The Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games nor the characters in it.

Chapter 1

I sit on the sandy shore looking out on the horizon. Admiring all the beautiful oranges, multiple shades of blues and majestic pinks that color the morning sky in sun rise. The colors swirl around the sun to frame it in all its glory. As if they rush to its side to say hello as they have welcomed me. The reflection across the glassy water is almost identical to the original just above it. I take in this wonderful scene for it will soon disappear with the dread that's sure to come. Today is the reaping for the 65th Hunger Games. It is also my very first reaping since I just turned 12 in the spring. I have my name put in there just once and I'm shaking in fear. Not just for me though. For my older brother, Adam, for his friends, for my friends, and of course for my family. What if my parents have to watch one of us die or...even worse. One of us kills the other. No, I can't think this way. I have to remain positive and strong. Two things people always try to do on reaping day but ultimately fail. No I will not fail no matter who gets chosen. I stare back out at the horizon again and notice the surface of the water has little ringlets of ripples gliding across it's once smooth surface. I look up to see that boats have started to occupy the nearly vacant sea. They would usually be worker boats. The ones that would collect all the sea food from the ocean and turn it in for a profit or children such as myself at the dock weaving nets or doing other varies activities to earn extra cash for our families. Not today though. Today all these boats belong to people who just want to get away and forget a day like this. To just relax and enjoy the view like I was doing. One boat still tied at the docks catches my attention. It's not that the boat is extravagant in color or size. It actually blends in with the other boats around it with the off shade of gray that covers it. It's the hand waving slightly in the air that gets my attention. The owner of that hand one of my brothers closets friends. He may only be 2 years older than me but he already looks old enough to be called a man. To not have his name in the reaping but he does. His name is also in there extra times for tesserae. He himself is like the beach. He is tan from head to toe with muscles that looks like the children came and sculpted it on his body as they do with the sand. His hair is a beautiful bronze that's sticking out in every direction. His eyes are a deep ocean blue green that are as vast as the sea in front of us. Everyone seems to get lost in them which, to be perfectly honest, isn't hard to do. His name is Finnick Odair. Just saying his name would probably send over half of District 4 in a frenzy.

"Hey Annie!" He yells from his boat as he put down his rope. I give him a small hi and a quick wave. This doesn't seem to satisfy him though because he gets out of his boat and starts jogging on the dock towards me. I just slowly stand from my previous crouch position as he gets closer. When he reaches me we stand a distance away just looking at each other in the morning light. He's breathing is rapid from his run over here. "Do you know what today is?" he asks carefully. I laugh at his absurd question.

"How could I not? It's all anyone talks about." I respond looking up at him. It's true. Once you turn 12 everyone gives you sad looks and miserably tells you happy birthday. You also try to spend as much time with your friends just in case you have to face the inevitable. I've been spending my whole summer with my friends or at least most of my summer. I've also been working at the dock for my family so we don't have to sign up for tesserae this year. He notices my pause and closes the gap between us. He wraps his arms around me and I rest my head on his chest. We stay like this for a while with him stroking my hair in a soothing rhythm. It feels comfortable, natural even. I don't know why it does though. Maybe it's because I have known him for a long time or maybe because he's replacing my brother right now? I push the thought behind for another time and place. I breathe a thanks into his shirt silently thankful that I'm not also ruining it with tears.

"Anytime, besides what kind of a friend would I be if I didn't comfort you?" I pulled back surprised by his comment. My eyebrows raised in question. Were we friends? I didn't know what to call us. Maybe I was his best friends little sister but that just seems awkward. "Yes, I consider you my friend. I have to look out for you for your brother too." This spreads a smile across my face. Of course he would look out for me for my brother. He would never want to do so for himself though.

"So how long have you been out here?" I wonder quickly to change the subject before I do or say something I regret or that makes him upset.

"For about an hour. After a nearly sleepless night I decided that the ocean would calm me down which it did." he smiles. I look out at the ocean and immediately start to feel the calmness spread over me.

"Yes," I agree. "The ocean always has that effect on people." I point out.

"Is that why you came?" he asks eyeing me. He probably just wants to make sure I don't have a problem at home.

"Yes." I answer simply still looking in the direction of the ocean. Its beauty was so captivating I could help but to get hypnotized.

"How about you? How long have you been out here?" he returns.

I ponder this for a moment before answering "since around three o'clock this morning" I concluded. Sounds about right since I first got into bed around midnight. I remember tossing and turning for what seemed like hours until I finally sneaked out to come here. So many thoughts ran through my head last night that I'm not even sure that it happened. The only evidence I have is my location. If I wasn't standing here, on the beach still in Finnicks arms I would have thought it happened months ago.

"Well then you should start heading back home soon before your family wakes up and notices you're gone". I sigh because I know he's right. I don't want to go though. If I go home all that will be waiting for me is the Hunger Games. All the preparation and worrying. It's just something I can't handle. I like it here. The ocean with its soothing effect, the sun that's starting to light the sky that has now turned a baby blue, me, standing here, in Finnicks arms. I reluctantly pull away from him away, from the security. I stare at my shoe as I mutter a goodbye and turn to walk away. After a minute or two I hear my name being called again. I look back to see Finnick in the exact same spot I left him with his eyes trained on me. "Good luck." he says in a slightly lower voice.

"You too and may the odds be ever in your favor." I return with a smile. As I turn and walk away I hear him chuckle behind me but little did I know that that would be the last time I would hear him laugh for a long time.