District One Reaping! Enjoy and please review! There is still more tributes available, so keep submitting!
Scarlett Warner's POV
"You look amazing!" my best friend, Jenna tells me when we meet.
"Greater than usual anyways," my other friend, Vic says with his usual mischievous grin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, trying to sound annoyed even though I am grinning back.
I twirl my dirty blond hair around my finger out of habit. I find that I do it most when I'm being complimented.
I've been trying to get rid of this silly habit for the longest time.
It seemed to start when I began to realize I had feelings for Marv Cunningham. Whenever I would see him, I would do this stupidly. No other guy had made me do that before.
I remind myself that he is not here and then my fingers release from my hair.
If only I got to see my boyfriend more, he lives in District 2… but this never stopped us from being together.
I am fortunate enough to have my parents be important business people of our District. Don't ask me what exactly they do because this hasn't ever been a topic of interest for me in the past 18 years of my life.
All that is important to me is that this is how we met.
When I was six my parents took me to District 2 with them to the Mayor's house where I became friends with the Mayor's son, Marv who eventually became my love.
I've had plenty of other boyfriends but none of the others compare to him.
I'll never tire of telling people I'm dating a Mayor's son or babbling on to my friends about our latest visit together.
We meet every few months to train for the Games which was really my parents suggestion, not mine.
The only reason I agreed to it was so I could see him more.
This is Marv's year to volunteer, and it's the day he's been talking about for ages.
He says he wants to bring more honor and money to his family and me but I don't see how you can get any better than a Mayor's son.
Honestly I hope he doesn't volunteer.
Here in the Career Districts, we have a system in our training academies where volunteers are chosen and no one else is allowed to volunteer.
The punishment for volunteering anyways has never been voiced but I'm sure it is a high one.
The Reaping is hardly needed at all, everyone knows who is going to volunteer.
Jenna grabs my arm and drags me along with her to the square, pulling us away from Vic who has found some other friends.
"Was Marv chosen to volunteer?" She asks.
I nod with a scowl on my face.
She's heard me complain enough to know I didn't want this to happen.
"Don't worry, he'll surely win! You guys trained together didn't you?"
I nod again. "But that doesn't mean he will for sure come back! Anything could happen in these Games!" I exclaim unhappily.
What she doesn't understand is that everyone uses this excuse or reasoning. "They will win!"
Do they not understand there can only be one victor? Just one. This does not put the odds in everyone's favor.
"Shh! Keep your voice down," she quickly says to me, not used to any talk of dislike of these Games.
"Can't you lighten up, Scar? You're supposed to be to be supportive! He's your boyfriend after all!" She points out, shaming my behavior.
I know she is right but I can't help but worry a bit. I can't lose him.
I have to admit his obsession of the Hunger Games always annoyed me in the first place.
"He won't even get to see me in this!" I complain, holding out my arms so she can see the purple dress and silver heels I spent hours picking out for this day.
"The other guys will," she says with a wink.
"Jenna!" I exclaim in surprise, playfully slapping her arm.
We both erupt into laughter.
"I'm just saying. Even Vic's got his eye on you," she points out.
"No he doesn't," I scoff.
She is about to respond to me but instead looks up at the stage where our District escort, Zaria, is stepping up to the microphone wearing a hideous green wig and a bright pink dress.
The whole outfit just screams overkill.
"Can Capital fashion get any worse?" Jenna whispers to me.
She taps the microphone to get out attention with her head held with pride she doesn't have.
"Hello everyone! Happy Hunger Games!" Her voice booms.
"Happy Hunger Games!" The crowd cheers back enthusiastically.
"Let's start with the ladies," she says after we've watched the Capital video that's played every year about the dark ages.
She walks over to the Reaping bowl but doesn't reach in.
"Any volunteers?" She asks.
Everyone looks around for Betsey Huven, the girl who was chosen to volunteer.
I think she has been located but doesn't say a word.
A murmuring begins in the crowd. No one has ever chickened out of volunteering. At least not from what I remember.
"Alrighty!" Zaria squeals, reaching her hand in the bowl and pulling out a name.
Most of us are still in shock that nobody has volunteered.
I think many others would have been glad to take her place, but nobody disobeys the training academy's choices.
"Scarlett Warner!"
I lift my head up at the sound of my name. People begin to turn to look at me.
For a moment I forget what this means.
"Scar…you might want to…" Jenna whispers, not knowing what to say.
I look back at her and then up at the stage and my realization sets in.
I am now in the Hunger Games and will be fighting for my life. Marv will most likely be doing the same.
I can't think about what the next phrase would be.
