I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!

Okay, guys. I know it's been two weeks since I've updated. And I feel like I have to make excuses. School starting + homework + cheerleading + friend drama + a new boyfriend + my birthday yesterday = Lots of stress and zero time. I haven't forgotten about you guys (in fact, I've thought about this story every day) and I cranked out this chapter because of that.

Thank you so much to Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived for Brooke and Infamouskal420 for Gaius.

Brooke Rulack (18)

I breathe in and breathe out. My fast breathing keeps perfect time with my pounding heart as I run like my life depended on it.

You can do it, Brooke. You can run the whole way. It's just a little bit more.

Running the four and a half miles from the community home to my house is awful. I'm not a bad runner, but I hate it. That's nine total miles a day of running. It's worth it, though, to see the little kids' faces when they see I've come to visit them.

Volunteering in the community home is my favorite thing to do. My family is decently fortunate, and over the years I've become very grateful for that. The community home has helped me to see how much I have, and that there are lots of people out there who don't.

I look at my watch. "Shoot." I mumble under my breath. I only have forty-five minutes to get to my house, shower, and get ready for the reapings. Well, that will only make me run harder.

I woke up early this morning. I ran to the community home, read books to some kids, taught some kids how to use weapons (a luxury that they don't have is training for the Games, so I try my best to bring that to them – I teach them simple archery, hand-to-hand combat, and spear throwing), and sang some songs with them. Then I left, and now I'm running back home. My legs ache with exhaustion and soreness (I'm still feeling the effects of yesterday's run), and it's almost as if my legs are screaming at me to give up, to take a break, to walk the rest of the way.

But there's no way I'm doing that.

Push it, Brooke. Keep going. You're going to get there.

After what seems like centuries of endless running, I reach my front porch. I open the door, sprint up the stairs, and just sit on my bed, panting, for a couple minutes. Then I realize what I should be doing, and turn on the shower.

Twenty-five minutes later, I'm standing in the mirror. My light brown hair is hanging loosely at my shoulders, my blue-green eyes are awake and ready to go, my white sundress suggests that simple is beautiful, and my light pink flats tell the world that even though I'm a fierce competitor, I have a sweet side.

It's not like I'm planning on volunteering. They are leaving it open this year, at least, for the girls, but I'm not going to. There's too much I'd have to leave, and I would hate to do that.

As usual, there's silence in the house. I don't have any siblings, which is part of the reason I love the community home. I have all the company I want right there.

I walk into my parents' room, where my mom is still doing her hair. "Are you ready, Mom?" I ask.

"Not yet, Brooke," she says in her sweet, quiet voice. "Dad already left. You can go ahead if you want to – I wouldn't want you to be late."

"Okay," I reply, and walk out of the house. The square isn't far from where I live, so I can take my time on the walk there. Once I get there and get the blood taken from my finger, I meet up with my best friends Sierra and Hollie in the eighteen-year-old girls section.

Sierra's super smart – way smarter than Hollie or I will ever be. And Hollie's way more talented then Sierra or me – she's an amazing singer and her big voice matches her big personality.

We talk for a bit, then stand still and wait for the reapings to start.

Gaius Largent (18)

I roll my eyes, uncontrollably bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet. The two people beside me are just looking at me with their arms crossed, with easy smiles on their faces.

Finally, I pretty much burst. "When is the stupid reaping going to start?"

Milo and Antony exchange glances, and Antony says, "Calm down, Gaius. The reaping's gonna start soon enough."

Almost as if reading my mind, our escort, Petunia, skips onto the stage and Antony quickly scurries to the seventeen-year-old male section. He wasn't supposed to be in the eighteen-year-old section with us.

Petunia looks even giddier than usual. I guess that's what happens when you've just produced a Victor. Well, it wasn't really her, but I'll bet you anything she thinks it was all her doing.

"Ladies first!" she practically shouts, and strides to the reaping bowl, almost tripping over her five-inch heels along the way. I laugh, along with Milo and some other people.

She picks a paper slip and walks back to the podium, this time more carefully.

"Delilah Varner!" Petunia reads, and looks expectantly at the crowd. Then a skinny, thirteen-year-old girl steps forward. Her light brown hair looks thin and greasy, and she's way skinnier than the average District Four citizen. I realize she must be one of the community home kids.

As Delilah starts to trudge to the stage, her head down, I hear a clear voice call out, "I volunteer!"

Thank goodness. I was starting to think that we would have a thirteen-year-old female tribute from our district two years in a row.

