Disclaimer: all rights go to Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins.

'Ahhhhhhhhhh…. Home territory,' I think to myself, while on a little boat I frequently borrow from my best friend. 'Owwwwww,' I think. Gabe hits very hard. My bruises hurt like hell but I don't regret speaking up for my mother. I hear a faint, "Percy!" and turn my head and see a bunch of girls with revealing clothes on. In my mind, they are basically my fan club. They follow me everywhere. I sigh and roll my eyes and go back fishing.

"So Percy, how are you doing? I see you borrowed my fishing boat." I turn around and see my best friend, Finnick Odair in a small rowboat beside his boat I am borrowing. He won the 64th hunger games and is now a mentor/victor of district 4. I smile and he hops on to his boat. I go up to him and give him a bro-hug. (Don't know how boys hug) "I see you have a little fan club. They were cooing over you, shirtless."

"Percy Jackson is turning into a mini Finnick!" he yells to the sea, while bursting out laughing. I roll my eyes and chuckle. "I see Gabe got to you this morning." Finnick says, turning serious.

"Yea, no big deal," I mumble. "So how are you doing in the capitol and Annie?" I say, hoping to change the subject. Almost anything can make him talk about Annie Cresta.

Annie Cresta is a victor who went insane. She freaked when she was in the Hunger Games and her district partner was killed in front of her. The only reason she won was because she was the best swimmer. And he fell totally in love with her and her with him. The sweet part? He goes and sees and spends time with her anytime he can. She always sits on the shore of the beach and nobody bothers her. Finnick Odair, love interest of every woman in the capital, is in love with Annie Cresta, broken and crazy girl in District 4.

He told me everything about himself and I told him everything about myself. No secrets.

"Fine, now tell me why you don't sock him in the face back." He says angrily.

"Because he has a way with words. He can make the peacekeepers whip me, so bad you wouldn't be able to recognize me when they are done, all because he would say I hit him for no reason at all." I retort back. I guess that shut him up.

"Why don't you train with me for the hunger games? You are deadly with a sword and a trident. If you go in you could win for our District." Finnick says, changing the subject.

"No. I have to take care of my family and Smelly Gabe. I don't plan on going into the hunger games and I definitely won't volunteer to get a free ticket to die." I rub a tired hand over my eyes. A sudden thought occurred to me. "Hey what time is it?" I inquire.

"11:45, why?" Finnick asks curiously.

"Crap I gotta get home for the reaping. See you later!" I say, already hopping into the water with the fish I have caught. "Percy! What am I suppose to do with two boats?" he yells out, outraged.

"Well, they're your boats! Take 'em home!" I yell back, already half way to the shore.

I got out of the water and I forgot my shirt and shoes on the boat. Crap. I look left and right to see if my 'fan club' is still around , but it seems they already left to get ready for the reaping. I let out the breath I was holding. I run home, fish still in hand and get to the house.

"I'm home" I yell to the seemingly empty house. My mom comes out from the kitchen and says, "Good, you're home. I have a hot bath waiting for you." She points to the fish and says, "You can go trade those at the black market after the reaping. Now go get ready." I walk up to her and kiss her forehead.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"Percy! Hey, you're back!" Tyson says while giving me a hug! I gave him a nuggie in return. I see what he was wearing. It's his best clothing he has. A white shirt on and some pants, that don't have dirt on them, and some shoes.

I get ready for the reaping and look into the small mirror I have in my room and look at myself, worry and fear finally settling in. The hunger games. 24 people go in and 1 comes out. I hope the odds are in my favor.

I look at myself and see my untamable locks that are even blacker than night. I see my tan skin with my pink lips that never kissed a girl. I see my mesmerizing sea-green eyes; I am told that they are.

I also see my new bruise. 'Damn you, Gabe.' I wear a light blue shirt that was owned by my biological father. Some black pants and some dress shoes. I take one last look at myself and walk back to the kitchen.

My mom looks at me and her breath catches in her throat. "You look so much like your father," She says while tears gather up in her eyes. My father gave birth to me and my brother but then left and got lost at sea. I have no clue why she married smelly Gabe. Well, he had money, we needed money. They got married, he spent it all and my mom never left him. He started hitting me when I was 10. 6 years I have been living with his crap.

My mom looks at her watch and says "oh dear, it's 12:50 we better get going. Tyson! Gabe! Come on, we have to go to the reaping." They come out and we walk to the small town square. I part with my family and go register. I see Gabe placing bets on who is going to be the tribute. Usual Gabe. I walk to where all the other 16 year-old boys and stand my ground. I see right next to me my other best friend, Grover Underwood.

He is a major earth lover and has a girlfriend named Juniper Fern who is equally crazy about the earth. "Hey man, how's it going?" I ask to him. He looks unhealthily pale, most likely worried about his girlfriend and him. He lives in one of the more better off districts so he doesn't have to be too worried about being picked.

"Nothing, oh it's starting." He says while fidgeting. I tune out of our mayor's speech until our district's escort, Polly Willikers, comes on to the stage. Her powdered wig and extremely high heels stands out of our dull colors. She taps the microphone three times before saying in her ridiculous accent, "Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor! Isn't it so exciting? A chance at bringing glory to your district?" nobody answers. She starts to look uncomfortable. "Well then, let's just get on with the show!" she walks to the girls' reaping ball and says like she always does, "Ladies first." She outs her hand into the crystal ball full of girl's names from 12-18. I see Grover trembling, terrified Juniper will be picked. "And the female tribute is," we wait in suspense pause as she looks over the name scrawled on the piece of paper that could mean somebody's life is at stake. "Layla Kensington!" I see Grover visibly relax but not fully as he is also nervous for himself

I look over to the girl and I recognize her as a girl in my grade. She is one of the better off ones. She is okay looking but not one of the more drop dead gorgeous ones. She has brown hair and freckles all across her nose. She walks toward the stage in a daze; like she can't believe she was called. She staggers here and there until she brings her hands into fists and stands still. But you could still see the panic in her eyes. "Any volunteers?" Polly asks. I always found the idea of someone volunteering to go their death is stupid. No one says a word. "Now, on to the boys." Polly moves to the crystal ball for the boys where my name is entered there 25 times. What are the odds of her picking me? She puts her hand in the bowl and I hold my breath. "And the male tribute is," her painted yellow nails go into the bowl and pull out a piece of paper and she reads it and smiles. 'Please let the odds be in my favor. Please let the odds be in my favor,' I chant in my head. "Percy Jackson!" she says.

My breath stops in my throat. The odds were not in my favor.