Authours note: Another chapter~! Okay so in case people are confused, Bella is Belguim I am half Belgian so I always like to include her in my fanfics ^.^ and Lars is Netherlands. I don't like OCs so Paulette is Wy who is probably acting very oc but I'm not familiar with her character as much so . . . I don't own Hetalia (this goes for the last chapter too) Enjoy~!
Chapter 3 - District 6 Bella and Lars
Bella yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Sunlight streamed through her window announcing the horrid day had begun. Drowsily she threw on some clothes and left her room. Her mother greeted her from the kitchen, putting a small plate of rice and beans on the table.
The reaping was a horrible day with benefits. Bella never really worried as much about the actual event, for the likelihood of her being chosen was very small. Of course there was still that looming worry. However the day also benefited her, letting her sleep in and have a bit of extra food.
After scarfing down her meal she retired to her room to fully prepare for the day, brushing out her short blond hair and tying it back in its trademark red ribbon, and slipping on an old blue dress. All of a sudden the door burst open, revealing a little girl.
"Bella! don't go yet! I didn't finish your reaping present yet!" Bella turned to her four year old sister and placed a comforting hand on her head.
"Don't worry sweetie I won't be gone long, i promise." The little girl looked up at her with big brown eyes.
"Really?" Bella laughed lightly, "Of course Paulette." the little one scampered out of the room at that claiming she was going to finish her present.
Bella smiled and finished getting ready. Before she knew it her mother and sister were following her to the old run-down town square. Bella tried to walk with confidence, but her nerves just got more and more tight.
She was only 16, she should be used to this routine by now. Still her legs felt like lead when she finally reached the platform for the 16 year olds, nervously biting her lip out of habit. The gaudily dressed woman strutted onto the stage, grinning to the cameras set up around the place.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the 99th annual hunger games." And with that she strode over to the first fishbowl like glass. "Ladies first~!" she sang merrily, dipping her hand into the bowl and removing the first card on the top. "Bella Blommen." Bella's heart stopped. She stood there a moment slowly processing the information, before slowly and mechanically moving towards the stage.
The woman turned to the other bowl, deftly plucking another card from the pile, "And for the boys, Lars Apers!" A tall, menacing looking man with spiked up grayish hair made his way to the stage from the 18 year old section. Bella swallowed harshly. He would be one of her opponents . . .
she would have to kill him, unless someone else did that for her. Shaking her head she faced the crowd of people. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you this year's tributes!" She exclaimed cheerfully. Bella placed two fingers and her lips and made a kissing motion, pointing her fingertips at where she assumed her little sister was in the crowd.
it was something she always did to say goodnight to Paulette, she figured it would work now too. Be brave Bells you can win this for her or at least go down fighting. surprisingly she noticed a few people repeating the kissing gesture back to her, just a couple people she helped babysit for and the two blobs in the distance she assumed was her family.
Still she felt a smile crawl across her face. She had to come back to them. The boy beside her just stoically stared into the audience, no emotion on his face what so ever. She was then ushered into a beautifully decorated room inside the justice hall.
Bella rigidly sat, folding her quivering hands in her lap. The door swung open and she jumped slightly in her seat, her nerves going crazy. In ran a blur of a four year old, already in tears. Little Paulette lung herself into Bella's open arms.
"B-bells! you said they wouldn't call you! you promised!" The young girl sobbed.
"shh its okay baby, I recall my promise being that I will be back soon, I will win for you okay, you don't have to worry any more, I'll win it all for you okay?" She smoothed the girls brown ponytail, slightly tilting her head up to look into her eyes. "o-okay."
She kissed the top of her head then looked up to where her mother stood. "Mom, I'll be fine, just take care of her okay?"
The woman bit her lip and nodded, clearly holding back tears, trying to be strong for her daughter. Bella rose from her seat and beckoned for them all to group hug.
"I love you both, we'll see each other again okay?" Bella spoke quietly. "I love you too." came a voice from her mother, then a small sniffle came from her little sister. Minutes later they were ushered out and Bella sat in the silence for a little longer before guards arrived at the door, grabbing her lightly by the shoulders and escorting her throughout the building, reaching the back where a small platform stood and a huge chrome covered train loomed before her, it was the vehicle that would take her far away from home, to an arena where she would most likely die.
Staring bravely into the cameras that bombarded her at the station she boarded the train. leaving all of her memories behind. she was going to win. She had too.
A/N The next chapter will be up really soon! Thank you to Exploding Albino potatoe for reviewing!