Don't need permission

Made my decision to test my limits

'Cause it's my business, God as my witness

Start what I finished

Don't need no hold up

Taking control of this kind of moment

I'm locked and loaded.

Kenna Rockwall, 17

District 7 female.

"Daddy would not be pleased if he knew what we were doing right now." I tell Hilda as I sip the last drop of the sweet red wine that Hilda bought in my room.

I throw myself back on the bed and let out an exasperated sigh that is so long that it trails into a giggle.

During the dark days, my dad was a prestigious business man, he was always looking for ways for our family to climb up the social ladder. An easy way for him to do this was to use my sisters and I. I have five sisters and they are all drop dead gorgeous. I guess my father saw this as a way to gain respect and momentum on the social ladder so he would begin to arrange my elder sisters with wealthy businessmen. He is somewhat of a tyrant in our family so he was very quick to marry off my first two sisters I know that my dad means well and just wants the best for us but it never sat well with me. I sat back and watched all of this and decided that this was not going to be my life. I may not know exactly who I am or what I want but I do know that it's not that. I want the best for myself too of course, but I want to be the one to get it.

I developed a very independent attitude and I began to start pushing the limits just to see what I could get away with. I want to go down my own path, I want to live but more than anything else I just want to be loved and to be happy. I want to have the life that I dream of at night, not the life that my father calculates for me. Luckily, my mother is very invested in keeping her daughter's individuality alive and not letting it get crushed like hers. My mother comes from a mafia family and they were always the target of some sort of hit. She needed to know how to protect herself so she took up learning poisons and learned almost everyone that there is. I was always very interested in learning about them and would often practice with my mother while my sisters were perfectly fine with daddy cultivating their entire lives.

"Daddy is something else. He just can't even begin to fathom how a young womans brain works." Hilda isn't sipping her wine at this point, she is drinking it in swigs.

Hilda is my oldest sister. We have always been best friends and she is the one person who I feel I can really open up too. When Hilda got married, I was her maid of honor. I actually did like Jared a lot. The first six months of their marriage was great and he really did treat her like a princess. Something must have changed in him though. When Hilda and I would get together and catch up, I started noticing bruises on her arms and legs. Her once bright smile had faded into one that I didn't recognize and it broke my heart because there was always some excuse as to how she got them but I always suspected Jared.

One night, I had gone over to spend some time with Hilda. I walked into their house and the door to their bedroom was cracked. I watched as Jared threw his arm back and then with all his might connected his fist to my sisters face. My hand flew over my mouth and I busted into the room.

"Kenna!" Hilda shouted.

"You didn't see anything. Know your place little girl, or else." Jared rushed out of the house leaving my sister in a crumpled mess on the floor. That night, I sat with Hilda and we devised a plan to solve her problem. Jared had to go and I knew just the way to do it. That exact night, we started putting arsenic in his food. He became more ill with every passing day. He stopped hitting my sister and she was starting to have doubts about continuing the process but I wasn't going to let her take that chance. Jared suspected Hilda was cheating on him and banned me from ever coming back to the house because he assumed I was helping somehow. I found a moment to get Hilda alone and handed her a vial filled with a poison that would surely take him out. Jared died that day.

I honestly don't like thinking about that night, but I would do anything for my sisters and he needed to go. My dad already has more suitors lined up for Hilda and even a few for me but that's not how my life is going to play out. I am the author of my life, not him. I may not know what to write on my blank pages yet, but the important thing is that I am the one writing them.

They say the shoe can always fit, no matter whose foot it's on

These days feel like I'm squeezin' in 'em

Whoever wore 'em before just wasn't thinkin' big enough

I'm 'bout to leave 'em with 'em

Cause if I run in the game in these, man the seams are splittin'

No pun intended but they're smellin' defeat in the air

Headed where nobody took it, who meetin' me there?

Jake Diaz, 17

District 8 male

It's funny how fast things can change. In a single blink of an eye, everything can be different. Different from how you ever imagined, and unfortunately most of the time in situations like this things don't change for the better.

Before the dark days, I knew that I was going places. Nothing could stop me. I know that I was born to play baseball. I was good at it, and I loved it. It was my life really. Growing up, every day after school my friends and I would play for hours on end until our parents would call us home. I used to think of baseball as just a game but as I got older and older, I realized that it could be more than that. I could make a life out of this.

My parents hired me the best batting coach that there was and I joined a high-school team and a team outside of school. I knew what my life's purpose was and I was high on life. It's a rare thing when something you love can become something that you turn into your career. I knew that because people were constantly telling me how good I was and that they couldn't wait to see me on TV playing in the big leagues. I could see my name in lights. I was going to do everything that I possibly could to make that a reality.

I had everything in my life lined up and ready to go. A full ride baseball scholarship to Vanderbilt University. I was the top recruit as a sophomore and so many different universities wanted me to come play for them but I decided on Vanderbilt because I knew that the team there would make me the most successful.

Then, the government took over and instated the hunger games and nothing will ever be the same for me.

