"It wont be. First-timers are barely ever picked,you know that. And anyway everyone likes you. If your picked I'm sure someone will volunteer. If they don't, I will." I promise.

We walk to the justice building and I let them prick my finger, then Prim's.

"Okay. Go stand with the little kids. I'll come and find you when its over." I say.

She goes over to her her friends and I go over to the girls side. I sit beside Magde . I see Gale mime being shocked. He laughs silently. Suddenly a voice booms over the speakers brought in temporally for the Hunger Games. Mayor Undersee tells us of the history of Panem. I don't listen. I know it off by heart already. When he's done the sickly image of Effie Trinket waltz onto the stage with the (drunk) haymitch. He was once a victor so he is now a mentor to the tributes. He plunks down on a seat. He falls of a few minutes later. I don't see whether he gets up.

"Happy Hunger Games!And may the odds be ever in your favour." She says in her sweet voice.

She wearing a bright pink dress with a metallic effect. She's painted white, so she clashes with her neon pink lipstick and her sparkly pink eye-shadow. And to top it all of, a bright pink curly wig.

"Ladies first!" she calls with a grin. She starts spinning the pink ball full of little envelopes, each with all of our names on. As it stops,her hand darts in and pulls out an envelope. She takes her time. I turn and see prim hyperventilating again. One of her friends is stroking her hair while another whispers to her. The rest look quite bored.

"Magde Undersee!" cries Effie.

I hear Magde gasp. She stands up and goes to sit with her father.

"Now for the gentleman!" Effie cries.

Before I can stop myself, I'm crying out for tribute.

"I volunteer for tribute" I cry running towards the stage. I stop when I reach it.

"Oh that's just lovely but I believe the regulation is we get our male tribute before volunteering for tribute." She says,fiddling with the envelope in her hand.

"The male tribute for District 12 is... Gale Hawthorne."

I gasp from the stage. Gale doesn't even seem affected by it. He walks up almost calmly. He joins me by the stage. I look at him, shocked.

"How many times did you put your name in?" I hiss as Effie yells

"District 12 ,your tributes!" There's no applause.

"More than you." He smiles as were lead into the justice building.

The peacekeepers lead us into a room were Hazel Hawthorne is waiting with Mother and Prim.

"We'll leave you to say your goodbyes." Says one of the peacekeepers.

They leave.

"You didn't have to do the tesserae that many times." she sighs.

"Neither did you darling .But I do know one thing. One of you will come out of there a victor. Our tributes are the two best hunters in 12." says mother.

"I love you Katniss I bet you'll win too. No offence,Gale." adds Prim.

"None taken. I'm willing to bet too." replies Gale.

"We best go. I love you."Says Mother.

They leave. Then Magde and her father come in.

"Thank you saved my daughter. May the odds truly ever be in your favour." he says.

"Here,take this. Your gonna need it." says Magde handing me a badge. It's a mocking-jay,sitting on an arrow enclosed in a circle.

"Thanks." I say, pinning the badge onto my dress there and then. They leave. Then one last visitor comes in. It's someone I never thought I'd see before the Games. It's Peeta Mellark.