Author's Note:- Well well well, I'm updating fast right now, aren't I? I've finished one of my university classes, but I still have another one which I won't complete until September. Luckily, it's a relatively easy unit and I don't normally have to study it that much. So hey presto! More writing time!

This chapter goes into more detail about Portia's home life. More will be revealed as time goes on, but being only eight, she probably didn't understand it herself all that well.

Anywho, enjoy!

January 1st, 6067. 10.17am.

Happy New Year! …I guess you won't know it's the New Year, 'cause you're just a piece of paper, but it's still the new year.

I stayed with Effie and her mommy and daddy for New Year's Eve, like I always do. I told Effie all about my new friend, and she says she wants to meet him. I'm not sure right now…I'll let her meet him one day, but for now I want him to be just my friend for a bit. I don't even know him that well yet, so I want to get to know him first.

I did see him yesterday when me, Effie and her parents were out shopping though…we didn't speak. I don't even know if he knew it was me, because I was under a million layers of clothing. I love Effie's mommy, but she worries a lot about us getting cold and catching flu or something called…pneumonia (I hope I spelled that right. I looked it up in the dictionary and everything!).

Then after that we went home and ate some yummy food. I wonder what the people in the Districts did for New Year's…it makes me kind of sad to think that they weren't having fun. I don't like how we have lots of food and decorations and get to do fun things when they don't…how is that fair? How come we have lots of money and they don't? I don't understand. I don't understand why they have to kill each other on TV either…daddy said it's a good thing, but I don't think so. I would have asked him why, but he doesn't like me asking question. He says I get on his nerves.

Anyway, then we tried to stay up till midnight. Effie said she made it, but I fell asleep at 10pm. I hope I didn't miss anything…Effie said there would be ponies and unicorns and the peacekeepers would come and tell you off if you didn't throw last year's calendar away.

I think she was joking.

Well…I hope she was joking.

Portia.

February 3rd, 6067. 4.46pm.

I've been back at school for EVER! I need another vacation. And no more homework. That's what I've been doing instead of writing here. Homework.

We're starting to learn about what happened to District Thirteen. It got…ob-obliterated? (These long words are hard to spell). My teacher said it was because they rebelled against the Capitol…As far as I know, none of the other districts did anything to hurt us…if anything, we're hurting them by making them kill one another each year. Maybe when I'm older I'll want to rebel against the Capitol too…I sort of want to already, but I'm too little.

Oh! And mommy called me a new word today. She called me a 'little cunt'. I don't know what 'cunt' means…but it doesn't sound good. I might go ask Cinna what it means. He's older than me and knows more stuff, and I don't want to ask a grown up. I have a feeling that if I repeated the word to them, I'd get into trouble.

Portia.

February 4th, 6067. 9.15am.

Cinna doesn't know what the word means either.

February 27th, 6067. 6.40pm.

I'm going to be eight in four days! I already know what I'm doing for my birthday. I'm going to the art gallery just like Effie's mommy promised. I'm going to take Cinna with us too, if I'm allowed. He'd like to go and Effie keeps nagging me to introduce her to him, so I'm going to.

I still have to find something nice to wear. I know we're probably not going to get dirty…so I might wear the new purple dress I got at Christmas…the one with the gems and glitter on it!

I'm so excited! I can't wait!

Portia.

March 4th, 6067. 9.50pm.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! I'M EIGHT!

I had the best day ever! I got new paints and brushes and some fancy expensive paper! And Cinna got me a present, too! I didn't think he would, because we haven't known each other for that long. He got me cotton candy and an easel! I don't know how much it cost, but it was so big and heavy that it must have been a lot! The easel, that is, not the cotton candy.

I really liked the art gallery, but I've decided that I don't want to be an artist anymore. Well, I do…but it's going to be a different kind of art. There was a different part of the gallery…with clothes! And designs of clothes. It was run by stylists…and they talked to me and told me all about what they do. That's when I decided that I want to be a stylist when I grow up, and on the way home in the car, Cinna said that was what he wanted to be for ages! Maybe we'll even style together one day!

Portia.

April 8th, 6067. 7.23pm.

I haven't written much because I've been going over to Effie's and Cinna's houses a lot. I don't like them coming here because my mommy and daddy aren't even nice to ME, so I don't expect them to be nice to my friends either.

Sometimes we all go to Cinna's house, because I want Effie to know that she's still my best friend, even though Cinna's my friend too now.

Cinna's mom has been teaching us how to sew, which is very important if you want to be a stylist. I'm getting pretty good at it now! I pricked my finger with the needle a few times, but it didn't hurt much. Cinna's mommy uses a sewing machine, which is way faster and easier, but she said I had to learn the basics first. Cinna has been sewing for years so he can use one, but even he pricks himself still!

Right now we're just sewing two little squares of fabric together. I wish I'd hurry up and learn faster so I can make real CLOTHES.

The best part about not spending time with my parents is that they can't hurt me.

Portia.

May 25th, 6067. 6.30am.

I hate being up so early. Mommy and daddy are fighting again. Loud.

There's no school today, so I can maybe go back to sleep when they're done. I'm going out later to buy Cinna a present because it's his birthday tomorrow. His mom said it's a special birthday because it's 'double figures'. He's ten…so it's going to be a 1 and a 0…That's two numbers. That's what double figures means. And I worked it out all by myself.

I want to get him something really special because he's a special friend…but what?

Portia.

May 26th, 6067. 11.59am.

I got Cinna some fabric and my nanny helped me pick a sewing machine, so he doesn't have to keep using his mom's.

He really liked it.

He kissed me on the cheek.

I thought it would be gross, but it was nice.

Portia.

July 8th, 6067. 10.45pm.

Cinna told me today that I'm his best friend.

Up until now, he was my second best friend, but now he's joint first with Effie.

August 23rd, 6067. 2.02am.

I hate it here.

I'm their daughter – they're supposed to love me. Why don't they love me?

I accidentally knocked over mommy's bottle of wine, and she grabbed my arm really hard.

It hurt. And it still hurts. A lot.

I can't sleep.

Portia.

August 24th, 6067. 10.14am.

I can't write very much 'cause my arm still hurts.

Effie's daddy took me to the hospital thing morning. The doctor said I broke my arm. When he asked me how I did it, I said I fell down the stairs. He seemed to believe me, but I don't think Effie or her daddy did.

I can't get mommy into trouble. She'd know I told on her and then she'd be even angrier at me.

But at least I get to have a sleepover with Effie tonight, and I don't have to go home.

Portia.

September 5th, 6067. 8.40am.

I hate having a broken arm.

And I hate school.

We're going back to school today. I can't do my sewing for a while because I broke what Cinna's mom calls my 'dominant' arm. That means I can't draw or paint either.

BUT it means I don't have to do written work! Well, I do, but I get to tell my teacher what to write and she'll write it down for me.

Still…I wish my arm wasn't broken anymore so I can sew again.

Portia.

September 9th, 6067. 1.07am.

How come other people's parents love me and mine don't?

Portia.

Author's Note:- I thought this would be a good place to wrap it up. I feel really bad for Portia in this chapter. *Sigh* But there were some good times too!

See you in chapter three, with the year 6068! Yay!

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