District 5 Reapings
~I know you're thinking I'm heartless
I know you're thinking I'm cold
I'm just protecting my innocence
I'm just protecting my soul~
Kalia Haynes (15), District 5
Kalia followed her best friend, Aarti around at school. She couldn't see what her parents saw in Aarti as they thought she was a controller. Sure, Kalia had to do a lot of things for Aarti, but that's how friends were. The friends had to do the other things for them, so it was quite normal.
"Do you need me to do anything else?" Kalia asked softly, following Aarti behind her, with her head tucked down.
"I got detention after school again. It's Mrs. Liao in English, because 'I've been acting up in her class.' Detention lasts from three to four… Have fun," Aarti said, quickly picking up her pace that way Kalia couldn't follow.
She nodded to herself, not expecting her best friend to notice her response. Kalia made her way towards her locker, putting all her textbooks in her locker. She made a mental note which textbooks were hers and which ones were Aarti's, since she had to do both of their homework tonight, that way the teachers don't have to worry about either of them. Though, depending one if they receive more homework than Kalia might have to skip her homework tonight and just work on it over the weekend. It didn't help if Aarti was quite demanding on whether she got things down or not. What only mattered was to keep her best friend happy and content without leaving Kalia.
Kalia could remember a time where she often dreaded going to school. It wasn't that the other kids her age was mean, but simply left her out purposely on things. Kalia often sat on the sidewalk playing with chalk while other kids played tag on the playground during recess time. The kids thought of her that she was clingy and couldn't be told the word no.
School quickly got over much for Kalia's disdain. She didn't really want to go serve Aarti's detention for her, but it wasn't like she was going to tell her that. She was afraid that she would lose her best friend because she disagreed on one thing with her and that Aarti can serve her own detentions. Kalia couldn't dare to do that to her then Aarti would leave her forever and she would forever be alone.
Kalia quickly gathered her materials that she needed along with Aarti's stuff in her backpack before making her way towards Mrs. Liao's class. It was unexpectedly just her and some other kid she didn't know.
"Miss Haynes, I'm surprised to see you here. You're such a good student and don't struggle with anything," she heard Mrs. Liao say before Kalia nodded.
"Aarti told me that I need to serve detention for her because she had something to do today and couldn't make it," She half fibbed. It was just partial truth, but Kalia didn't know if Aarti had plans tonight. Maybe she did, but it wasn't like she would tell Kalia. Aarti never told her anything. Aarti was the one who would get invited to a lot of places whether it would be a party which Kalia wouldn't dare to attend even if she was invited or have a date with a popular kid.
The teacher shook her head in disapprovement at the prospect, but Kalia paid no mind to it. Mrs. Liao opened her mouth and said, "If you're really sure about this. I guess I'll allow you to serve detention for her, but you really shouldn't make a habit of this."
She nodded and sat down in the back row, sitting in silence for about an hour or so. She was bored out her mind, but Kalia didn't complain too much, it was just exhausting, but luckily the hour passed and Kalia was free to leave once she signed out under Kalia's spot.
Kalia shivered slightly as the cold breeze met her pale skin. She zipped up her jacket and made her way home quickly without stopping by and visiting anyone on the way. Kalia just wanted to get home quickly before the sun set, and home was only two miles away from the school so it wasn't too bad. It was a little over a forty minute walk, but at least it gave her exercise to stay healthy. The only thing that she didn't particularly like was the fact that she was carrying a very heavy backpack that she just wanted to empty it out and run quickly, but she didn't want Aarti to get mad at her for not doing the work she was supposed to.
Forty minutes passed, and Kalia finally trudged her way to her house. She opened the door and was immediately met with a wafting scent of chicken and possibly rice. It made her stomach rumble, but she found the gazes of both her mom and dad staring at her.
"Um, hi," said Kalia unsure of what to say.
"Let me guess, Aarti got detention and you had to serve her time right?" Her mom questioned in which Kalia nodded weakly. She still didn't know what to say, but she kept her mouth shut. "When are you going to learn that Aarti isn't a good friend? A good friend doesn't treat you like this, and treats you like this." Here we go again, Kalia thought to herself.
"Aarti isn't that bad!" she interjected, already knowing that there was going to be another argument happening soon. It was typical, her parents often voiced their disapproval about Kalia's friendship with Aarti. Aarti wasn't that bad and her parents always made it sound like Aarti was a soulless person who was using Kalia as a personal gang.
