Olive felt tears brimming in her eyes as they usually did when she fought with her mom. Olive rolled over in her small make-shift bed and sighed. Her heart felt heavy as it always did, no escape. She hated the feeling, the feeling as if someone was yanking on your heart. Pulling it down to the acidy depths of your stomach. She could feel it burning, she felt as if someone was squeezing it or something was trying to claw its way out.

'It's because you're stupid..' Her mind told her, echoing slightly.

'Shut up!' she screamed back mentally, a few tears cascading down her cheek.

She was angry at herself for not keeping her big mouth shut. She felt like scratching her face out of anger but decided against it. Tommorow was reaping day... and she ought to look her best.

Yesterday. Yesterday was still fresh in her mind, the screaming, the threats. It was all ridiculous, stupid.

Olive sighs as she pulls on her white sockings. Her mother had barely mumbled a word since last night.

Hastily, she stood up and left her room. When she exited her house, she was met with the overpowering scent of fruit, moldy and fresh.

"How typical." she mutters, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. She looked behind her, peeking into the door slightly. "Mom?" she asks. No response.

Sighing, she heads off to where the reapings would be held. The wind was rather cold that day, nipping at her unprotected toes as she trotted down the paved road. Several other children were walking down the same path, rapidly moving their hands up and down their arms to get a sense of warmth.

Olive was doing the same thing, stealing the warmth from her hands. She looked around the at the swaying apple trees and grape vines as she walked on.

The sun was shining, though the wind was whipping around last nights rain. Olive's stomach grumbled, yet she ignored it as most did. They other people walking were all very tense, worried that they or their kids would be cast in these years Hunger Games.

Olive had no worries, even if she was chosen to participate it wasn't like she was going to die. She had a chance of survival. Olive looked over to her side and spotted Ian Termco, her longtime crush. She smiled at his head and kept on walking, still looking at him.

Ian didn't even acknowledge the girl staring at him. He saw his friends as they laughed and told the most idiotic jokes. He forced a smile at his best friends joke as they kept on walking.

Olive felt the urge to run up and talk to him, but he was surronded by idiots! They would surely make fun of her like they did every other female that tried to sway Ian.

Though, it was now or never and they were all walking on the same road...

"It must be destiny!" she whispers loudly, earning a few stares from people unknown. Holding her her head high, she stalked over to him, a smile platered on her face.

"Heyyo Ian!" she says, jumping in front of him.

"Hi..." he says warily, slightly annoyed by the freckled girl.

"I'm Olive." she says, holding out her small hand.

"So?" he asks, trying to shove his hands in his pockets as if to seem cool.

"This'll be the third confession today!" one of his friends whispers, giving a hoarse laugh.

Olive let it slide, still holding her hand out. "You're Ian, right?"

He nodded.

She chuckled nervously. "I think this is the part where you shake my hand." she says, a light shade of red on her face.

Ian turned to his friend. "Will you shake her hand for me?" he smirks, turning back to face Olive. "I think it's a little to early for my fan club." he says, walking past her.

"Ooo, you got told." one of his friends said.

The friend he asked to shake her hand walked over to her and shook her hand. "I guess your now a member!" he says slyly, running to catch up with his friends.

Olive stood there dumbfounded for a moment before a sense of childish anger surged up within her.

"Welcome! To the millenia games! " the escorts voice said, echoing. "We have come here today to send two lovely tributes to participate in this years games, are you all excited?"

Ian looked around at the people surrounding him, and nodded slightly.

A single cheer erupted throughout the moment of silence, and a big smile traveled it's way to the escort's face.

Olive giggled a bit. 'It was probably that one kid.' She thought to herself.

"Well! I see that you are all estatic, so I might as well get on with the picking part! Can I get a woot?" the escort says before the mayor walks up and whispers something into their ear.

The escort nodded, his flouncy orange pigtails bouncing as he did so. Quickly he skipped over to the female bowl retrieveing a slip. He then went and got one from the male bowl.

He tripped slightly as he walked back to the microphone before smiling again. "This year's tributes will be... Olive Matthews and... wait for it... are you waiting? Ian Termco!"

Olive looked around the plaza, an unsettiling look coming to her face.

"Me?" she mumbles weakly.

Several of the girls parted, looking thankful it wasn't them whose name was on the card. They did a little happy dance it seemed, as their eyes shone brightly of thankfulness.

"Isn't anyone going to volunteer?" she squeaks, seeing two peacekeepers rapidly approach her. She looked around at the bright faces of those who weren't sentenced to such a horrible fate. Nobody looked sad in the least bit.

Olive looked back just in time to have two cold, gloved hands grip both of her arms. "W-wait! I'm not Olive! I'm her twin sister! That's her right there!" she yells, struggling to free her arms. She looked up to the stage to see Ian's amused face.

"I'm too young to die!" she moans, still thrashing about.

The peacekeepers drag her up at a steady pace, and set her on the stage.

Olive quickly got up and walked over to the mic. "May I se-"

"And there we have it! Our tributes for this year's games!" the escort says, giving an evil glare toward Olive.

"But wait! I'm not-"

"Shake hands you two!"

Ian stuck out his hand, and Olive looked at it warily.

"No can do, I'm not Olive." Olive says.

"Shake the damn hand." the escort growls.

"But I'm not Olive, you've got the wr-"

Ian rolled his eyes and quickly shook her hand.

The escort gave him a thankful glance, and smiled to the crowd