Andrew Rodriguez, 17, D11 Male

Coffee has never been my favorite drink. Although the caretakers claim they need it to survive and endure countless days caring after the other orphans, it always tasted like rotten sock juice to me.

"You can grab a cup if you'd like, Andrew, since you've been so helpful lately." Mrs. Carlisle, one of the oldest caretakers, sips happily from her mug. Although I have no taste for the drink, I do as she says and pour some steaming coffee for myself.

Trish, a younger woman who is mainly in charge of foundling babies, turns to me. "How did you even acquire such a strong brew? The only coffee I've ever had tastes like water!" Her voice is high-pitched and her words almost jumbled.

I chuckle sheepishly. "Well, you know, I just gave the coffee stand lady a lot of rhubarb for some actually fresh beans from District 9." I emphasize the fact that most foodstuff that is provided for us by the district is rotten in some way. Mushy, brown apples or rock-solid bread are a common staple.

The ladies go on to thank the heavens that they ever found a friend in me. I'm thankful, too, because before I started doing favors for these women, I was just as miserable as the rest of the many orphans in Eleven. Now, along with the rest of us in the orphanage attempting to suck up to our guardians, our living conditions have improved. It might be a sacrifice of pride, but at least a chorus of growling stomachs isn't the last thing I fall asleep to.

I start to feel slightly drowsy. Confused, I ask Trish if coffee makes you sleepy.

"The opposite! It's supposed to make you feel wired!"

The ladies erupt into laughter as keeping my eyelids open is starting to become more and more difficult.

I excuse myself to go take a nap, and before I even know if they heard me I drag myself into the room I share with seventeen other orphans my age. I pass out before I feel my head hit the pillow.

…

Stone walls are the first thing I notice. At first I assumed I'd ended up in prison, somehow. But I don't remember committing any crime.

I glance over at the rich velvet curtains framing the floor-to-ceiling windows that are illuminating the chamber with glowing morning light. This is no prison. This is a castle.

"Andy, hurry up or you'll miss breakfast!" Gabe's voice is calling out for me but I can't find him anywhere. A red cloak trimmed with expensive-looking fur floats onto my shoulders somehow, along with a gold crown that settles onto my head. I guess I'm the king.

A king must eat well, as became apparent at the breakfast banquet that was waiting for me once I descended the massive staircase from my chamber. A lot of the food was unrecognizable, but very filling. I don't think I've ever eaten this much in my entire life! Gabe and Ethan chat animatedly next to me, but I stay silent as I busy myself stuffing each delicious piece of food into my mouth. My fists are full of bacon as Ethan bangs on the table to get my attention.

My best friend has always been bold, but he surprises me with what he says next.

"Okay, King Andy, ready for the joust?" Ethan crosses his arms and smiles smugly.

"What joust?" I ask, confused. Gabe glances at Ethan and the both snicker.

"The jousting tournament, duh!"

I blink and I'm atop a palfrey, hardly the right horse for an occasion like this. A long stick is in my hand, and I notice Baily standing at the side of my horse, her hands clasped. Baily has always been someone I could trust, and I confide in her that I truly don't know what's going on.

"That's okay, Andy, just win for me, okay?" For once, her words are anything but soothing, and before I know it the horse is galloping across a field. Another horse is coming at me at blistering speed, though I can't see who the rider is underneath their glittering armor.

"Ahh!" I squeeze my eyes shut as I feel my stomach drop and the sensation of being hit on the head.

...

"Hey, hey, hey, it's alright Andy!" I hear a familiar voice over me, consoling me in a way only one person I know can.

Baily tells me that I was shouting in my sleep and that she came over to our room as soon as she heard.

"The others were a bit annoyed, but it's alright, it happens." Baily's conciliatory tone makes my heart rate finally slow.

"Are the caretakers mad at me?" I question, already certain that a punishment would follow for waking them from their 'beauty sleep', as they call it.

"No, actually, they're all so fast asleep I almost thought they died."

That's surprising. Typically, even some whispered exchange between beds would send one of the women to our room, screaming at us to go to sleep. I tell Baily that the caffeine they had earlier must have done them in.

"Well, job well done," she says, her smile visible even in the dark. "Keep that up and we might actually be able to get some real rest." Baily rises and waves to me as she slinks out of the room, careful to not wake any other children. The creaky floorboards often betray the silence of those just looking for the bathroom or a drink of water.

I toss and turn in the sheets for a few minutes, which wakes Ethan. He turns over on his side, his head in his hand.

"Can't sleep?" His tone is chipper, like he had never been asleep at all. I wonder if he was listening to Baily and I.

"Nah, I just had a weird dream and was talking in my sleep, I guess."

Ethan bursts into laughter. "Talking? Dude, you were babbling like a baby, then you were screaming!" He continues to laugh and I feel my cheeks grow warm.

"We all have weird dreams, Ethan," I mutter, trying to brush it off.

"Yeah, but we don't all have a Baily to rub our backs to make us feel better," he mocks, his voice sounding like baby talk. I throw a pillow at him, hissing. He is my partner in crime, but he sure does know how to push my buttons.

"Shut the hell up and go to bed."

Here is Andrew! Hope you liked this kiddo. Last intro chapter will be the District 12 kids then we will finally move on! Yay!

Please review as always, it means the world! Thank you for reading!

-Aemma