I look around so I can match the voice with a face. I identify her as a girl with long light brown hair and a white sundress. I vaguely recognize her from the Training Center, but I can't think of her name.

The girl almost looks surprised for herself for volunteering, but manages to hold her head high and walk up to the stage.

Petunia starts jumping up and down, her shoes making huge clacking noises. "A volunteer!" she squeals. "And what's your name, sweetheart?"

"Brooke Rulack." Yes, that name does sound really familiar.

"And now for the boys!" I crack my knuckles. This is it.

"Roger Grants!" I don't even turn around to see who the heck Roger Grants is before shouting, "I volunteer!"

And I'm on the stage. I'm smiling because I did it. I'm going to prove everyone wrong. Yes, I'm trained, but I'm smaller than the average tribute. I don't care. I'll show everyone that the underdog can win.

I shake Brooke's hand and we make our way confidently into the Justice Building, where we wait.

Brooke Rulack (18)

I don't even have time to consider exactly what I just did before the door opens and my parents burst into the room. My dad immediately envelops me in a bone-crushing hug. I know he is proud of me because he tried to convince me to volunteer before. I refused, though.

"You listened to me," my father says. "You can do this. I'm so proud."

He doesn't know that I didn't volunteer for the glory of it. I volunteered to save the little girl. I had to. I knew Delilah from volunteering at the community home. I couldn't just let her go into her death.

I think my mom knows because she wraps me in a long, silent hug and when she finally lets go, I see tears glistening in her eyes.

"A token," she says. Her voice is shaky, and then she clears her throat. "A token to wear in the Games." She holds out a silver anklet, one she wears every day. Across it, it reads 'Believe'.

I swallow hard and put it on.

Is this real?

I'm going into the Hunger Games. I can't believe it.

I'll convince everyone that I did volunteer for the thrill. It's believable, considering I'm trained. And I think I'm a decent actress. Hollie has rubbed off on me a little bit.

After giving my parents more hugs, they leave. The door opens again and now it's Sierra and Hollie that are standing there.

They talk about how they didn't know I was going to volunteer, and I decide to start my act right here, right now.

"Yeah, I did it because I wanted to," I say. "It's going to be so fun, don't you think? I can't wait to wear fancy clothes and everything!"

Sierra and Hollie give me weird looks. They know I've always been interested in fashion, but they know something's up.

"I can win this," I continue. "I'm trained, remember?"

"Yeah," Sierra finally says. "You got this."

And they're gone.

But I still don't regret my decision to volunteer.

I honestly don't.

Gaius Largent (18)

I run my fingers through my dirty blonde hair and wait for my first visitors. As expected, they're Milo and Antony.

"Nice job!" they say and congratulate me, giving advice and all that stuff until I think of something.

"Hey, Antony," I say suddenly, "Why didn't you come with the rest of the family instead of Milo?" Milo's my best friend, but Antony's my brother. He's only a year younger though, so the three of us are inseparable.

He shrugs. "Eh. That'd be a pain. I don't want to listen to Octavian's expert advice."

Antony puts obvious sarcasm in the words 'expert advice'. My other brother, Octavian, is only fourteen, but he's considered a prodigy. They're even talking about having him volunteer next year or the year after.

Octavian is talented, sure, but he's got kind of a big head about it, and it honestly gets really annoying. Antony thinks so, too.

Eventually, after cracking jokes and a lot of laughing around, they leave and the rest of my family comes in. I brace myself, because I know this visit won't be as fun as the last one.

Only three people come; my mom, my uncle, and Octavian.

My mom looks exhausted as usual; she works for the mayor and that has made her impatient and snappy. She always has circles under her eyes and she doesn't exactly look sad to see me go. Instead, she stands there quietly, tapping her foot.

My uncle is basically our father. He's fun although sometimes he has a little too much fun and then Antony, Octavian, and I have to settle him down. I'm still grateful that he's around, though.

And then there's Octavian. I don't really want to think about him.

After Octavian's endless advice, my mom's refusal to say anything, and my uncle's bad jokes, I am finally alone in the Justice Building waiting room. I feel my heartbeat start to speed up.

I am ready for this. I am ready for anything.

There you go!

Questions:

1) Who did you like better, Brooke or Gaius?

2) What did you like and dislike about each of the characters?

3) How do you think these two will do in the Games?

Thanks for getting me to 50 reviews, by the way!

I'll try to update soon. Hopefully in less than two weeks this time. :)

Ashley