[The day after the reaping. at the SM district]

It was around midnight. Taemin, all dressed in black, snuck out of his dorm. He sneekishly made his way to the back fence of his district.

He had a moment of thoughts- fear and regret. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

As he slowly opened his eyes, he felt someone touch his shoulder. His oxygen supply broke and his heart started racing. He started shaking, thinking that he had been caught.

He turned around, to see that it was only Krystal.

His eyes widened, and he almost fainted.

Taemin stretched his arms over to Krystal and placed his hands on her shoulders, he began shaking her. "Yah! you scared me! What the heck are you doing at this time of the night!" He yelled in a whisper..

Krystal slapped Taemin's arms off her shoulders. and stared at him before speaking.

"I'm coming with you....."

*

[Jessica's Point of View]

I awake to the sound of a broom being swept on the floor. I opened my eyes and saw a girl, probably sixteen, sweeping the floor. I smile sheepishly.

"Sorry about the mess." I said. The girl shakes her head and continues.

I glance at the door. "When will breakfast be ready?" i asked.

The girl stands still for a moment, as if she were trying to decide how to answer my question. She finally just shrugs her shoulders.

"Can you talk?" i ask.

The girl sadly shakes her head.

"Why?" i stupidly ask.

She hesitates for a moment before opening wide showing me that she had no tongue. I widen my eyes and stare at her.

"How did this happen?" i ask, not caring how many questions i ask.

The girl just ignores and bends down to continue cleaning.

Just as i was about to offer to help, Hyori came knocking on my door telling me that breakfast is ready. I waved goodbye to the tongueless girl and made my way over to the dining room.

I saw Minho already sitting in his chair squirming around, waiting impatiently for his breakfast. Weird oppa. I pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

I looked at Minho from the corner of my eye and see him move in his chair uncomfortably, as if something in his underwear is rubbing him the wrong way. I wonder what's up with him?

A plate is set in front of me and i take no hesitation to devour the food on it. It was sooo good that i can't stop myself from looking up to the servant to ask how the cook made it, which i shouldn't have done.

I almost choke when i see who is serving me...

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. "Krystal!?!" i squeak out.

I hear the clink of Minho's fork hit the plate. The entire table went silent.

Krystal looks at me with sorrowful eyes and doesn't say a word. She pours me a glass of juice before silently walking away to the kitchen door. I stood up to follow after her but was pulled back by a peacemaker.

"Let me go!" i screamed.

"Krystal!" i scream, tears falling from my eyes. "Krystal wait! please!"

Krystal stops for a moment. Then continues to walk in the kitchen.

I was taken back to my seat. I looked at Minho for comfort but all he had was a blank expression. I turned to Hyori, then stood up, slamming my hands on the table, anger taking over me.

"Why is she here!?" i yell.

Hyori took a bite of her eggs, "She got caught." Hyori explains "Your so called perfect-sister was caught running away from her district a few days after the reaping. She was found with some boy hiding in the CUBE district. Who knows where they were going, but it doesn't matter now"

I grit my teeth. "Did you cut her tongue?" i slowly ask.

"Let's just say, if you ask Krystal that same question, she wont be able to answer you." She says.

I storm off to my room and slam the door shut, never wanting to come out ever again!

I sat on my bed and cried, realizing that i had just made the biggest mistake of my life. I had yelled at a peacemaker. I stormed out of the room without being told to do so. I had slammed my door shut like i was an angry teen at home. I disrespected Hyori in so many ways.

I was done for. "I'm going to be blown up"i placed my head in my hands and cried like there was no tomorrow.

I hear a gentle knock at my door, who i assume are the people coming to kill me. I say goodbye to my mother, Krystal, my father and all the people i love.

I open the door to see, it was just Minho.

"Are you okay Jessica?" He asks.

"I wish i could've done something," He begins. "but seeing your sister again knowing why she was here just.. it shocked me. I thought i was going to be like that forever. I am sorry Jessi. I wish i hadn't frozen like that and had done something.." His voice trails off...

I hug him and tell him that its okay.. everything will be alright.

Even though i know its not.

*

Around ten o-clock, Minho and i were escorted to the training gym. Different areas were set up for different skills. Minho decides to go the weight lifting station, while i easily go the arrows. I have never really used one before but Soo Hyun told me to work with things i don't normally use.

I uneasily pick up the bow and try to aim for the dummy. I let go of the arrow and it flies not even making it halfway down the distance. I sigh and pick up another arrow to try again.

I watched one of the other tributes; Hyuna. She sends her arrow perfectly into the dummy's heart without even flinching. She turned to me, giving me a 'that's how it's done look'. She gets another arrow and winks at me before she shoots it. It landed straight at the dummy's private part. She turns to me again and gives me an evil smirk.

I roll my eyes at her and try to shoot again. It flies farther then it did before, but still not even close to hitting the dummy.

Hyuna laughs at me, before going in for another shoot and perfecting it once more. She smirks at me again, then walks off to Yoseob.

I stare at her as she walks away giving her that 'What a b*tch' look.

I flicked my hair and tried one more time. I let go of the arrow and i got the dummy straight in the eyeball.

