"Finn," Annie's voice drifted softly across the sky into my ears. I hadn't been paying much attention. Tomorrow was reaping day for the 65th annual Hunger Games and my name would be in the pot 3 times plus the 7 more for the times I decided to help my family and take out the tesserae.

"Annie?" I had been sitting in our spot on the beach in District Four. We had been meeting here ever since we met when we were little. I have saved her from drowning so many years ago. We have been best friends ever since.

"How many times is your name in?" She asked as her deep green eyes looked into my sea colored ones.

"10. And you?" I knew hers would only be 2 since she was only 13 and her family was better off than mine.

"Less than yours," She started to draw pictures in the sand. I just watched her hands draw pictures of dogs, fish, people, the sun, and other objects that were easily drawn. Today had been a quiet day for both of us.

"Finn, do you think you will get called tomorrow?" It was the question I knew that was on her mind: the probability of my reaping. I knew that there were others with more than me but even I had more than some of the 18 year old merchant kids. Even knowing the possibility of my name is higher than the others, I had to fake an answer to keep her calm. I hated to worry her.

"I think the odds are in my favor." I said with what I assume was a goofy smile on my face. Annie slightly smiled back at me then frowned again.

"I think I will." She wrapped her arms around her legs and placed her head on her knees. I didn't really know how to comfort her. She is my best friend and I have never seen her worried about a reaping.

I placed my hand on her back and started to rub it. It was the only form of comfort I knew. "Annie you are 13. I guarantee that the odds are in your favor." I knew this didn't help. I decided for no more moping. If this was my last day here I wanted to spend it with Annie.

"Let go swimming!" I took off my shirt and headed for the water. Annie just looked at me like I am insane. "Annie, seriously! How are you going to learn if you refuse to even step one foot into the water?"

"Finn, I am perfectly fine just watching you swim. I don't need to learn how to because my family makes fishing nets. I don't have to be able to swim to create a net." She refused to get up off her blanket. Annie still hadn't learned how to swim. No matter how many times I have tried to teach her, she still refuses to learn.

"Alright. I guess if you won't come in on your own…" I grabbed her and threw her over my shoulder. "I guess I am taking you." I then ran into the ocean water and threw her into an area that I knew she would be able to stand up in.

She stood up in the water. Her hair was covering her face. "Oh Finnick Odair! You are going to get it!" She screamed as she moved her red hair from her eyes.

"I want to see you try Annie Cresta." I taunted. I started to move backwards to a deeper section of the water. She tried to follow me but she stopped when the water was getting a high as her shoulders.

"Finn, no fair!" She threw her hands on her hips while she complained. I knew in order for her to swim she would need to be tempted.

"If you want me you can come after me!" I said as I treaded water. I shouldn't have said this. Annie started to attempt to swim. At first it seemed as if she was a natural. The she started to panic and in the midst of the panicking she started to drown.

I took off towards her. She was probably 20 feet from me and I made it their rather quickly. Annie was trying to keep herself about water with no avail. When I got there she was complete submerged trying to get her head above water. I grabbed her hand and pulled her above the surface. I then wrapped her arms around my neck and swam her back to shore. We both laid there, the waves rolling over our feet, just trying to catch our breath.

"FINN I HATE YOU!" She had screamed and broke the silence. She had grabbed some sand and thrown it at me. I just took my punishment.

"Why Annie, you are a natural. You were swimming!" I said as her face grew red with anger. I saw her shivering because it was cold water and it wasn't the warmest time of day. "Here." I said as I placed one of the blankets around her shoulders. I continued to wrap it fully around her and then took her into my arms.

"I almost died!" She said softly as I tried to keep her warm. Annie was always cold after getting wet. I felt her head lay against my chest. I pulled her in tighter to keep her warm.

"Annie, you swam. That's a start right!" I said in a softer soothing tone. I was trying to keep things positive. I was also very angry with myself. If I wouldn't have taunted her to try and come after me, she wouldn't have risked her life. I felt her head move. When I looked down, I met her deep green eyes.