"Bullshit. You literally took a detention for her again! That was the third one this week, Kalia. When are you going to learn that Aarti isn't the one that's going to care for you? She would leave you, leaving you hurt and damaged. I just don't want to see you get hurt," her mom said, her voicing raising slightly, "Open your eyes, Kalia. We're not blind that the girl is obviously toxic, and you're being oblivious about it. Quit acting that you care about her and thinks you're her best friend."
"But, Mom!" Kalia shouted. She clenched her fists in anger, and closed her eyes, trying not to let her family get to her. "I'm not acting… Aarti is really my best friend."
"Really? Does she ask how you're doing? Does she ask you for advice? Does she ask you to come over to her house? I don't think so, Kalia. I just wish that you would realize that the girl is quite toxic for you, and ruining your poor self-esteem. You don't deserve this type of treatment. We care about you really we do, but you're being ridiculous," her mom hissed at her.
Kalia felt the tears form as the words stung her. She had closed her eyes for a few seconds before she opened them. Kalia didn't want to talk to them at least not right now. There were times that she felt like they were attacking her for simply hanging out with Aarti. It wasn't like she was that bad of a person.
"I'm going to eat dinner in my room," she told them, not bothering to look back at her parents faces. She walked away from her parents, heading towards her room on the left, shutting the door shut behind her.
She fell on her bed and covered her white, fluffy pillow over her face before Kalia allowed the tears to fall from her eyes freely. It was always her mom who voiced her opinion about how she felt like Aarti wasn't a friend to her. Her dad, however, never voiced his opinion on Aarti, but Kalia could see the disappointment in his grey eyes. Just once she wished that her parents could quit judging her friends when she got them which were quite rare.
~When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale~
Killian Swan (18), District 5
Killian smiled at Zelena briefly before he turned his attention on the paper that was sitting right in front of him. The teacher explained how to do it, but it felt a little challenging. Killian didn't feel really comfortable to on doing it by himself, but he knew that he needed to do it. The work just seemed so challenging that Killian was tempted to ask for help, but he wasn't going to.
It wasn't like he was afraid of asking for help, merely afraid of the answer he was going to get. Killian just didn't want to get judged even more, and the other kids would figure out his weakness. It would just make the other kids satisfied that Killian had a weakness and that involves math.
There was nothing he could do about the bullying because no one listened. All they saw was a Mayor's kid. A Mayor's kid that they thought that he was going to end up like his mom. It was difficult, but no one really understood how much the bullying affected him so much that there were times that he just wanted to throw it all away and escape the pain. Killian wasn't talking about suicide; he never wanted to kill himself. He could see how much his family and Zelena cared about him so that was never an option.
Killian had taken a deep breath before he pressed his pencil down on the piece of paper. He started writing the equation down, hoping that it would bring him to remember how to do the steps. While he really couldn't understand how to do it, he kinda got it.
After doing a few problems, he finally understood it and he wanted to help one of his fellow classmates. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Samira that he never really talked too. Killian never really talked to anyone Samira was basically a bitch to others and always mocked everyone who came by which got on Killian's nerves quite a bit. He was basically Samira's worst enemy much like everyone else.
Samira had pale skin that was always covered up with a baggy blue sweatshirt of the school colors. She always wore a khaki skirt that always brought out her milky-white legs that was always in black dress shoes. Her hair was quite long, possibly a few inches longer than Zelena's ginger hair.
"Do you need help?" He asked Samira kindly. Though Killian didn't expect a kind response coming from her, but her response was something that Killian never really expected.
"No, Swan… Why would I need your help? You never have to work hard, and you get everything you want, bitch. So about you go fuck off and kill yourself in the process," hissed Samira, as she stabbed him in the arm with her pencil. He felt a small but sharp pain, but Killian masked his pain.
Every day of his life, Killian had been bullied by the district. All because his mom is a selfish bitch who would rather see her district die off and keep her family thriving. He should know. Killian had been living with her ever since he was five-years-old, once she adopted him.
At first, Killian didn't mind her as she was really loving and caring towards him and her wife. Killian loved that about her was that she took care of her family, but he quickly realized how much he was treated differently than the rest of the district. He had been a little spoiled by his parents, but he didn't really mind. Killian loved the attention that they always brought them, erasing any memories that he had of the orphanage at the young age.
He barely really remembered living at the orphanage, but he had a few friends who were older than him and treated them like an equal. He didn't remember their names only by their appearance. There was a tiny girl that looked like she was of the Hispanic descent with her somewhat dark skin, and long brown hair that always had a white headband in it. There were two other people-fraternal twins. One of the twins had dark skin along with curly dark brown hair that reached to her shoulders. She was taller than the other twin. The other twin, however, had a lighter complexion that was tanned. He had short curly, dark brown hair. Though they didn't look like twins, he was surprised how often people were surprised that those two were siblings. The group was close-knitted and was always seen together before Killian was adopted.
