I can already hear everyone's voices.

Rose Mellark? There is no difference between Abby and her, she will die the first hours.

But they don't know, nobody knows that I can hunt. That I can hold a bow and protect myself.

" Okay, we have a brave volunteer, come here sweetheart. " Effie sings. I ignore the crazy lady on the stage and run to Abby, who starts to cry as fast as I put my arms around her. She starts to whimper, trying to talk, but I hush her.

" Go to mom and dad now. " I say trying to sound strong, so I would show her that I was fine, even if the whole district watched me.

" No! " Abby screams, her arms around my leg.

As Effie keeps telling me to come upstage, I try to find anyone for help me before I have a breakdown just like Abby, and before I know it, Gale is dragging Abigail away.

As Abby keeps screaming behind me, I turn around, walk fast up to the stage to get it over with.

" Come here honey, closer. There you go! What's your name sweetheart? "

From the stage, I see my mother. My mother who looks at me with big eyes, shaking underlips and a pale face. I want to hug her, tell her that it's going to be alright. But I can't.

" Dear? " Effie says, with that big smile that is almost covered up by make-up.

" Rose Mellark. " I whisper, keep looking at my mother. Aunt Prim sneaks to mom, trying to wake her up from the hell she is living in at the moment.

" Oh, so that wasn't your sister, correct? "

I watch my father, who looks at me with tears in his eyes, whispers to himself as he shake his head. Over and over again.

" No. " I whisper once again.

" I'm sorry? " Effie said, almost getting tired of my too low voice.

" She is my sister. "

" Oh, how wonderful! " Effie screams into the mike, even if she was confused, like the whole district. I have a relationship with both Will and Abby that no one know about.

" Now, for the boys- " Effie got cut of. As I sob quietly, I see Will, taking up his three fingers after he kissed them, showing the whole district his reaction to my actions I just did.

And like a infection, his father Gale did it too, and April, his mother, and the old man in the Hob, that I always use to trade with once a week. And suddenly, the whole district was showing three fingers in the air. I can't help but to feel respect. To feel like I can do this.

" And, now, for the boys. " Effie says, getting annoyed. As she walked to the bowl of names, the cameras on her, I can't help but to take a shaky breath and and letting out a yelping sob while I can without someone filming me. Effie takes up a note, reading it loud.

" William Hawthorne. "

I hear the door open and jump up as I see my friends come in one clump. I have ever seen them cry so much.

" You are too young to die. "

" You can't die! "

I just look at them, while nodding, as they comfort each other more than they comfort me.

But the thing that bothers me is the fact that they think I will die. That I will be dead as soon as I take my first step in the arena. But I don't say anything. They don't know that I'm good with the bow. So I shut up. Accepting that they think I will be dead.

Soon after, Gale and April comes into the room. April hugs me hard and cry over and over again, thanking me for saving, at least, one of her children. Gale keep the mask on, thanking me for what I did to Abby. That I sacrifice myself for her.

I can't help but to freeze at that moment.

They know that I hunt with their son, why do they think that I will die?

" Mr. Hawthorne, you don't think, that I can… win? " I whisper.

And I see on his face, the same expression that everyone else have.

What, you think you will win by killing people with your pretty nails?

But I accept it. They don't actually know how good I am. Not even Will knows when he's around.

Later, my parents and Prim comes. My mother stands in the doorway, staring at me with lifeless eyes.

" How could you? " She almost screams. Dad is trying to calm her down, as he always does, and Prim just look at the ground, trying to keep her sobs to herself.

I jump from the window edge and feel anger spread through me.

" Mom, I had too- "

" You're going to die as fast as Abby would! "

I look at her in shock, and the room is silence as my mother and I keep looking at each other, trying to read each others mind. If I was the crazy one for volunteering or she, seeing this as a sacrifice and not a graceful thing. A peacekeeper warns us that in five minutes, it's time to leave, but we ignore it, just staring at each other.

" Mom, I know how to hunt- "

" Only animals, not children! "

I can't believe it. It's not happening.

Everyone in this district, knows that I will be dead. That I wouldn't survive with my pretty hair and perfect painted nails because I'm a girl who does that kinda stuff.

But Mr. Hawthorne, he knows that I hunt with his son, but still doesn't think I will survive. And like I said, I accept that.

But my mother, my own mother, doesn't even believe in me. Doesn't actually think I could win. That I would have, no chance.

I have no one by my side.

" You're wrong. " I whisper to her angry. " Everyone thinks I'm weak, but I'm going to prove them wrong. "

My mother looks at me with big watery eyes, just like dad and Prim. I take a step closer to my mom.

" And If I die in that arena, and you become like grandma, I will never, never, forgive you! "

Without even listen to her answer, I pull her into her hug, trying to keep the sobs in. And when we let go, I don't watch my mother face, I just go straight to my father, feeling his tears dripping onto my shoulder. I whisper in his ears how much I love him, and that he would take care of mother and if I die, they will move on without me always in their mind. My father protest, but I let him go to hug Prim. We don't say anything. In silence, Prim cries and I just let her. And when I let her go, I look at my mom. And she does the only thing she is good at.

She runs.

She runs away from me, from the room, leaving only me, dad and Prim.

My father doesn't even bother to follow her.

He gives me a last kiss on my cheek as he turns around, holding Prim's hand as they walk out the room. I breathe out, letting myself fall on the floor.

And only me being in the room, the silence is too much for me.

I start to cry. I cry, and cry, and can't hold a single tear from me.

What have I done? What I'm I thinking, trying to prove the people in district 12 that I can win? What am I doing?

As I cry even more, I suddenly feel a small hand fondle my knee.

I open my eyes and see Abby, smiling at me.

" Do you remember what I said to you yesterday? " She whispers. I smile through my snory face.

" That I would come like a unicorn with magic powers and prove everyone wrong? " She smiles and nods.

She takes out something from her pocket, as she watch it in her hand.

" You always call me little bird. Why? " She whispers, her eyes still not leaving the thing in her hand.

" Because, you always look like you have nothing in your life to worry about, and that's luck." I whisper back.

She suddenly takes my hand, and put the mysterious thing in my cupped inner hand, holding into it hard.

" Then, this will bring you luck. " She says. She leans in and kiss my cheek before leaving the room in a hurry. I can hear her let out a sob as she close the door behind her.

I open up my hand slowly. It's a pin, with a bird on.

A mockingjay.

I hold on to it tight, closing my eyes, and kiss it.

Even from the start, Abby was the only one who said that I could survive the games. Like a unicorn, I would prove them wrong.

As a peacekeeper calls that it's time to leave, I put the pin on my chest.

This is going to give me all the luck I need.

Next chapter coming soon...

-L