"I guess I don't hate you Finnick Odair, I just am kind of angry with you." She said. We sat on the beach for a little while longer. She said quiet as I kept rubbing her arms to try and keep her warm. Finally it was getting close to sunset and we both know that we must get home. We gathered up the blankets that weren't being used and walked back to Annie's house in merchant village.

"See you at the Reaping tomorrow?" She asked as we made it the point where we usually went our separate ways. I looked at my best friend. Her red hair started to curl into the ringlets that it did after it got wet and her eyes were full of concerned. I pulled her into a hug.

"Yes. Happy Hunger Games," I said softly.

"And may the odds be ever in your favor." She replied to me. As we departed and I took the walk back to my house alone, I kept thinking about the phrase and the 10 slips of paper going into the bowl tomorrow with my name on it

That night I had a nightmare about the reaping. It wasn't my name that was called but Annie's. She's so little; I couldn't bear seeing her in the arena. I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. I just wanted the Reaping Day to be over.

As the sun crested over the horizon, I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding. I didn't want it to be here but I knew it was coming. I feared my nightmare would come true and my best friend would enter the arena. This time, I wouldn't be there to rescue her if she couldn't swim. I then thought about my fate. I knew I wouldn't be able to match up to the other careers. I can throw a trident, catch fish, and my father had taught me the basis of fist fighting after I had been jumped at school, but other than that I was a goner. Today would be my last day here if my name would be pulled from that glass bowl. I didn't want to think about it any longer. I got dressed for the reaping, ate a little breakfast and left for the Town Square where the reaping would take place.

When I made it to the Town Square, the peacekeepers had already put up the barrier in-between registration for boys and girls. Annie must already be through; she likes to be everywhere early.

The peacekeepers took a prick of blood from my index finger and sent me on my way. I followed single file into the 14 year old section. I was with some of my fellow friends but I was looking for Annie. She was terribly worried about this reaping and I feared that they might choose her and not me. If I could volunteer for Annie I would. Even though we are considered a career district I fear not many people would volunteer if her name was chosen.

I finally found her when the microphone created a lot of interference with the speaker. Ms. Tillie Goldbloom was the escort for District 4. She was a unique person. She was probably 5'7" but her heels always made her taller than most men. She wore wigs that changed based upon color as well as shape. Today her wig was a bright yellow that was very diamond shaped. It almost looked like she put her hair in the shape of a box. The yellow continued in her ensemble with her bright yellow dress with the very weird fish print on it as well as her duller yellow heels that had to give her at least 7 more inches.

"Happy Hunger Games and May the odds be ever in your favor." She said to the thousands of us standing there waiting to see which boy and girl would be chosen to die. The normal reaping ceremony continued on with the video from the capital. The video told about the reasons for the Hunger Games which we are all taught in grade school. Finally the video was over and Tillie started to clap. Her excitement could be seen all over her face, which made the next part the sickest part of all.

"And now let's go ahead and draw the names to see which lucky boy and girl shall be chosen to represent District 4, shall we?" She skipped over to the bowl on her left and started to dig around in the bowl. I took a deep breath hoping it wasn't Annie. I then looked over to where my best friend was standing. She had her eyes closed and looked like she was mouthing something. Tillie then started to walk back to the mic very excitedly and opened the piece of paper to reveal the girl tribute.

"Marina Peace," Tillie read the girls tribute name very loud. We saw the girls part from the 12 year old section and I saw the tiny Marina walk forward. She was embraced by the peacekeepers as well as Tillie. Tillie then asked if there would be any volunteers and no one responded. I let go a sigh of relief. Annie had avoided the arena for another year. However, Marina Peace who is only 12 will be entering the arena with little chance of leaving it.

Tillie then repeated the process but with the jar on the right. It felt as if she was digging around in that bowl for hours. My heart literally was skipping beats and I was holding my breath. This was it. The boy tribute was about to be chosen. Usually boys will step forward to volunteer but I would never do that. Being a tribute means there is a one in 24 chance that I will die. And if I wasn't chosen I wouldn't volunteer because those chances rise as each of the other tributes die.

Tillie finally pulled a name out of the bowl. She slowly moved towards the microphone and opened the piece of paper. I wasn't ready for what was coming next. The name she read aloud was mine.