A/N: This is chapter 2, I suppose. It's quite short, but Rim's not one to use big words...

In any case, I hope you enjoy and review.


Rim Steely, District 2

Finally. It's finally reaping day.

I'm excited for this; I even woke up early—which is not something I usually do—just so I could get a nice spot in the front of the 16-year-olds section.

So now I have the best view of Mayor Tungst as he blabbers about something stupid and unimportant. Oh, well. Gives me more time to wonder if this will finally be my year to get to the Games.

I am a Career tribute, so I have a better chance of being picked—there's some weird sort of bribery that gets extra copies of the Careers' names in the lottery—and I really hope I do get picked.

Because, honestly, life is boring for me. I dropped out of school way early to be a Career—I mean, why waste your time in regular school when none of it matters?—but some stupid government something-or-other says I still have to graduate or something... So I've gotten back into that mess, too. Now, instead of just worrying about triggering traps in the Games, I have to worry about trigger-nometry and all this other crap that's totally useless.

I'd better get picked for the Hunger Games. If I don't, I'm volunteering. I don't care if everyone would hate me for it—after all, nearly everyone in this district is ready for the reaping—I just want something exciting to happen.

"Rim Steely!" I jump back to attention when I hear someone calling my name. Then I realize it was Jumper Tito, the district representative.

But if it was him, that means...

I got picked! Yes!

I barely manage not to break out in a victory dance as I run onstage next to Jumper. I still end up doing some sort of hyper moonwalk until he says we're done.

Done? But what about the girl tribute?

I give him a confused look until I see the tribute in question next to me.

Oh, yeah. She must have already been picked. Whoops. What can I say? I just wasn't paying attention.

I'm crammed into a car with her before I figure out who she is.

Her name's Alypso Wanif. We went to the same tribute training center, so I've run into her some. She's one of those bubbly, giggly, annoying types.

But she's totally hot.

I think everyone in the training center has asked to go out with her at least once. I mean, she's really hot. Like, you-can't-even-describe-it-with-words hot.

And I get to be on her team in the Hunger Games.

I bet that'll make everyone jealous. I get to hang out, for, like, two weeks or something, with the hottest chick in the district.

But, for me to win, she'll have to get killed.

Oh, well. Sucks for her.