Back again! A miracle, I know. I'm trying to change my habits, and update before nine months pass. Yeah, right. *snickers*

So, enjoy, or whatever. Oh, and review… Or not.

Peeta

Breakfast that morning was silent. My brother, Anton the one who was still eligible for the Reaping, looked tense. While it was his last year, that must put some pressure on him. After this year he would be working full-time in the bakery.

My eldest brother, Marcus, however, looked as though he wanted to crack a few jokes. And that's probably what he was going to do after the Reaping. He had already made plans to go to his friend's home afterwards.

I was calm and composed, yet I was worrying about the Reaping. My worries from the night before had carried over into the next day, which made me uneasy.

I wanted Katniss to notice me, but she was always so distant. And when she returned last year, after winning the Games, she had ceased going to school. I had hardly seen her besides when she came into town to buy bread and the like, or when she was doing her rounds of giving food to the poor.

"We should leave now," my mother said, rising from the opposite side of the table. Her voice commanded us to rise, even though her words said that it was a request.

We stood, and moved our dishes to the sink. Once we got back from the Reaping, I would be washing those dishes.

We filed out of the bakery, and began the short walk to the town square.

"So, Peeta, are you nervous?" my father asked, falling into step beside me.

"A little," I admitted. "But not as much as Anton seems to be." We both glanced at my older brother, only to see him holding hands with a blonde girl. I recognized her from school, but barely. She was in the year ahead of me, so we didn't speak at all, except for the times when she came to buy something and Anton was around.

"Well, he doesn't seem nervous now," my father said, a smile creeping onto his face. He looked at me, and fell silent for a moment.

I looked ahead, and saw that people were milling about the square, either getting signed in, or finding a space to stand behind where the rows of qualifying children would stand. Anton and I separated from our family so that we could get signed in before everyone was there.

My father jerked on my arm, pulling me towards him. He leaned down just a little to whisper in my ear. "Whatever happens today was always meant to happen. Remember that, my son."

He let go of my arm, and I stumbled just a little. I was confused. What did he mean? I walked towards the peacekeeper that was taking blood and stuck my hand out. The needle pricked my finger, and I barely winced at the slight pain. Funny, how used to certain types of pain you get after a while.

I squeezed my finger, getting the blood to stop flowing. I saw my cluster of friends waving somberly at me, and I walked in their direction. My hands dropped to my side as I began talking to them, not quite joking, but not serious either.

"I am so ready to get this over with," one of them, Jordan, remarked, looking toward the large clock on the front of town hall. "Why can't they start this sooner?" he asked. I could sense his need to get this over and done with.

"Why, Jordan? You got an appointment with Claire?" Alex joked.

Jordan glared at him. "No, Alex. Why? Jealous?" he taunted.

Alex blushed slightly. "No way, man!"

Everyone laughed, and Alex turned even redder.

"Aww, does wittle Alwex have a wittle cwu-"

Nathan, another friend of mine, and his baby talk were cut off by a speaker that had been installed only a few hours ago.

"Please get in your age and gender groups' line. Thank you." The 'request' left no room for argument.

We all formed a line, and ceased our joking. The faster we were in position, the sooner this would be over.

The horrific looking woman from the Capitol, Effie Trinket, walked up to the podium that stood upon the stage. "Welcome, welcome!" she trilled. Her wig tilted the slightest bit to the right. "It is wonderful to see all of your faces yet again!" Her hyper aura dimmed slightly. "Now, for the film."

The film that most of us could quote word for word played yet another time. If my friends and I had been in a better mood, we may have mouthed the words.

"Now, as you know," Effie started as soon as the film cut off. "District 12 now has another Victor! The lovely Katniss Everdeen!" Katniss stood up, looking disgruntled. After Effie looked away, she quickly sat down in her chair again.

"She will be the coach for the female Tribute this year, taking my place." She looked relieved. "Anyways, on to the selection of the Tributes!" Her voice held a large amount of fake cheer, I noted.

She probably hated her coming here as much as all of us did.

"Ladies first." She practically pranced over to the bowl on the right-hand side, and dipped her hand into the bowl and grabbed a piece of paper near the middle. She held her hand high, brandishing the piece of creamy white parchment in the air.

Sauntering back to the podium, she opened the paper.

"Lilijanna Pacem," she said, her bright voice ringing out across the square.

A sob sounded. Everyone turned to look in the direction it had come from, and saw that Lilijanna's mother was crying. Lilijanna herself was composed as she walked up to the stage, putting on her mask of false confidence she used whenever we had to give presentations in class.

It was working splendidly for someone who was almost certainly walking to their death.

"Well, well! It is wonderful to see your lovely face up her, young lady!" Effie said, not at all put off by the sobbing coming from Lilijanna's mother. "Now, for the boys!"

Making the same show as before, she walked back to the podium.

"Anton Mellark."

Sorry for the update. I'm slow and not a very good writer. But oh well!

Anyways, in case you were wondering about Lilijanna's name:

Lilijanna (lil-e-an-a) Pacem (pa-ts-em) I'm not very good at showing pronunciations, sorry.

(Imagine lily and ana [from frozen] put together for her first name)

Review, or something! Or, you can just read! I do that a little too often. *Guilty Face*

Love ya lots!