I squealed in joy and started jumping up and down like an idiot.

Hyuna stared at me. I smirked. I pointed at the dummy then pointed at her, signalling that she was the dummy and i had just poked her eyeball out with an arrow.

Her jaw dropped and gave me the biggest daggers.

I laughed.

I now have an enemy in the Games. Oh how exciting.

After an hour or so, it is now time for lunch. Everyone gathered around a table full of food. Minho and i help ourselves to some noodles and bread rolls. We sat alone at a separate table while everyone else sits with each other, paying no attention to each other except their district partner.

"Good bread, right?" Minho asks. I laugh, knowing he's just saying that to catch the attention from the JYP district's tributes. The JYP girl, Suzy (Miss A), turns to me and stares at me. I start to feel uncomfortable with her staring at me, so i tear pieces off my bread and assort them on my plate.

"You okay there?" Minho asks.

I nod my head a little too eagerly. "I'm fine. Just not that hungry, that's all." i say.

"Alright then." Minho nods.

I looked back at Suzy, but she was now happily talking to the other tribute, Wooyoung (2PM). They both stopped talking, then looked at me, then they both started laughing.

I turned back to Minho. "They're talking about me.." i pouted.

"Hmm.. Don't pay any attention to them. They're just trying to weaken you, because they think of you as an easy target." he started. "But your no 'easy target' at all. They don't know about your secret weapon."

"Secret weapon?" i questioned.

Minho lent in closer, and stopped at the side of my ear. "Knives." he whispered.

I raised my eyebrows at him and gave him a puzzled look.

"Earlier when you through one at SooHyun, i could easily see that you have some talent"

I nodded my head awkwardly.

*

The next day Minho and i were back at the gym doing the same thing as yesterday. At lunch they will be calling the districts one by one to have their private session. I practice shooting the arrows, and manage to hit a few dummy's in the leg or arm.

"So are you supposed to be good at arrows or something?" Someone says, obviously joking, probably thinking she's the best.

I turned around to see that it was Hyuna. I'm ready to tell her that knives are more my thing, but i remember I'm not supposed to give away my secret weapon.

"I'm not sure what I'm good at. I'm trying my hand at everything." I say.

Hyuna aims her arrow at a target further past the dummies, and hits the bulls eye. She smirks at me.

"Now that's what i call talent." She says. She fakes a smile at me and gracefully walks over to the knot tying area.

I grit my teeth and hiss at her as she walks away. I aim my arrow for anywhere on the target field and let it fly. It hits the ceiling light, sending sparks flying everywhere. Everyone stops what they are doing and pays attention to me. I look around embarrassed, toss the arrow down and flee to the lunch room, just as lunch is being served.

One by one, each tribute is leaving the lunchroom, and silently slipping into the private training room.

Finally it was my turn. I stroll into the Gamemakers room. They smiled and began scribbling notes on their paper.

I remember what SooHyun said. "Be respectful. Don't be rude. Show them what you're best at." I nod to myself and make my way to the knives.

I pick one up and toss it at a dummy, but miss it by at least three inches.

I cringe and scold myself. I grab another one and aim it for the head. But it ended up hitting the shoulder of the dummy. I bow my head and am ready to cry, but then i remember that Gamemakers don't like crybabies.

I stop throwing knives and pick up an arrow. I aim for the ceiling and try to hit the light like i did before. It hits the light perfectly and cracks the light bulb. I turn to the Gamemakers and they 'ooh' and 'aah' at my skills. After a minute of scribbling notes down, they dismiss me. And Minho went in after me.

*

Later that day the t.v broadcasts the Panem flag and plays it's anthem. Each tribute's name is shown, then their score.

Most of the tributes scored an 8 or 9. Hyuna got a 9 also.

SM Districts number was shown, then my picture. Underneath it a little seven is shown.

Seven? i groan and bury my head in my hands.

Minho's picture is flashed on the screen with a score of ten. Everybody cheers for him.

He walked over to me. "Well done. You did well" he smiles then ruffles my hair.

"Oh, c'mon. You got the best score." i retort.

The anthem plays one last time, and the t.v is shut off. 

*

Later that night i layed on my bed thinking.  

Then i hear a slow knock on the door.  

I made my way over to open it while thinking who it might be?

I crack the door open and standing before my eyes was Krystal.  

All of a sudden tears start shedding from my eyes and i embrace her with a hug.

"Krystal..." i cry her name. 

She patted my back trying to make me feel better.

She pushed me forward a bit and closed the door behind her. I kept on crying..

"I'm okay Jessi. No need to cry" she says while she wiped my tears..

My eyes widen in shock. And without thinking, i place my hands on , opening her jaw.

"Your tongue is not cut off?" i blurt out.

She removes my hands. and laughs. "No Jessi. My tongue is still here" She points at her tongue.

"But Hyori said that.."

She cuts me off.. "I am not aloud to talk when peacemakers are around"

"ooh.." i nod my head.

"But why did you run a..."

she cuts me off again.. "I have to go now sorry"

She opened the door and stepped out.

I grabbed her arm as she was about to walk away..

She turned and raised an eyebrow.

"I love you Krystal. Dont you ever forget that."