District Two Female: Athena Thorson (18)

I lunge forward and frown as Victor knocks the spear out of my hand. Shrugging, I dart forward and climb around his legs and onto his back. Before he can react, I squeeze the pressure point on his neck, and he drops to the ground, screaming.

"Oh my God, Victor?" I fall to my knees. "Did I push too hard or something?"

"Every time." He grimaces as he gets to his feet. "Every time."

"Sorry," I stand back up. "But I should probably get back home. Reapings start soon, and I have to look my best!"

I give a mock giggle and twirl, my brown bob flitting out in all directions. Victor catches me as I lean backwards, in a pretend faint. Making fun of the District One citizens has been something I've done for years. I hear that they're all ditsy and vain and klutzes. It's probably why District Two has a much greater amount of Victors.

I straighten up and stand on my tiptoes to give Victor a kiss on his tanned cheek. "I'll see you in an hour," I smile, backing away to the door. "In the Justice Building."

Victor grins. "Leaving so soon?" He slides a bit closer to me, getting rid of any distance I might have put between us. I smile.

"Victor," I start, but never finish. He sweeps me off my feet, throws me over his shoulder, and ignores the pounding on his back by my fists.

oOo

Twenty minutes later, I've finally managed to convince Victor that I really have to go get ready now and that I promise we can spend time together once I'm crowned Victor.

I run up the hill, waving to Styx and Caribena, the twins I watch after. Both wave back, and Styx knocks Caribena's thumb from her mouth. The pair isn't quite as well off as my family, and I feel the guilt rise in my chest as I look at their neat but worn dresses, muddy teddy bears, and lank, unkempt hair. The least I can do to help their family out is to look after them while their mother and father work in the Nut.

"Afena!" Caribena toddles towards me, her lisp made more pronounced by the gap between her teeth. "Afena!"

I stop and wait for her, watching as Styx crosses her arms, rolls her eyes, and follows her enthusiastic twin. By the time Caribena reaches me, she is panting. She looks up at me with shining eyes and puts her arms in the air. I lift her up, and she pushes the hair back from my ear, and whispers.

"You going to the Hunger Games fif year?"

I smile. "Yeah. I am. But don't worry, I'm going to be the Victor."

"Then we'll get tons of yummy things to eat." Styx has reached us. In her hand, she holds the teddy bear Caribena dropped a ways back.

I set Caribena down. She moves to Styx, her bare feet padding on the damp, cobblestone street. Once she reaches her twin, Caribena snatches the bear away. Styx rushes after her, both girls squealing indignantly.

I grin and begin a slow jog back to my house. I pick up the pace, running faster, and faster, and faster, until my house is in sight. It is cozy, small, but perfect. We're better off than a lot of families in the District.

I run up the short path and leap up the steps to the porch. Flinging open the door, I dash inside. "I'M HOME!" I shout, angling my head upwards, as Mom and Dad may still be asleep.

Before I go primp, I decide to eat something. While rifling through the pantry, I come across a box of plain cereal I didn't know we had. Frowning, I take it out to our small, square table, and open it.

Out jumps a giant cockroach. I scream and drop the box, batting my face and arms. Yellow puffs spill all over the wooden floor, and I scream again. It takes me almost two minutes to realize that I'm batting around a rubber cockroach, and that there is deep, muffled laughter coming from the hallway.

"Daaaad!" I groan. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

He walks into the room, chuckling. "Your face," he gasps between sounds of mirth. "Was priceless!"

I allow him a smile. He's probably done it to get back at me for changing to milk in his cereal to glue. Luckily, Mom caught it before he ate it. That's my dad and I for you. I've never taking anything in my life completely seriously.

At school, I'm the prankster, who doesn't care what she got on the test about the Nut, and dares to talk back to and argue with the teacher. I've gotten in trouble, but it really doesn't matter. Once I win the Hunger Games, no one is ever going to even think about trying to get me to do what they want.

Dad is still laughing quietly when Mom walks in. She's wearing a rose colored robe, which is incredibly soft, warm, and smells good. "Hey baby," Mom kisses my cheek. "I would've warned you, but your father told me to hush up."

I grin, giving her a hug. "Today's the day, Mom," I bounce on my toes. "When I get back, Victor and I are going to live in the Victor's Village together!" Mom puts on a mock pout. "What, no room for your old Mother dearest?"

