The reaping is a very happy time for some districts. Some have parties after the reapings to celebrate the tributes. I don't know why they celebrate sending two kids to die. That's not what it is like in district seven. After the reaping, Astra Starr, our escort, gives a round of applause after the tributes are chosen. No one joins in with her, as in two everyone would. District seven almost never wins, Johanna won last year though. There are only six other victors from seven, and that's not a lot compared to districts like one and two. The district with the least amount of winners is District 12. Haymitch is the only victor from there. He won the fiftieth Hunger Games. I couldn't imagine being put up against not only twenty-four, but forty-seven other tributes.

I walked down the cobblestone walkway of our house and into the street. The street was filled with people from ages twelve to eighteen. Some were with siblings, and others were all alone. Some had tear-stained faces, and others were straight. Where is this crowd going? To town hall, the only place big enough to hold the Reaping. Every year a boy and a girl are sent to their death, once they are gone they never come back. The only one from my family who drew tesserae was my sister. She drew a couple for our family because she decided we needed it,

"Do you think you'll be picked?" I asked,

"I doubt it" she answered, "my name is one in thousands, I have a small chance"

We kept walking forward and she squeezed my hand. I remember my first reaping. I screamed and cried to my mom about how I didn't want to go. Then Eve said that if I didn't attend the Reaping, I wouldn't live to see the next one. After she said that, I put on my shoes and ran to the Reaping.

That year was interesting. Two siblings were picked, Aster and Andrew Goldberg. They gained the heart of sponsors, but both were bloodbath kills. That was the sixty-ninth Hunger Games. Behind me, I heard a beep. The crowd parted as a car passed through. It wasn't a Peacekeeper car, it belonged to a citizen. The window rolled down and a handsome boy looked out the window. He had slick, greasy brown hair. He wore sunglasses and had a white smile. He wore almost the same clothes as I did, except bigger and in his size,

"Hey Eve, what are you doing out here today?" he asked,

"Going to the Reaping, stupid" she answered, "can you go away?"

"Aww, you have a new pet name for me" he replied, "that's sweet"

"Go away Oliver" she grunted,

"I'm just trying to have a little fun" Oliver replied, "don't be so down"

"What can I do for you to go away?" she asked,

"How about we go in the Games together" he answered, "I've drawn so much Tesserae that the jar if half-filled with my name, I get picked, you volunteer"

"Fine" she grunted, "but I get to kill you in the games"

"Deal"

Oliver started his car and drove away. The crowd parted like the Red Sea for him. I grabbed her arm and she looked at me,

"What?" she asked,

"Why did you do that?" I asked, "you know you can't win"

"As long as he'll leave me alone" she grunted,

"Who was that anyways?" I asked,

"Oliver Roberts" she answered, "he's from one of the richest families in seven and is a total jerk"

"What else?" I asked, curious to know more,

"He really likes me and I have no interest in him so he can get kind of annoying" she continued,

"Oh.." I trailed off, "I wish I had a boy that liked me that much"

"No, you don't" she assured,

We kept walking down the street to the Town Hall. I seemed to be the only kid in this crowd who wasn't worrying about being picked. Eve is right, my name is one in thousands, I shouldn't be worried. We soon approached the Town Hall. It was a huge marble building with pillars. In order to get in, you need to stop at a Peacekeeper's table. I always hate this part. They prick your finger and you have to give them a blood sample. It always hurts for me. The pillars were wrapped in ivy and from the very middle top, a Capitol flag waved in the wind. I looked around for the shortest line and Eve and I were separated by the huge crowd. I walked up to the shortest line. I found myself behind a girl smaller than me. She was hyperventilating and talking to herself,

"I won't get picked, I won't get picked" she mumbled,

"It's ok" I said, she turned around and looked at me, "you'll be fine"

"Sorry, this is my first reaping" she replied, "I'm kind of nervous"

"You'll be fine" I assured, "I'm Alex Vice"

"Violet Burgeson" she replied, we shook hands and she smiled at me,

"Next!"

