56th Reaping [D4]

Nila Doherty awoke the morning of the reaping feeling excited. Not nervous, no. At the rare times Nila did feel nervousness, she had a difficult time recognizing those feelings. Her father had always taught her that emotions would hinder her abilities, and she should do her best to stop feeling them (or ignore them if the former wasn't possible), but it was a special day. The Reaping.

Nila was allowed to feel excited for this.

Her father didn't want her to volunteer this year. He had trained her too hard, and he didn't want his efforts to go to waste. She was supposed to wait until next year, the last possible year, when she was at her peak. Nila didn't have a death wish (actually, she had a great will to live), but the Hunger Games excited her. This time next year, she would be shining bright, a star. Known throughout all of Panem. The victor of the 57th Hunger Games.

That was the plan, anyways. Nila didn't bother to think beyond that. What was the point? She could do it. She was the perfect person to win the Games. Not any of the other scumbags in the District. They didn't deserve to be in the Games. No one had trained as long as her, as hard as her. She had been preparing for the Games since she was four years old.

She deserved to win.

But not this year. She would wait. Let the tributes this year die. Next year, she would bring District Four honor and glory.

She would win.

After she woke up, Nila prepared for the day. Instead of putting her hair back like most days for training, she let it hang down, creating quite a beautiful effect. She brushed her teeth and pulled on a simple grey dress. Nila didn't wear make-up (she didn't really have a reason to), so she was ready quite quickly.

As she came down the stairs of her two-story house, she realized that her elder brother, Gavin, was dressed and stood in the doorway, looking angry and miserable at the same time. She hadn't seen him in about a month. She never saw very much of him anymore. Not that she minded. Whenever she talked to her brother, he would sneer at her for killing their mother.

She always sneered right back, but she never felt to angry. For some reason, she always felt more thoughtful on those days. Usually she was the type of person who ignored her thoughts and just went for it.

Like now.

"Hello, brother dearest," she greeted maliciously. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

The words themselves weren't cruel or rude. In fact, if it hadn't been for the devious inflection in her voice, one might have thought that she was actually happily greeting her brother. But Gavin Doherty wasn't stupid. He knew she wasn't talking about the weather. She was referring to the fact that today was the reaping.

She smiled cruelly. "I hope you're coming to watch." Of course he would be. Everyone in the District had to be there. It was mandatory. "This year, the tributes will be pathetic weaklings." Her tone went soft and dangerous. "Next year, I will be a tribute. And I will win."

"Can't wait," her brother said sarcastically.

Nila sighed and walked into their small kitchen and buttered some toast, not feeling even a bit grateful for the fact that she had food to eat every morning. Why waste her time? She would always be able to have food on her plate. It was given. Once she won the Games, she would live in Victor's Village, where she would have plenty of everything.

Her entire family walked to the Reaping together, not talking. Gavin stood a couple yards away from his sister, his head hung and his teeth clenched. Nila could tell he wanted to take a smoke, and she smirked at him superiorly. She wouldn't ever stoop to the level of becoming addicted to something.

Except for was winning. She was addicted to that.

Her brother and father went to sit in the crowd of people from the District who were too young or old to be chosen. Nila went into the roped-off section for the seventeen-year-olds, near the front. She stood taller than most of the girls, and was about the same height as many of the boys. She held herself up to her full height, eager to know the outcome, unlike most of the teens there.

After a few boring speeches that Nila listened to attentively anyways, the mayor stepped up, an obviously fake smile on his face. Nila didn't understand why everyone hated the Games. It would be an honor to participate in the Games. A great honor. One that she deserved.

He announced that he would be choosing the tributes, and then quickly took out a slip from the glass ball designated for the ladies. Nila felt a surge of hope coarse through her, but she quickly crushed it. Next year.

"Takeba Suzumi!"

Oh, yes, next year. Next year, she would win.

ooc: Well, doesn't this post show how insecure she is. I'm rather creeped out by my own character. Well, this was fun anyways.