The Month Of June (Hunger Games FanFiction)

Chapter 2... Reaping Day

AN: I've been posting every day now. That tells you what I have to do in my life... Jeez.

    I woke up to my mother shaking my shoulder. "It's Reaping Day," she says. Her brown eyes are sad. I nod. I drag myself out of bed, and my mom hands me a dark green dress. I thank her and change. Under the dress I put on black leggings and my combat boots. I pulled my hair up in a high ponytail. I brushed my bangs to the left side, so they partially covered my eye.

   I spotted my thirteen year old brother looking fancy for this occasion. I smiled at him. "Hey, Lake. You look great!" I say cheerily. He rolls his eyes. "You sound like Effie Trinket," he grumbles. I smile. "Mom's going to walk you there, okay? I'm going with Jasper and Lily, alright? I'll see you soon," I say, planting a kiss on his forehead. He nods. "Okay. See you soon, June," he says.

 I walked outside, and saw Lily and Jasper waiting for me.

  "Hey, guys," I said sadly. They both looked up at me sadly. They knew how many times my name was in this year. There had been little game, and I had to sign up for tessere (AN: I think that's how you spell it...) more that usual this year. My name was in 63 times. Lily's was in 10 times, and Jasper 27 times. I had given out as much as i could to Lily and Jasper, as they have siblings to care for.

   "I really hope you don't have to go in," Lily says, hugging me tight. I hug her back, wishing the games didn't exist. But I say nothing of comfort. I don't know what to say to her.
   Jasper hugs me next. "You won't go into the games. I know it." he says.

   We walk to the Reaping in silence. We separate, and go to our age groups. Effie Trinket comes onstage, gives us her famous speech, shows us the video they show every single year, and she goes to the glass bowl with all the names in it. "Ladies first," she says.

    Her hand plunges into the bowl, and pulls a single slip of paper. I silently pray. "Lily Merge." No. No. Lily, oh God.

    I stay frozen in shock as the crowd parts, revealing a stunned Lily. I finally break out of my trance, and yell without thinking, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute! I volunteer," I start walking towards Lily. Her eyes are wide with shock. "You're not going in there," I say forcefully, my voice breaking, "I'm not letting you go in there while I'm breathing." Her arms wrap around me. Peacekeepers step in, and break us apart, shoving me to the stage.

    "Welcome, dear, welcome. Your name?" Effie asks. I step up to the microphone. "Juniper Wayland," I say. "Well, that's a wonderful name! I bet that was your sister, wasn't it?" Effie asks me. I look at Jasper, who looks angry, stricken, and sad all at once. Lily is crying. My mom and Lily's are crying.

   "No. She's as close to me as a sister." I say. "Well, that was heartwarming! Now for the boys," Effie says cheerfully. Not Jasper, not Lake, not Jasper, not Lake, I thought.

    "Dawson Green," Effie calls. I looked over and saw a blonde haired guy walking up the stage. He stands next to Effie, and we shake hands, nodding to each other on respect. "Let's have a round of applause for Juniper Wayward, the first volunteer from district twelve!" Effie cheers. No one makes a sound. But they do something of high respect. They press three fingers to their lips, then hold them in the air. I'm taken aback by this. I press my lips together. "And Dawson Green!" The fingers go down, and there is a small amount of applause. Then I realize what I've done.

   I'm going into the Hunger Games.