Here's the first reaping: Faline Heights of District 1.

For those of you who have read my previous version of this fanfic, you'll notice that the reapings, especially the earlier ones, will be strikingly similar to the ones you've already read. This will be a good opportunity for you to refresh you're memory of each characters personalities.

Thanks everyone, and please leave a review of your thoughts!

Faline's POV:

I think my maid tried to kill me this morning. When I opened by eyes, she was putting some sort of white powder in my tea. It could very well have been sugar, but it's not difficult to mix some kind of poison with sugar for a person's tea. As soon as she left the room, I dumped it down my bathroom drain.

It was Reaping Day. I pulled my new dress off the hanger on the front of my closet door and laid it on my bed. It was sort of unusual, but that's why I liked it. Black, with white polka dots, and layered frills underneath that made the skirt poof out. The thin straps were pulled together halter style. The dress clashed with my usual skimpy style (the hem reaching just bellow my knees), and it had a thick red belt around the bodice.

I started making plans in my mind. While it would be cool to win the Games, I decided against volunteering this year. This being my fifth reaping, I've volunteered at every one so far to please my father, but some other girl was always faster or more enthusiastic than I. This year, I would just lay low.

Every year since I could remember, I've watched tribute after tribute get themselves killed in the Hunger Games. So to ensure that that would never be me, I've been training ever since I've been old enough.

After a quick shower, my mother came in. "Ohh, Faline, you look beautiful!"

I smiled. "Thanks, Mum. But my hair and makeup isn't even finished yet." I shook my head, so my wet blonde hair, which was in the style of a short, shaggy bob, sent water droplets in all directions.

"Could I...?"

I cringed. "No, that's alright. I don't need any help getting ready. How about you go pester the other kids for a while?" I added as a joke, so as not to hurt her feelings.

I have trust issues, ok?

"Altair and the baby are all ready. We're only waiting on you and Cherish."

"Mum, Delroy's not a baby anymore, remember?"

My mom smiled. "I know, but a three year old is the closest thing I've got now. Are you going to volunteer again today?"

"I don't think so. Will Cherish?"

"She said she's thinking about it, but I don't think she really wants to this time. Oh, Faline, stop scratching, sweetie, you're going to make it bleed."

I looked down, and realized I was clawing at the eczema on my left arm yet again. I think it was starting to become a nervous habit.

Next thing I knew, I was standing in the roped off area for the sixteens. Everyone looked anxious.

I made sure to keep a decent diameter of distance around me between myself and anyone else. Who knew what these people were capable of? Maybe they were so desperate to be a tribute, they'd kill all the other eligible candidates.

The mayor was giving a speech on history. I looked up at our District's escort, Constantine Daniels. She looked pretty shifty to me.

Constantine walked up to the glass ball of girls' name first.

"Our female tribute this year is... Faline Heights."

Ok... I really wasn't expecting that.

Already girls were beginning to raise their hands and volunteer, but I walked up to the stage. Constantine smiled at me with her perfect white teeth. I hated her already.

"Hello, Faline. Are you willing to be a tribute for our District this year, or would you like to let someone else volunteer?" Her voice was sickeningly sweet, like she was talking to a three year old.

Then, I said something that surprised even myself. "Yes, I'd like to be the District 1 female tribute. It would be an honour."

I waited patiently in the solitary confinement of a room in the justice building for visitors. Well, it wasn't completely solitary; there were two Peacekeepers who looked about ready to rip someone's head off at any moment. They probably would have murdered me right then and there if I made one false move, so I just sat quietly and scratched an annoyingly itchy patch of eczema on my leg.

My family all came in at once. I cringed, mentally preparing myself for the evitable hugging and kissing that was about to ensue. I dreaded that worse than being thrown into an arena with twenty three others bloodthirsty kids.

My mother was crying, but smiling through her tears. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie," she said as she pulled me into a bone-cracking hug.

My father then hugged me as well, only that time I was able to breathe. He was a magician, and spent a lot of time entertaining in the Capitol. So, it didn't surprise me much when he handed me a trick die and asked me to use it as my district topic.

Cherish kissed me on the cheek. "You'll do great, sis," she grinned. Then, I got a fist bump from Altair and a hug from Delroy, much against the toddler's will. He was starting to act more and more like me everyday. I forced him into a hug for my mother's sake, mentally apologizing to him while I did so.

I was as the Peacekeepers escorted my family out the door.