Hey guys! This will be my first story on this account here. This will be the first book of a series, which you do not need to read in order / all at once. There will be five books:

I. Trident Boy [Finnick Odair]
II. Golden Beauty [Cashmere Delgado]
III. Reaching Impossibility [Gloss Delgado]
IV. Female Warrior [Johanna Mason]
V. An Act Of Pretence [Annice Cresta]

I have to go and leave you alone
But always know, always know
Always know that I love you so

- Goodbye, Avril Lavigne

I. The Reaping

If life has taught me anything, it is that fate is inevitable and that everyone has a weak spot within themselves, whether it unleashes an unexpected swarm of tears or blinds the person with rage. This weak spot, however, attaches the victim to home, and from being raised in one of the middle class regions of District Four, I had grown up being taught that I was born a part of an extremely privileged family.

"You see those District 12 kids? Twigs, I tell you. They starve everyday," Father used to tell me. "And you? Look at all that fish we've hauled in. If you think for a second that you have a bad life, you are not my son."

And that's what I had always thought. Even today.

It's Reaping Day and I know my name will not be pulled out. When my little sister, Rhea, pulls my blankets out from underneath me, I can only groan in response.

"Come on, Finnick!" she exclaims, "Get up! It's Reaping Day!"

Today will be the first reaping she attends as a potential tribute, but I don't allow myself to think that her name will be drawn out. There is only one slip out of thousands that says Rhea Odair. The chance is almost impossible. It is only when she tells me what time it is that I hurry. I had woken up only ten minutes before the reaping. Great. I had slept in and if I was late, it would not be approved of. Rhea is already dressed in a flowing white dress, which reaches an inch or two past her knees and her bronze hair has been braided back in a sophisticated manner - it is undoubtedly Mother's handiwork.

There is already an outfit laid out for me - a light blue dress shirt with matching black pants and shoes that I think are called boots. I hastily strip and tug on the new outfit, ignoring the creases and folds that form at my touch. Rhea pushes me out of the house a mere two minutes after I brush my teeth and I run my hand through my tousled bronze hair.

This is probably the worst I have ever looked for a Reaping.

"I'm scared," Rhea says, after we have signed in. "What if I'm reaped?"

Her bottom lip quivers and her eyes are dilated with fear. I squeeze her hand gently, in hopes of comforting her and tell her, "Don't be, Rhea. There are thousands of other girls. You won't be chosen."

I don't know if I'm convincing her, or myself. In a place like District Four, we are never short of volunteers. The outside districts call the tributes from District One, Two and Four the Careers, otherwise known as the tributes who have trained illegally for the Games. Due to our considerable wealth, the Capitol favours these three districts, and the Peacekeepers are slack compared to those in areas like District Twelve. I heard that whippings are common there.

"Rhea!"

I look over Rhea's shoulder to find Annie Cresta, standing in a billowing green dress, which I assume is about two sizes too large for her. She waves at us and beckons my little sister over to the twelve year old section. I plant one kiss on her forehead and walk towards the fourteen year old male section.

Venala Thames takes the stage after the mayor's speech. At least she looks better than last year, I think to myself. This year, her hair is pin straight and is dyed blonde at the roots and gradually becomes a blue at the tips. Her eyes are green, I think, and her dress isn't as ridiculously puffy as it was last year. She looks decent, for once.

Without further ado, she has inserted her hand into the jar of slips for the girls. Venala fishes her hand around and pulls a slip out.

"Rhea Odair," she announces, her heavy Capitol accent rolling the r sound. My head snaps up almost immediately and I feel my neck crack. I, for once, am thankful for my height of five foot nine at the age of fourteen, as I tower over everyone else in my year group, and lock eyes with my sister. She lets out a heart-wrenching sob. It makes me want to scream at a trained girl to volunteer.

"I volunteer!" a familiar voice screams out from the fourteen year old females. A rush of blonde hair lunges forward and doesn't bother with the steps onto the stage. She jumps up and stares down at the crowd, more specifically, me. She gives me a slight nod and I know that nothing will change her mind.

"What's your name, darling?" the Capitolian woman asks, delightfully.

