Today is Victor's Birthday…

He is 17 now. It's been 15 years since he saw his first Games, and 5 years since he's began to really analyze them. 13 years have gone by since the time he first played with a sword, and 7 years have passed since he handled a real one. He has laughed, cried, made promises and fallen in love. But his laughs have long since filled a room with joy. They are sharp and cold. His crying has been silent. Victor can't remember the last time he really cried. The love he once had is long gone. Her name has faded, both in the words of others, and in Victor's mind. Maybe a whisper here, or a memory there, but there will come a day when it disappears forever. Perhaps the one thing that has remained the same all these years is his promise. He is still going to win. For her. And as these years passed, Victor has waited for this day. It's one that will determine his whole future. Because today is the day when he finds out whether he has been chosen to volunteer.

The space is filled with the shouts of children, but Victor can't hear a thing. His palms are sweaty and shaking. He's not nervous. He tries to tell himself this over and over again. But it doesn't seem to be working. He is beyond nervous. Because the consequences of this could be severe. Victor could rob his family of their honor. What will his father do? But Victor makes sure to stand tall. He's made it this far, no small feat. It will be over soon. After Amandine, now 12, is called up to the stage, he turns to watch the others around him. Jett's fingers are drumming at his sides madly. Champagne reached down to the side of the pants, feely blindly for something that isn't there. Victor knows what it is. She is trying to feel for her knife. Though no one knows, weapons offer a sense of security for Careers, a security they never had at home. But there is no security here.

"And now to announce our young man and woman who have been selected carefully to volunteer for this or next year's Games!"

The voice rings out through the auditorium. It is silent as everyone sits on the edges of their chairs in suspense. Some have their hands frozen, ready to burst into applause at any moment.

"Champagne Lucian and Victor Sybil!"

The applause is thunderous. Victor can't help it when both sides of his mouth turn up. He walks up the stairs behind Champagne and shakes Mrs. Angora's hand. Out in the sea of parents, he catches his father nod at him. That's it. No clapping or shouts of praise. But it is enough. Besides, amandine is jumping up and down and hollering at the top of her lungs next to him. And at this, Victor doesn't just sort of lift up the corners of his mouth. He actually grins. Amandine has that effect on him. She runs toward him as soon as he exits the stage. "My brother is a victor!" She shouts to no one in particular. Victor pats her on the shoulder. His father turns to him.

"So I suppose next year you will head to the Games?" He asks in what he thinks is a rhetorical question. But Victor has other ideas.

"No, I have to go this year. Champagne is just too good with those knives. They're long range, so she could easily attack from a distance, when my back is turned. Plus, she is excellent at planning. That 18 year old girl fights hand-to-hand with daggers, which at least isn't long range. And she's not nearly as intelligent. No, I have no choice but to go this year."

It makes sense because Victor has been planning this for quite some time. But his father doesn't seem convinced. Victor is about to say something else to desperately try to get the man to agree with him for once, but then he stops himself. Why does he need his opinion? No, Victor is 17 now. He can take care of himself. He is going to these Games. And nothing can stop him. Victor is no longer in his father's control. And he knows it.

At the house, Victor's mother fusses over him like he's 3 years old again. Was that fight really 14 years ago, she wonders? Victor tries to tell her that no one shows up to the Reaping in a suit and tie, but she tells him that he has to look his best. The whole country is watching, including the President! Victor finally gets her to change her mind after insisting that it will make him look weak, and therefore not getting him sponsors. So they both settle on his best dress pants, most ironed dress shirt, and his most expensive pair of shoes. His mother places an expensive gold watch on his wrist.

"For your district token," she says.

"No, I have something else." Victor runs out of the room before Crystal can even ask a question as to what could possibly be better than the watch. Victor runs up a flight of stairs into the storage section of their attic. Here it is, rested on top of a falling-apart chest of drawers covered in dust. The same spot Victor put it years ago.

Three days after Victor found out about Pearl's death, a man showed up at his bedroom in the Center. The man was Pearl's father and he had been given permission to come and give something to Victor. The man said Pearl had meant to put it in the family's mail slot on the day she died. It was a letter.

Dear Victor,

This is going to be very hard for me to do, but I will try anyway. The events two nights ago are hard for me to think about. But you and I both know that you never really meant those things. After such a night, how could you have? Do you remember you we ran out together in the little garden outside the gym when we felt we couldn't dance anymore? Do you remember how even though it was raining; we had never had such a good time together? The stars were so bright. I felt so small, but then you had your arm around my shoulder and suddenly I felt like anything was possible! You might not even remember doing that, but it meant so much to me. And before your father saw us, that was the most amazing moment of my life. So thank you for that. And I hope one day you will be able to stand up to that man. For now though, I just really want you to say you're sorry. It wouldn't take long, and it would be really important to me. I know you can do it. It's just two words. But until then, I miss you and I miss "us." There's one more thing Victor. I love you.

Love, Pearl

Victor stares at the letter in his hands. And suddenly, he sees a drop of water on the paper. He is crying.

"I'm sorry, Pearl." He whispers. Then the whispers slowly turn to shouts.

"I'm sorry Pearl, please forgive me! I'm so, so sorry!" He weeps. And then, just as suddenly as he starts, he stops.

Victor folds the paper once, then again, and then shoves it into his pants pocket. He runs down two flights of stairs to get to the bottom floor of his house. Once he is downstairs, he doesn't know what to do. Should he be watching tapes to get some last minute strategy done? No, there are only 20 minutes before he has to go. He is leaving a little earlier to talk to his mentor. Then he feels a tap on his shoulder. Amandine stands behind him wearing a beautiful dress, reaching all the way to her ankles. Not exactly Reaping clothes. "Mandi what are you wearing?" He manages to get out. She swishes her dress.

"I just figured that, since you aren't going to the Center anymore, you won't be able to go to the Reaping Ball and I won't be able to go with you, so I just thought I would…Umm…maybe just dance with you for a second." Her face flushes. "Just for a second, I mean there's a chance…" Her voice trails off. But she is shocked to find that Victor is already ahead of her. He is flipping some switched that control the sound system in the room. Suddenly, the exact same song he and Pearl danced to starts to play. Victor slowly places one hand on Amandine's waist, and gently moves her hand to his shoulder.

"Okay, Mandi just keep your hand right there, and sway back and forth and pretend you know what you're doing."

She laughs. "Okay."

"And most importantly," he whispers, "just relax."

And so they stay like this. Amandine buries her head in his chest. And Victor is surprised at how perfectly it fits there. He likes it. One step to the side, another to the other. Amandine smiles up at him and he gives her a soft smile back. The kind of smile he hasn't had in years. Then, the song ends as he is still smiling. Victor slowly removes his arm and heads toward the door, but turns back and offers his sister one last smile.

"I love you, Amandine."

And then, Victor is gone.