Hey everyone! This fanfiction is a story about the 66th Annual Hunger Games, with characters of my own. I hope you'll enjoy it, please review if you do(n't)! Please keep in mind that English is my third language, and know that I always welcome tips and corrections!

As soon as she said my name, I closed my eyes. This couldn't be true. I felt people staring at me though. Did I hear my name right? Or did I just dream it? Yes, that's it, it must be a dream. It must.

"Naomi Triss." The voice repeated. "Can you come up, dear?"

Oh no. It's not a dream. My eyes popped open. Everyone was staring at me, but I just couldn't' move. After what felt like an eternity, I took a hesitant step towards the stage. People were moving out of my way. Slowly but surely, I was getting closer to that stage. The woman in bright orange, textile probably made here, in District 8, was smiling at me. A fake smile, of course, but a smile nevertheless. As if she was trying to encourage me to come closer, like being reaped was no big deal. Like there wasn't just one chance out of twenty-four for me to come back here alive.

"There she is," the woman said joyfully, "oh and she's a pretty one!"

I stopped in front of the stairs. Stepping up would mean never coming back. I looked back at the people standing there in silence. I was looking for my family and friends in the crowd. No one was pushing forward to volunteer, or just to hold me. I wished for the latter more than for the former, frankly. I felt so fragile, like I could break in a million pieces at any second.

My eyes caught those of my older sister Lily first, hiding beneath the warm coat I got her and protectively stroking her round belly. I was never her favorite so her eyes were cold, her face blank. But I could see her lip trembling. Then, I saw my older brother Gabriel. He looked away, his cheeks red. Gabriel didn't like farewells. But I just desperately wanted one of them to look at me. To say goodbye, or to look like I'd be missed at least. So, my eyes searched my little brother instead. He was standing next to my mother, grabbing her leg in fear with big eyes of confusion while she ignored him. At the sight of him, my vision blurred and my throat was aching. Why on earth did I think watching my brother cry would make me feel better? I shook my head to push the tears away and focused on my mother's face instead. She looked displeased, at most. Her best source of income was going to leave and probably never return. Always practical, she looked distracted, as if she was already making a plan to survive without me.

I ignored the woman in orange telling me to come up again, and saw my friend's big scared eyes. Evelyn cried and Josh was holding her. Without me, they definitely needed each other. All eyes around them were avoiding mine. They were also friends, had gone through many years as my neighbors or classmates. None of them cared enough to face me, to make me feel missed at least. Maybe I expected too much. After all, I had ignored May going up these exact same stairs only a year ago. And just like her, I'd probably never come back.

Suddenly, two Peacekeepers stormed my way. I felt 1 gripping my arm so tight, but the one on the right seemed hesitant and was more gentle. That's why I knew it was Joe. I let myself get carried up there, realizing that this was filmed and shown around Panem. I must've made myself look ridiculous. The guards let go of me, but not before Joe squeezed my hand. Like that would help.

"Well, now that we finally have her up here, time to call the male tribute up." She walked towards the bowl and picked a card.

"Finn Williams!"

Oh, great.

Finn looked shocked. He moved slowly, trying to process what was happening. But he got a hold of himself, and immediately changed his expression to unmoved as he climbed up the stairs. He stood next to me. Then we had to shake hands. Much to my dismay, we did.

He smirked. "Excited, cupcake?" trying to intimidate me already. I knew that was a façade, he was as nervous as I was. I had felt his hand tremble just as much as mine.

Then suddenly we were pushed inside the main building. It would all begin.

"So, girl, tell me. What have you got?"

I ignored the past victor Bob talking to me. He was to be my mentor. He was standing next to the other victor, Jenna. She looked annoyed with me already.

"Come on, princess. Your pretty little sulking face isn't gonna get you back here alive, is it?"
I just wanted them all to leave me alone. I stared out the window.
"Well, Naomi," Bob said, scratching the little hair he had with his long nails, "distracted girls are the most useless ones. Head in the clouds, don't they call it that? Well, let me tell you this. Being distracted is the first step to getting killed."

