(Remember that italics are thoughts.)

Hollux

Hollux had the day off. He had met with Kay and been off on his own before ten minutes was even up. Kay could see that he was a very good speaker. He didn't know what to do, so he spied on Adrianna and her practice with Kay.

"What is your home life like?" Kay asked. They sat in front of each other.

"Um…" Adrianna began. "I don't want to talk about my home life."

"Flickerman's going to ask you. You will need to give him an answer."

"Fine. It's not good."

"That's not an answer." Kay looked at Adrianna angrily. "I wish you were like Hollux, Adrianna. I wasn't even with him ten minutes before I knew he would do marvelously tonight."

"Well I'm extremely sorry, Kay," Adrianna said sarcastically. "I'm not Hollux. I'm Adrianna." Kay scowled, got up from the couch, and walked away. Adrianna smiled. He watched her get up and walk towards the elevator. She stopped when her prep team walked into the room.

"Now now," one of them said, "It's time to get ready." Adrianna winced. She's hating this. He couldn't help but smile. Her sarcasm really got Kay mad. I'd like to see that again. That Capitol Clown is funny when she's grumpy. He went up to his room and found his prep team waiting. He got dressed and was waiting in the room all the tributes would stay till their interview. He wasn't the first one there. Adrianna's "friend" Rawd was the first one. Hollux was the second.

"Not bad, 12," Rawd snickered.

"Not too bad yourself, 5," Hollux shot back. More and more boys arrived. Some of them joked around. The others glared at each other. A few girls went into the room covered from head to toe in big, poufy dresses. Nearly everyone's here. Where's Adrianna? Right as he thought that, she stepped in and everyone stared at her. Wow... She had a simple white sundress on with minimal jewelry. She's gorgeous! Everyone stopped staring but he couldn't stop. His heart thumped hard and he could hear it in his ears. I should go talk to her. Before he could do anything, Rawd moved to her. They began talking. She was smiling. He glared again.

"Now, give it up for Caesar Flickerman!" a voice boomed over a microphone.

"Hello. Hello, everyone!" Caesar yelled to the crowd.

"Here we go," he whispered to himself. He got up and got at the back of the line that was forming. He stood behind Adrianna. One after another, they watched each tribute's interviews. When District 11's boy went up, he realized Adrianna was pale. "Hey, Adrianna?" He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she yelled at him.

"You sure don't seem it."

"I'm fine."

"Now District 12's very own," Caesar began. Her head shot up from the floor. "Adrianna!" She shook off Hollux's hand and walked onto the stage. "Here she is!" He watched her walk up on stage. "Hello, Adrianna."

"Hi," she greeted back. Caesar gestured her to a chair next to his and she sat. I can't get over how pretty she looks.

"So, Adrianna, how're you? You looking forward to tomorrow?" he asked her.

"I'm fine and not entirely positive."

"Why not? What's on your mind?"

"A ton of different things that aren't making any sense." I wonder if I'm one of them.

"Well then, tell us, does it have to do with your home District in 12?" Oh no.

"No, not really."

"How come? It is your home after all."

"Yes, but I don't exactly have a life there."

"You mean to say you're alone?"

"Yes." This is going to make her so upset later. Thank you so much, Flickerman.

"That's so sad." He turned to the audience and they all "awed". "Off the topic! Now I notice you're wearing something different then all the other girls. Tell me, would you have rathered a dress like theirs to this one?"

"No actually. I like this dress. It's simple and pretty." I'm glad she's not wearing a dress like the others. It wouldn't have suited her at all. She looks great as she is.

"Excellent answer." The crowd applauded. "Well, Adrianna, I for certain am looking very much forward to seeing you in action. Especially with the score you received. Excellent by the way. Excellent."

"Thank you." I bet no one was expecting it.

"Well it seems our time is up. Adrianna everyone!" She stood and shook his hand. She turned to the audience and let out a big smile. They erupted in a louder applause. What a beautiful smile... She walked off the stage and into the crowd where the other tributes were seated. "Next up, and our last interview for the night, District 12's Hollux!" Hollux brushed everything off, smiled, and walked up. He waved and smiled at everyone. He saw District 11's boy talking to Adrianna but quickly told himself to ignore it. Just ignore it, Hollux. Don't let it phase you. It's time to convince the crowd you're awesome. Let's do this!

"Hello, Mr. Flickerman," he smiled.

"Oh please, Hollux," Caesar laughed. "Do call me Caesar."

