Astrid Santos, 18, District Nine Female.
"The choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility"
Astrid Santos was a person that didn't stop at the bare minimum.
She was the person to go above and beyond and then some more to get what she wanted out of life. She strived to be the best person that she could be. Astrid was a methodical person. There wasn't a time where nothing she did wasn't planned as best as she could get it. She wasn't the type to 'wing it' or the type to just play it by ear and hope that it works out in her favor.
Sometimes she wishes it could be that easy for it. But alas.
Oftentimes, if the plan that Astrid came up with fell through, or something in it didn't work out she would find herself frustrated with herself. And then she would spend the next bit of time, wondering what she could have done differently.
She can't afford making these stupid mistakes.
Another thing about her and who she has become. She absolutely cannot stand the talks that turn into the whole "What if" or even "what could have happened." Sure, you can talk about those sorts of things but it wouldn't change the outcome. What happened, has happened and there was no changing it. So why dwell on what could have been and not just get on with your life?
Astrid Santos was a determined person and always loves a good challenge. Often looking at others that are some how better than her in whatever she fixates on with something akin to envy and jealousy. When that happens, as it tends to happen more often than not, something in her flips and she becomes obsessed with that part of the person. Her mind turns to that and focuses solely on that. She shuts everything out and only has eyes on being better. Sometimes she gets pass it by achieving the goal or sometimes just going and focusing on something else.
She couldn't place her finger on what made her like this. Perhaps she's always been like this. Maybe it had to do with her mother's death during her little sister's birth when she was just only five years old. It had been quick, some underlying medical disease that caused her heart to stop after all the strain it had been put through. But all Astrid could do is watch as her mother's life faded from her eyes.
Darkness became a prominent feeling in her life. Years and years were spent grieving her mother and a part of her came to despise her little sister, named Maggie, even though she had nothing to do with her death. Her sister was always vying for her attention and trying to do anything to please her it seemed. A memory that sits with her even now is one from when they were both younger. Maggie had spent hours working on a flower and Astrid could only roll her eyes at the girl when she presented it to her. "Thanks, but this will just die."
It took her until she was eleven to realize that perhaps if she focused the feelings and emotions on being more prepared, she could prepare herself for anything that could happen or be thrown her way. It all seemed to be working for her. Astrid did well enough in school, learned self defense and started running and lifting weights.
Of course, she was blind to what it was doing to her. To everyone else that had sense, Astrid was doing too much. By her throwing herself into working and what else she could find, the girl was just suppressing her emotions. But that was how she wanted it to be. To her, any emotion, even the happiest of ones, were bad emotions. This was the best thing for her.
Finally now 18, it was her last year eligible for the reaping for the Hunger Games and she couldn't be more glad. Astrid was ready to be done with the Games. That late afternoon, the sun was high into the sky. It was already partly cloudy and a nip was in the air as Astrid awoke.
Her father would actually be home for once, instead of working all day. Him and Maggie would probably be in the town and get something small for a late breakfast or an early lunch. , which was fine for Astrid, just giving her enough time to get ready.
Feet padded against the cold floor as she made her way down the hall to the bathroom, turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up the best that it could. Her body, lean yet toned from all her hours spent working out. Her dirty blonde hair was down to the middle of her back and she was probably due for a trim on it. Pale green eyes stared back at her, void of all emotions. How long had it been since they held any type of emotion in them? Rolling her eyes, she got rid of her clothes and then stepped into the lukewarm water. Her mind felt clear and empty as she liked to have it the morning of the reaping.
She knew that if she was chosen, she would be ready. Time had been spent building herself and her body for this. Besides, it would just be another challenge she had to overcome. Maybe being chosen wouldn't be a bad thing after shower was fast, a quick in and out to get all the grime off of her from her workout that she did in the middle of the night when she found herself unable to sleep again. Maybe it was an unhealthy coping mechanism but she didn't really care.
After browsing her closet, she grabbed the same outfit that she wore last year, a plain brown long sleeve top and a pair of black pants and her favorite pair of shoes. Simple enough not to draw eyes on her but enough to make her feel nice. She dried her hair the best she could with her towel before trying to fix it into an acceptable style. Blowing out a breath, she took in her appearance once more.
