Skinny Love

Ella Greenleaf

Hey guys! So I'm Ella Greenleaf, Clove's older sister. I was born on March 22, 2196, making me 18 currently. I have bright blue eyes, like my Father's and brown hair, like my Mother's. I have one year left to be reaped and it scares me because I don't want to end up like Father. He had one year left and he got reaped into the 56th Games, which killed him. I don't want that at all. I want a chance to have a life with Daniel. I have seen the people that find the person they want to marry but end up losing them, like Mother. Not once have I seen her go out on a date with one of the eligible men in the District. She was left heartbroken after the funeral from what Grandfather told me. I don't want Daniel to end up like that at all...

I moved out of Mother's house last year to live with my boyfriend, now fiancée. His name is Daniel Jones. His family owns the bakery in town and I am now proud to say that I work there with them. I understand that it's risky to work somewhere if you still have a year left with your name in the reapings. His parents have become attached to me and just hope that I don't get reaped. They were the ones that gave Daniel and I the idea to wait to get married until after the reapings. That way if both Clove and I are free of the Games, we can celebrate with the wedding. Weddings here in District 2 are a big thing, nearly everyone comes. Well, at least those that are not mourning over the loss of their child. I have already talked to Mother about the wedding. In fact, she believes that it's a good idea to have Clove as my Maid of Honor. I want my sister to be in my wedding with my entire heart. If she is reaped and passes away I don't know how I'll be able to cope with that loss... Daniel's family has been supportive of my family and if that happens... I believe they will understand why I push back the wedding.

When I was 12, I entered the Training Center, as custom for the children in District 2. I was a little smaller than the girls in my age group, and still am. The weapons were hard for me to get a handle on but one of the trainers suggested that I take up the bow and arrow. To my surprise they were easier than anything I ever worked with. I began training to use the bow as my weapon of choice. Other girls fell behind me in the age group and I eventually moved up to work with trainers for the next age grouping. It became so easy to me and all I can do is hope that if I get reaped they will have a bow and a quiver of arrows for me to use. If not, I know the basics for knives and can hold my own when it comes to hand-to-hand fighting. Mother has tried to teach me how to use Chinese throwing daggers but my fingers get cut up too easily. Since that was no use to teach me, she moved on to making sure that I knew everything possible to do with plants and medicines. I think that she's worried I'll end up like Father... She just wants to try and prevent going through another heartache during these Games. The last ones before the 75th Games, the third Quarter Quell.

My feelings about the Capitol are mixed. If it weren't for them creating the Games, our Father would still be here. Yet, if it wasn't for their generosity, Mother could have been reaped in the 57th Games and left us behind. I think that if it wasn't for the Capitol taking her name out of the reapings, she would have tried to get herself killed in order to be with Father. I just... I'm confused with the Capitol. I have heard that the outermost Districts, such as 9 and on, are not as well taken care of. I have heard that they get less food, barely enough to support themselves. It makes me wonder about why the Capitol's generosity does not extend to all of the Districts. Yet, they have taken care of District 2 for nearly as long as Mother has been alive from what I understand... Grandfather wouldn't tell me how old he was when the rebellion occurred... He did say that after the rebellion the Capitol started to be more caring towards the Districts. I just wonder if since then the Capitol might have stopped caring for certain Districts.