"Alright, Caesar, how're you today?"

"I'm fine. How're you?"

"Excellent."

"Really? What for?"

"I have absolutely no idea." The capitol people broke out in laughter. These Capitol people have the weirdest irony. Oh well, it's working. I better keep it up.

"You look great tonight Hollux."

"As do you, Caesar."

"Tell me, Hollux, about your home life." His voice caught in his throat. I don't want to say anything. I don't want to brag in front of Adrianna or anything, especially since she just told everyone about her no-life.

"I'm not sure I want to say anything."

"Why not?" He paused and Caesar got the idea. "Understandable. There is one thing I want you to answer for me though."

"Ask away," Hollux offered. Oh dear.

"Is there any 'special' person in your life?" Caesar asked.

"How do you mean?"

"Oh, why don't I just say it?" He flicked his wrist dramatically. "Is there a girl?" Should I say it? I might not get any other chance. I have to. Maybe I just shouldn't say her name. Technically though, I'll be saying it.

"Well," Hollux paused. "Yes, I suppose there is."

"Ooh!" the audience smiled. "What's the young ladies name?" Caesar asked. I wonder how many girls at home are freaking out...

"You see, Caesar, that's just the thing. I don't want anyone to know."

"Why is that?"

"If anything happens to me during the games and I don't go home, I don't want anything bad being put on her."

"I love you thinking. Well, it seems we're out of time. Everyone, Hollux from District 12!" Hollux made his way to the seat next to Adrianna. Caesar finished up. "Now weren't those interviews interesting?" he asked the crowd. "This will be a great year for the Hunger Games!" The anthem played and the tributes were released to their rooms.

Hollux stayed behind and talked to Caesar a bit more. He told Caesar about his sister's birthday and Caesar agreed to announce it when the Hunger Games was playing. He smiled, said goodbye, and started to walk away when he saw Adrianna sneaking away from everyone else. He followed her. When she turned a corner and saw no one, she ran. He raced after her. Adrianna? What's she doing? She ran as fast as she could to her room. She got her door and had it opened when Hollux caught her. "Adrianna?" Hollux panted.

"Leave me alone," she whimpered.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" she nearly screamed. He pushed her into her room and closed the door behind them. He turned her around and looked at her. Her pins drooped and the side of her hair that had been up covered her face. She looks so... pathetic? She looks poor and really distressed. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" She looked up into his eyes. Tears streamed down her face. He hugged her. She buried her face in his shirt and cried. She came into me so easily. It's like she doesn't even care how mad she's been at me. I think... I think she just wants someone. Someone to care for her, love her, and not abandon her. I can't imagine how she's done it all these years. I still remember the first day she showed up on the streets. I had asked my mother about her and she just told me to stay away from her. "She's a street rat. She's dangerous. I don't want you going near her," she had said. I remember how I didn't listen.

"Adrianna, just tell me what's wrong," he said.

"Everything," her answer was muffled.

"Why?"

"I didn't want anyone to know I had nothing. All of District 12 knows it! I didn't want all of Panem to! Now they do!"

"What's the big deal?" Why did I just say that?

"Now they all know I am a street rat!"

"You're not a street rat," he whispered. She pushed away from him.

"What? You're the one that called me that!"

"When?"

"That day at training." He paused and thought. Did I? I-I did didn't I?

"No, Adrianna, you don't understand," he said, panicked.

"What do I not understand?" she asked.

"I did that to gain the Careers' trust. I didn't mean it. They wanted to trust me but they were afraid that I'd help you if you were ever in trouble. I only said that to ally with them."

"Question."

"What is it?"

"Why are you so nice to me? You like someone back home." Don't tell her. Not yet. It's not a good time for her.

"Well, you're my fellow tribute. You're probably the last person from home I'm ever going to see. That is, if I don't win and keep what I said."

"What'd you say?" He looked to the floor and played with the princess charm on the necklace his sister gave him.

"I told my little sister, Hamma, I'd come home soon."

"Oh. How old is she?"

"Her birthday's in three days. She'll be nine."

"That's terrible," she said.

"Yeah it is," he agreed. "But, I'm going to keep track of how many days we'll be in the games and I'm going to tell her happy birthday." It'll be hard though if I die.

"That's so sweet." He saw her almost smile. Then anger filled her again. "Get out of my room."

"No. I want to know what's going on with you. You've seemed so depressed lately."

"I'm not depressed!" she yelled.

