District 2

Star Cyrus, 16

Sunlight streams through my open window and rests on my face. I roll in my sleep and bury my face in my pillow, hoping to block out the light that threatens to wake me up completely.

"Star! Are you awake? We need to leave in 30 minutes!" advised Mother.

"Yes." I answer back.

I groggily rub my eyes and walk to the bathroom for my early morning bathroom routine. I strip off and dive into the shower, craving the feeling of hot water pouring down my body.

"Ah." I sigh happily.

I scrub my body with a raspberry scented soap and loosen the knots in my mocha hair. I then just stand there, taking in the heat the water provides.

Eventually I throw myself out of the shower and quickly drape my robe over my shivering figure. I step into my bedroom and glance at my alarm clock.

Crap! Only 15 minutes to go!

I chuck on a baby blue dress that used to be Mothers. My star-shaped birth mark, for which I was named of, is visible on my left wrist. I stroll into the kitchen, only to be greeted by the scent of freshly baked waffles.

"Why did it take you so long young lady?" scowls Mother.

"I woke up late." I stammer truthfully.

Mother gives me a look of concern as if she thinks I've been out all night getting drunk and partying. I simply ignore it and sit down before my waffles, taking in a deep gulp of air and smiling.

"Thanks so much mum, smells delicious." I congratulated.

Am I seeing things, or is my mother actually smiling? My sister Melizza chooses this time to waltz into the kitchen still dressed in her nightgown and yawning every 10 seconds.

"Melizza! We have to leave in 10 minutes. What are you still doing in your pyjamas?" demands Mother. Her top eyebrows are knitted in a grimace.

"I-I'm not feeling to-" begins Melizza before hunching over in pain and spewing her dinner out all over the tiled floor.

"Oh dear!" cries Mother.

"Do I still have to go?" pleaded Melizza, her skin has taken a sickly green appearance and she looks like she's about to spew again.

"Unfortunately, yes. We have to but you can still bring a bucket and clean yourself up." Mother says sympathetically.

Melizza shuffles away sadly to prepare for the oncoming reaping. I run away from the table to follow her.

"You okay?" I asked. She looked at me with her big, blue eyes and I immediately knew my answer.

What do you think? I'm vomiting everywhere and have to go to the bloody reaping!

I look away sheepishly and walk back to the kitchen table. I glance back at Melizza and watch her slam the door, the vibrations penetrating my bones.

"I-I-is Mel-lizza ok-kay?" stutters Hunter, my 7yr old brother.

Hunter was born with a speech impediment and struggles to pronounce basic words. I walk up to him and pat his head. He cringes at my touch but I can tell he enjoys it.

"She's just a bit sick." I whisper in his ear. Hunter looks up and beams at me.

"Good! I-I thought she w-was g-going to d-die." he exclaims, his tone decreasing with the last few words.

I pull up a chair next to him and pour maple syrup all over the waffles, the light shimmers on the syrups deep, golden surface. I jab my fork into my food and shove it in my mouth.

"Star! Manners." Demands Mother. She was the mayor's daughter and has always had impeccable manners and expects her kids to as well. I swallow my mouthful and slice a new piece into a bite-size portion.

"I-Is this g-good mummy?" questions Hunter whilst holding up his fork with a piece of waffle on the other end.

"Beautiful Hunter, just like you!" laughed Mother.

Ugh, if there's anything I hate more than the Hunger Games, its cheesy romance.

"Oh baby just going to the bathroom."

"I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you more."

God! You're just going to the bathroom not going away for 6 months! Father also isn't a big fan of romance. He's a previous victor and pressures Hunter and I into training. Father is away in the capitol at the moment for "Victor Business" as he puts it. Melizza didn't have to because we need 1 formal girl in our family according to Mother.

I continue to eat in silence while listening to Hunter sputter out his dream.

"There w-was a b-big bear that c-came t-to our house a-and ate m-me!"

A smile plays on my face and Mother tells us we have to leave as Melizza walks into the room. Melizza groans loudly and I run to the door, gripping the door handle so hard my knuckles turn white. I glance back at Melizza and imagine our escort calling her name like she had at my second reaping.

"Star Cyrus!"

Oh my goodness. Me! Out of everyone in District 2 it's me! I shakily emerge from the rest of 13yr old girls. I never wanted to train and become a career. I HATE the game.

I feel the eyes of around 5000 bore into the back of my head. As I mount the first step a cry rings out from the audience.

"I volunteer!"

I whip my head back and watch a girl of 18 years stride towards the stage. I run up to her and give her a hug, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill from my hazel eyes. I whisper a thank you before running to my crying mother.

I visited her in the Justice Building and thanked her for saving my life. Her name was Piper Loochi. She made it home that year but was never the same. She was tortured in the final 2 before throwing the evil District 1 girl off her and slashing her throat with a knife.

I shake my head and ward off the horrendous thoughts. I turn the handle and walk out the door and into the City Square. Our house lays right on the edge of the Square and we literally just have to walk out the door before we are at the reaping.

Melizza and I sign in and I walk her to her section before kissing her head and walking off to mine. I stand alone in the crowd as mother and father thought friends would be a distraction from training.

Our escort Rila Garrett hopes onto the stage in her pompous outfit and taps the microphone rapidly.

"Welcome all to the reaping. May I just add it is an honour to represent your district." Beams Rila.

Oh how I loathe the Capitol. Who could steal 26 kids a year and watch them fight to the death? It's sick!

I look up at the mentors and see the girl who saved my life. She sits their calmly with a vacant look in her eyes and her left eye twitches erratically. I say a silent prayer to her and zone out as Rila rattles on. At one point she starts rattling on about her shoes.

"They were $199 but just look at them. When the light hits them they just seem to shine."

