A/N: Hi! I'm Nadine (nadinelikesbooks), one of the three collaborating authors of this new fanfiction, Already Lost. While you are reading this, please favorite, follow, and read Josephm11 and Shadowhunter824's wonderful stories. They also are writing the same fanfiction in different point of views, and are amazingly nice people and great writers! So please enjoy our new fanfiction and stay tuned for upcoming chapters in the future! Thank you so much for reading! :-)

It's surpassing, the way time flies. It's as if nobody realizes it, but boom! Becoming your next birthday, getting married, or having a baby, those things always happens when time is a series of back to back adventures entwined in the outskirts of your schedule. But for now, I have the Volunteer Ceremony. It's funny, seeming as if I never practiced, yet I spent all of my time this past month shooting my spears upon all of these strenuous targets, practicing my volunteer speech for days, yet this is the day I figure out whether all of that strain and practice was worth it.

My adventurous day begins when my alarm clock buzzes against my carefully carved and polished nightstand and I groggily slam it to shut up. I groan, get out of bed, and do my morning routine; thirty minutes of yoga, and another thirty minutes of spear-throwing. It gets pretty tiring after a while.

Once I am finished, I trot down the stairs and greet my parents with my most confident smile. "Ooh, Lucretia, I have the shivers!" My mom exclaims. "I can't wait! I hope you get in, dear." I know Mom cares about me, and I love her for that. Yet it's kind of ironic to think glorifying yourself in the joy of these Games is the best choice for your sixteen year old daughter.

After devouring my divine breakfast, which is freshly cooked bacon bits and sausage, I wash my hands and dandy myself up for the Ceremony. My olive black hair is curled and clipped loosely in the back, barely hanging below my pale shoulders. I look in the mirror and see my hazel-brown eyes reflected deep beneath my gaze. Glancing at my short, white feather dress with a tint of pink on the edges, I smile. I have to admit, I look beautiful. My grey heels happily clonk against the cement floor when I skip to my parents. "You look pretty," my dad says, not seeming too enthusiastic, yet I shake it off. My mother smiles and gives me a beautiful blue necklace and wraps it around my neck. I admire it and look at myself in the mirror one last time.

Dad sighs and says, "I swear, if you don't get in — "

"I will."

He looks at me for a while and glances away. I guess I could be a little relieved if I wasn't chosen in the Volunteer Ceremony, but then again I did train for a while and I want to make my parents happy.

The Ceremony is in about two hours, so I waste my time by visiting my best friend Ajax in the training center like how we do every day. But I don't practice today since I'm already dolled up, so I just make it in time to chat.

He approaches me in his usual training outfit and I chuckle. "Woke up late this morning?"

He rolls his eyes. "At least I don't have to walk in that for hours."

"Very funny, you nervous?"

"In the contrary. I just hope I'm chosen."

"Yeah…"

"Hey, you know what would be fun?"

I glance at him.

"If we were in the Games together! If we both get chosen to volunteer, that would be so fun, you know?"
I laugh, saying, "I would totally kill you first."

He rolls his eyes again and wanders off to begin his training. I head home and when I open the door, I hear my dad yelling.

"I don't care, look at her! She needs to look tough, not like some princess!"

Then my mother's voice rises. "She looks fine, get a grip!"

"Our daughter has been training since I could remember, and I don't want it to all be wasted."

"It won't be."

I head into the kitchen and my parents greet me. My dad lets out a heavy breath and says, "Let's go."

We drive to the building, which is a series of bricks and stone, much like my dwelling, packed with cars and people entering the building. I inhale and step out of the car, patting my hair to make sure it's still in place. Heading through the doors, I look for Ajax. I can't wait to see him and laugh at his fancy outfit. Usually he's in the most casual stereotypic t-shirt and jeans, so this will be some surprise.

My parents and I soon split apart, saying goodbye, and I am led into a dormitory with hundreds of kids my age, finding the closest open seat. My eyes trail the room, scanning the well-dressed audience and podium planted in the middle of the room. After about ten minutes, somebody taps my shoulder. I glance and see a tall, poorly dressed man with a weaved basket. Looking inside, I see money. He stares at me with sad eyes, and I pull out a five dollar bill, placing it into the basket, and offer a smile. He returns a smile and nods his head, moving on. Finally, the lights dim and a lady approaches the podium. She taps on the microphone and the audience dies down.

"Much better," she says. "My name is Hadrian Baxwoll. What a pleasure it is to be standing here, recalling amongst the strongest and most courageous man and woman to compete in the 57th Hunger Games!"

Everybody cheers and I hear some faint chanting, saying, "District 2! District 2! We'll kill you!" Over and over again … I can't help but laugh.

Hadrian picks up a small, well creased golden envelope and gently tears it apart. "For the women," she says calmly with a slight smile. As she unfolds the slip of paper I could feel my heart stop and rise up to my throat. I knew who she was going to announce. I knew I would be the one walking up to the podium and shouting "I volunteer!" at the reaping. I keep staring at the podium and as her lips move I don't manage to hear my name auscultate from her lips, in fact, I can't hear anything at all.

Suddenly, eyes search around the room and land on me. I am surprised by how many people know me by spotting me so quickly, then see my pink face on a screen hanging above the podium. I soon realize how fast my heart is beating and let my uneven breath take over me. My heart then unlocks. I can volunteer! And I will. I confidently walk up onto the podium and snatch the microphone. The audience cheers and claps for me and I smile, waving. The applause dies down, then I speak. "Hi, everyone. It truly was an honor being chosen to volunteer for these Games, so thank you all for this amazing opportunity. You all look so amazing today." I say, scanning the audience and their colorful, beautiful outfits, "I am feeling really confident right now. I will strive to bring pride to my District and all of you out there. Thank you, once again, for letting me speak up here and to reflect my thoughts to everyone. May the odds be ever in your favors!" I wave again, and the people cheer and chant. I see my parents' proud faces, my mom crying (of happiness), and my dad with a grimace spread across his face. I haven't seen him this happy since the first day I held a spear. I back up onto the stage and Hadrian returns to the microphone.

Now the boy is announced. I cross my fingers, only hearing the beat of Hadrian's voice as she announces the name written on the slip of paper she unravels from the envelope.

"Ajax Stanbury!"

The whole room applause, echoing inside of my ears, and I clap as well, smiling widely. After a few moments, Ajax, almost unrecognizable, approaches the podium and glances at me, laughing. He is wearing a grey tuxedo with high knee socks and his brown hair is gelled to the side. I guffaw, having to grab my knees so I won't collapse and die laughing. Ajax gives his speech then approaches to me. "Hey, whaddya know? I kinda like this tux. Don't you?"

I snigger then we are escorted out of the building back to our residences. My parents hug me tightly, and I am more than lighthearted to see the proud expressions spread across their faces. "I'm so happy, Lucretia." My Mom says, and squeezes me tightly. My dad hugs me as well, ruffles my hair, and says, "Now all you have to do is win."

I nod, smiling.

We return home and I can't sleep that night. Or the night after that. Or basically the rest of the week. I am joyous, confident, and nervous at the same time. Then some thought occurred to me. I never thought that I might have to kill my best friend. Or he might kill me. That actually might happen? We were joking about it only a day ago, but it had just become serious now. Did it even seem serious to him?

Then I tell myself: No matter what happens, I am prepared. I will win this fight, I am strong. I won't let anything stop me. I was given my chance to prove myself worthy, and I will do anything to overcome it.

I won't let my fear obliterate me into its ashes.