Like three months into the story, the Reapings are finally done!

Galvan Fabre, District Five male (18)

The wall was just a few feet ahead of me. I gave another kick and shot through the water, spinning neatly at the edge of the concrete pool. Droplets of water swirled in my goggles as I spun underwater, my hair just grazing the edge of the pool before I was pointed the other way and already swimming as fast as I could. Just because there was no one around was no reason not to push myself. If I couldn't compete with someone else I would just compete with myself. That was why I always brought a stopwatch when I walked down to the pool. Every day I counted my stars that I was lucky enough to be born in Five in a nice enough area that I had access to a pool. Ever since I was eight years old and saved every penny of my allowance I had bought an annual pass. Now that I was older and could work at real jobs it was a lot easier. Work was terminally boring and killed my soul but it was worth it to jump into the water and feel it open around me before it sealed over my head and I was in like a fish.

Oftentimes there were other people at the pool when I came, but this time it was too early- I'd been impatient. It was weird being by myself. I usually had at least one or two friends around. Even if I was somewhere entirely new, before long I'd have some brand-new friends- it was just easy for me. I'd join into any activity if it let me push myself and maybe come out on top. I did try to be a good sport, though- just because I liked winning was no excuse to hog the spotlight or ruin the fun for more casual hobbyists.

I wonder how much of a head start I would need to finish a lap before an orca, I thought idly as I swam. It was funny how even when I was totally devoted to getting something done I could still be thinking of twenty things at once. And it was either that or the exact opposite- sometimes I wouldn't even notice I was focusing so tightly a bomb could go off by my ear without me noticing. Anyway, I'd probably need a really big head start to beat an orca. I'd read a lot about them and obviously they were really fast, since they were apex predators and all.

A little bit of water went up my nose, despite the noseplug I was wearing, and it tickled. I wiggled my nose uncomfortably as I kept up my laps. If I could just swim for a living my life would be perfect. That probably wasn't possible, of course. I was really good and all, and I'd try out in a heartbeat if the Capitol ever opened up tryouts for their team, but I'd never heard of them doing that. Probably you had to get picked by a scout and I doubted a Capitol talent scout would be hanging around a community pool in backwater Five.

Maybe I could be a lifeguard. I'd probably get to use the pool free then. It wouldn't pay much but I didn't mind living in a not-too-nice apartment. I could get a few roommates to lower the rent. I would have gotten roommates anyway. Living alone would feel so isolated.

I tapped the wall one last time, finishing the final lap. If I get roommates, should I ask my friends or should I get new people and make new friends? Maybe some of both- one new roommate and two old friends? Or would the new person feel awkward? I guess it depends on whether my friends even want to room with me.

Something pricked at my mind. It came to me suddenly and I scooped up the stopwatch I'd forgotten to stop. Ah, nuts, I thought as I looked at the now-useless timer that didn't actually tell me how fast I'd gone. Oh well, guess I'll do it again.

Wren Humboldt, District Five female (17)

Working in Donut You Want Some was... it paid the bills. Not that I had many bills, since I lived with my parents, but I did have expensive tastes. I wasn't just any runner. I was an elite runner, at least if you asked me, and I didn't care to ask anyone else. An elite runner needed elite shoes. Elite shoes cost elite money. So that was why I worked at Donut You Want Some.

"Hello, welcome to Donut You Want Some, can I get you what you want?" I asked as a middle-aged woman approached the counter. We didn't actually have a catchphrase but I made up my own. Anything to break up the boredom and monotony.

"Hi, can I have a dozen, please?" the woman started. I picked up the tongs to pick out whichever she wanted. "Half a dozen glazed and half a dozen plain."

"Why do we even have plain donuts?" I asked as I plucked them out one at a time. "That's so boring."

"What?" the woman asked. I looked up from the donut display and saw she was definitely annoyed. I wasn't good with voice tones but I'd seen enough annoyed people to know what that looked like.

"Oh-" I backpedaled. I'd already gotten in enough trouble with Mr. Bailey for scaring off customers. Was it really my fault that my mouth moved faster than my brain? Yes, it totally was, but since I didn't want to admit that I'd rhetorically ask if it was my fault.

"I've just been working here too long," I lamely starting excusing myself. "I've had so many donuts they all blur."

"What a strange thing to say," the woman said, taking her bag of donuts like she was afraid I'd rub off on her if our hands brushed.

"Don't listen to me. The donuts here are way better than the workers. Okay, do listen to that part," I said. I gave a cheesy smile as the woman gave me a last disapproving look and left.

"Wren!" Mr. Bailey called as soon as she was gone. I grimaced and then painted a smile on my face before I turned.

"Yeah, what's up?" I asked innocently.

"What have we discussed?" Mr. Bailey said, looking down at me with a sour face.

"Not scaring away the customers," I said, the words coming easily since I'd said them so many times before.

"And how is that going?" Mr. Bailey asked. One good thing about Mr. Bailey, and one big reason I still had a job, was that he had my same sense of humor.

"She bought the donuts before she left so I'd say it's going okay," I said. Really we were at a stalemate. Mr. Bailey couldn't fire me because he paid minimum wage and workers always left to go somewhere better. I couldn't leave because no one else would hire me.

"Why do I even keep you around?" Mr. Bailey said, like he'd said a million times before. The phone rang just after he spoke and gave me the perfect opportunity for my usual reply.

"Because I'm the fastest delivery girl in Five."

Wren: Wren is tall, about 5'9", with pale skin, freckles, and pale, grey-blue eyes. She's a bit gangly, but lithe.

Galvan: Galvan is of French descent. He is lean and muscular from his lifetime of swimming. He is on the tall side for his age, but not noticeably tall. He has pale skin and medium-length, medium-brown hair that falls in waves to his mid-neck. He has hazel eyes.