"Emma?" My mom comes around the corner from the small kitchen to look for me.
"Yeah, I'm right here mom," I smile.
"Good, now come get ready, we have to leave for the reaping ceremony in a half hour."
I nod and she takes my hand, leading me into her bedroom. I give her a questioning look and she smiles.
"I want you to wear one of my dresses from when I was your age. I've saved it all this time."
My jaw drops. "But mom, that was before the dark days!"
She smiles and turns to her bed. "Yes. It was. And I want you to wear it."
She turns back to me and smiles, holding out a gorgeous blue dress. My face breaks into a huge smile as I take it from her arms, running the soft fabric over my skin. "It's so pretty, I love it. Thank you."
She reaches out and wraps her arms around me. "I wanted to give you something special, you know, in case, with there being extra tributes and all..."
I just purse my lips and nod. "Thanks," I mumble.
She lets me go and nods with a small smile. I turn away and head back down the hallway and up the stairs. Heading into the bathroom I slip off my sweaty woods clothes, take a quick bath my mother must have set out for me, and then slip the silky fabric of the dress on over my head. It fits perfectly, well almost. It's a little loose, uh, up top...if you get what I mean. But besides that it fits perfectly.
After reaching for my hairbrush and remembering that I tossed it back onto my bed I tiptoe back into the hallway and over to the bedroom door. It's slightly open and I decide to peek through the crack at my siblings. They are all ready already, fooling around on one side of the room. If I go for it now, I might be able to make it there and back before any of them notice and can take me down. Ahh, sibling love.
I decide to just go for it. I push the door open just enough to slip through and tiptoe to my bed, leaning down and picking up my brush. So far I'm successful, no one has noticed me.
I try to tiptoe back, but step on a squeaky board. Damn it.
My sisters and brother all turn and I make a mad dash for the door. I almost get there, I mean I'm fast, but they're faster. Suddenly I feel myself slam face first into the floor. The twins have wrapped themselves around my waist and tackled me to the floor.
"Miguel...Lilith..." I groan. "Come on...not the dress please. It's mom's."
Miguel rolls his eyes and slowly detangles himself, but Lilith gasps and jumps off of me. She helps me up. "Lemme see, lemme see!"
I brush myself off and twirl around slowly in a circle.
Lilith beams. "You look beautiful!"
I smile. "Thanks."
"All you need is your hair done."
I almost forgot Elizabeth was even in the room. I glance over at her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "That's why I was trying to get my brush," I turn to the twins, "before you two munchkins decided to tackle me."
They smile sheepishly and I ruffle their hair slightly.
"I'll do your hair for you if you want," Elizabeth offers.
I beam at her and nod. "Thanks, Liz."
*************************************
Twenty minutes later my family leaves our home. We walk together through the streets of the Seam in silence. When we get close to the square Connor comes up behind me, his parents and two younger siblings filing in behind him.
I give him a small smile. "So, how'd I do?"
He smirks. "You clean up well, Nisen."
I roll my eyes. "Gee, thanks, Connor."
"I'm kidding," he says softer. He pulls at one of my loose, dark brown curls. "You look beautiful, Emma."
I can't help but smile, dispite the circumstances.
"See you soon," he says.
I nod and he turns away. "See you."
After registering, I take Liz an Lilith's arms and lead them to their places, then go stand in mine. This would've been Liz's first proper reaping, but Lilith and Miguel...they're only ten. They shouldn't even be here. I can only imagine how my parents feel. Having all of their kids in the reaping for a games with extra tributes. I can't imagine it...
I can't see Liz, but Lilith glances back at me with terrified eyes. I just offer a small smile and mouth 'it'll be okay.'
Lilith nods and turns back to the front.
Suddenly Julia fills the empty space beside me. I turn to her with worried eyes.
"I'll be okay," she reassures me.
"But you had to take out teaserae for your whole family, Jules! You have so many ballots with your name on them."
"I know. But you gotta be optimistic in times like this right? I'll be alright, Em."
I nod slowly. "Right. Optimistic..."
