove's eyes flickered towards the escort. When Clove was finally positioned in the wanted spot, Caroline stepped back to her microphone.

"You must be Clove Ilett but before we declare you as District 2's girl victor, any volunteers?" she affirmed.

No-one answered the call. Chickens, I thought. Usually the girls stayed silent; I guess their precious lives were not worth the honour of their District. Though to be fair, they do volunteer if rarely. Clove on the other hand have the necessary skills to be a Victor. However, she once told me, her training was to build a better life for herself, not to compete in the Games.

Well... now, Clove stood on the stage with a mixture of bewilderment and shock. It's too bad that I'm going to volunteer, I thought regretfully.

"The female tribute of District 2, Clove Ilett!"

The audience clapped hard for Clove. Her eyes dazed for a second and cleared. She gave a winning smile to the crowd and eased her stance.

"That's the spirit!" shouted Caroline enthusiastically.

"Wow, Caroline's over doing isn't she?" Andrew whispered to me.

I nodded and went back to staring at the boys' ball. In slow motion, Caroline went over to the ball and selected a slip. She then ambled over to the centre of the stage again and read out the name.

I didn't even hear the name of the scrawny boy, clearly from the mines, as he joined the stage with Clove.

"Any volunteers?" asked Caroline.

Without a second thought, I accepted the invitation.

"I volunteer! I volunteer!" I shouted.

A few echoed my words but it was clear I was the first one to say it. All eyes averted towards me but I was determined. I stared straight at Caroline. Waiting for her. She beamed at me and waved her hand in a motion to come up.

A Peacekeeper unroped the section I was in and I made my way onto stage, next to the small boy.

"And who are you, young man?" Caroline smiled at me.

"Cato Hadley," I answered confidently.

"Cato Hadley," she rolled my name around her mouth, "Since you're the first one who accepted the role…"

She stared at the boy next to me. The chosen tribute agrees if he wants to be replaced or not. This time it was the miner boy who called the shots. He gave a curt nod at me and rushed off stage.

"May I introduce you to the male tribute from District 2, Cato Hadley!"

The audience broke in a shattering applause. They love it when a person volunteers for a place. It usually means they will win and I know I have it in me to win.

I caught a look from Clove. She stared at me with regret. I gave a small shrug and turned my attention to the crowd in front of me. I saw Andrew's face in the front row looking proud. My mum was at the back with a small smile. I looked over the audience, to my District. District 2 was surrounded by mines and mountains over the horizon, my home.

The sound of the voice of the mayor brought me back to earth. The mayor explained the Treaty of Treason and asked us, Clove and me, to shake hands. I held out my hand and Clove tentatively put her hand in mine. I could feel the scars on her hand from her chosen weapon - knives.

Her eyes met mine and I slowly released our hands. With Clove as the girl tribute, this is not going to be as easy as I predicted. Our heads turned back towards the crowd as the anthem of Panem blared out of the speakers, ending the ceremony.

It's really happening. I'm going to represent District 2 in the Games…with a girl I can't kill.