Author's Noteh:
Okay, so the tribs for 12 are my characters, but the rest belong to Suzanne Collins. However, if she would like to me, I will accept them with open arms. I don't own the Hunger Games, blah blah blah...
You know what I don't own.
Chapter One~The Day Before the Reaping, more than 15 years ago...
I insert the small plug into the wall, and hit a button on the thing that Mom always called a "CD player".
It says in letters that are straight and capital, 'Please Insert CD', and so I put it in.
A song starts playing, and I go over to the bunch of little kids that we teach music to- Mae and I. It's a ton of fun, just to watch them dance around and smile and laugh. It's worth the time I put in.
I don't necessarily teach music. I'm just the assistant, or, what Mae says, "The most important assistant", but it's hard to think like that. We just want to let these kids continue to know what music is. That's the goal.
My mom used to tell me stories, before they all blew up, about these songs. The one that's on now is one that she said, "Your father and I used to dance around to this song all the time", and then they'd look at each other this look, that I heard was called "love".
I start humming along as the first verse comes along, and the kids start to dance. I smile a little bit, then chuckle, thinking about how Oliver says "The only real time you smile is when you're with those kids, Vel."
"Hey Velveteen!" Says Mae. "Sing!" I sigh, and laugh. Then all the little kids start begging "Please! Oh pretty please!"
And then there's dead silence as the music stops, and then I'm singing along, grabbing one hand of the kids beside me.
"You make me wanna say I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do doo." And we're all laughing. I've been told by a few that my voice is good, but that's just a past time. If I ever get chosen for the Hunger Games-
Don't think about that. I scold myself. That's tomorrow. Today's your day with these kids. Today is the day you have fun.
And then I see Oliver walk through the door in this place that my grandfather once said was a "Gymnasium". He's smiling and laughing, and he walks on over to us, his hands in his pockets. "Hiya Vel," He chuckles.
I break off from the kids, and they're still dancing around, and I walk over to the guy who's been my best friend for who knows how long. Next month is a decade, I think.
"Hey," I smile, putting my arm on his shoulder. He's a little taller than me, but I still like to annoy him by using his shoulder for an arm rest.
"Please tell me Beth's been good." He chuckles, and we both look at his little sister. She's got pretty blonde hair that is wavy and princess-like, and cute green eyes. We don't know how she ended up in District 12. Especially to Oliver's family; like most of his family, he's got almost black hair and dark eyes. But he's got somewhat palish skin. Me, however, I've got simple deep brown hair and blue eyes. Really blue eyes.
"Of course she has been. She's Beth, Oliver." I laugh. Beth skips on over to us.
"Are we leaving?" She asks, obviously not wanting to go, some begging in her voice.
"Not if you don't want to," Oliver smiles down at her. I lift my arm off his shoulder because I knew that he'd do just what he's doing: picking her up, spinning her around.
She's giggling, classic Beth, and then when she's put down, she's still giggling a bit.
I smile down at Beth, and before I know what she's doing, she's pulling my hand and Oliver's into the mesh of little kids. Oliver and I both are laughing. The song ends, another one comes on. Oliver and I are dancing with Beth and all the other little kids, having the time of our lives.
And of course Oliver shows off his dance moves- being the one of the best dancers of district 12- and takes my hand and spins me around. We're both laughing like idiots. One of the things we do best: goofing off. Trying to forget the stupid past. We've both got some pretty bad versions of those.
And I look at him, in his laughing chocolate brown eyes and I could swear I can see that look that mom and dad used to give each other. The Look.
But I shake it off. Ha. Oliver? Never.
When the time's up all the moms are here to pick them up. Soon enough it's just Oliver, Beth, Mae and me and the echoey room is silent.
Mae finishes packing up her things, and tosses the duffel bag over her shoulder. I sit down on the chair, exhausted. Happy. And exhausted. Oliver sits down on the chair next to me.
Mae starts walking out, calling over her shoulder: "Hey, see you tomorrow. Good luck." And she's out.
Beth looks up at us with anxious eyes. "Good luck for what?" She's too pure and innocent- Oliver's mom hasn't told her yet.
"Being able to get up in the morning. So tired!" Oliver chuckles. He was always good at avoiding the topic when something comes up about the Hunger Games and Beth was around. But there's a tightness in his voice.
"Oh." Beth says, and starts heading towards the door.
Oliver smiles over at me. "See ya Vel."
He starts walking on after her, and I call to him, "Hey, Oliver!" And he turns around to face me.
I bite my lip. "Good luck getting up tomorrow too." He nods, smiling just a little bit.
That's the happy days.
Now they're gone.