I didn't want him to tell me that. I didn't need to be reminded of my death coming closer every second.

He sighed and seemed to give up. Jenna picked up where he left. "What can you do? What are your skills?"

"Nothing", I said.
They both looked surprised. At least I was talking.

"I can't do anything. I have no skills." It was true. There was no weapon I had ever held. I wasn't strong, nor particularly fast. Clever, maybe, but not highly intelligent. I had no chance whatsoever.

Finn suddenly reminded me of his presence. He coughed with a smirk. "I wouldn't say that, cupcake."

I closed my eyes. Clearly, his arrogance and annoying cockiness had come back after his shock at being reaped. He clearly never imagined it. His name was probably only in there once or twice, considering how hard he worked at the factory. Mine was in there 6 times. Not too good, not too bad either. Odds didn't matter, anyways. The odds are never in our favor.

"Finn?" asked Jenna curiously.

"Well, little miss cupcake here has been keeping her rather large family alive for quite a while now."

Couldn't he just shut up.

"How's that?" Jenna asked me, but my silence made her question Finn.

"Well, you see, she has a mother that works in the factory. One is not enough, though. Her sister is pregnant and has no husband to take care of her. Her brother is a pathetic little coward who is scared to even pick up a shovel. He has a disease, you see. What do they call it? Epilepsy, something like that? I call it weakness. Then, there's her little brother. Children don't bring back much money."

"How about a father?" asked Bob.

I wanted to say something, to open my mouth, instead of just letting Finn describe my family with such dismay. But my lips were glued shut.

"No fathers. Her mother is not really a fan of… husbands. Well, let's just stay the men rarely stick around longer than a couple of weeks. I don't even think she has ever been married." Finn picked up a glass of water and happily sipped it. "I doubt any of her children share a father."

Hearing him insulting my mother like I often did, made me enrage. I might not love all of them, but my family is not his to insult.

"Shut, up, Finn!" I spat.

"Why, cupcake? I'm not finished. I think they want to hear how you managed to keep them alive. That is, after all, the clue of this irrelevant story."

I bit my lip, unable to fight back.

"Well, my dear mentors, little cupcake here has been very popular the last few years. From the moment she turned… What, fourteen? Fifteen? I can't remember! Well, she has been seen in company of some Peacekeepers. Latest one is Joe, if I remember correctly. He's young and not too bad, but most importantly, he knows how to make sure some of the confiscated goods at the black market end up at Naomi's place. He likes to gift her things, too. Well, it's like an arrangement. They think they're discreet, but it's a secret everyone knows. Her family gets fed, and he gets… What did they call this before? Something like… prostitution, right?"

I jumped up,, picked up a glass of water and threw it at the wall right above his chair. The pieces of glass and the water rained over him. He jumped up, enraged, and the mentors looked surprised at my sudden outburst, almost as much as I was.

"Naomi! Keep that for the arena!" said Bob. He grabbed my arm roughly as Jenna pushed Finn back into his chair.

"I'm NOT a prostitute!" I yelled.

"Fine. Slut? Whore? Which do you prefer, cupcake?"

"Finn, shut your mouth." said Jenna. "We don't need you two to hate each other as well. There are enough tributes to hate outside of this district! Now you two useless little shits go upstairs and prepare yourselves for your deaths instead of fighting like two shitty little rats!"

She was brutal, for sure. She didn't have much patience and didn't seem to like teenagers. She was around the age of 30, I think. She had a fine face with delicate features, but her eyes were hard and determined. She had a scar from her left ear to her nostril. A reminder of the last fight she fought 15 years ago, before murdering the last tribute with the knife he had just used to scratch her face. She was known for her handiness. It was what had kept her alive. She fought dirty, but she didn't care.

Bob, on the other hand, was different. He was 10 years older than she was. He had grown slightly fatter over the years. As a young victor, he used to be strong and handsome. He seemed more pleased with a victor's life than she was. He gladly took the job of mentoring every year, and enjoyed the benefits a victor gets.

"Go upstairs. You can choose one person to come and visit you for two minutes. That's it."

