Nate?! Did I hear that right, it's Nate? But, it couldn't be! Despite my gut feeling I was 98% sure Nate wouldn't be chosen! Only one scrap of paper, a one in over a thousand chance, and my 2% was right.
"Is Nate River here?" District 5 escort Ocean Winters peered around, settling her gaze on my albino brother, calmly making his way to the front. Around me angry murmers bubbled up, not only was it a 12-year-old but one who couldn't walk right either. It just wasn't fair.
Seeing my little brother making his way up there, I didn't want it to be Nate, I wanted it to be me. Not Nate, Miheal or Mail, but me. Sensing Miheal was about to volunteer I shoved people aside screaming Nate's alias.
"Near!"
"Lawliet...?!"
His eyes were like those of a deer's about to get shot, full of fear and alarm despite his calm facade. Peacekeepers quickly marched in to apprehend me as I pushed Nate to the side screeching;
"I volunteer!"
Nate stared at me in disbelief, his facade cracking as tears threatened to roll down his face.
"Lawliet, no...!"
"I volunteer as tribute."
Miheal and Mail looked at me, shock visible on their faces. I could sense Watari, while relieved I saved Nate, was upset I was willing to sacrifice my life for Nate. If only they didn't pick his name out in the first place...
"It seems we have a volunteer!"
God why can't she just shut up?! I turned to Nate, hugging him tightly before the Peacekeepers escorted me to the stage where Ocean coaxed me up. Everyone's eyes were on me, grateful I saved a disabled 12-year-old's life from cutting short. Well what else was I supposed to do? He's my brother and I wasn't going to let him die, so I did the only thing that would save him. The female tribute stared at me, her wide dull blue eyes alight in admiration at my so-called-bravery. Suddenly Ocean turned to me.
"And your name sweetheart?"
"L Lawliet ma'am."
"And I bet that was your little brother right?"
"Yes."
"Well let's have a round of applause to District 5's first volunteer, L Lawliet."
Silence. You can hear nothing except for the wind and Ocean's pathetic clapping. Then the unexpected happened. Everyone pressed the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips before raising them up in the air. It means admiration, goodbye to someone you love.
Ocean coughed uncomfortably before getting me and the female tribute to shake hands and sent us to where we would see our families the last time before we're shipped off to the Capital.
"You have three minutes."
The door opened and Miheal and Mail ran in almost knocking me over as they lept into my arms. Nate and Watari came in behind them, Nate's eyes rimmed with red.
"Lawliet, why did you volunteer?"
"Because I couldn't bear the thought of you dying Nate."
Mail then gave me a necklace with a locket. Inside was a picture of me and the boys when we went on a picnic a few years back. All of us were smiling, mouths sticky with jam. I looked at him and smiled. He just shrugged and said it was for luck. Miheal asked me that if I won, could I get him some of the Capital's chocolate as he was curious to what it tasted like. Of course I said I would. Finally Nate and Watari wished me good luck, saying I could win. I just hoped they were right.
"Times up."
I hugged them all once more before they left. I was alone again. Sitting on the bed in my normal crouch (for if I didn't my IQ level would fall by 40%) I stared at my bare feet, bony and porcelain in colour, not much food came our way. Nate always says that despite how much I eat when food does come our way, I never gain a pound. That's because I burn calories by using my brain all the time. He's also jealous of my body, which I don't get. As a matter of fact everyone seems to be jealous of my body, they say I've got it all, lithe legs, perfect curves, unblemished porcelain skin, soft black hair, high cheekbones, lush pink lips, gorgeous obsidian eyes despite the bags underneath which supposedly makes them mysterious, 'child-bearing' hips even though the last time I checked I'm male and the perfect ass, small yet rounded and plush.
Personally I think it's a load of bullshit, excuse the language. My legs are more gangly than lithe, my body goes up and down straight like a ruler, the unblemished skin might be true and it's certainly porcelain in colour so I'll give them that. However my hair isn't that soft and I don't bother brushing it as brushing never works, I do have high cheekbones, they're the only thing I like about myself apart from my intellect, but my lips are thin and pale, my eyes are dull and have bags due to being an insomniac, where the 'child-bearing' hips come from I don't know and my ass is small and flat. All in all, I'm 100% unattractive. I guess it depends on who you're asking.
Soon the Peacekeepers came again to escort me to the train. The girl next to me had been crying, she wasn't going to last a minute, not that I really cared. I didn't know her and didn't want to, I'm better off on my own anyway.
Once we were on Ocean began to babble away, bouncing up and down in her chair. I couldn't help but stare at her jiggling breasts, they were so big I wondered how she hadn't done a number on her back yet, not because I'm a pervert. She had her face painted porcelain with aqua eyeshadow and purple lips, she was wearing a short magenta dress with gold trimmings anda matching jacket along with 11-inch purple heels and purple fishnet gloves. In short, terrifying. That's when I noticed the confectionery on the table.
Cakes, biscuits, tea, fruit it was heavenly. Immediately I darted forward, grabbing as much food as I could, stuffing it into my mouth, moaning in pleasure at the taste of sugar in my mouth, sucking the remaining sweetness off my fingers. Ocean glared at me in disgust, seeming as if she was about to stab me with the butter knife for a lack of table manners but I didn't care.
"Anyway your mentor will be arriving soon. Just be warned he's a little..."
Suddenly an Asian male came staggering in a bright smile on his face, cheeks rosy from cider. Perfect, a drunk mentor, just what we need.
"Hi! I'm Touta Matsuda and I'm your mentor!"