Violet held her breath as the Peacekeeper pricked her finger. She walked away and waved to me. Violet squeezed between two people and was soon lost in the crowd,

"Next!"

I walked up to the Peacekeeper and held out my hand. She pressed the needle to my finger and I winced in pain. I pressed my finger to the paper and walked forward. I walked through the pillars into the Town Hall. Inside the Town Hall is more amazing than the outside. If you look up, you'll see a stained glass ceiling. It is decorated with ivy and trees. In the front of the town hall where the mayor usually stands when she makes announcements. Today it was decorated with screens and ready for the Reaping. I looked around over heads for Eve, but she was nowhere in sight. I pushed my way through the crowd and tried to get closer. I stepped on toes and shoved people out of the way. I got shouted at as I made my way close to the front. I'm only five feet and five inches tall, so it's hard to see.

Astra stepped out of the actual part of Town Hall and tapped the mic. The mic screeched and everyone covered their ears. Mine flew to my head to muffle out the noise,

"Welcome everyone to this year's reaping!" Astra exclaimed, "now all the way from the Capitol, I present to you.."

She trailed off as the little film lit up on the screen. It's the same one we watch every year. The one where President Snow talks about the rebellion. I've seen it so many times that I've memorized the whole thing. After it was done, Astra was the only one who clapped. Astra is a middle-aged woman with bright red lips straight from the capitol. She has dyed red curly hair that today was in ringlets over her shoulder. She wore a tight white dress with an orange belt. She wears yellow colored contacts to make her eyes look that way and so much makeup that her face couldn't be seen,

"Fabulous" she said,

Fabulous? I though, anything that comes from the Capitol is either caked in makeup or a piece of crap.

"This year, I think we should spice things up and start with the boys" Astra said,

She walked over to the glass ball on her left, containing the boy's names. She spun her hand around in the ball that was almost overflowed with slips. I could tell most of them were Oliver's. She grabbed a slip of paper and pulled it out. She waved it in the air and walked back over to the microphone. The broke the seal on the paper and spoke the name loudly,

"Oliver Roberts"

Everyone around Oliver cleared out of the way. He smiled, I knew it'd be him. Oliver shove people out of the way as he walked up onto the stage. Almost all of the girls decided they wanted to volunteer so they could be with him. Something in my stomach sank, Eve would now have to volunteer. I wasn't going to let her go into the games, she is needed more than I am. Once Eve volunteers, I will volunteer as well.

"And now for the girls" Astra continued,

She walked to her right this time. Instead of taking time swirling her hand around in the ball, she grabbed the name at the top of the pile. She walked back over to the microphone and broke the seal. She frowned at the name and when she said it, I almost went deaf,

"Eve Vice"

For a moment, I almost forgot Eve was my sister. Eve wouldn't have to volunteer, she was already in this mess with no way out. A smile cracked upon Oliver's lips. I found Eve in the crowd, everyone back away from her like she was toxic. A Peacekeeper snapped her out of her trace by grabbing her arm and pulling her on stage. I needed to do something, and without thinking I shouted,

"I volunteer!"

All eyes were on me and I turned embarrassed. Oliver's smile turned into an angry frown. Eve's face was shocked and angry at the same time. The Peacekeeper let go of Eve and began to walk over to me. I stood still in place, why did I do that?

"It's ok, don't be shy" Astra cooed,

A Peacekeeper shoved me forward with the barrel of his gun. I began to walked around people and up on the stage. Astra extended her hand but I refused to grab it. I walked up on stage next to Oliver. He didn't smile at me, just frowned. He must've really wanted that quality time with Eve,

"Would you like to say your name?" Astra asked,

"Alex Vice" I boomed into the microphone,

"What a brave act, volunteering for the games, Alex" she replied, "let's give her a round of applause"

No one clapped except for Astra,

"Now shake hands" she ordered,

Oliver extended his hand to me and I grabbed it. It was firm and smooth while mine was rough and callused. I shook it up and down and then two Peacekeepers led us inside. I got a glance of District Seven for the last time.