I can't do this! I feel as if I'm going to faint. I need to relax; maybe he ended up not volunteering.
I find my parents in the crowd as I step towards the step and they give me a reassuring smile.
I am Scarlett Warner for goodness sakes! I will never dishonor my family or myself.
I look out onto the crowd and begin blowing kisses. I find a guy in the crowd and wink at him, and then finally give out a winning smile to top it off.
"Now for the gentleman," Zaria says once the cheering has died down.
Then a voice rings out over the crowd.
"I volunteer!"
Fedora Shine's POV
I tighten my black tie and stare at myself in the mirror.
I'm certainly used to dressing up for my clients, or dressing down I should really call it… but this is a very different occasion.
The reaping. The day of anticipation.
I don't know either of the two volunteers personally, but their names have been everywhere already.
But of course no one knows about my plan. These academies that chose the volunteers have no real control over the Reaping, the Capital does. And all they care about is getting their tributes.
They can't stop me from volunteering.
Besides, I've seen the chosen guy around before. He's just an annoying rich kid like most everybody else in this District. He doesn't need to bring honor upon himself because he already has it.
These Games are my chance. My chance to give my mother a life she deserves, where she doesn't have to sell herself to keep us both alive. It's my one chance to bring honor to her and I. This chance cannot be thrown away.
So some rich guy misses his chance to shower himself with more gold, so what?
I refuse to back out of my plan.
This is the last year I will be eligible for the Games. This is my year.
I'm not sure how long I've stood staring at the reflection of my sandy blond hair and my green eyes, but I've been staring off long enough to not notice Silk standing behind me.
"Have you been admiring the handsome guy in the mirror all morning?" She teases.
I can't help but smirk at this remark.
"He is pretty handsome," I reply, making her laugh.
"Where did you come from?" I ask her.
"I had a client this morning, so I decided to stop by. I'd rather go to the Reaping with you than I would anyone else," she explains.
I know what she means. Silk and I started out jobs at the same time. We understand each other; we both lead similar lives and intentions. She is the person I trust most.
"You had a client around here?" I ask her in confusion.
My mother and I don't live in the rich part of District 1, which is where almost all of our clients come from.
"I thought it was strange too. But the guy had the money," she says.
I don't respond so she changes the subject.
"We should get going."
For a moment I wonder if I should tell her my plans for today, but I decide it would be best if no one knew.
As usual, when we walk into the square we are ignored or given dirty looks by people who know what we do and disgrace us. We've learned not to care.
Zaria comes up to the stage and does her usual opening of "Happy Hunger Games!" and everyone yells it back cheerfully.
I yell with them.
She goes over to the bowl but first asks for volunteers. Everyone waits for Betsey to either shout out or just make her way to the stage.
Nothing happens.
So of course, Zaria moves on and pulls out a name.
"That girl is in for it now," Silk mutters.
"Scarlett Warner!" Zaria declares, pulling out a name and reading it.
I have no idea who this girl is but it makes me realize how close my moment is.
"Now for the gentlemen," she begins.
I pull together all the confidence I have.
"I volunteer!" I shout out before the other guy can.
I can feel Silk staring at me in shock but I make sure to focus on the stage.
I begin to stride towards it and then I climb the stairs.
"And what is your name?" Zaria asks.
"Fedora Shine," I say with a huge smile.
The cheers begin.
"Shake hands," Zaria orders us.
We look at each other and simply do as we were told. We meet eyes and she gives me a friendly smile. But I can tell she doesn't like me.
"Happy Hunger Games!" I shout again to the crowd.
They shout it back enthusiastically and I smile.
Then we are lead to city hall to say our goodbyes.
My mother runs in.
"What are you doing? I thought that-" she begins, running over to me.
"I'm going to get us a better life. Where we will be honored," I tell her simply.
She nods with a smile but tears are rolling down her cheeks.
She hugs me.
"I wish you didn't have to do this," she says, crying more.
"I'll come back. You're just going to have to trust me," I reassure her.
Not much else is said and then she is told by Peacekeepers to go.
Minutes later, Silk comes storming in through the doors as I predicted.
"What the hell was that?!" She demands.
"I volunteered." I state with a chuckle.
"So you just spontaneously decided to do this?" She asks.
"I've had it planned for a while," I admit.
She isn't angry with me for not telling her surprisingly, or she just isn't going to say anything about it.
"You better come back," she tells me.
"You just want me to come back because you know you'll be lonely," I tease.
She just grins at me.
Then she leaves without another word and I am left thinking how lucky I am to have her as a friend.
I must come back and bring both her and my mother a better life.