A career in baseball was no longer an option for me and suddenly my life had lost all of its purpose. I decided to stay in school but instead of people giving me praise and encouragement, I started to get picked on and teased. I had never had this issue before and I didn't handle it well. My temper has never been one of my strong suits so I started getting in fights and most of the time, I was winning them. I guess all the training from baseball practice was at least good for one thing. I am strong and my temper is strong.

My parents didn't know what changed in me, but they should have. The hunger games isn't just some casual get together and life in Panem isn't a normal way of life. I went from being someone that people looked up to to an outcast. Of course I wasn't going to be the same. I don't really know what to do with the rest of my time so I workout alot and hang out with the friends that I do have.

I know that they say "Don't let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game" but what if the game is the only thing you ever gave 100% to.

Kenna Rockwall,17

District 8 female.

"Sometimes I just want to shake him and say that is not how life works ya psycho!" I shout playfully.

Hilda is laughing so hard that she can't breathe and my other older sister Mary tries to suppress a giggle but she doesn't succeed. Mary would never speak out against daddy so the giggle surprises me.

When hilda finally catches her breath, grows a little more serious.

"Are you ready for the reapings Kens?" she asks.

I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them trying to get comfortable.

"I mean, I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be but it just upsets me. It's just another way for people to try to plan my life out for me. Like, do I have uncapable written across my forehead or something? I can decide my life for myself." My sudden outburst of sass takes me off guard and I have to control the venom that seeps out when I talk about this subject.

Hilda and Mary must have noticed my facial expression because then we all start laughing.

" It's just a scary situation. It's not like any of us have ever killed someone before. We wouldn't even know how to go about doing something like that." Mary giggles as she sips on a sparkling water with lemon.

Hilda and I make eye contact from across the living room and bite my lip to keep from letting even the slightest sound come out of my mouth.

"Oh, of course not. That is absolutely absurd." Hilda squeaks before taking a long drink.

"They probably won't even call anyone from the upper parts of the district. They like to see poor little things running around trying to kill each other and I mean why not." Mary says.

Sometimes the things that come out of her mouth actually pain me.

"Well Kens, my love. You better go get ready. As much as I would love to keep you safe in a little bubble with me forever, you must go." she throws her hand on her forehead in a dramatic manner.

I giggle, get up off the couch and go embrace Hilda before I head upstairs to get ready.

Jake Diaz, 17

District 8 male.

"He's past first, he is rounding second, there goes third. Home run!" my friend shouts in his best sports announcer voice.

I run around the open concrete area and wave to all of my fans in the stadium seating. I wish. . Running on concrete isn't the same as feeling the grass beneath my feet but since grass in rare in district 8, I'll take what I can get.

Despite getting made fun of and becoming a complete outcast, I have managed to keep my fun loving attitude. I will never let myself sit in my house and sulk when I could be out making the best of my situation.

"Hey Andrew, catch!" the ball hits him right in the middle of the forehead and I fall back laughing.

Andrew thought I was weird when I first met him. He didn't understand the obsession with baseball until I explained it to him and taught him the basics. He is the one person who understands that change was something that was hard for me to adjust to.

"Are you ready for the reapings?" he asks rubbing his forehead.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about, but you never know" I tell him tossing the ball in the air and letting it hit the palm of my hand.

"Maybe not you, with that arm you can take anyone out." he jokes.

I tell andrew goodbye and head back home to throw something on for the reapings. I throw thr ball a little bit harder than I intend to as I approach my house and it flys right through a window.

"Jake Diaz!" My mother shouts.

I run inside and give her a hug and apologize. She scolds me for a second but then pulls me in for a hug before sending me upstairs.

Chantilly Holmes, 23

District 8 escort.

I don't know what the heck to wear. You would think that representing the district responsible for making freaking textiles and fabric that I would have a cute outfit to wear but no. If I am going to be on TV. I am going to be looking the best that I can. I finally decide on a long white dress with colorful glitter on the ends that remind me of sprinkles. My long red hair hangs in lose curls and my heels make me look a good foot taller than I am. When I am finally satisfied I walk onto the stage.

"District eight, hello there." I wink into the camera.

"I am so freaking excited for this. Let's get to it!" I swing my hips as I walk over the ladies side.

"Our district eight female is….. Kenna Rockwall!" I beam.

A gorgeous girl with dark brown hair, beautiful tan skin and striking green eyes stands frozen. Her eyes get big and she looks shocked. The peacekeepers walk over to her and grab her arms leading her to the stage.

"Do you have anything to say miss?" I hold the microphone out to her but she doesn't move. She just holds the same facial expression.

"Okay. I guess not. Let's go to the boys." I say.

"Your district 8 male is…. Jake Diaz!"

A boy with striking brown eyes and a muscular build holds his head high and walks forward. When he gets to the stage he doesn't speak. He just glares out at the crowd.

"Well. There you have it. Good evening folks, give them a hand!"

Sorry that this took me a little bit longer to get out, I planned on getting it out earlier but ya know life happens man. These tributes had such good backstories so I really enjoyed writing them and I hope you love them. :)

I am feeling anxious to get the reaping chapters done so we can start getting into things so I will HOPEFULLY be updating more often. :)

What did you think of these two?

Favorite so far? :)

xoxo

Jenna