Just then our Capitol escort, Lucretia Talbert, starts talking into the microphone and the square goes silent.
"Welcome," she says in her funny sounding Capitol accent. "To the reaping ceremony for the 25th annual Hunger Games!"
The square stays silent.
"First and foremost..."
The video about the purpose of the Hunger Games starts to play, but I don't watch it. I glance around the square and take it all in.
I find Miguel in the crowd. He's staring up at the screen with anxious eyes. He must sense me looking at him because he slowly turns his head to stare at me. I mouth to him the same thing I told Lilith and he nods vigorously, turning back to face the front.
My eyes continue to scan the square until someone else catches my eye. Connor is glancing my way. We lock eyes and all he does is nod at me as the video ends and Lucretia starts talking again. We don't break eye contact.
"As always...ladies first," I hear her say. I hear her ridiculous heels clicking against the round as she crosses to the girls bowl, hear as she rifles her hand through all of the paper slips inside. But my gaze is still locked on Connor's. He's keeping me calm.
"And this years female tribute is..."
A collective breath sounds from everyone in the square.
"Emma Nisen."
Connor's eyes widen as what was said sinks in. He shakes his head, mouthing no, which eventually turns into a yell.
My eyes wide, I shake my head with an unconvincing smile, and turn towards the front and keep walking. Julia grabs my arm but I just pull free and keep walking. I glance back at her, and she looks like she just had a peice of her heart ripped out as she stares at me in horror.
I keep walking. I can feel everyone's glances on me, with all different emotions. Sadness, worry, fear, anger...
"Brilliant!" Lucretia trills, taking my arm and pulling me up onto the stage with her. I nod, pursing my lips. I can't believe that this is happening.
"Boys next," Lucretia says, clicking over to the boys bowl. Her hand fishes for a ballot, and finally finding one, she pulls it out and heads back to the microphone.
I keep my head down though, I can't face looking at the crowd. I'm not one to cry, but I sure do want to right now. I'm never going to make it.
Lucretia clears her throat. "And the male tribute this year will be..."
Another collective intake of breath.
"Miguel Nisen."
A strangled cry escapes my throat. "No," I gasp.
Lucretia just glances over at me with slightly wide eyes and gives me a questioning look.
"He-he's my little brother," I manage to choke out through the shock and the fear. One ballot out of hundreds...how...?
She gives me a small smile, but I know she doesn't care.
Miguel only takes a second to get to the stage, being so young he was only in the first row.
He glances at me with teary eyes.
"Miguel," I gasp.
"Emma..." He wraps his arms around me and hides his face. Can this get any worse?
Lucretia ignores us and turns back to the microphone. "And for our final tribute..."
Lucretia reaches forward into a large bowl resting on a podium that I didn't notice before. It's twice the size of the others and probably holds every single name of everyone eligible for the reaping.
She pulls back her hand and opens the ballot carefully. "Looks like we have another male tribute..."
Murmurs escape the crowd, but they quickly die down when Lucretia shushes all of them out in the square. Miguel's face is still buried in my shirt.
"And the final tribute for this year will be..."
This time even I hold my breath.
"Connor Dilleen."
NO! Not him too! Come on! You have to be kidding me!
My little brother and my best friend...no...this can't be happening...
I hear Julia scream out in the crowd, among a lot of others. Both of her best friends reaped. Gone to the games. Bound to certain death... When I catch a glimpse of her face, she looks absolutely petrified.
Connor joins Miguel and I on the stage while Lucretia closes out the ceremony.
He stands beside us with an emotionless face. But for one second, his mask breaks, when I look at him. I can see the hopelessness written upon his panic stricken face. Then it goes stone cold and expressionless again.
"Connor.." I whisper. I reach out and touch his arm, but he just stares into my eyes.
"Happy Hunger Games!" Lucretia cries. "And may the odds be ever in your favour!"
A/N: Sorry guys, I know that this chapter is a little late but something came up. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this story so far and I hope you continue to! Don't forget to leave a vote of you liked it and comment your thoughts! I'd love to know what you guys think. That's all from me...so until next time Bookies! -Ella :)