"Then what's wrong?" he yelled back. Her face turned sad and she sat on her bed, burying her face in her hands. I shouldn't have yelled at her. Man, I'm so mean.

"I want to keep it to myself." Maybe not.

"Sometimes you can't. You have to let things out."

"I want to die." He drew in a breath and she let one out. What? "I just want to die right now and get everything over with. Everything. District 12. Panem. The life I'm never going to have. The Hunger Games. Maybe if I die before it's even started they'll cancel it and you can be there for your sister's birthday."

"Y-you want to die?" he stuttered.

"Yeah."

"You have to be joking. No one ever wants to die! It just happens." She looked at him. "Dying isn't a good thing, Adrianna. No one should want it."

"You don't know what I've been through!" she hollered at him. He could hear the tears in her voice. "No one does!"

"I respect that. I do." He walked to the door and yanked it open.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed. I'm not going to hear anymore nonsense coming from you."

"That won't be for long. You as well as everyone else know I might as well be the first person dead."

"You said that before... in the elevator." He stared out at the wall across from her door. The same wall he had listened to her cry from. "You're not going to die, Adrianna."

"You crazy, Hollux? I don't have survival skills. I got lucky with a bow and arrow, okay. Who says it's gonna be a continuing trend though? I'm going to die no matter what happens tomorrow or the next day or on Hamma's birthday. No one can be sure I'm gonna make it out alive." He ran quickly to her. She gasped.

"Listen to me, Adrianna! You're not going to die! You are going to make it out of the Hunger Games! I assure you of that! I'm going to make sure it happens! And if I die and can't protect you, I know you'll survive! Look at yourself! How long have you been living on your own? You've survived all this time! The cold nights, hot days, illnesses. You're a survivor! You will go back to District 12." He released the hold he had been keeping on her arm and stormed out the door.

"Hollux?" he heard her call. Hollux!" What just happened? It seemed like I went in some sort of trance and just started yelling at her. I feel bad now. I shouldn't yell at her. Nothing's her fault. Things just happen. I still feel bad though. I feel bad for many things. Things I've done in the past more than the present. He opened his bedroom door and sat on the bed. He sighed into his hands as he remembered meeting her for the first time. She probably doesn't even remember... If I'm eighteen and we're two years apart, she must've been about five years old.

"Who're you?" little seven year old me asked. Little five year old Adrianna looked up from her knees. She sat against a broken wall on the dirty street. "Where's your mama?"

"I don't got a mama," she answered.

"Who're you?" I asked again.

"I Adwianna."

"I'm Hollux. Why don't you have a mama? You only got a dada?"

"No."

"Then who'd you got?"

"I got nobody."

"Nobody?"

"Nobody..." She sighed and I sat next to her.

"Why you got nobody?" I asked.

"Whoeva' my mama and dada arew..." she sniffled," they left me herw."

"Why?"

"Me no know."

"You talk funny!" I laughed. She gave me a death stare.

"Don't be sow meany."

"I don't mean to. You just talk funny."

"Well, nobody eva' taught me howe."

"Can I teach you?" I asked.

"You would?"

"Yeah!" I was disobeying my mother's only rule, but I didn't care. She was so little and I was a small naive child. "We can start now!" She gleamed. I sat with her all day that day. I helped her with her speech and word pronunciation. She was so happy by the time I left. I told my mother the next day that I was going to play with some friends. I really went with her again. Our friendship didn't last long though. My mother had found out about my meeting her and forbid me from her forever.

"Why do you have to leave me, Hollu?" she had asked me when I told her I couldn't talk to her anymore. "Why?"

"I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, Adri," I had replied. I turned around and left her in the cold rain. Over the years, I had kept my watch on her. She seemed to forget all about me. Or perhaps I grew up so much she didn't recognize me. I watched her though. She grew into a beautiful, homeless flower. She was breath-taking even in her ratty clothes. I used to eavesdrop on her conversations with a woman named Greasy Sae. I learned her personality and started to fall in love with her. Then it all went downhill when we were both called for the Hunger Games.

"Why us?" he asked himself when he had finished remembering. "Why us?" He sighed and got undressed. He tucked himself into bed and said one last thing before falling asleep. "Tomorrow's the Hunger Games." He spoke to Adrianna and himself. "Hollux, Adrianna, may the odds be ever in your favor."

Like it? Did I mention you can read either Hollux OR Adrianna? Well you can. Boy's side or girl's side? Choose what you want. You can read both of them if you want to get a clue on both of their thoughts. Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!