Ok, here we go! The first Reapings!

Kissaki Grav- District 1

As my gold alarm clock goes off, I am annoyed for a minute. Darn, I wanted to sleep in. Then I remember, it's Reaping day! Time to fulfill my destiny! I barely notice the passage of time, the whole day is a blur. I don't know what I ate for breakfast, or what I'm wearing. Finally, it's Reaping time. As I pass the girls' area, Peridot Still says to me, "Hey, Kissaki. Must be a lot of pressure on you, huh? I mean, with your parents…" She's right, though. My mom won the 108th Hunger Games, and my dad took the 109th. Oops, Peridot is still talking. "It stinks. I mean, you have to be against me? Shame. Hey, I'll tell your parents not to be too sad when I come home and you don't." Ugh, Peridot and her trash talking. We'll se who's talking in the Career pack, when she's dead and I'm fighting for the crown.

Oh, it's time. The Mayor gives his long, boring speech, but all I'm thinking about is that in 2 weeks, I'll be the winner. I might not even join the Careers, unless they're winners. I will always ally with a winner. The mayor finally shuts up and Sally takes the stage. She's our escort, and with a giant purple wig and about a million tattoos, she's a Capitol woman all the way. She reads the name, and before she even finishes, I leap up."I volunteer!"

I see some other kids glare at me. I guess, being a 14-year-old, I stole their chances at glory. Oh well, suckers, take it out on me later, when I'm a victor. Sally pulls the girl's name, and Peridot volunteers. Oh, well, maybe someone else will kill her before I have to.

Peridot Still- District 1

I wake up at 6 in the morning. At first, I just lie in bed. Then Brynn comes in. "Peridot, are you up? It's reaping day!"

"Oh, yeah! I forgot!"

I jump out of bed and get dressed. I'm terrified. I probably won't get reaped, but should I volunteer? Our family is pretty rich from Brynn's winnings, so we don't need money, but I need to prove to my parents and Brynn that I have skills. At breakfast, my family realizes that.

Brynn says, "Peridot, don't volunteer. You don't need to prove anything to us."

Lindsey, my 8-year-old sister, adds: "Yeah, don't trust Brynn with your life, you'll be dead in seconds!" That's right, Brynn would be my mentor this year! My mom says, "Lindsey, stop it! Although I do agree. Peridot, you don't need to prove anything to us, we love you anyway."

My dad is strangely silent, playing with his fork. Of course, all of their arguing against me only serves to make me more determined. I decide: I will volunteer.

Reaping time comes quickly. Standing with the other 15-year-old girls, I see Kissaki Grav coming my way. He really gets on my nerves. I shout some trash-talk to him, while thinking how easy it will be to kill him. He predictably volunteers, and now it's my turn. Our escort Sally pulls out a slip. "McKenna DiMarco." Last chance to back out. Should I volunteer? Before my brain decides, my mouth does. "I volunteer as tribute!" I walk up to the stage. Kissaki and I shake hands, both trying to crush each other's fingers. I'm going to the Capitol!