Sorry it took so long, but here's chapter 2 :) ENJOY

"Violet, wake up!" a voice yells in my ear. "You have one hour until the reaping starts, or you're going to be late."

I groan and turn out of my warm comforting pillow, forcing my eyes open into the bright sun light that's peaking between the curtains. It's my mum who woke me up. She always freaks out on the day of a reaping. She doesn't want Josh or I to experience what her and dad have. She playfully whacks me with my pillow, it doesn't hurt but I groan anyway and flip over to my stomach. I feel my bed sink to one side and my dad's familiar hand starts rubbing my back.

"I know your nervous-"

"and tired," I mutter

"and tired," he says "But no matter what, you have to get up and face this."

My bed reflates back to normal as my dad's weight leaves it.

Great pep talk.

"Your mum and Josh have gone berry picking so I would take this opportunity to get ready in peace." he calls as he walks back to our kitchen where he spends most of his aging life.

I take him up on his suggestion and clamber clumsily out of my bed and after grabbing my clothes, I head for the bathroom.

My family and I lived in the Victor's Village still, switching between the houses Mum and Dad were separately assigned to. They're both enormous, but have completely different styles so it's nice for a change every now and then. Still half asleep, I strip off my warm pyjamas and force myself into my cold turquoise reaping dress. Mum is always trying to get me to wear some of her old dresses; there was the unfortunate time when I agreed. Since then, we have decided that red is not my colour, now I tend to wear cooler colours. I handle my brush, forcing it through my mattered bed hair. My hair is close to waist length and dark brown in colour with curls at the tips. I don't love my hair, but then again I'm not complaining. After tying it into a long side ponytail, I check the time. 10:20, the reaping's at 11. Mum and Josh should be back soon, and after breakfast we'll all head down a bit early to see the Hawthorne's and maybe even Effie.

After a fulfilling breakfast of homemade bread and freshly picked berries, we head off; early, as I predicted. My mum is chatty, as she is every year. She tries to fill the terrifying silence that would occur if she didn't talk, can't say I blame her. My brother's helping along; being ten, he doesn't fully understand the cruelness of the Hunger Games, but knows the basics. He's just not old enough to worry yet.

We get to the city centre early and the Hawthorne's are there; Mum and Johanna race to each other like they're magnetized together, Dad and Gale start a civilized conversation, Josh and Emily start a game of tag, and me? I wander off, find a shady tree and relax. Well, I try to anyway...After a few minutes I feel someone come and sit next to me.

"You okay?" a familiar voice asks.

Ash. I don't answer. I feel him push a piece of my hair behind my ear, but what I don't feel is him leave my side...

"Talk to me," he pleads softly

I open my eyes and glare at him mockingly.

"Hallelujah, she reacted!" he says sarcastically.

I close my eyes again and rest my head in his shoulder.

"Oh, just shut up will you?" I mutter.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" He smirks

I glare at him harder, but then look away when I feel my eyes fill up with tears. I slump back against the tree and cross my arms; taking deep shaky breaths.

He's the only one I've confided in about my thoughts on what the Capitol has ready for me.

Ash puts his arms around me, "It's okay, Vi." He says. "It's okay. You're going to be okay"

Thanks so much for reading. Feel free to review or PM me with your thoughts or anything you picked up.