The bell rung, and Killian quickly packed up his stuff and headed towards where Zelena was standing, gathering her materials up. While Killian wouldn't want to admit, he did have a slight crush on her, but he wouldn't dare to tell her.
"You okay?" Zelena asked.
"I should be used to this, but I'm not. I'm just really tired of all this bullying all because of I'm the Mayor's son. That doesn't really mean a thing. Do I look like I would be just like my mom?" He told Zelena
Zelena laughed gently before she said, "No, not really. Trust me, you're not the only that everyone hates after what my father did, my life hasn't been the same since."
It was no secret of what happened to Zelena's dad. He was a pedophile and was quite sick. He raped girls younger than ten and enjoyed their pain, once he was done, he killed them. The district found out about it and executed him on the streets once he been arrested. That was only eleven years old, and no one really forgot about what happened.
"Come on, let's go home," she said, quickly changing the subject to something else.
Killian followed behind her with a deep blush on his cheeks. He was pushed around by other kids on his way out, but he persisted through and manage to get free of the other people.
"Do you want to come over to my house?" Kallin asked, walking on the sidewalk to go home.
"I guess. We could go work on the project that's due in a few days."
"Cool."
~Sat in the corner of the room
Everything's reminding me of you
Nursing an empty bottle and telling myself you're happier
Aren't you?~
Lucia Bellow-District 5 Escort
Lucia felt some tears slid down her face, but she paid no mind to them. It's been exactly one week, four days, and one hour since Kathy broke up with her. Lucia felt like someone tore out her heart and stepped on it multiple times, and all that was left was just a hot mess. That was exactly what Lucia felt like.
She missed the creative, optimist and persevering girl that always brought her chocolate even when Lucia was exhausted with life. Though, she thought that Kathy and her would be together forever; it seems that it may never happen. All because Kathy really couldn't accept the fact that she had OCD. It was truly pathetic that Lucia gave Kathy everything she had, and Lucia received nothing to return.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them once again. Lucia stood up, brushing off whatever dust that managed to gather on her sun blue, floral dress. It looked pretty on her, despite the fact that it never complimented her lavender hair that was pinned into a high ponytail. She looked pretty, but she felt like she was dressing up for nothing. Like how no one really cared how she dressed, but she didn't want to go awfully negative, because she knew someone cared hopefully.
She looked herself in the mirroring in case there was anything she missed. Her ruby lipstick was present and perfect as usual-with no lipstick stains on her white teeth. Her sky blue eyeshadow had a small smudge right next to her left eye, which she ran a wipe across her eye scrubbing it until she felt a small throb. She looked closely to see if there was anymore damage done with the eyeshadow. Luckily, it turned out there wasn't much on the eyeshadow. Lucia then proceeded to check her black eyeliner that made her eyes pop to see if there was anything crooked which there was a slight difference of the length on the right eye and the left eye.
She took another wipe to wipe off some of the extra length, but ended up making it worse. Lucia applied some eyeliner as soon as she put the wipe down to make it more even then what it was previously. It looked a lot better, but it didn't look perfect enough, but while Lucia didn't want to give up on it being perfect, she knew she had to. Not because she was tired of doing it, but knowing that she had a few minutes before she had to get on stage soon.
The stage where she would announce the lucky boy and girl to the nation of Panem and to District 5. Lucia was excited to do that and mostly show off the new dress that she picked out right after Kathy broke up with her. They've been together for six months, but it felt like eternity to her. How quickly things change for worse or the better, but Lucia knew that she would have to get over the break-up sooner or later,
The only problem was, was that Kathy was Lucia's first ever girlfriend and the only person she'd been in a committed relationship with. Sure, Lucia had a few boyfriends while she was in high school, but those were just flings simply. She never loved them fully, just the attention that they brought her. It was Kathy that Lucia loved from the inside and out, bringing someone loving and caring out to the world, but now that she was gone, she didn't know how to be that persona again.
Lucia felt she was someone else. Someone she no longer knew, because her heart had been broken. She didn't know how to be that person again, but maybe someone would fix her or she would fix herself. One piece at a time.
Lucia looked at the time, and it startled her. She had to get one stage in exactly sixty seconds. She had taken a deep breath before she placed her right heel forward, wobbling for a brief second before. Even though, she was an expert on walking in high-heels; it just took a few seconds to get used to it.
Lucia smiled as soon as her right heel touched the stage. She saw the gloomy crowd, but she didn't want their gloomy expressions ruin the fun. After all, the Hunger Games was quite fun in the first place. It was a fight for the strongest to live.
