Nubu Sanders POV

I was just putting the last load of coal on the train when Harvo showed up. I never knew when to expect him- he never had a steady job and he played hooky half the time. It was a good thing my parents had one responsible son. At least he didn't come in the middle of my shift this tme.

"Eyyyy Nubu! Working hard or hardly working?" Harvo called. Never heard that one before. "Better not mess up! Panem will run out of coal!"

"I'll do my best," I said. "I suppose you came here just to cheer me up?"

"Of course! Why else? Except... there is this girl. See, I'm between paychecks, but you gotta treat a girl right, you know? I thought my good ol' brother could spot me a little something. What do you say?" Harvo asked. I slammed the last bag of coal into the bin and turned around.

"Who is it this time? That cute girl from class? Or is it the one you saw in the market the other day? If you want to change girlfriends and quickly as you change clothes, you should get your own job," I said. Harvo glared and put his hands on his hips.

"It's not my fault all your girlfriends cheat on you," he said. That was a low blow. I still wasn't over Barley, as much as I said I was through with women. I could have as many women as Harvo did if I just wanted cheap fun. Unlike him, I actually cared about their feelings. I was about to say something back when someone interrupted us.

"Nubu! You weren't at school. I came to see if you were all right," Grain said. Immediately my witty retort flew from my mind and all I could think about was her. Grain was gorgeous and sweet and funny... she was everything a man could have wanted. For her, I'd take up women again. Unfortunately, she only had eyes for my twin. I was so close, but so far away.

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay," I stuttered. "I just took up some overtime." I turned away and pretended I wasn't staring at her.

"Hey Harvo," Grain said. Her voice slid up in pitch and lilted like she was trying to serenade him. She smiled like she never smiled for me.

"Hey Grain. I gotta go. See you round," he said, and he ran off to beg money off someone else. Grain's face crumpled and I felt her pain inside me. She didn't deserve that. She wasn't like Barley- she didn't cheat and break people's hearts. No one should break her heart either.

Harvo didn't see Grain for what she really was. He didn't appreciate her affection and worst of all, he didn't return it. He didn't know what he was missing. I saw it. I only wished I had a girl half as good as Grain. If she ever gave me a second look, I'd treat her the way she deserved. Harvo didn't know what he was missing. Someday he was going to find out, and it would be too late.

Alinta Fintan POV

I'll never understand what makes a bully pick his target. I never did anything to Boetius. I wasn't in competition with him and I didn't get in his way. I didn't even react the way bullies like. I didn't cry or run for help or even fight back. It was just part of life. I could deal with one bully and still have a good life. The greatest victory I could have over Boetius was to be happy when he so obviously didn't want me to be.

"Bet it's your name in the bowl. You're in there a lot, aren't you, Seam trash? Bet you're so poor half the slips are yours. You gonna cry when they call you? Baby," Boetius taunted as Annia and I tried to walk to the Reaping. Usually a girl as young as Annia would stay home and hide, but it was actually less scary for her to come along. Mom and Dad were a mess, and this way she could see me and didn't have to count the seconds until I should have been home. When we got to the Reaping Center, she'd wait outside with the other few kids her age. I looked at her sidelong and put on a goofy face.

"I know you are but what am I?" Sometimes the old standards are the best. More than anything, I didn't want Annia to see how scared I was. Idid have a lot of slips in the bowl. I had nine, in fact. Things were hard in the Seam and we still barely had enough to eat. There were a lot of people in Twelve, but there was still that chance I'd get picked. And I knew what would happen if I did. No twelve-year-old had ever won in almost forty years. Of course, if they did pick me, I'd do my best to change that. Maybe no one my age had ever won, but I'd never competed yet.

"I said you're a baby!" Boetius said.

"I know you are but what am I?" Annia giggled and Boetius' face flushed.

"You're a baby!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

"You're a stupid crybaby!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

"A useless whiny baby!"

"I know you are but what am I?"

"Are you stupid? Why do you keep saying that? You're a baby! Did you hear me this time?!"

"I know I am but what are you?" I said. Annia looked up at the change and then smiled like we had a secret. She looked at Boetius and waited eagerly for his response.

"Helpless, that's what!" he yelled.

"If you say so," I said. He paused and I could almost see the smoke pouring from his ears as he realized. He actually growled like a dog and stomped away.

"Get reaped, baby," he called over his shoulder. Annia waved as he left, and I felt better even if we were going to the Reaping. There are a lot of bad things in life, but I wasn't going to let them bring me down. I chose to have a happy life, and that was that. If I could deal with Boetius, I could deal with anything. Nothing could stop me.

The only Reaping left is Ten. I have the Ten male marked for VeneratedArt but I think I messed up. If

VENERATEDART

Reserved the Ten male and wants to submit him, please let me know in the next two days. If I don't hear anything, I'll assume I messed up and reopen the slot. Sorry, whoever submitted Calista (and the only user whose name I forgot to write down). We WILL get there... eventually.