Drucilla sat in the District 2 Justice Building, in a room where she had been sent after the reaping. Elda and their father in front of her.

"When you come back," Elda said.

"Not when. If." Drucilla interrupted.

Elda rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about. You're a Ramirez, act like one."

"I'm not even sure if I was ready to volunteer this year. I thought I wouldn't be considered until at least next year, if at all."

"You'll do fine. You're a Ramirez." Ajax said.

"Have you seen my fellow tribute. This is the last time either of you are going to see me, like it or not."

"Oh, please." Elda replied. "You're really dumb if you think you're not coming home. I'll talk to you when you come back."

Ajax looked at Drucilla. "Now, it's best to stick with the rest of the Career pack until it comes down to the final eight, but only if all six of you are still alive. If some of you are dead by then, I—"

"What if I don't want to be in the Career Pack. I didn't even want to volunteer!" Elda and their father looked shocked. Instead of responding, they just turned around and walked through the door.

Drucilla rolled her eyes. Surely, normal tributes got a "I love you" or at least encouragements, but Ramirez kids? They got yelled at for thinking that maybe they would die in the arena. A little kindness or understanding from her family would be nice.

A teenage boy entered the room. Drucilla stood up and ran to him. "Carson!" She kissed him briefly. Elda and Ajax didn't exactly know she even had a boyfriend, and they weren't going to unless Caesar asked her about having one during her interview, and the only reason she would bother with that is to get pity points with the capital. They drank that up like soup.

If Elda and Ajax were to know, would they even approve of Carson, the son of a poor mason miner? No. Of course not. They actually had been working on trying to forge a relationship between Drucilla and some stuck-up son of a victor. Alek was his name. Drucilla only bothered going over to his house for his younger sibling, and she knew he felt the same about Masen.

Carson held her tightly in his arms. "I'm sorry, Drucilla. I'm sorry. I should've volunteered. I wasn't thinking. I was just stunned. You hadn't told me that they'd picked you."

"It wouldn't have helped. We'd both be dead then. What do you think they would do? Create a new rule where two can win." (1)

Carson sighed. "I love you."

Drucilla looked at him. "That is the most heartfelt thing someone has said to me all day."

"Elda problems?"

"As always."

No one else came to visit her. Drucilla cuddled into the couch, feeling cold and a little scared.

Enobaria, winner of the 62nd Games, was supposed to be her mentor, and honestly, her Games scared Drucilla more than Elda's. Ripping out throat's with your teeth? No, thanks.

Draco sat next to Drucilla, his eyes eating up the District 3 boy, as if decided what limbs he would look good without. He was like a morbid stylist, and as a District 2 girl, Drucilla had seen enough that she knew exactly what she was talking about.

Drucilla kept watching the screen, wanting to find some potential ally that wasn't a Career. She noticed when her own face was on the screen she looked intimidated by Draco. That wasn't good. It would take her prospective sponsors away.

When it came to District 12, Drucilla had given up on good allies, but she couldn't help but hear the tribute's names. They sounded like the kinds of names the masons would give their kids, or maybe the rich people in District 1.

They were named after rocks, which Drucilla thought was cool, but then it dawned on her that they had the same last name.

"How wimpy." Draco mumbled. "Crying like that."

"They're siblings. " Drucilla responded. "And I like their names."

Enobaria sighed. "Siblings or not, it's important to keep your emotions in check. Sponsors aren't going to like cowards, and considering what district they're from… well, they could use all the help they could get. Besides, nice names are not a deciding factor when choosing your future allies. "

Drucilla felt terrible for the kids from Twelve, regardless of what her mentor and fellow tribute thought about them. It wasn't fair that these two siblings had to fight each other to the death. Drucilla wished there was some rule against it. Why does the family need to lose two children?

Drucilla wondered if they had any other siblings wanting to see one of them home. Maybe one of them had a special person wanting to see them again. Maybe they were the only children of a single parent. Maybe they were orphans and only had each other.

One more reason to hate the games, the fifteen-year-old thought, staring at the faces of the District 12 kids, Amber and Onyx. They had the same faces that the other District 12 tributes usually had. Sunken, gray eyes with no hope in them, surrounded by straight, black, somewhat dirty-looking hair, along with olive-toned skin coated lightly with what must have been coal dust.

There was something about them though, and Drucilla had a feeling what it was. They weren't crying because they were afraid of dying, they were crying for each other. And the concept made Drucilla want to save one of them. After all, she figured the other could have a dying wish, they wouldn't want it any other way. She knew that if she could only relate better to Masen or Elda, that she would do the same.

1. I'm sorry. I had to throw the irony in there.