Chapter Five.
Pre-Reapings Part Two.
Aidan Lainell; 18 years old.
District One Male.
It was a beautiful day. In District One, the day before the reaping was always something to look out for. Everyone, rich or poor or young or old, left their daily taks and joined together at the square for a big and welcoming barbecue. It wasn't much, but it was tradition since the beginning of the Hunger Games, and Aidan was more than happy to join in.
However, it was always special for the chosen volunteers. They got to play a big part in the next day, to represent all of those people, so why shouldn't they be rewarded? In the end, a big cake was brought in and listening to the Capitol anthem, the volunteers ate the first two slices of the cake and shaked hands. They said it was important and for tradition's sake, but Aidan knew better. Usually, the tributes from their district were quite friendly towards each other, but it wasn't always like that. If they ended up being the final 2, all of that disappeared. Survival was all that mattered in the end.
But he was still at home, and he was still alive, so Aidan ignored those thoughts and enjoyed his piece of cake. Frankly, he was getting quite annoyed because every time that he tried to eat a bit more, someone came to congratulate him. At first, it was quite nice because he got to hear all of that praise but it got boring after some time. Always the same thing.
Congrats, man.
I know you'll make us proud, Mr. Lainell.
Thank you for representing us, Aidan.
Still, the people that he wanted to see weren't really in here. Since he was the volunteer, he was one of the first to arrive, with Alexa following him, a few seconds later. She had made her speech, charming and with that playful smile of hers, but Aidan didn't listen to a single word. Well, maybe he did listen to the part about how honorable it was that they had chosen her to volunteer and how she could only thank her mother and father for making her in a Career District.
Everyone cheered for her. Alexa Cadwell, the promising young girl that would surely give them another Victor. Aidan included, but his head was somewhere else. But when his turn came, Aidan did everything in his power to be better than her. He spoke about the sacrifices that his parents had made for him, and all that he would do for them when the time came. How he would pay everything back when the time came.
Alexa might have her good looks and playful personality,but Aidan had his words. And they had never failed him before. Once his speech was done, and after he had done all of the goodbyes, the two people that he wanted to see the most came rushing to him, almost throwing him to the ground.
Cordelia throwed herself into his arms, and stayed there for a little bit. Aidan messed her hair, but kept it away from her face. "How are you doing, little sister? Enjoying the party?"
A bright smile made its way to Cordelia's face. They were so rare, and yet so bright, that Aidan did his best to memorize them whenever they appeared. "There's cake, Ai, of course I do! Do you think we can get a few slices for mom and dad?"
That means they weren't coming. Aidan ignored that feeling on his gut, and smiled at his little sister. He would deal with the human feelings later. All he had right now was the fact that his siblings were here, with him, and that was all that mattered. Aidan felt someone kick him in his back but, already knowing who it was, he grabbed the boy in a headlock, and ruffed his hair.
"Please, big brother, tell me that you'll throw me a party like this when you come home. Or I'll volunteer myself and become more famous than you."
They both laughed, but they both knew that he could never do that. Daniel wasn't strong enough to be accepted in the Academy, and his problems didn't help that much, either.
Aidan knelt next to Daniel, hoping that he could make sure the boy knew this before he felt. "Listen, Dan. They're fools to not accept you in the Academy. Because once I return from the Games, I'll train you myself."
"Will I be able to choose any weapon I want?" Daniel asked, a look of hope starting to appear on his face.
"Yes you will, buddy." Aidan hugged him, trying to keep to himself the fact that he would prefer if his little brother stayed out of the Games forever. Too dangerous.
Before he could say anything else, Idaline joined them. Like whenever he was with his girlfriend, Aidan felt like the weight of the world had been lift out of his shoulders. "Idaline!" Both Daniel and Cordelia reached to meet her, but Aidan's eyes stayed focused on his girlfriend. He just needed a moment alone with her, before he left for the Games. Idaline seemed to be able to read his thoughts, because as soon as Daniel and Cordelia left to get some cake for their parents, she turned to him.
"Wanna go for a walk, handsome? You look like you need a breath of fresh air." He laughed, nervously.
"The price of fame can be quite difficult to pay." She laughed and kissed him, and they left, holding hands. When they were walking throught the district, Aidan tried to decide between inviting her for dinner at La Plause or simply take her to the movies.
Both would be good. It was a shame that he only had movie for one of them, though. When they were passing throught the poorest side of the district, Idaline froze. Aidan noticed a boy, a few years younger than Daniel, curled up in the ground, with some very old looking clothes. He didn't look like he was older than eight, with dirty blonde hair. From the way that he was shaking, Aidan could tell that he probably didn't eat anyting for a while.