Rila then decides to whip out an electronic device with a flashlight attached to it. She then aims it at her shoes and they literally do shimmer. District 2 responds with "Oohs" and "Aahs."

"Well anyway, whoever gets reaped will get to witness the magnificent capitol for themselves! So with that said lets meet our female tribute." Trills Rila. She struts towards the female bowl and snatches a slip from the top.

Not Melizza. Not Melizza!

"Star Cyrus!"

Few. Melizza's safe for another year. I scan the crowd waiting for the girl to walk out when I spot Melizza. She's in tears and catches my eye. She then loses it and I realise why she's crying.

"Star Cyrus? Come out Star. May I just say you have a beautiful name."

A loud laugh echoes throughout the otherwise quiet square.

Oh-my-gosh. Me! Again! I quickly put on a smile and walk out into the walkway. Rila beams at me and I smile back.

"Y-you! Not you! I saved you and now..." cries the girl who saved my life years ago before trailing off.

"You can't take her. Anyone but not her!" pleads Piper Loochi.

Everyone just ignores her as I run up the steps. I stand before everyone and Piper runs over and hugs me. I pull away and look into her eyes. Her eyes, they remind me so much of Melizza's bright blue ones. She even has mine and Hunters hair.

"No reason." She looks up and her eyes show fear. She then hesitates before adding onto her sentence.

"Sis."

Zane Asher, 17

"Give me back my glasses! Please!" chokes the little boy as I trot around him with his glasses hanging loosely from the collar of my white shirt.

I whip them off my shirt and chuck them at my best friend Randwick Hollerzand. He puts them on his face and strikes a retarded pose.

"Oh mate, you look hot." I tell him jokingly.

The whiny boy storms off in defeat and Randwick throw his glasses at him. They connect with the back of Mr Cry-baby's head and I slap Randwick a high-five.

We both strut into our reaping section and make great imitations of four-eyes.

"Oh could you pretty please give me back my glasses."

"My mummy won't be very happy with you."

"Why are you so mean?"

We get so caught up with our fun that we completely ignore Bay Ezerald until she kicks me in the back of the legs.

"Who the hell!" I shout, readying my fist as I spin around and come face-to-face with Bay. She begins to laugh hysterically before clearing her throat.

"So what innocent kid did you torture today?" chimes Bay.

"Oh that spastic with the glasses." Chortles Randwick.

We both burst into another fit of hysterics and Bay has to slap both of us before we come back to our senses. That peacock from the capitol rattles on about her shoes and we both ignore her.

Bay watches intently as Rila strolls to the bowl of girl's names and reads one out.

"Star Cyrus!"

Bay's concentration breaks and she turns back into her old, funny self. We all continue chatting until Rila opens her mouth again.

"Star Cyrus? Come out Star. May I just say you have a beautiful name."

That comments causes me to double over in a laughing fit that causes everyone to look at me. I put on a serious face but still maintain a smirk.

Bay punches me in the stomach and I punch her back.

A little scene plays on stage between the tribute and the whack-job mentor which ends in complete and utter shock between the two.

"Well then, time for our male tribute." Rila tells us bubbly.

I don't pay much attention to whoever gets reaped until Bay lets out a small shriek.

"Y-you!" stammers Bay.

I put 2 and 2 together and realise I've been reaped. I slap on a cocky grin and run for the stage, taking the steps 2 at a time.

"Well somebody's enthusiastic!" praises Rila, her pearly white teeth are almost blinding because of the smile she gives me.

I shake Stars hand and her big, brown eyes are wet with tears.

God. What is that girl's problem?

We are both escorted into the justice building to say our goodbyes. My first visitors are Randwick and Bay.

"Dude, your district partner is hot!" marvels Randwick. His blonde hair is all messed up and his brown eyes have a hint of mischief.

"You can't get caught up in romance. You are going to fight in the Hunger Games after all!" counters Bay. Man, you definitely want her on your side of an argument.

Bay and Randwick spend the next two minutes arguing over Star Cyrus. Bay thinks I apparently get "distracted easily" while Randy thinks "She is exactly what every girl should look like."

"Guys! I only have a few more minutes so can we stop arguing about Star." I snap angrily.

Bay runs up and gives me a hug that lasts for about 5 minutes, her tears spill onto my shirt. She runs away, slamming the door behind her which leaves Randy and I alone.

"You know she's liked you forever." Admits Randy.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she was too afraid to tell you."

We both sit there quietly for a few minutes until I speak up.

"Take care of her will you?" I tell Randy. He looks up and gives me a cocky grin.

"Only if you hook up with Star?"

We both shake hands in agreement and Randy walks off.

The door has only just shuts before my family walks in.

"I'm so proud of you mate!" announces Dad. He sits with mum on the plush sofa.

"Yes. You can follow in Justyx's footsteps." Boasts Mum.

Justyx is my older brother. He won the 219th Hunger Games. Ever since then he has never been the same. Justyx was in love with his district partner and they stuck together throughout the whole games. They split off from the career pack and were practically unstoppable. In the final 3 both of them were left along with the District 13 girl. The District 13 girl was deadly with a set of throwing shurikens. She threw one at Justyx unsuspectedly. Justyx's district partner launched herself in front of him and took the shuriken to the head. She died instantly. Justyx has forever blamed himself. In the end Justyx cut the District 13 girl down with his sword and was declared victor.

"Yeah!" I answer enthusiastically. I always try to see the positive side of things. I have a 1/24 chance of winning. It's better than 0/24!

"You can do it." encourages Mum.

A peacekeeper then enters and tells Mum and Dad it's time to leave.

"See you soon." Yells dad before the door closes behind him.

See you soon indeed.

So there it is. There are still Mentor spots available. Sorry for the bad ending though :(