Angel woke to see the sun shining into her room. She stretched and twisted around in her bed to rid herself of the kinks sleep had brought. This forced her to roll out of her bed and hit the ground with a thud. She giggled as she pulled her covers off of her head. Abruptly, she stopped. She finished untangling herself in silence. Today was the Reaping. She had been stupid to forget that.

With her father having a good job, Angel lived in the nicer part of District 6. Money was no issue so her clothes were pretty and in a neat pile at the end of her bed. A few minutes later, she wore the pink flowery dress with its blue ribbon belt and carrying the matching umbrella. It didn't look like it would rain, but she didn't care. It would make a good accessory nonetheless. Speaking of accessories, she slipped her lucky paintbrush into the back of her belt.

Sitting in front of her bedroom mirror, Angel curled her auburn hair giving it a slight wild look to it. She framed her big violet eyes with her navy blue mascara. It had been a gift from her father not too long ago. She always loved looking nice.

On her way to the kitchen, she crept passed her seventeen year old brother's room. He had three years on her and always beat on her. She was lucky that his crackling music player was going pretty loud. Even if you did make good money, the products weren't always the best. With the door almost shut, Angel was able to sneak past.

In the kitchen, her father was laying out breakfast on the table. He looked up as she entered and gave her a small smile.

"Come eat," he said quietly as he sat down across from what would be her place. "You look nice today."

Angel loved her father. He was always so nice even if he was quiet and talking to him was usually rare. Ever sense she had been eligible for the Reaping, he had always been a comfort.

"Thank you," she said as she began her breakfast.

Her father finished before her and before she could eat everything on her plate, her brother walked into the room. Almost spilling her juice, Angel pushed her plate back and, more carefully, stood up, eyes downcast.

"I'm going to the square, father," she said as she quickly as she headed to the door. Her brother bumped her shoulder sharply as they passed. She winced. Angel knew that there was probably a bruise there from the last time he had gotten angry.

Her father looked up from the dishes. "I'll come with you, Angel."

Angel smiled at the doorway. "Okay," she replied. She went outside and waited there. Soon her father came out and they started towards the Justice Building where the ceremony would take place. It was a quiet journey, with her father saying a few comforting words. For Angel, they were enough to calm her for the Reaping.

Robert's day began like any other. Waking up, getting dressed, only today in his nicer pants and shirt, combing through his thick brown hair, and jacket, and breakfast with his parents. Since they both worked hard at the apothecary and made enough to keep their life comfortable enough, they had decided to have only one child. Soon, he said farewell and headed to the Reaping.

He smiled and greeted his cousins that were playing in the streets, procrastinating going to the Reapings. He understood how they felt; he didn't want to go anymore than they did, anymore than the rest of the District did.

Nearing the Justice Building, Robert watched as the kids from his grade signed in and filed into the seventeen and eighteen year old sections. They were in their last year of school, Robert was the only one heading to the sixteen years old section. Apparently, he had been announced too smart of his current grade several years ago and was moved up. He still had two more years of the Reaping to go while they were just about to step out of this part of their lives.

Thinking over all this, Robert settled into listening to the mayor talk. He had heard it all his life and still he wondered why the sixty-first Hunger Games were about to begin. How long would this inhumane behavior go on? Surely one day something would happen, something to cause the Capitol to finally release its grip. That or the entire human race would be destroyed and then there would be nothing to worry about.

His thoughts almost came to a complete halt and switch directions as District 6's escort made his appearance. Broderick Yule was almost average looking when it came to comparing him and other Capitol citizens. Plus, spread some dirt on his face, decrease his portions and he could pass for a District citizen. Robert thought his way through Broderick's welcome speech which was just about impossible to do considering his announcer-like voice. Robert tried to imagine him with less muscle, not as bright blue eyes, and neat brown hair. Maybe then he could pass, but certainly not his personality.

"Why don't we switch it up a bit?" Broderick questioned as if he would get an answer. "Boys first?" He reached a large hand into the large glass bowl. "Alright then, Robert Foley, come on up!"

His loud deep voice carried out over the District's population. There was no doubt that anyone had missed the male Tribute's name.

Only Robert blinked as the words took extra long to process in his mind. Of course he had misheard, but, of course, there could be a problem that he was wrong. And he was.

Robert's legs carried him almost too quickly up to the stage.

Angel giggled with her friend, Laura, in the fourteen year old section, were gossiping about their regular talk. Really today was like any other. They hung out and talked like this, only, usually, they weren't about to find out who was about to go to certain death, the Hunger Games. With this in the back of her mind, Angel continued to take quick looks around her as if she expected the Peacekeepers to snatch her up and haul her to the stage.

Laura pushed her playfully. "Hey, stop worrying. Since you didn't have to sign up for tesserae you'll be fine. You have fewer slips in there than me, than most of us standing here. So stop worrying."