He sighed. This was the right thing to do, and also what Idaline wanted him to do. He had no other choice. But deep down, there was a part of him that also wanted to help this boy. He got the coins, and gave them to the boy. The smile and happiness on that boy's face were worth it.
For Aidan, it was always a choice between right or wrong. He just hoped he could always make the right choice in the Games.
Katarina Morellee; 18 years old.
District Five Female.
"Do we have anything to do besides get drunk?" Katarina hung her head over the back of the couch with an exasperated sigh, and Tanna shifted uncomfortably next to her.
"We could play cards?" She suggested uncertainly. "Or I've probably got some board games-"
Kat laughed just as she finished another sip of her beer, "What are we, nine? Have you ever thrown a party before?"
"This isn't a a party," Tanna shrugged. "We're just hanging out."
"Well," Kat opened up another beer, and passed it to Tanna. "It could have been a party if I could invite everyone that I wanted. This is my house, after all." Kat didn't want to admit it, but Tanna was probably right in the end. If her parents came here to find their house filled with drunk teenagers, they would probably be quite angry. Not that she cared or anything, but if it was annoying enough to have to listen to them when they weren't angry, imagine when they were.
"Drink up, my friend. You know you can be happier when you're drunk. Makes us forget the shitty life that we have around here." To be honest, the day before the reaping was one of the very few that Katarina could feel absolutely good. Knowing that maybe, just maybe, she could have the chance of finally leaving this awful place and being who she was.
If she won, Kat could only start to imagine what she would get. She would be a Victor. No longer they would look at her like the useless daughter, the one who isn't good at anything. I certantly don't agree with that...
She would better than Blaize. She would be better than Serenity. Kat certantly wouldn't mind in wasting a few drops of blood, that weren't her own, to get that. So let the Hunger Games come, she thought. She wasn't scared of them, she couldn't be. She had faced worst things in her life before. And in the Games, she would be able to use her most useful skill.
That was one of the best things in life, for Katarina. She enjoyed playing with people's minds, leading them to do whatever she wanted. It was almost funny who easily people could be lead to do whatever she wanted, and all it took was a little bit of effort. She used the words for the girls and her body for the boys, or even the other way around. No matter, she always got what she wanted. Wait, not all of it.
There was one thing that Kat wanted. And that she never got the chance to have. She wanted her old life back, the one that belonged to her and that was taken when Blaize was born. She needed their attention. She was human too, there were times when she needed her mother. When she had things that could only be told to her mother. Or when she needed her father to tell her that he loved her. Or that he was proud of her. When it was just her and Serenity, it was good.
They were sisters and although her sister was a little brat, they loved each other. They were a true family, the two of them and their parents. But when the rat was born, everything changed.
He took everything from her. Her sister, her mother, her father. He took them all from her when he was born, so Kat promised to herself that she would also take everything from him, when he started to grow up.
Everything he ever loved would be taken from him. That was a promise.
Suddenly, Tanna threw her phone to the ground, and stood up, looking at Kat with wide eyes.
Bloody hell. Kat wondered what could have happened now.
"Did you hear about Serenity's party tonight? She invited everyone but us! Kat, how is that possible? She is your sister!" Tanna was the closest thing that Kat had to a friend, but she could be completly ridiculous sometimes. Like now, for example. Like she didn't have a clue that Serenity and Kat weren't exactly the best of friends.
"Who cares about Serenity's party? We have a party of our own right here, dear friend," Kat lifted her beer and took another sip of it. "Besides, we both know that the only way that Serenity can get someone to come to her party is by opening her legs, like she always does."
In a way, Kat admired her sister as much as she hated her. Serenity had a way of getting what she wanted, she just like Kat with her words and... the other tricks that weren't worth talking about. That's why she hated when Serenity tried to use that with her. It just didn't worth. Kat wasn't anyone's pawn, and she refused to ever come close to being one. That's why she put on the mask.
It was a little trick that she learned with her dearest family and honestly, it worked every single time. Her true emotions were supposed to be kept burried deep inside. That way, no one would ever know what they should use against her.
That's why she kept as much distance as she could from her stupid little family. She couldn't let them see how much she wanted that. How much she wanted her father to look at her and tell her that he was proud of her, like he did to Blaize and Serenity. The younger child and the oldest one.
No one cared about the middle child. That's why she was better like this. Being a bitch, and pretending that she didn't care about anyone's feelings but her own. Maybe one day, that would work out and she would finally stop caring. Kat hoped that it would work out like that.
So let the Hunger Games come. Katarina was ready, ready to face everything that they could throw at her. She wouldn't go down, even if they killed her a thousand times. She was ready to face it.
She would never, ever give up.
Jasko Quinn; 18 years old.