Somewhat better.
A check at the clock at the end of the hall told her that it would be best if she left soon. It had taken her well over an hour to get ready. Her father and sister must have left not long before she woke up and got ready then. Not bothering with a note to her father or sister, she turned off the lights in the house and headed out the door.
It was early in the afternoon, maybe around eleven or so or even almost noon. There were small groups of people making their way last minute to the square and Astrid was glad she awoke when she did or else she surely would have missed the reaping.
Which, missing the reaping is punishable by death.
Her hands slid into the pockets of her pants, fiddling with her mothers wedding band that her father gave her before her first reaping when she was twelve years old. It became her good luck charm and it let her keep a piece of her mother close to her heart. Fingers ran over the engraved parts of the band, letting it relax her further as she got up to the check in counter.
She wasn't nervous for the aspect of possibly being picked, she just did not like needles. A small fear that made absolutely no sense. Making it through the check in without showing anything on her face, Astrid slid into the next open row. People were quietly talking amongst themselves and she took in a few deep breaths as the place started to fill up. Briefly she saw her little sister behind her, chatting with one of her friends from school.
She could do this. Astrid had train herself enough through the years that she knew that if she ever got picked, she wasn't entirely screwed over in the long run during the games. Hell, she could see herself going top four or even winning the entire thing. God, then she could get away from her family, get her own house on the outer end of the district or stay in the victors' villa. She always loved how nice it looked.
Faint clicking of heels sounded was what broke her from her thoughts and inner monologue as their escort took the stage. This year, Tatiana wore all yellow and they weren't even the same shades. Astrid's eyes hurt from the sight of it and a sneer took place on her lips. The woman's long hair that was up in some weird design that somewhat looked like a bird was the same shade of a dark mustard yellow Her shirt was a bright yellow, and her skin was even tinted yellow.
Was this how it always was in the Capitol?
Shrugging off the weirdness, Astrid somewhat payed attention as she gave her introduction and then played the same video that they show each year. It was used to probably set fear in the younger kids, like her sister. Then, Tatiana made her way to the bowl and that was when Astrid there was only one slip in there.
So that's how it was going to be this year. They were all hand picked? Way to make a girl feel special.
The slip was grabbed.
"Astrid Santos."
Shock was the first thing she felt. Utter shock that it was her name out of every other female in their district. Then followed by a little bit of confusion. Why her? Why not someone else? Anger was brief but showed itself in those split few seconds. Of course they had to fucking choose her.
Her feet pushed her way to the stage and she kept her face blank of anything.
Then it was time for the male's name.
"Percy Chalamet." the name was called out and she knew that name but couldn't place her finger on where she knew him. Of course, that was until she saw him. He was in her class in school and someone she knew people somewhat took advantage of.
She made sure to grip his hand tightly as they shook hands before being pulled away to say their goodbyes.
One new story begins as the other one comes to an end.
Percy Chalamet, 17, District Nine Male.
"Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will."
All Percy wanted out of life was to be recognized for all of his may his personality as well. Carefree, he had a good sense of humor that made most people laugh and he was personable. Those were the words that he heard others use to describe him. After all, his motto was "life is too short to stress out." Of course, he can't be liked by everyone and he knew that there were people out there that envied him and disliked him but he never really let it get to him. He put up with too much at home to let other people's opinions about him get to him.
He has a tendency of overextending and overworking himself. Mostly because he tried to do too many things at once. Also he finds himself having a hard time saying "no" to people. That alone led him to start over compromising on things that he can get done in a set amount of time. This, it has appeared, led to him and other people getting frustrated with him. But this was just who he was. Percy was a people pleaser deep down inside. He wanted people to think highly about him and he wanted to be respected.
And, on the off chance that he does accomplish everything he set out to do in a set time, he finds himself overly confident and cocky. That in turn leads to more false promises and overexerting himself.
A vicious and draining cycle it was and it was one that he couldn't shake himself from. It was something that always seemed to happen and there was just no way of stopping t.
