"What did Mr. Beetee want?" Riley asked me as we sat under our now favorite apple tree. What should I say? If I tell him the truth he would think I'm crazy. It's been a week since Mr. Beetee asked me to join his team and I just don't know what to say.

"Oh well I don't know how to put this." I wanted today to be nice it's Riley's and mine first date and I don't want to ruin it with news about a plan that I have little information about. Riley is now sitting up wanting me to talk about what Mr. Beetee said. He will never believe me about any of this but I can't think of anything to say to him and lying is out of the question. "If I tell you, you have to believe me and never tell anyone." Riley looked at me before getting up.

"Come on lets go somewhere more private to talk." He's right if I'm going to tell him anything about a top secret plan I better not do it in a park filled with people on a Saturday. Riley took me to the only place he could think of, the fence. In district 3 the fence is a private place and even if you wanted to leave you couldn't because the fence was always on with electric cords everywhere and it's loud. The perfect place to talk. "Okay, talk."

"I don't know all the details but Mr. Beetee wants me to join a topic secret team. He told me that I would be hacking extremely dangerous computers and hovercraft systems, but when I tried asking for more information he told me he said too much." Riley looked at me and then the ground. After kicking the dirt a couple times he looked at me. His eyes meat mine and he smiled. "Grace, you should do it." He was serious. How could he be serious? I can't just join a team that I have no information about, but can I? "Don't you see what team this is? He wants you to join a rebellion Grace. He needs your help to hack into the Capitol."

"But Riley I just don't know..." Before I could finish he put his lips on mine and held them there till I kissed him back. "Okay what was that for?"

"I just had to kiss you at this moment right here and also I can't believe my girlfriend is going to be a rebel." says Riley

"I never said I was joining." I stared at him and scold him, he just laughed. He never can take my scowl look seriously.

"But you have to, if he would have asked me I would have joined like right there and then." Riley licked his lips and then I got the feeling he had, the feeling of wanting someone so badly. I lend in to kiss him so he did to. Soon his hands found my hair and my arms wrapped around his neck. We kissed for so long only releasing to take a breath or for when he decided to lay on the floor on top of me. We never took it any farther then kissing even if we both wanted to.

Before the sun started to set we broke free. Riley took me to the top of a hill were we watched the sunset. His arm wrapped around me and my head on his shoulder. This has to be a perfect date. It felt perfect, it felt amazing and happy. "Grace," I looked up to see how sad Riley was, it made me nervous. "The Hunger Games is a week away and I have to say I'm nervous." I took a deep breath and realized that this year is the first year that I have a person to worry about, I have a lot of friends I don't want to die and I worry about myself but the most important is him.

"Riley we won't get picked we can't, if would be too tragic." Riley smiled and squeezed me into him tighter.

"But what if one of us does?" His blue eyes looked into me and I couldn't get myself to look away. "Then we have to promise that if one of us gets picked we have to promise to come back." I said after looking away from his eyes to the sun that is now set leaving the sky a mixture of orange, dark blue and red. "Alright Grace if one of us gets picked we have to promise to come back." He hugged me and then looked at the sky. "I wish I could paint because this is so beautiful."

"I know. The sky is really pretty." I said.

"I was talking about you." I looked at him and laughed, it was the only thing I could do with that comment. "Hey, it's not funny."

"It kind of is." All of a sudden Riley stood up, picked me up and twisted us both around, me in his arms. Riley put me down and we both laughed. Followed by a kiss. After we pulled away we headed home. Because Riley is determined to get on my parents good side so he walks me home. The whole time we held hands and talked about little things, both afraid of bringing the Hunger Games up again. Once we got to my front steps, I asked him if he wanted to join for dinner he nodded and walked in very slowly.

"Mom, Dad I'm home." I heard my brother run to the door to greet me. "Grace guesses what happened today, who is this?" Trey went straight up to Riley and looked at him.

Riley squeezed my hand and introduced his self. "Hey Trey, I'm Riley your sister's friend."

"I know what a boyfriend is so doing try to play me." Wow, my little brother is a lot smarter than I think. We all laughed and headed for the kitchen.

"Grace good your home in time for dinner, and you brought your friend." my mom said. My little brother jumped up and screamed, "I'm not stupid guys I know he is her boyfriend." Okay now my brother is taking this too far.

"Trey shut up." Trey looked at me and walked away after sticking his tongue at me. Riley laughed and squeezed my hand again. "So umm... Mom, Dad I don't think I introduced Riley right before so here he is and yes he is my boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Megers." He shocks both their hands and never released my hand. Dinner was terrible. My Dad never stopped asking questions about what Riley is like and my Mom had this look on her face that terrified even me. I didn't even taste dinner I just ate to give myself something to do. I was so nervous; having dinner with my boyfriend and my parents was a bad idea.

