I'm sorry for the slow updates everyone! I've been pretty busy lately, but I promise I'll try to update more! Here's part two of the lovely D5 Reapings! I hope you enjoy! I'm going to start putting a song with each chapter for fun haha so here it is.

At Arriana's second POV start playing the song Innocent Son by Fleet Foxes

District Five: Reapings PART TWO

~Arriana (Aria) Bokarvyova's POV~

Breakfast is finally over. Every bit of me begs to spring from my chair and out the door. My legs urge me to run towards Town Square and never look back upon this one story death trap. I squeeze my eyes shut instead. I escape from the horrors of life for just one moment. Maybe I could skip the Reapings today. Who would notice, anyway?

I want to go back to bed. Curl up into the sheets and forget the world. That's a mere fantasy.

Me: I'm leaving for the Reapings.

Everyone:

I walk alone down the sidewalk. Storm clouds threaten a downpour overhead and my stomach churns. Sometimes I think about how my life is like a movie. One of those indie ones, you know? But usually in those I'm swept off my feet by a beautiful guy and he beats the living hell out of THE MONSTER. Then again me or that beautiful guy would probably die in the end. What do I know?

My black flats are soundless against the sidewalk. My whole life is like that. Silent.

Pretty Blonde Girl: And then he took me on the most amazing boat ride!

Pretty Asian Girl: Ohmigod!

Pretty Ginger Girl: You're so lucky, Tiffany!

I look to my left to see to pretty blonde girl with her pretty friends glowing with happiness. Ew. I try to escape, but their eyes catch me quickly. They look confused for a moment. Then they recognize me.

Pretty Ginger Girl: Is that Arriana?

Pretty Blonde Girl: I... Think so.

Pretty Asian Girl: Wow, she looks so pretty!

Sigh. I speed up walking to avoid their speculations. Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder. A shiver slips down my spine and I jerk away.

Voice: Oh! Hey, hey! I just didn't want you to run into that lamp post.

I turn around to see a boy. He has sort of a crooked smile and his hair falls over his eyes. I then look back and see that I was just inches away from a bloody nose.

Me: Thanks.

Boy: Your welcome.

I begin to walk again, but his voice calls out again.

Boy: So, um, you're walking to the Reapings, huh?

Me: Yeah.

Boy: Mind if I join you?

What's with this guy? I consider leaving him behind and just walking on, but at least I won't seem too weird walking alone.

Me: No.

The boy does another eerily toothy grin and then falls into place next to me. For the rest of the way to the Reapings we both walk in silence, but not the awkward kind. It's a comfortable kind. The only kind that you'd share with an old friend, or that's what I'm assuming.

~Shrike Lanius's POV~

After my quite awkward with Scipio and Melissa (insert eye roll here) I decide to head to the Reapings. Though dawn has barely broken over the horizon it takes around an hour for me to walk to the center of town. The slaughter house is located at the top of a very steep hill that's surrounded by forrest.

I slowly begin my painstakingly long walk towards the Reapings. I actually watched the District One Reapings on TV. The two that were up there didn't look too tough to be honest. Heh, the girl actually looked pretty prissy in her perfect little dress. Yawn, what a bore these Games are gonna be.

I pass through the old cemetery where only people from like 2012 are buried. Pfft. Yeah right. I bet in 2012 they used torches for lights and stuff. Haha. I guess I wouldn't know though. I don't pay much attention in class.

After making my way through the rural area of town; I'm finally in the slum. I usually avoid this place because it's damn depressing. I mean no one likes to see the poverty and hunger that goes on here.

Across the street I see three preppy looking girls. Everything about them screams rich snob. I actually recognize one of them. She's some bitch that goes to my school. No biggie.

I turn my attention away from the snobs and there's a girl walking in front of me. Her hair is down and it cascades down her back in a shimmery waterfall of girl hair. Girl hair's alway nice. Have you ever noticed that?

The girl is suddenly about to run into a lamp post. I'm not sure who else besides cartoon characters do that, but it sure was happening right in front of my eyes.