We were led upstairs, each in our separate rooms. A Peacekeeper asked me whom I wanted to see. I didn't know. Not my mother, or my sister or Gabriel. Maybe Ben? Or should I ask for Evelyn or Josh?

The peacekeeper looked impatient. I just blurted out "Evelyn". As soon as I had said it, I regretted it. It was Ben I wanted to see, to hold him one last time. But it was too late. The man was gone, and soon after Evelyn walked in. She wasn't in tears anymore, she looked focused. She hugged me.

"Naomi? Listen to me. You're coming back, you hear me? I need you. So does Josh, so does Ben."

"I wouldn't know how to."

"I know you don't, honey. But I know. Use everything you've got. You're smart. You know they just want a show and you'll give them one. You're pretty, you'll get pervy men to sponsor you. You can charm your way into a good score. And then, in the arena, you could run and hide. But that won't be enough. You'll need allies."

"Who? The careers stick together, and Finn… Never gonna happen."

"You ruined it already?"

"The guy hates me. The feeling's mutual."

Evelyn sighed. "Finn is despicable, indeed. The arrogant prick will die soon, I'm telling you. He's playing a game but we all know he's terrified. He's strong, but that's basically it. You need better."

"There won't be anyone! I have nothing to offer."

"You and I both know that's not true, Naomi."

She gave me a deep look. I knew what she meant.

The peacekeepers came in. "Time's up!"

She hugged me one last time and whispered "Do what you do best, and come back."

The four of us were sitting in some sort of living room. Silence was dominating.

"So, what did your dad say, Finn?"

Finn looked up. "Oh. Well, he told me he was expecting me back."

"Did he give you any advice?" asked Jenna.

"He said to go for the throat."

Jenna laughed.

"My dad is quite experienced in killing. He taught me how to kill animals when I was only 6."

"So endearing," I commented.

"Oh really? What did your mom say then? 'Stay pretty dear, the sponsors will keep you alive'?"

"It wasn't my mom."

"Your brother?"

"Evelyn."

"Aaah, Evelyn. Did she ball her eyes out and beg you to stay alive?"

"No. She gave advice."

Finn laughed. "Oh really? What kind of advice on killing could she possibly give?"

It was no surprise he laughed. Evelyn is soft and sweet, it was hard not to like her. She and I had been friends since they were 4. She lived down the street and Josh lived at my aunt's house since his parents' death.

"She told me to do what I do best." I regretted saying it as soon as it came out.
Finn wanted to laugh and give a nasty comment, but Jenna fired shots with her eyes. She would not have fighting tributes from the same district.

"Finn, you come with me." She said and got up.

"Where are we going?"

"Get up."

They left the room. Bob and I were the only ones left.

"So, girl, what do you do best?"

"Not so hard to imagine, is it?"

"If I have to assume everything Finn says about you is true…"

"No. It's not. I'm not a whore."

"Then what do you do?"

I gave him a silent stare.

He sighed. "Look, Naomi, we're gonna have to get to know each other. It's important for me to know you, to try and keep you alive best as I can. People can deny or forget their past as much as they want, it defines them. Your past defines you. Just tell me."

I hesitated. He had trusting eyes, looked patient and understanding.

"You will need someone, Naomi."

"You're going to judge me."

"I'm a murderer. I killed 6 people directly and 3 indirectly. If someone should get judged here, it would be me."

I stayed silent for a couple of minutes before telling him everything.

"What Finn said about my mother is mostly true. She used to be pretty when she was young, she got pregnant quickly. The men would always leave, though. My mother is far from easy to please. She's controlling, hungry for money and not particularly nice. But she was good at seduction. I don't even know who my father is. Whether he's alive, whether I ever saw or met him. My mother says it's "irrelevant". It's a miracle she just had 4 children! I don't really have a loving family. My sister is 23, she has always disliked me. I don't know why. My brother Gabriel is 19, and has epilepsy. He's terrified of doing anything, he's always scared to die because of an attack. He doesn't dislike me, but he's closer to Lily. Ben, my little brother is the only one who truly loves me."

Bob stayed silent, showing me he was listening.