District Four Male.
This wouldn't be about them anymore.
As Jasko watched his fellow trainees dance around, he couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. He was done with all of this, he was already in another level. He was Jasko Quinn, and when he made it back home, he wouldn't have to handle any of this.
He would be Jasko Quinn, the Victor. He would never be considered as Jasko Quinn, the fisher's boy again. But for now, he could enjoy this. What kind of Victor would he be if he didn't know how to enjoy a party? This was all for himself, after all. For himself and Tiena.
He cared about the girl. Not as much as he cared about himself, of course, but he did care about her. He cared because he know that she would be so easy to manipulate, that she might even end up killing herself for him in the future. Besides, she was also a beauty. Jasko had an eye for beautiful things, things that he could appreciate and that made his life even better.
That's why he absolutely adored living in Four. It was just a beautiful life, full of things that he could enjoy and that would become even better, once he became a Victor. In Four, he could enjoy the small things that made his life even better. Like the sea, for example. It was always something that Jasko enjoyed since he was a little kid, because it calmed him down. Jasko guessed that it would look even better once he saw it throught his window in Victor's Village.
"Jasko?" He instantly turned around, fixing his air in the process. This party was for him, so he might as well look his best.
The lovely voice belonged to a girl, about Jasko's age, dressed in a beautiful blue ball gown. "Do you remember who I am?"
Jasko had no idea. He had met a lot of people in the past few days, but he couldn't say that she stood out in any way. But Jasko, being the gentleman that he was, couldn't disappoint a lady. He refused to break a girl's heart, no matter what happened. He would have enough time for that once the Games arrived. He might have been raised as the fisher's boy, but it was important to keep his manners.
"Yes, of course." He smiled. The trick was to not look her in the eyes that much. If he looked at her that much in the eye, she could be able to notice that he was lying. And then, it could become a mess. Frankly, Jasko hated a mess that wasn't necessary.
"I... I have something to tell you. It was something that I heard, from a friend, but I suppose it would only be fititng to let you know of what happened, right?" Jasko was starting to get nervous, so he kept his hands behind his back. Hopefully, it would calm him down.
"What is it?" He noticed the necklace on her chest. Luena. Right.
"I heard that you weren't the Academy's first choice. They were planning in choosing Kol Kalamar to volunteer, but then they decided on you. Tiena was their first choice, though." Jasko started to sweat.
Show no weakness. No weakness.
He kept the smile on his face, almost as a clue to Luena, to let her know that she would never be able to break him. "Well, then I suppose that I'll have a chance to show them that they made the right choice, won't I?" The girl smiled. Jasko smiled, because his plan had worked. He had quickly turned the situation to his favor, like he always had.
Jasko was quite proud of himself, to be honest. He had never done it so quickly and in such an efficient way too. Who knows how good he would get once the Games started.
Work, he thought. If he worked hard enough, he would get what he wanted. Work would get him far, like it always had. But first, he had to go throught tomorrow.
Jasko knew that it would be alright. All he had to do was volunteer. He already knew Tiena, he already knew what she was capable of, so why was he worried?
Think. Think. If he thought about it enough, he would be able to figure out.
Oh.
It was because he didn't knew everything that there was to know about Tiena. If he knew, he could be at peace. His plan could all work out. So, Jasko fixed his hair and walked over to where Tiena was dancing with the boring thing that she called a boyfriend. He punched the boy lightly on the shoulder.
"You mind if I steal her for a while, buddy?" The boy looked at him, up and down. He only nodded after a few seconds.
"Be careful with your hands, Quinn. Or with will be the last time you have hands" Jasko's manners mattered a lot to win, because they could get him far. But that didn't stop him from wanting to punch Damian on the face, right there.
But instead, he pulled Tiena closer and started the dancing move. He didn't care about dancing, he cared about getting to know more about Tiena. All of that could help him in the future.
"You do look lovely tonight, sweetheart." And she did. Stunning.
"So do you." She wasn't a woman of much words, then. Jasko liked it, he liked people than were more about work than about words. At the end of the day, he was a fisher's boy, and he learned everything that he knew with his family. Jasko could appreciate that, he could appreciate what humble had to offer more than the ones with only the vacant words and fake smiles.
"So, Tiena, tomorrow is the reaping. We're going to celebrate down at the docks, since you know, it might be the last time we are here, in our lovely District."
"Jasko, I... I don't know. Damian and I..we had plans.." She was so adorable like that. Perfect.
"Oh, please, you already told me no last time, Tiena. At least, do this for me? It will be fun. You can even bring your boy toy. Okay?"
It took a few seconds for her to answer. "Okay."
Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.
District One Female.
