"I love you, but I know that if this continues it will hurt both of us,"
Willow never wanted to fall in love and when she did she had to gave up on it so no one got hurt. Now love just prods at her wanting for her to try again with the same person.
...
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District Twelve
(Willow is twelve years old)
The walk to the courtyard was silent. No one in the district spoke of what was to happen. My first year. One slip only. It was the only thing keeping me from breaking down in that moment. I pulled at the collar of the black dress I wore hoping it would help me breath so I could calm down. It didn't.
Blonds and brunettes gathered in the middle of the courtyard separated into three groups-boy, girls, and those too old or not old enough to be picked. In all honesty I dreaded my twleveth birthday knowing it would be the first time my name was ever in the bowl. The line slowly moved up for blood samples. When I reached the table the lady grabbed my hand and pricked my finger. I flinched but quickly left when she asked for the next person. When I got to the crowd I noticed a familiar blonde.
"Madge," I call.
Made Undersee the daughter of the mayor. I only know her due to the fact that I make money off of being labor for her family. I layer found out that she buys food from Katniss, Gale, and myself.
"Willow, aren't you excited. Either one of us could go to the Capital today." The oblivious girl tells me.
I give a small sad smile. I pull her in for a hug. I feel guilty for not telling her I will be volunteering if she gets chosen for the games. Her father approached me yesterday asking if I could since he thought I would try and survive. But the unspoken reason was that I had nothing to live for. I was on my own. Katniss was only able to be with me when we hunted and Prim only saw me when she was with Katniss alone.
I pulled away when I heard the microphone being tapped. I turn to the stage to see Effie Trinket. She wore a bright pink wig that matched her dress. She wore a dark pink puffy sleeve dress. She stood tall with her black high heels towering almost over the microphone. Her face looked almost white due to her makeup probably to make her pink eyeshadow pop.
"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in you favor!"
She goes on of how the games are an honor and how we should all be pleased. I notice Haymitch drunk in the corner and move my hand to play with his ring that is on my necklace. He shifts side to side in his seat mumbling uncoherent words.
"Now ladies first!"
She goes to the bowl on her left side. It holds thousands of small papers with different names on each one. She sticks her hand and swirls her hand around in it. She finally plucks one with her ridiculously long nail and heads back for the middle of the stage.
I take a deep breath hoping with all my being it is not me. And it wasn't. The name was Madge Undersee. It turn to look at her she looks petrified. She slowly walks to the opening it the courtyard. I follow right after her.
I make eye contact with her father before screaming, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute."
All eyes are on me. Madge eyes turn glass I make my way toward the stage not daring to make eye contact with anyone. I walk up the stairs taking Effie's hand that was reaching toward me. She pulls me to the middle of the stage.
"Well this is an interesting turn of events!" gushes Effie Trinket. As if imaging all the gossip that will be happening in the Capital. "What's your name?"
"Willow Hernandez." I state trying to keep my voice steady.
"Did you know that young girl?"
I nod unable to say anymore without tears forming in my eyes.
"Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let's give her a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" trills Effie.
No one really knows me expect as the girl who watched her father get beat to death. People only know me for selling food or fiving extras to the kids in the street of families. I expect no applause. There never is one. We all mourn in this moment we never speak unless for some reason spoken too. I see a hand go up. Then another. Soon it's the whole crowd, each kissing their left three fingers the putting them in the air. It is a way of saying goodbye to those you love or admired. I didn't plan on letting anyone else see weakness but it was there(and hopefully well hidden).
"Now for the boys!" Effie announces with her peppy attitude.
She moves to the boys bowl. She sticks her hand in and immediately finds the paper she wants. She walk back to the middle of the stage unfolding the small piece of paper.
She gives a smile to the crowd. "The male tribute. Tyson Seinfeld!"
I suck in a sharp breath. Tyson Seinfeld. Someone I always saw as my older brother that I would never have. He hunted with me and always stayed at my house to ward off my nightmares. He joked with me knowing I was not naive but tried his best to make some of my childhood sweet. He walked up the stairs my eyes following him the entire time. He was thin like anyone would be if they were from Seam but was at decent height. He had brown curly hair that fell of the sides of his forehead. He made eye contact and I closed my eyes and turned away hoping it would stop me from trying to cry.
"Now last but not least," I whip my head to Effie. "The third tribute from District Twelve."
Every other year District Twelve is forced to supply an ok ther tribute. They are normally between the age of eight and eighteen. It is supposed to be because District Twelve supplies so little to the Capitol, we have to make up for it by sending another child off to their death by random.
The name was called. Alexandria Cadel. A young girl who looks like she wouldn't reach my chest. When she got on stage the name suddenly rang in my head. This little girl was only eight. She had no family because her mother died during the birth. I was there for extra help and was the first one to hold her. I helped raise her in my house. I named her, watched her first steps, and first words. She was practically my daughter. I reached my hand out for her to hold as she stood next to me. She accepted it and helped it tightly as if worried I would let her go.
"This years tributes!" The escort announces before the peacekeepers come and grab us. They take us into separate rooms leaving us with our thoughts before family and friends comes in.
