Yet Another Hunger Games Group discussion

((I really don't care how you rp this, just as long as it ends with your tribute onstage! If there are escorts for a district, this would be a lovely time to use them, creators, but if not, all is still fine. If you need anything just let myself or another mod know! ;) ))

Exilarc stood outside Zoe's house for a second before knocking lightly on the door. Then, he sighed. No matter how many times he did that, it still made him nervous.

Zoe opened the door with her old gray comb in her hand. She was wearing a black lace dress. It was one of the nicest articles of clothing she had. She was relieved when she saw it was Exilarc. "Hey, Larc," she said trying a smile.

"Hey. You ready, or should I wait?" he asked, trying hard not to think she was pretty. It was harder than he had anticipated.

She ran the comb through her bangs one last time before tossing it onto the table behind her. "I'm ready. MOM I'M GOING WITH LARC!" she called into the house before closing the door behind her. She came up next to him.

For a while they walked in an awkward silence.

Zoe broke the silence by whispering, "Has it been bothering you too?"

"Has what been bothering me?" Larc asked unconvincingly before giving in. "Yes. What about you?"

"Yes," Zoe nodded, "I could barely contain it." Her mother had noticed something wrong but hadn't deciphered what.

"You haven't taken tesserae, have you?" Larc asked worriedly.

Zoe shook her head indifferently. "I haven't had to since father got his new position at work."

"Yeah, me neither," he lied. He didn't mention that he'd been taking tesserae for Ileva for months, now.

Zoe gently took Exilarc's hand. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"For what?"

"I...I just feel like it's my fault we got into this," Zoe said.

"It's nobody's fault, Zo," Larc said, shaking his head, "Wait... Did I say 'nobody's fault'? I meant President Snow's fault. Anyway... What do you think of the Quell this year?"

"I think Snow is very creative in how he justifies child slaughter," Zoe said stiffly. Although she hated to admit that the Quarter Quell was actually quite genius. In an evil way.

"I think that this Quell might give out tributes a slight bit of an advantage, actually. A whole arena based on knowledge?"

"I thought of that too."

"Yeah... I'd fail any English parts," he joked.

"I know. The one language you can't get?" Zoe smiled.

"I know, right??? Ms. Gigantino just doesn't understand that my aptitude is really for Norwegian!!! I have no idea where that language is even from, but still!"

Zoe leaned her head onto Larc's shoulder.

"Remember that time when we were six, and she said that I couldn't do math without knowing how to read the problems? And I hacked into her computer during lunch and translated all the problems into Norwegian???"

"That was awesome." Zoe nodded. "And when we got in trouble for using the shortcut I had invented for algebra."

"And Ms. Heriola told us that no matter how hard we tried, three plus four always had to equal seven? Yeah. I still use it, though..."

"Me too. I just didn't show my work on the test so she never found out."

"Which test was that one? Your 123%, or your 121%?" he teased, quickly putting an arm around her shoulder before he could change his mind.

((Gtg. Continue later?))

((Sure))
"Please, that was my 134%." She was joking but she had actually gotten that on her exam before.

"No, I remember that was the one that everybody literally just managed to pass. That one with geometric figuring."

"Ah yes. The day I earned the nickname 'Geek'."

"The greatest day of your life, then?" Larc joked.

"Oh, of course," Zoe sighed. More people were out by now, wearing dresses and suits as they walked to where the Justice Building awaited with a bowl full of the children's names.

Larc dreaded the moment when he would have to let go of her hand to split off into a different section.

Zoe squeezed his hand. "We're going tobe okay. Right?" She looked him reassuredly in the eye.

"Yes..."
He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Yes," Zoe repeated, reassuring herself of what she knew to be a lie. She held back, not wanting to make herself sign in. Not yet.

Larc hesitated before stepping forward and allowing blood to be drawn from his index finger.

Zoe followed reluctantly. She grit her teeth and did her best to appear indifferent.

"Well... Err... I guess we should... See you after, Zo..." Larc said awkwardly.

Zoe nodded gravely and started to the designated area for the girls her age. They knew Zoe as the 'geek' so they didn't bother to say anything to her. But Zoe wasn't in the mood anyway.

District Three's escort, Esmerella Chrome, took to the stage as Larc stepped into his respective section.

Zoe watched the escort take the stage, then let her eyes flicker to Larc. She couldn't see him from where she was though. Ileva, next to Zoe, takes her hand. "Calm down, Zo." she whispered.

Esmerella gave a bunch of speeches about everything with the vaguest connection to the Quarter Quell, then proceeded towards the girls' Reaping ball.

Zoe squeezed Ileva's hand so hard it began to turn purple. Her eyes finally found Larc in his roped off area.

Larc barely had time to wish for her safety before the escort read the name of the unfortunate girl.

"Ileva Yew!"

No... It couldn't be... Not Ileva! She had so much, so many-

The only thought that could keep him from screaming was that it wasn't Zoe.

Ileva's grip faltered and her jaw dropped. Zoe's heart stopped in her chest. Ileva gulped and began to step forward. Zoe breathed hard and her eyes widened.

She barely had time to think before she pushed through all the girls her age exclaiming, "I volunteer! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Ileva turned and ran to Zoe. "No!" she cried hoarsely. Bit Zoe was already advancing upon the stage, more confident than she felt.

Larc was frozen with shock. She volunteered??? What was she thinking??? Zoe wouldn't meet his gaze, so he locked eyes with Ileva.

Don't let her... Not Zoe... he tried to say through his expression.

Ileva gave him a helpless look, gesturing to Zoe, who was now onstage. She bit her lip as Zoe was made to tell the audience her name.

"Zoe. Zoe Dawes." she spat more confidently than she felt. She was looking straight forward at the buildings in front of her. She couldn't bear to look down and see them. Larc, Ileva, her mother, little brother, all the others who were her real family. No. She couldn't look and if she did her heart would've broke.

The escort, completely oblivious, continued on her way to the boys' bowl, a grin plastered on her face.