*DISTRICT 9*
*ANNABELLE LESSIM*
*FIFTEEN*
Annabelle fiddles with the gold charm bracelet resting on her wrist, twisting it between her peach-toned fingers. Nervously biting her lip, she makes her way into school.
Her twin, Lilly, is laughing with a group of friends, a casual hand resting in her boyfriend's back pocket. She leans forward, her blue eyes sparkling as she grins. She doesn't even notice Annabelle.
This is normal. At home, Annabelle and Lilly are best friends. But at school, they hardly speak. After all, Lilly is beautiful and popular. Annabelle is a drab version of her sister, with darker irises and lighter skin.
But Reaping Day is different.
"Annabelle!" Lilly calls with a smile, gesturing for her to join in.
"Coming!" Annabelle hollers back. She crosses through the crowded school hallways and melds into her sister's group, which consists of three other gorgeous girls and two guys, plus Lilly's boyfriend, Nate. "What's going on?"
"We're just talking about the Reaping," Lilly replies.
"You would volunteer for your sister, right?" drawls Lilly's right-hand assistant, who's nothing more than a mindless follower with pale green eyes and porcelain skin.
Would I? Annabelle wonders. She likes to think she would, but she isn't so sure. It's hard to envision herself voluntarily going into the Hunger Games. Yet Lilly is more liked than she is, more needed, by far.
Wouldn't it be better for everyone if Annabelle went in if Lilly was Reaped?
*MAX BENJAMIN GRIFFIN*
*SEVENTEEN*
There's a girl Max likes. She has shimmering cerulean eyes, brown-black hair, and white-bronze skin. She's beautiful, incredible, stunning, marvelous. She's selfless and kind, and understands people.
He's never even spoken to her.
Max has so many slips of paper in that glass bowl it's a shock he hasn't been Reaped yet.
He has a horrible feeling this is his year.
He needs to talk to this girl. Now. Before it's too late.
Taking a deep breath, he marches over to her. He's known as the toughest guy in school. The other students know better than to cross him. Gritting his teeth, he extends his hand. "I'm Max Griffin."
She looks a little scared and bewildered, but still smiles a little. "Um, hi? It's, uh, nice to meet you. I'm Annabelle Lessim."
*DISTRICT 9 REAPING*
Twitter Dee sure lives up to her name, is Max's bitter thought as he watches their escort pause to chatter first with the two District 9 Victors, then with the mayor, then with the two workmen who have come to ogle her man-made breasts.
"And I'm Twitter Dee!" the lady screams, holding onto her hat (a stuffed vulture) as she walks across the stage. "Welcome to the second Quarter Quell!" She winks at the cameras. "You want to know why I have a vulture as today's headpiece? Anyone have a guess? No one? Are you sure? Well, it's because I know you're all going to be eaten alive by-" She claps her hand over her mouth. "Oops! A little too much information about this year's arena?" She seems to get confirmation from someone, because she rapidly changes the subject. "So I guess it's time to pick! Should we shake it up and go with boys first? Alright!" She flutters her fingers as she dips them into the container, ruffles a few pieces of paper, then chooses one and ceremoniously unfolds it. "Well, well, well. Do we have a Max Griffin? Anywhere?" She puts a prim hand on her forehead to shade her eyes and peers into the crowd. "Max Griffin?"
"Yeah, yeah," a boy snaps, storming up to the platform. "I'm Max, blah blah blah."
"Ahem." Twitter tilts her head. "And we have...Lilly Lessim! Lilly, dearie-boo?"
Annabelle hears her sister's pained gasp even from three rows away. And she knows what she didn't before: she will save her twin. It's the least she can do.
"I'm Annabelle Lessim, and I..." Suddenly, her confidence drains. She shrinks back into the crowd, wishing she hadn't said her name, wishing she could just let her sister die and stay here in District 9.
"Annabelle Lessim?" blares a Peacekeeper with beady eyes. "Did I hear an Annabelle Lessim just volunteer?"
"No backsies, sweetie!" Twitter giggles. "Once a volunteer, always a volunteer. Let's go, darling!"
She crouches down. What have I done? Damn it, damn it, damn it. I am so stupid.