Quick, Shrike! Get her attention before she face palms herself with the lamp post!

Don't listen to goody two shoes over there. Just let her it'll probably be pretty funny.

I sigh. Sorry, man, but I already listened to you once today. I reach out and grab her arm. When she turns around to face me I see something I've never seen before. There's a doll like look about her everything is perfect. So perfect. But inside her eyes I don't see a thing. No fear, no surprise. Just nothing. It's beautiful and I'm captivated.

She rips her arm from my grasp and I am dragged back to earth.

"Oh! Hey, hey! I just didn't want you to run into that lamp post." I exclaim. Did I mess up already? She glances at me and then to the lamp post. "Thanks." She responds quietly. Then she starts to walk again. I watch her as she goes. No. I have to talk to her. I have to know her.

"So, um, you're walking to the Reapings, huh?" I say. Like a pathetic boy with a crush. Hah, crushes are just as frivolous as puppies. "Yeah." She responds without looking at me. "Mind if I join you?" I ask. She hesitates for a bit. "No." I catch up with her and smile.

When she looks away I sneak a glance. I just wanna rip into her plastic just to see if there's anything in there. She's so hollow. She's so cold. She's so... Perfect.

~Shrike Lanius's POV~

The girl and I part ways once we are separated into different check in lines. Damn, I hope maybe I'll see her again.

I check in at the Reapings and fall into place in the enormous crowd. For some reason no one in District Five from 12-18 ever fail to attend. I stifle a sigh as our escort walks on. Her name is Gammaraygunofawesome. Yeah. I know. The only thing I pray is that her parents didn't actually name her that.

Gammaraygunofawesome: HIYA DISTRICT FIVE ARE YA READY TO GET FREEEKAY?!

Everyone cheers in response. I'm pretty sure that Gammaraygunofawesome bought her clothes from a rainbow lingerie store. Her entire body is covered with a rainbow body suit that clings to her thin figure. She's also about 4 feet tall.

Gammarayofawesome dances around the stage to some imaginary music then prances through the audience throwing glowsticks and glitter into the crowd.

She tosses a fistful of the sparkles into my face. I want to punch her. Finally she climbs back onto stage and shuts up for a brief moment when they play the Panem Anthem. I'm already falling asleep.

"Shrike Lanius?" I look up. That's me. I climb onto stage without hesitation and the crowd parts for me to pass through. I never knew that this... Wow. Maybe... Maybe this will work out.

~Arriana (Aria) Bokarvyova's POV~

Shrike. That's the boy that walked with me today. I stare up at him. What a twist of fate this is, or maybe it is fate. I never believed in much of that stuff though. If fate does exist then fate is cruel and horrid.

Gammaraygunofawesome: Now that that's over let's get on to the Reapings! Ladies second as I always like to say!

Like a child too exited to wait another moment, Gammaraygunofawesome reaches into the bowl, which might I add is ten feet taller than she is, and pulls out a name.

It's my time now.

Me: I volunteer

GRGOA: Hannah Montague!

I guess I wasn't loud enough. Maybe next year. Wait. No. I. Will. Speak.

Me: I VOLUNTEER

My scream ripples over everyone and all eyes aim on me. I swallow and go onto the stage.

Me: My name is Arriana Bokarvoya!

GRGOA: I guess Hannah Montague is one lucky ducky!

I glare at GRGOA, and then snatch the mike from her with the burn of a wildfire behind my eyes.

Me: My- My stepfather has raped me every night for the past two years. H-his name is Thom LaFleur and he threatens that if I tell anybody he'll rape my little brother too his na-name's Caleb and h-he's only eleven.

I feel tears forming in the corners of my eyes. There's utter silence and the rain starts to trickle down. I sniff and continue.

Me: My mother... She doesn't care w-what my stepfather does t-to u-us. Please, pro-protect Caleb.

I manage to squeak the last part out before the sobs choke my speech. There's no one talking, but I feel Gammaraygunofawesome take my hand and smile at me.

GRGOA: Eveything's okay now, sweetie. Everything's okay.

Maybe it is.