He also tries to be a detailed person, tries to be one of the people that make detailed and thought out plans but it often never works out. Probably doesn't help that he gets sidetracked a lot. One of the reasons that he is able to get things done were the bursts of energy that he gets from time to time. Those bursts are based on how he is feeling on that certain day. Some days he has a big burst of energy and can get everything done and feel so good about himself, other days are a struggle to get himself out of bed.
But that was only the surface of who he was. Deep down? He just wanted his value and worth to be recognized. The person he wanted to be noticed by the most? His older brother.
God why did his older brother have to be the favorite. He was the reason that Percy put up the mask that everyone saw from him. The whole carefree and happy go lucky that appears on the outside. His brother was the favorite it always seemed. That was something that his mother always reminded Percy. That always led to his feelings on the inside, all of that treatment made him feel worthless and like he would never be good enough. He wanted to be recognized and appreciated by his family but his brother makes it so hard by setting such high standards for the boy.
"Why can't you be like Aidan?"
"Aidan would never do that."
"Your brother does that better. "
Those were just some of the things that his mother loved to say to him. And at first, when he was younger, it irritated the hell out of Percy. And maybe just that was what brought him to who he was now. His mother never had a valid reason as to why she always did this and why he was always treated less fair than his brother was.
That treatment might have been the reason as to why he acted out all the time during his childhood. Why bother living up to his mothers expectations if he could never meet them. What would be the point of that?
He used to spend time wondering about the "what ifs" But over time, what was the point of that. This was how his life was like now and there wasn't anything he could do to change the past. All he could do was focus on the future.
The boy's eyes snapped open that morning, hand reaching for the alarm to shut it off. Another morning, another day. Except this one was different.
Reaping day.
A day that Percy despised more than he did his brother, which was saying a lot. Blowing out a breath, the boy stared at the ceiling as if it would give him the encouragement to get up for the day. Today seemed to be one of those days. It was in that moment that after looking at his clock, had him scrambling out of his bed. He had twenty minutes to get to town square. A note on his bedside table informed him that his family had already left.
Muttering curses under his breath, he stumbled to the bathroom. After doing his thing, he grabbed the outfit he laid out the night before. Buttoning up the dark blue shirt and all but shoving his feet into his shoes and hastily tying them up as he started to comb through his hair. At least, him having to hurry to get ready left him with no time to be anxious or feel down.
Without missing a step, he made it downstairs and out the door in ten minutes to spare. His pace never faltered as he made his way to the square, making it just in time. After a brief check in, he slipped into the end of the last row of his age group, just as the escort Tatiana was making her way to the stage. Disgust filled his eyes at her appearance this year. She was so… yellow. It seemed like every year, she just got brighter and brighter. Scoffing at their escort, he turned out the video that was shown every year. By this point, the dark-haired boy had it memorized word for word.
Fingers tapped against his leg, just wanting it all to be over so that he could go back to sleep.
The slip from the female's bowl was called out. Astrid Santos. He knew that name. She was someone people tended to either shy away from or gravitate to. He always admired her from afar, and he aimed to be as planned as she was. She was going to be a tough one in the Games, that was for sure.
Then it was time for the male name to be called.
"Percy Chalamet."
Fuck.
It took him a few breaths to remember how to breath but he eventually came to his senses after a couple seconds. Then, instead of letting others see his true reaction, he put on the mask as usual. Walking down the aisle a grin on his face, he held his head up high. This was his one chance to show what he was made up of, his chance to prove that he was better than his brother.
Make them believe it.
But inside? Yeah Percy was freaking the fuck out majorly. He didn;t want to possibly go to his death. He was terrified about dying.
His hand grasped Astrid's and he felt that she was trying to show off as her grip tighten on his. He gripped back firmly before the two of the were pulled apart and taken into the building to say their goodbyes.
He could do this.
Another reaping down! Huge thank you to ShadowMoose for these two lovely gems. I adore them so much already and cant wait to see where they go!
Make sure to review and leave your thoughts on them!
Next district up is district Seven!
till next time
simplyaspen