"Mo-om!" I groan. "I just want to be alone. I'll visit every day. You should've had another kid, so when I go away, someone can play tricks on this guy and keep you company." I flick a finger in my Dad's direction. He had put on a serious face, but then looked down at the cereal-covered floor and burst into laughter once more.

"Are you kidding?" Mom asks. "I already have two kids. You, and your Dad here. He's enough kid for me."

Dad stops laughing. "Hey!"

I dash up the stairs, leaving my two parents behind, arguing, but not seriously. Never seriously. Because the Thorson family is never serious.

I jump into the bath, soaking away the sweat of the day, thoughts of Victor running through my mind. I just know he's going to propose when I get back. I can feel it.

My short hair dripping, I stand from the warm water and grab a towel. After drying myself and my hair completely, I grab my outfit for the reaping. It has to make a statement, scream, "HEY I'M HERE AND I'M GOING TO WIN!" without saying, "HEY THERE I'M A FASHION OBSESSED IDIOT FROM DISTRICT ONE!"

It certainly does. It's a tight red dress, with an open back and a halter top, with a tight waist and a skirt that flares out. When I spin, the skirt flies up. White high heels and a white headband complete the look. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, assessing every tiny detail.

I look fierce. I could kill you within an instant, and I could snap your neck whenever I so please. But I would do it like a true lady.

I fly down the stairs, a toothy grin etched onto my face. My mother sighs when she sees me. "Our little Victor!"

"Our little Me!" I can't help it, I could say or do anything stupid right now. I'm so excited!

I rush out the door, waving to Mom and Dad, who will come by later to watch me take my place as District Two's fiftieth Victor. My shoes slap the muddy, cobblestone street, and I wave to everyone as I fly by.

Styx, Caribena, Oreta, Hero, Thor, Domitia, Cob, Craig, Rowland. All are young, some tiny babies, none older than eight. Dad and I watch a lot of the kids in our neighborhood while their parents slave away. I, especially, have some time on my hands, and Dad works from home, managing other Nut workers.

Mom works in the Nut, but has really easy going, well-paying work. She always wanted to be a peacekeeper, but that dream never got off the ground. It's probably why she fully supports me, even when I get the craziest of ideas.

I arrive in the square. Tons of people have already showed up, and I bounce into the line to get my finger pricked. Suddenly, my world goes dark. Panicking about the coming Games, and for some reason having a crazy notion that someone wants to hurt me, I jab my elbow back, but it only meets the air.

I whirl around, and see Victor smiling. "I've known your violent tendencies well enough by now to get out of the way." He kisses my lashes softly, and I smile up at him.

"Ready to win this thing?" he asks.

"I was born ready," I jump away from him and start punching the air. "Those tributes," I throw in a few kicks. "Better watch," I jump and lunge forward, tipping over, into Victor's arms. "Out." I say softly, breathless, and only partly from the physical feats I just accomplished.

"Next!" I hear a sharp voice call. Victor kisses my nose and lifts me to my feet. "Go get 'em," He grins. "I can't wait to see you in the Justice Building!"

I smile and walk to the peacekeeper, absentmindedly holding out my second finger. She pricks it, but I barely notice the pinch. I suck on the small cut and skip to the eighteen-year-old girl's section.

I allow my mind to fold up and flutter off while I wait for our escort. When someone finally taps the microphone, I snap out of my daydreams, tense and alert.

Our escort, Zilithia Almond, is hideous. She has no sense of anything in her brain, and sometimes says the same sentences over and over again, like she forgot where she was. By Capitol standards, she is beautiful. By District standards, you might find her under your bed. As a monster.

She tries to go with a different theme every year, trying to mimic the interviewer, Clio Flickerman. But, there's a twist. Instead of having only one color for a theme, Zilithia goes all out. Last year, she had us guess her theme it took almost twenty minutes for someone to finally yell out, "Jewels!"

This year, by the looks of it, it's going to be a long day. She's decked out in a tight, pale green tube top, that stops just below her belly button and accents her totally fake cleavage. On the top are tiny pink rosebuds, and a pale yellow lace overlay. She's wearing a maxi-skirt, that is pale pink and covered in dazzling white sparkles. Whenever she moves, they flash rainbow colors into the air. Her shoes seem to be made of vines, and her collar, which looks like it's from the fifteenth century and isn't even connected to the dress, is yellow lace, and white sparkles, like the ones on her maxi skirt.