Angel took a deep breath and nodded at Laura's advice.

Seconds later, Broderick was speaking to the District, making jokes, most of which were met with silence. Angel watched sadly as the boy, Robert, approached the stage. As Broderick went over to the female tribute bowl, her heart tightened. She prayed that she wouldn't be picked.

Broderick reached his hand into the bowl. Not me. He mixed the slips around. Not me. He picked one out and unfolded it. Please, not me…

"Angel Skitz!"

All of a sudden, she couldn't breathe and it took a moment to realize that Laura was gripping her arm tightly, keeping her on her feet. Their eyes met as tears ran down Angel's face and she stabilized herself and made her way to the stage.

She could only stop the noise in the back of her throat, but she had no power over the silent tears that streamed down her face. Her hand was wet from wiping them as she and Robert's hands met. His look at her was sad, but there was already a calculating look behind his dark blue eyes.

Before Angel could come to a decision whether or not he was already strategizing for the Games, they were whisked away into separate rooms in the Justice Building. There, her family met her after a few moments by herself.

Her father sat down beside her, he didn't say anything but took her hand in his, her mother stood not too far off, and her brother leaned against the door puffing air frequently out of his mouth as he stared at the wall.

"Are you all right?" her father whispered.

Angel nodded, but then shook her head and hugged him tightly. Awkwardly, her mother came over, sat down, and rested her hand on Angel's back. A few minutes passed as her father and mother went back and forth giving her words of comfort and encouragement. Unable to connect with the emotions, Angel's brother sighed loudly and turned to leave.

"Whatever, I'm out of here. Don't die too quickly, Angel."

He opened the door just as a Peacekeeper was about to. He motioned that it was time to go.

Laura came next. They hugged and Angel spilled out everything that she had kept bottled up. She couldn't have spilt it to her father, she doubted he could've handled it. Laura was different. She listened quietly and hugged Angel even tighter when she had finished.

"Look, don't worry about them," she said with a small smile on her face. "I'll watch out for them, just in case."

Angel sighed in relief. "Thank you so much, Laura."

A stern expression crossed over her friend's face. "Now don't think about giving up just yet though, Angel. If you give up now you'll lose for sure."

Angel was about to reply when a Peacekeeper entered and motioned it was time to go.

Laura blinked back tears and stood. Angel stood as well and they embraced on final time.

"Good luck," she said before leaving with the Peacekeeper.

Robert looked up as his parents entered the small, but fancy room. They stood nervously on the other side of the room, fidgeting every so often, glancing from him to the floor to the walls to the trinkets decorating the room back to him. His mother chewed her lips and his father couldn't decide what to do with his hands. Finally, though it had only been a few seconds, Robert stood and covered the distance between him and his parents in a few quick strides and dedicated and arm to each parent, hugging them tightly. After a brief moment of surprise, they gripped him back just as tightly.

He pulled away, his mind already racing with the things that needed to be said, even if only to calm himself. Looking at both of them, he started.

"Keep the business going. I don't care what happens to me in the arena. You have to remember that, for you guys, there's a life after these Games. One that will no longer fill you with worry about me getting picked. That's all done now." His mother opened her mouth to object, but Robert shook his head. "You know it's true. You have to take care of yourselves. I know what these Games do to the tributes' families and you have to get by."

"You sound like you've given up," his mother said, her voice barely a whisper.

"I'm just worried about you guys," Robert replied as her took a few steps back.

His father placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And we're only worried about you." He looked to his wife. "We'll be fine, Robert, but not if you give up on yourself."

Robert gave them a smile, resembling one he'd give after solving an especially difficult problem only not as strong. "I figure my odds are the same as everyone else's, that is, everyone who hasn't been training their entire life."

"That's right," his mother added eagerly as she placed a gentle hand on his face. "You're so smart, sweetie."

A Peacekeeper entered and gave them all an expectant look.

"Just know I haven't given up yet," Robert said quickly as they began to back out the door, "and that I love you guys."

"We love you, too, Robert," his mother said. Her eyes filled and spilled over. His father nodded strongly in agreement before the door shut and they were gone.

Robert met back up with Angel and they took a car to where the train would then take them to the Capitol. Angel no longer had tears running down her face and he thought that they might not be so bad along the lines of District 6's past tributes.

I know it's been a long time, but I took some time out of studying today to post this chapter to let you guys know that I haven't given up this story. Basically everything's consuming my life right now so I'll try my best to get to this story as much as possible.

Also, if you guys are interested, I'll be posting a oneshot story for the Hunger Games either today or tomorrow. It's for Annie and I already have it all written out so it shouldn't be too hard to get up. Hope you guys enjoy that if you take a look.

To those who had tributes in this chapter, I hope I did them justice. Let me know!

May the odds be ever in your favor.