"My mom works at the clothing factory, so does my sister. My brother can't and the little one's too young. There's no man to help keep us alive. So when I turned 14, my mother noticed I attracted some men's attention. She told me not to bother talking to poor boys; the rich ones are the only ones that can help us. First, I had to charm a boy named Ross. He's one of the richest of the district. He gave me food regularly and called me his girlfriend. Then, my mom saw a better suitor in a Peacekeeper called Zack. He made sure we had everything we needed, but at some point he got too pushy. Then I briefly had a little something with a previous victor's son, Raphael. I actually really liked him, but my mom made me give him up when Joe came along. He's a new Peacekeeper, and is desperately in love with me. He'd do anything and even wants to marry me. I just have to keep pretending until they start wanting more or my mom finds someone better. That's my only job. I do bring the most food on the table, though."

"You're not a big fan of your mom, are you?"

I look away. "My mother sees me more as an investment than a daughter."

"I see."

We stay silent for a while.

"Everybody knows. They all hate peacekeepers, so obviously they think I'm a traitor. On top of that, they know they pay for my company. So they just assume the men get the whole package. I know many people call me a slut behind my back. People like Finn only have the guts to say it to my face."

Bob sighs. "So you're good at seducing."

"If you call that a talent."

"But you're so… shy."

"It's shame. But when I get an assignment from my mom, I play somebody else. For Ross I was confident and bubbly. For Zack I was naughty and daring. For Raphael, I was caring and cute. For Joe I'm fun and pretty to show off. I quickly notice what they like, what would keep them around long enough."

"So you can read people easily. And you're also a good actress."

I shrug.

"Don't be so pessimistic. We can work with that. When your friend told you to do what you do best, what did she mean?"

"She said I needed allies."

"Well, it's not impossible. But if the boys notice that you're flirting with all of them in order to find allies, they won't stick around. They have to think the feelings are genuine before they protect you."

I chuckled. That was a ridiculous idea. "I was not planning on actually following her advice."

"Why not? It's the best chance you've got. You find a boy in the arena, make him fall for you. You kill him in his sleep when you don't need him anymore. There's probably nothing as effective. This has never been done before, no one will see it coming."

"No!" I got up. "I'm not like that. I won't do it." I had had a hard time not catching feeling for Raphael when I was with him, and clearly I failed. I hated pretending to be someone else to stay alive.

"It's that or preparing for your imminent death."

I walked out of the room.

"Honey, let me make this clear for you. You're not a fighter. Not a runner. Not a hider. Not a survivor. But you are an actress. A pretty darn good one, from what I've heard. And you must remember that this is a television show. You could very well get out of it alive."

I stayed silent. Jenna was paying attention but not participating. She seemed interested in this strategy, but also slightly disturbed by it. Finn was farther away, eating all sorts of cakes. He seemed to be living the dream.

"You can be anything. Sassy, clever, innocent, naughty, playful. Anything. All you have to stay is charming and pretty and seducing. No, not just that. Captivating. You have to be able to walk into a room and have every pair of eyes drawn to you. I know you have what it takes."

"I don't want to."

"What makes you think it's more noble to kill 5 men in combat than to kill 5 of them in their sleep?"

I sighed.

"It's more merciful, if you ask me!"

"It's not! It's plain lying! Making them believe I love them and that I'd do anything for them, only to stab them moments later? That's worse than not noble! It's shameful!"

"Look, girl." Jenna interrupted my outburst. "It's quite simple. Do you want to live or die?"

Of course I wanted to live. I wanted to go home to my friends and my little brother. Desperately.

Jenna rightly interpreted my silence as a 'live'. "Then this is the only shot you've got. Now stop being a pussy and grow some balls. Killing is killing. Nobody cares about the context in the Hunger Games."

"Who says it would even work…" I said weakly. I was tired of objecting to it.

"We do. It could very well work. No one has ever even thought of this strategy. As long as you stick to one guy at a time inside the arena, no one could suspect your tactic. It's perfect."

She interpreted my silence as a yes. I didn't even know what I was thinking. I wanted to live, I knew that. And that was enough.