And don't even get me started on her hair. Curls, all different shapes and sizes, falling and flying out all about her head. Rainbow. Yuck.

She squeals into the microphone. "District Two! It is an immense honor to be here today to select. To select. To select our courageous young man, man and woman. But, before we begin, I have a video, brought all the way. All the way. All the way from the Capitol!"

She maneuvers her insanely long fingernails around a remote, and then presses a button. All of a sudden, pictures of war and terror and gore fill the screen. I sigh, and catch Victor's eye in the crowd. He flashes me a cocky grin, mouths good luck, and blows me an air kiss.

I blow one back, and then turn in my dress, a complete circle, back to the front, where Zilithia is about to draw the name.

"And the girl," She plucks a slip. "And the girl. And the girl who will have the honor to represent this District is,"

I get ready, start to motion for the girls in front of me to move the heck out of the way. They obliged.

"Emmi-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" I scream, pouring my voice into those two words. No one objects. No one tries to fight me. I'm going to the Hunger Games!

I skip up to the stage, flash a knowing smile, and speak into the microphone. "Hi there. It is so nice to meet all of you! I'm Athena Thorson, and I am your next Victor. You can start sponsoring me now!"

Zilithia looks unfazed by my speech. I catch Mom's eye in the crowd, and have to stuff my knuckles in my mouth to keep from laughing when I see my dad pulling faces behind her. Mom smiles up at me, tears in her proud eyes, oblivious to the tirade of ugly positions going on behind her.

Zilithia is making her way back over to the microphone, and I wait to hear the name of this year's lucky boy tribute.

"Sh-"

"I volunteer." It is said politely, yet determinedly, and a handsome, strong looking boy walks forward.

"I'm Demicus Feldspar," he winks at the cameras. "Pleasure to win your Games, President Teriba."

We're hustled into the Justice Building, where I await the arrival of my parents.

My mom and dad dash in first, Mom crying openly, a cloth handkerchief clutched to her face. Dad is wearing a beaming smile.

"We're so proud of you!" he crows, slapping me on the back. "My little girl's going into the arena!"

I grin. "Your 'little girl' is coming out of the arena too." He pulls me into a bone-crushing hug, and I hug back. I only let go when I hear Mom whimper.

"Mom," I turn to her. "What's wrong? Aren't you proud?"

"So proud," she gasps, and dissolves into a puddle of tears.

"Mo-om!" I roll my eyes, but can't keep the smile off my face. "I love you?"

"Oh, yes, yes!" She hugs me tight, and I can smell vanilla. "I love you too!"

The peacekeepers enter the room, all too soon. "I'll see you in less than four weeks. I love you so so much!"

"We love you too!" They chorus, and then they are gone. I'll only have one more visitor, and I know who that is.

Victor walks in. His hair is messy and cute, and he's wearing a big, dorky, adorable smile. "My girlfriend is going to the Hunger Games!" He smiles.

"I am!" I smile back. Then he takes my hands. He kisses me softly of the nose, and then on the lips. He dots fluttery kisses all over my face, and I give a muffled laugh.

I redirect his mouth to mine, and we begin to kiss. It starts out simple and sweet, soft, like usual. Then it begins to heat up. He begins to kiss me passionately, and I all but melt into him. We stay glued together for around three minutes, when I finally break the bond.

"I love you," he whispers. "I love you, I love you, l love you, l love you."

"Me too." I meet his eyes and bite my lip. "I'm gonna miss you though."

"It's only three weeks or so," he takes my hand again. "And when you come back, we'll be together forever."

The Peacekeepers enter again. Victor kisses my lips one last time, soft and sweet. "Kill some District Ones for me!" he calls, and then he's gone.

I grin. "Will do!" I say to the closed door.

I am alone. But I am not afraid. I'm going to the Hunger Games!

oOo

Sorry for the lack of updates! I've been super busy with school and music, but I hope y'all like this. So, I have a couple of questions, even though you haven't seen the male yet.

1. What was your favorite part of this chapter?

2. What do you like best about Athena (if you like her at all)?

3. Suggestions on writing style (PLEASE CRITIC ME! I DON'T CARE IF IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE MEAN! :D)

4. Anything else you can think of!

Well, thanks for reading, hope to get the Male out soon.

Bye Lovelies!

Grace