All my life I have heard story's, Story's that made my parents tear up and sometimes even made me cry. Which doesn't happen often, as my mom say's "you might even be tougher than me when I was your age" my dad would then chime in saying "your mom is hard to top". I haven't seen my parents in a year. I gave up worrying after the first 6 months. My parents never liked the capitol. 12 months ago they dashed out the door on "Capitol Business". They said, "see you soon, we should be back in a couple of months". That followed with a quick goodbye and then they were off. Running to the place they hated most.

The worst part was, they left us with Johanna Mason, my parent's old friend. Now out of the 12 months, I spent with her, my favorite month was the 5th month my parents were gone. I ran away that month I didn't see Johanna awake once that whole month. I got lonely after a while so I went back to the House. I wasn't pleased when Johanna saw me again. Nor was she, by the look on her face she wanted to kill me.

She yelled at me all night non-stop, "Lizzie your parents would kill me if they found out I lost you! Why? ".

I would reply "My parents aren't coming back! You of all should have realized that by now!".

Honestly, I believed my words but back then, now I know their true. I didn't even care about my parents anymore. I hated them. I haven't even mentioned my brother, Owen. Owen ran away too, but he didn't do it till 2 months ago. I haven't seen him since. Johanna has not stopped talking about how I set a bad example for my brother. I wished he would come back so I could get some peace and quiet around here. I would never admit to it, though. I think Joanna knows now. I haven't been exactly as sly as I would have hoped. I just wished that someone would come to our house in 12. I enjoy having company, but Johanna's I could live without. The districts are still here but, there are fewer regulations. Like I could be a paid doctor or a fisherman. I don't want to be either of those. I don't know what I want to be. My parents called last night, well the capitol called. Johanna picked up the phone. "hmmm" she would mutter into the phone every two seconds. After what seemed like an eternity Johanna looked at me. She moved the phone away from her ear and said "someone wants to talk to their daughter. I maintained a straight face, but on the inside, I was screaming in perplexity. Johanna placed the phone into my hand and I moved it to my ear. "Hello? This is Lizzie Mallark."

"Oh, honey I am so sorry!" my dad was on the other side of the line. I could tell by his slightly girlish voice that no one should recognize but me and my brother

"FOR WHAT!" I replied quite angered.

" for not being with you today-".

"what about the last 12 months!". I had cut him off but was a little calmer.

"today is your birthday! Happy birthday, sweetie!"

"to tell you the truth, I don't want your happiness in my life!"

"Sweetie-"

"don't call me sweetie! the only person who can call me that is Johanna! She has raised me the last year! unlike someone, I am on the phone with! Who now I don't even really know!" I had cut him off again.

"Lizzie I wanted to give you a present!"

"I don't want your gift. Despite that how should you get it to me right now!"

"because it's a verbal present. Is your brother around I want to tell him to?"

"no"

"where is he"

"can't say. You didn't leave me in charge of him."

"Honey- where is Owen".

" I am not your honey. I don't have a clue where Owen is!" That was a lie. I had a clue to where he was. That's it. And I most certainly wasn't going to share that with the person who abandoned me a year ago. Just then I heard the front door shut. Johanna was gone. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" I muttered into the phone. I was distracted with fear. Wordless fear that even my brother would not be able to see. Where had Johanna Gone?

"Please deposit 50 cents for another 10 minutes!" The other side of the line went dead.

So much for a quality talk with my dad. I sat in the silence of my room for what felt like an eternity. I eventually walked down the steps. I put the phone away, then went to the kitchen. A 3 layer cake lay on the counter in a giant glass cake dome that almost touched the ceiling. I walked in Johanna's room. There she was on her bed. She was asleep. I decided to go to sleep to. Tomorrow I would spend my first day being 14.