"Hello, District 5!" Lucia had exclaimed into the microphone before she continued on with her speech, "My name is Lucia Bellows and I will be your lovely escort for this year's Hunger Games!"
Lucia still didn't see anyone move from the audience. Maybe a few blinks here and there, but it wasn't anything to much. The audience was a fuses stoic as ever, but Lucia continued on anyways.
She video blared on, but Lucia was absent minded through most of the video. She blinked exactly three times before it was her turn again.
"This year's female tribute is…" Her right hand with a neat silver manicure dipped into the right bowl and plucked one white slip that was on the side of the right reaping bowl. "Kalia Haynes! Where is she?" she questioned, peering out into the audience before she spotted a small movement coming from the fifteen-year-old section, but no one stepped out from the group.
Then suddenly, Lucia heard someone sobbing in the fifteen-year-old section and clinging onto some people before the peacekeepers interfered and dragged the girl out. The girl had shoulder length, curly, dark brown hair along with tan skin and a height of 5'5, an inch or so taller than Lucia. Once the girl got closer, she saw that Kalia also had grey eyes.
"How old are you?" Lucia asked as calmly as she could. She resisted the temptation to fix the girl's appearance so that she looked decent instead of having an off-white t-shirt and black pants on.
"Fifteen," Kalia responded with tears running down her face.
Lucia quickly decided to move on and picked a slip from the left bowl with her left hand.
"Leonardo Temin!"
There had been a brief pause before a guy from the eighteen-year-old section walked confidently out.
"I volunteer!" the guy called out before the reaped guy had a chance to really move. "Killian Swan, age eighteen!" Swan. Swan. Lucia tried to remember where she heard that name before, but she realized it quickly. Swan was the surname of the current mayor here.
Lucia nodded briefly and kept her peripheral vision to him as he walked up the stage wearing a white shirt and pants.
"District 5 tributes-Kalia Haynes and Killian Swan!" Lucia then ushered both of them inside.
Don't wanna let you down
But I am hell bound
Though this is all for you
Don't wanna hide the truth~
Killian Swan (18), District 5
Killian didn't regret volunteering, while he knew that there was a chance that he was going to die; he wanted to show the District that he was someone else. No one really understood how much Killian hated the bullying, wishing that someone understood why no one wanted to get to know him. Killian didn't want to show off, but he had some hopes that he may win.
"I never really expected that you would volunteer… Why didn't you tell me?" His mom asked. She stepped into the room with her wife following in tow. She wore a black smart dress along with matching high heels, and were black bob hair was gelled. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Yes. "No, of course not. I just wanted to rescue that twelve year old boy, " Killian said, lying about the reason why he volunteered. He wanted the district to know that he wasn't like his mom, but he knew that maybe people wouldn't really listen. He was just frustrated over the fact that people liked to judge others before getting to know them first.
"I'm really disappointed in you. You're eighteen and this is how you repay us?" His other mom, Emma said. "What happened to the cute five year old who wanted to get out of the orphanage?"
"Sorry," he whispered, "I love you."
"We love you to, but don't forget to try your best to win," Regina said.
"I will," He promised them, before they nodded curly and headed out the door. Killian was left alone for a few minutes before Zelena showed up, wishing him good luck and how she was going to miss him. Killian was going to miss her too.
~I'm never gonna let you close to me
Even though you mean the most to me
'Cause every time I open up, it hurts~
Kalia Haynes (15), District 5
Kalia still felt tears falling down her face, but she paid no mind to the tears. Never in her life had Kalia imagined that she would get reaped as a tribute in the Hunger Games. She just hoped that she would be able to live on her life as normal as possible and not have to worry about this.
She stared at the door, hoping that someone would see her. The door opened ajar and her family stepped in.
"Kalia! " Her dad said, rushing to her. He embraced her into a hug which Kalia accepted. "I love you even though I don't support your relationship with your friend."
Kalia smiled in his hug before her dad let her go. She wasn't in the mood to argue with her parents at least not right now.
"I can't lose my only child. You better come back," Her mom said loudly. Kalia had nodded before she embraced her parents one last time before they headed out.
Kalia waited and waited for Aarti to show up, maybe wish her good luck in the process, but she was only met with silence. It got to the point where Kalia was tired of waiting to see her best friend. Maybe she forgot? She thought to herself, but she still couldn't prevent the nagging feeling in her head that Aarti didn't care for her as much as Kalia wanted her to be.
At least it take me forever to write this chapter. 6 days that's like a record. Let me know what you think of these tributes! And I'll see you next time with District 12.
Mid-Reaping Check-In: is on my profile because of issues