Faye yawned as she got up from bed. She sighed, it would be a perfect day, if only it wasn't the reaping. There was a huge chance that she would be picked as she had taken tessarae for poor Evelyn who had to take care of her. There wasn't much to do except wait for the 24 names that would be called. She hoped that her name would not be one of them especially since District 6 never had many winners.
She looked into the mirror in the bathroom. She saw a reflection of a brown haired 14 year old girl with hazel eyes and a pretty smile.
"Breakfast!" Evelyn cried from downstairs. Faye had lived with Evelyn, a 56 year old woman who had been taking care of her for as long as she could remember. She never really knew her parents except that she had her mother's looks and her father's personalities. Evelyn had only gotten as far to sharing that much when all of a sudden she would say that she would have to go the bathroom.
Faye reached out to touch the mirror. The girl in front of her copied. She remembered how she was going outside when she heard Evelyn quietly sobbing in the bathroom.
"Faye!" Evelyn called from downstairs again. Faye pulled herself together and headed to the kitchen.
"Good morning." Faye said biting her lip. She could feel the tension and awkwardness hanging in the air.
"Here," Evelyn said nudging a plate with a warm slice of pie she had just made.
"Thanks." Faye said cupping her chin in her left hand and poking around with her pie with a fork.
"Aww," Evelyn sighed pulling Faye into a hug, "It's okay, it's not like you'll be getting picked."
"Yeah," Faye muttered, "but it still means that today, 24 families will be mourning."
She stood up suddenly angry. "Why does the Capital do this to us? I hate President Snow! He ruins our lives! Why is it that they have complete control over us? It's like were puppets on a string. They are in charge of us, like we're some kind of object!" Faye burst into tears sobbing from her outburst. Evelyn took Faye into an embrace and rocked her back and forth on her lap.
"Now, now," Evelyn soothed, "we better get on our way to the Reaping."
Faye reluctantly let go of Evelyn's hand as she walked over to the 14 year old section. She looked behind her with every step as if Evelyn would disappear any second. She watched as Evelyn blended into the crowd.
"Hey," someone said behind her. She turned around and found Lana and Mauve.
"Happy Hunger Games!" Faye tried to be upbeat and excited.
"And may the odds ever be in your favor!" replied Mauve, setting them off into fits of giggles. A bunch of people nearby had started staring at them.
"Worried?" Syre asked. Faye rolled her eyes as Syre touched his messy mop of hair obviously nervous.
"Yes," Faye admitted.
"Everyone is." He stated, gesturing.
"Doesn't seem like it though." Faye looked around at the many people who were jumping around and goofing off.
"They're just pretending like nothing is going to happen. They want to hope and pretend that if everything is okay, everything will be." Syer took in a breath. Faye could see his sea green eyes start to stare off into the distance as if he was thinking about something.
"Good luck." Syre said suddenly and hurried back into the mass of 14 year olds. Faye remembered that they used to be best of friends until Syre's mother died. Then, it seemed like Syre forgot about the rest of the world. Most everyone had lost touch with him and he slowly became invisible. Her thoughts were interrupted by a awful squeak.
"Happy Hunger Games!" She saw a lady with a neon pink wig – she could tell it was a wig since it was bit lopsided—jumping up and down giddy with energy. Faye wanted to punch her, for being so oblivious that 23 people would have to die.
"And may the odds ever be in your favor!" The lady didn't exactly leave the center stage, as if she liked the spotlight, as the mayor began his speech about the Hunger Games and droned on and on and on. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the reaping began.
"Ladies first!" Neon Wig Person chirped. Her hand swirled around the jar containing thousands of scrawled names.
"The girl tribute of District 6 is…" Neon Pink Person fumbled and finally grasped a creased slip of paper. You could hear a sharp intake of breath from the crowd.
"Faye Swanze!" I could feel the eyes starting to stare at me.
People created a passageway for me to walk through. I stared at the sky in a daze as if I would suddenly wake up from this terrible nightmare. I could feel my eyes well up and start to burn as I began furiously blinking. Now people would think I had problems with my eyes too. I walked up to the stage as slowly as I could.
"Volunteers?" Neon Pink Person squeaked. I didn't expect any and I was right. I could see Evelyn fainting to the ground and a bunch of people nearby helping her to her feet. I couldn't look anymore.
My eyes trailed to Syre where he stood staring back into my eyes. A few of the popular kids in my grade were silent as if their memories of taunting and teasing me had come back. I wondered if they were sorry for me. Syre held up his three middle fingers to his lips and raised them to me. Soon, everyone began giving me the sign of respect. I hoped they really meant it.
"And the boy tribute of this year is Syre Rylan!" A mutter of shock went throughout the people. They knew we were good friends before. At that moment, my mind began to go blank—for once—I mused. Then, I began to fall.