"So Riley how much do you like our daughter and are you taking anything too far because if you are you have to correct yourself." My dad is not helping the fact that I want to just leave this room.

"Oh umm, Sir I care deeply about your daughter, she makes me feel this warm connection every time I just look at how beautiful she is and there is nothing that I would do that she did not want and I will never take advantage of your daughter she means too much to me to lose." Wow, Riley is talking to my father as if he has been in love with me forever. By the look on both of my parents face I can tell they are thinking the same thing.

"Good as long as you're not having sex with my daughter, are you?" Every one stopped, I spit my drink a little and it slid down my chin, my mom dropped her fork on the plate causing it to clack and Riley, poor Riley, his face was shocked pure white and he quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. My mom coughed and gave my dad the stare, then for some reason Riley answered his question even though everyone know that he didn't have to answer it.

"No sir and I promise you that it will never happen until marriage if I and your daughter do get married." Never have I once thought about marriage but now that he mentioned it I guess if my feelings are this real I will most likely marry him and start a family. If only it wasn't for the Hunger Games. Again my parents are shocked by the way he answers the questions with truth and love. This was now my time to get him out of there. Dinner was mainly over so I quickly grabbed everyone's plate then Riley's hand and rushed to the kitchen.

"Riley I am so sorry about that and I promise you that you will never have to come over here to see my parents again." He grabbed the dishes from me and walked to the sink, I joined him and we started to wash the dishes together.

"Don't worry about it Grace, parents are protective and I kind of like how much they care for you." He placed the dishes into the sink filled with soapy, cold water.

"Did you really mean everything you said back there?" He stopped what he was doing to look at me. My face blushes a little as I looked down at the water and dirty dishes with a small smile.

"Grace I meant every last word." He is now forcing me to look at him by grabbing my shoulders and holding my close to his face, "I want to be with you every minute and when I'm away from you I think about you, I have never felt strong feelings like this and I only hope that you feel the same for me." I looked deep into his eyes; those blue eyes can really get you lost in them.

"I do feel the same way to you." He hugged me. Both of us jumped as we heard my mom coughed. She had a huge smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "How long have you been standing there mom?"

"The whole entire time." I couldn't help the blush that is now coating my face as a bright red. "Riley you are welcomed here anytime and don't worry about Mr. Megers he will leave you alone soon enough." I have her approval; my mother just gave me her blessing to date Riley. I guess he really is the one.

"Thanks mom." is all I can say at this point. She walks to the sink and starts to finish the dishes letting me and Riley leave. It is dark outside so I let Riley take my flashlight back home. Riley says goodbye to my little brother and my father and gets a hug from my mother. Outside right before he left we talked.

"I'll see you tomorrow I have a surprise for you." Riley looks handsome in the moon light the way the light hits every feature.

"What is it?"

"Well I can't tell you so you'll just have to find out, meet me by the apple tree at about noon. Bring a blanket." What does he have planned? If I have to bring a blanket then I am lost. There are so many different things going on in my head. "Good night Grace." He gently kisses my lips as a kiss goodnight and I want him to continue but I'm sure my mom is watching through the window. But that kiss felt right it was a kiss under the moon light.

"Sweet dreams Riley." I said as I waved him goodbye.

"Don't worry they will be about you." He waves back as he walks down my street. The door opens quickly and my mom pulls me inside. She has never been this happy in a long time.

"Honey I don't want to scare you from that boy but I think he is in love with you." Now even my mom can see the way he loves me.

"And mom I think I might be in love with him." She grabbed my hands and squeezed them tight. Her eyes filled with tears again.

"OH Grace you're growing up so fast." It feels good to have my mom think good things about Riley and it feels even better to say that I think I love him out loud. Before she did cry she took me to her room. "I want to give you something. I was going to give it to you with your true love and I think it's him so her take this." She grabbed a box from on top of her closet and opened it to show an ankle bracelet. I have never seen it before. It's silver, blue and is made with a wire material. The wire was braided to a circle and in the light it shines brightly. "My mother gave me this when I married your father. She told me to give it to my daughter when she fell in love to give luck and a long relationship. I am giving it to you Grace so you know I approve and I think Riley really is a great guy you two are going to be very happy with each other." She handed me the ankle bracelet then had to leave the room with the feeling of crying. I felt like crying at this point. Have I done it, have I fallen in love? I rushed to my room to sleep but first I picked out and outfit and a blanket for tomorrows surprise and then placed my ankle bracelet on my wire doll I made for the jewelry that is special to me. I feel asleep right away wanting this day to end so I could wake up tomorrow and see my new love, Riley.