"Maya Cresta."

"Wonderful!" Venala claps her hands, animatedly and rushes to the boys' bowl. "Finnick Odair."

I breathe out a sigh of relief. My name hasn't been called out and I'm safe for yet another year. It is only when the boys in front of me have created a pathway for me, that I realise the Finnick Odair that has been called out is me. My legs seem to carry me to the stage at their own accord. I glance at myself on the big screen, plastering a fake smirk on, ignoring the wails emitting from Rhea and Mother. I want to cry.

I barely hear Venala speak as she asks for any volunteers, and Maya and I are forced to shake hands. The applause the district gives should be comforting, but it is just a reminder than I have involuntarily been sentenced to my death, with Maya.

"Give it up for your District Four tributes this year! May the odds ever be in your favour."

I know that the cameras would be cut off now, so I push past Venala and embrace Maya in my arms. Having my sister reaped, only to have my best friend volunteer in her spot and being reaped myself, the odds are definitely not in my favour. "I'm sorry," she murmurs softly.

A Peacekeeper grabs my shoulder and and tears me away from her, escorting me to the Justice Building, the most expensive and fashionable building in the District. The Peacekeeper doesn't spare me a second glance before I'm shoved into an empty white room, with the exception of one couch and he trudges out.

My family is the first group to rush in. Rhea crawls onto my lap and sits there, bawling her eyes out and babbling incomprehensible nonsense. Mother is pale and shaking, and I cannot help but be shocked when I see Father on the verge of tears as well.

"Finnick, you have to come back," Mother says, urgently. They all do.

My father steps forward and speaks in a such a serious tone, even I am intimidated. "Son, you've never trained professionally but remember everything I taught you - tridents and knives. Spears are the same as tridents, only lighter. Train well. Do not join the Careers."

I can barely take this all in at once but I simply nod. "Got it."

"I can't believe Rhea would've had to go in as well," Mother sniffs. "Thank the Lord, Maya volunteered but that's just as awful."

This is when I stop feeling numb. My grip around Rhea tightens and I can feel the waterworks forming. It isn't long before I'm crying too, just like Mother.

"Dont," Father scolds, "Don't ever let them see you cry."

The Peacekeeper barges in on us and roughly shoves them. "Time's up."

I don't expect anybody else to visit me for the duration of the next twenty-five minutes, but Annie Cresta runs in, dragging her oversized dress along with her. Her green eyes are wide and innocent, and her eyes are red and puffy.

I stare at her, shocked. "Hi?" I say in what I suppose is in the form of a question.

Despite being best friends with her older sister and her being close friends with my own sister, I have only spoken to her twice - both of which were extremely short and awkward conversations.

Annie cups her elbow and presses her lips together. She doesn't know what to say, and neither do I.

After a few moments of silence, she unties the string of rope around her wrist and gives it to me.

"My sister told me to give this to you." The way Annie speaks makes it seem like she's in a daze. Like she isn't wholly attached to reality. "She told me you like to make knots when you have something on your mind."

I tentatively take the rope from her and wrap it around my own wrist. "Thank you," I say, half-heartedly.

She looks up at me, tears threatening to pour, before she looks back down to her shoes, shyly. "Can you take care of her? I know you're her best friend…"

I nod without a word. I honestly don't know what to say.

"She's my sister," she whispers softly.

"I know," I respond. "I'll do whatever it takes to bring her back home."

This time, she looks up at me with hopeful eyes without breaking her gaze away from me. "Really? Do you mean that?"

"Of course. She'll come back to you, okay?" I don't know what I'm saying anymore. Rhea needs me; so do Mother and Father. But Annie needs Maya. I want to win, but if that is to happen, Maya will have to die, whether it is by my hands or another tribute's.

No, Finnick. Don't think like that, I scold myself.

Before I know it, Annie crashes into me, her arms around my waist. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she repeats.

"You're welcome."

Suddenly, she's torn away from me and I am dragged towards the train that is supposed to take me to the Capitol. "Take care of her for me! Please, Finnick!" Annie cries out. I close my eyes and ignore her, this time and board the train.

Goodbye, District Four.