Three

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Sleep was not her friend that night

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Sleep was not her friend that night. Nightmares haunted her. Images of being killed in terrible pain or of herself killing without mercy. The contract with Mayor Dixon made her feel as if she had signed a pact with the devil himself. Each of the girls' names appeared a hundred times. How much money had he spent?

"Aria, Aiden we are waiting for you two. The Reaping starts in fifteen minutes and we need to walk. I am not that young so hurry up." Even though, she didn't feel like it she smiled at her grandma's comment. The redhead decide to wear her yellow dress. She received it for her fourteen birthday, but never had the chance to wear it. The Reaping was the perfect moment to do so. She wanted to live her district in a good way. She wanted them to remember her as the tailor she was.

Her hair was braided with ribbons like always. Lavee, the grandma, always told them that because they were a family of tailors, they had to look like it. The first time her mother heard that. She laughed because they didn't have money to buy colourful clothes. Aria didn't understand the connections between wearing ribbons and colourful clothes, but her grandma  looked happy seeing them like that.

The walk was the same as always. They told Aiden and her that everything will be okay if they were to be reaped. The traditional long hug time and the 'I love you' moments happened before Aiden and Aria directed themselves to the register tables. Unconsciously, her gaze met Mayor Dixon who stood on the podium. He only nodded at her and glanced at his daughters.

A while after the escort of District 8, Petunia Light, came on the stage to do her annual speech. Her mind couldn't listen to the same speech of every years with different words nor watch the video of why the Hunger Games exist. She never understood why President Snow wanted them to fight to death on a live TV show. Weren't the Capitol getting sick?

If one of their names were reaped, money issues would be forgotten for three years. Aria only had to volunteer, but she was petrified by fear of signing her life away. She wanted to live and grow old. Going at the Hunger Games could be her last journey. I might die.

There were thousands of things she wanted to accomplish. Was the love for her family be enough to volunteer? They will be safe. Should I be selfish or not?

"Ladies first as always." Petunia picked a paper and came back in the direction of the microphone." The female Tribute is..Gwendolyn Dixon." Sobbed were heard from behind her. Gwendolyn was crying. She was thirteen. Letting her go and she will die. If she let her go Mayor Dixon will hate her till his last breathe. Forgive me.

"I volunteer as Tribute!"

"Here a volunteer!"

Aria was able to feel every eyes on her as they questioned why a poor girl would volunteer for a richer and snob girl. 

Walking to the podium was the most terrific moment in her life. She tried to look as confidence as she usually was. The District 8 girl felt like a needle in a haystack.

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