"Thank you for all the help, Alexa."
Alexa could still hear the party going on, outside the Academy. She couldn't blame them, though. All of them were teenagers, and it wasn't every day that they had a party like the one before the reaping.
It was beautiful, it was fresh. Everything that people in District One could want. It was a party meant for her too, after all. For her and Aidan. Alexa hadn't decided how she felt about Aidan just yet. He was too confident, but still, there was a part of him that was exactly like Alexa. She saw it this morning, when Aidan's siblings got to the party.
There was a moment in there when his mask finally fell, and Alexa was able to see who the real Aidan was, for a moment. And that's when she understood that he was just like her, maybe even better. He was already playing the Game and boy, wasn't he good at it.
"You sure you don't want to join them? It seems like a pretty good party. And it's in your honor, after all." Sage stated, a playful smirk on his face. Sage was one of the people that Alexa was closest to in the Academy. No, not closest to. He was one of the people that Alexa trusted the most, one that she knew would never even come close to stab her in the back.
If she could hang out with people she could trust, it would be one step closer to Victory. That would make sure that she would never be stabbed in the back, and that nothing would stand in her way to Victory.
"Absolutely," She smiled, and kissed Sage's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." Alexa said. The big day. With that, she left. Outside, it was much louder than what Alexa was expecting. She could probably give a name to everyone around here if she focused a bit, but she didn't care.
Alexa always liked to keep it like that. She was a quiet girl, but that also helped because people never knew what to expect from her. She was the wild card, and Alexa loved it. No matter what she did, people would always be suprised. In here, it might not have been a very good thing. People in District One didn't love the quiet teenagers as much as the louder ones, like the ones that were partying right next to her.
But in the Games, it would be different. In there, not even her allies would know what to expect from her and maybe, if she didn't to stab them in the back, they wouldn't even fight back against her. Of course, she had to make friends. People wouldn't get anywhere in life if they didn't have someone to watch their back while they were at it.
But unlike her fellow district partner, Alexa could say that she was herself all along. That she stayed true to herself, and never had to fake anything to get to the Games. True, she might be quiet, but she got her hands on her axe, she changed completly.
Alexa might be having a very bad day, but when gets her hands on her axe, everything changes. It's like she turns into someone completly different from herself, someone willing to do anything to get what she wanted. Sage told her once that maybe, once she got her hands on a axe, she turned into a better person.
Someone braver. Stronger. Someone that could face everything that the Games would throw at her without flinching. No, maybe not like that. Alexa wanted to keep the part of her that was still human, no matter how much it could cost her.
She would remain human, no matter what, but she would also be a human that did everything that needed to be done. Without thinking about what it would mean for other people.
"Alexa? Is that you?" Alexa turned around to see Aidan, who was obviously very drunk, with a girl on his arm.
"Hey Aidan." Honestly, she was in a rush. But what would be the arm? After tomorrow, she would spend every day with this boy by her side. They would train together, they would eat together, fight together and most of all, they would fight the other Careers together. Alexa knew that it could be good if she had someone on her side, someone to fight it with if the Careers ever tried to split up.
But like hell she would give up her life for him. If there was something that mattered the most to Alexa, it was her life. She would gladly do anything to protect her life and if it meant that she would have to throw this boy in front of a moving train, then so be it.
He would be the one to stand in her way. "This is my girl, Idaline." The girl smiled to Alexa but it was more than clear that she was way more drunk than Aidan was. Ah. Clearly, Alexa could see who had the balls in that relationship.
"Pleasure to meet you," Alexa said, shaking her hand. "You know who I am, of course." She belonged in District One. The District One girls were known for their confidence and in that side, Alexa didn't like to stay behind.
She was confident. And she could use that in her favor.
"Alexa Cadwell," Idaline said. "The girl who'll be volunteering with my man. Gotta make you promise that you'll take care good care of him."
Alexa laughed. Aidan laughed. Even Idaline laughed. It would be a suprise if they didn't end up killing each other, or even if one of them made it home alive. She would never have the chance of taking care of Aidan, even if she wanted to.
It was a pity that she had no interest in doing it.
But still, she laughed. "Absolutely. You have nothing to worry about." Alexa could only imagine the suprise on the girl's face if she ever got to kill Aidan.
But right now, she had other things to worry about. Like winning.
So when Aidan offered her a beer, Alexa couldn't refuse it. It was home, after all, and she was determined to enjoy her last moments at home. As a regular girl.
It would be different when she came back as a Victor.
A/N: 4 more of these lovely tributes! Make sure you check out the fanart that my lovely friend Jalen did! They are all on my profile!
Thank you for all the support so far, I really do appreciate it.
Let me know what you thought and I'll see you soon!