"Who can tell me the common name of Pectinidae?" Ms. Syreni asks, her hawk-like eyes scanning the room for her prey: the student paying the least amount of attention. Of course her gaze immediately lands on Shore Cobius, who, planning to volunteer in a week to fight to the death in the 73rd Annual Hunger Games has not spent the last half-hour of Sea Biology listening intently and taking detailed notes as I have, but rather doing things he views as way more important. Shore freezes his under-the-desk kicking fight with his friend Reef when his keen senses feel Ms. Syreni's eyes on him- a decidedly good skill to have when participating in The Hunger Games. He nonchalantly slides his notebook, which, as far as I can tell, contains details of Games strategies, a not-so-flattering portrait of Ms. Syreni, what appears to be a sketch of me in a bikini (showing way more cleavage than I would actually purposefully show in public), and nothing on the subject of Sea Biology, under his seafoam green sweatshirt conveniently placed next to his notebook on his desk.
"Mr. Cobius," Ms. Syreni says with a malicious relish that could only have resulted from her getting a peek at Shore's malevolent drawing of her, "Why don't you enlighten the class?"
Involuntarily, Shore's head pops up, a scared look in his eyes, mouth ajar a couple of inches in panic and perplexity. I try my hardest to hide my giggle at the sight, but Shore's scarily acute senses latch on to the sound like a gudgeon on one of my parent's fishhooks. He looks at me expectantly, eyebrows raised, with a small smirk playing across his coral-colored lips, and my resolve to punish him for planning to volunteer by withholding my answer and watching him turn into a squirming fish out of water disintegrates.
Having seen my cousin Finnick deal with the horrors of post-Games life ever since I was seven, I'm decidedly not at all happy about Shore's current life plan. The first night Finnick returned home from his Games, we had fallen asleep together on his new fancy couch, watching a musical about mermaids my seven-year-old self had enjoyed. I vividly remember waking up in terror, as my seemingly invincible fourteen-year-old cousin screamed and sobbed in his sleep, accidently pushing me off of the couch. As I grew older and older, and closer and closer to Finnick, Annie, and Mags, I learned more and more of the problems faced by victors, ranging from somewhat trivial complaints of being the center endless gossip, to not being allowed to marry the people they love in order to keep up bachelor appearances. I'm sure there are still troubles they have that I have yet to be privy too, though lately I've started developing an appalling theory about what Finnick's being forced to do on his many "business trips" to the Capitol. Ever since Shore told me he planned to volunteer for the Games, I've been both subtly and evidently trying to convince his not to, including pettily not helping him out in classes as I've always done.
But Shore's smirk controls my lips better than my brain can, which he knows, and has used to his full advantage in the past. I find myself mouthing the word "scallop" at him so that he can answer the question correctly, before I even register what I'm doing.
Shore's genuinely happy smile makes Ms. Syreni's glare almost worth it.
"Thanks, Ar", he whispers.
I just roll my eyes and reply, "My name is Ariel," with obviously fake annoyance, still not giving up on trying to bully him into staying alive and happy in District Four as opposed to dead or hurting for the rest of his life, before returning to my work. Ms. Syreni throws question after question at me for the rest of the class, all of which I answer correctly, much to her disappointment, and the rest of the class's satisfaction.
Finally, Sea Biology is over. I make my way to the bathroom, Shore pausing his kicking game with Reef as I pass by them to lightly pull on a strand of my wavy bronze hair. I roll my eyes at him despite my involuntary smile and leave the classroom. I open the door to the women's room and smile politely at Coral Quator, a pretty girl with dark brown hair, an athlete's body, and a vicious talent in our gym classes, who intends to be Shore's partner this summer as the female tribute this year. She's having a conversation with her friend Current, the girl voted "prettiest voice" in last year's yearbook, in front of the mirror. They are laughing at something. I ignore their chatting until I hear Shore's name, and cock my head, trying to listen intently, using my very fine-tuned eavesdropping skills that I haven't employed since I was eleven and overheard a very graphic exchange between Finnick and Annie.
"God, he is so annoying" Current giggles musically whilst starting to fishtail braid her hair.
Coral snort-snickers in agreement. "How I'm going to be able to spend, like, a whole month with him without going as crazy as Annie Cresta is beyond me."
I grit my teeth in anger, but will myself to stay calm and keep listening, being acting on my rage is just going to end up with Coral barely batting an eye as she makes me bleed. I'm not exactly a fighter.
"You don't have to spend a whole month with him," Current reminds Coral, "If it gets that bad you can just get rid of him one night. I'm sure the rest of the alliance would appreciate it."
"What if he was my first kill? How worshipped would I be then? Like, I'd totally be the leader of the alliance, amiright? Just imagine: Shore Cobius, first kill" Coral's eyes light up with inspiration, as my heart stops beating.
"It's more impressive than having one of those District 12 losers as your first", laughs Current, her innocent, twinkly voice clashing with her horrific implications.
The two of them go on discussing how to best kill one of my favorite people in the world (Slit throat? Bow and arrow? Or, the worst, taking a page out of my cousin's book and going for a trident to the heart?), all of which I know will definitely work, as I keep my head down, washing my hands, and hoping I don't burst into tears right there and then.
I run out of the bathroom and into an empty Kindergarten classroom whose students are out at swimming lessons, trying to bring my anxious breathing back to a normal pace, so I don't hyperventilate. I'm gripping a desk, the only solid, sturdy thing in a world that's suddenly spinning fiercely around me. No matter what I say, no matter how many death threats by fierce competition, I know that Shore isn't going to change his mind about volunteering. Finnick and I have been trying for months.
Unless…
I have no doubt that Shore would never voluntarily participate in a game where only one of the two of us could come out alive.
No- it's ridiculous! I, of all people, would never stand a change in the Hunger Games. The only physical activity I do is recreational swimming, and the occasional dance number. I'm scared of blood, and trust people way too easily. It's been joked before that I'd probably end up being the girl who falls off her platform and dies before the games even begin.
But Coral wants Shore to be her first kill, and has about a million and one perfected plans of how to eradicate him.
There isn't even a choice. I know what I must do.
For Shore.
Finnick's supposed to pick me up after school today, and as I walk outside the building with Shore, I can easily find him by the stream of girls flocking him, batting their eyelashes and twirling their hair around their painted fingernails. Shore snorts in aversion at the gaggle of our classmates making fools of themselves. Finnick catches my eye, and, although I've tried so hard to hide it these past few hours from my schoolmates, especially from Shore, Finnick can tell something's wrong. He furrows his brow in concern, parts the sea of now disappointed and pouting girls, and makes his way through to us.
"Hey Finnick!" Shore says, bumping my cousin's fist in greeting, "What's up?"
"Just picking up my favorite cousin from school", Finnick replies, ruffling my hair as I glare at him and then fix my part.
"Does this mean I can come over?" Shore asks us both hopefully.
One time, my parents, very successful fishers who are famous in the District, saw Shore and I kissing when we were supposed to be doing homework, and ever since then have had a strict no boys in the house rule. Shore and I aren't dating- he didn't want to have to force a girlfriend to watch him in the Games, just in case, but we've always said that when he comes home a Victor, we'll be official. But that doesn't mean we haven't had our fun. Finnick, whose house I stay at when my parents are off on extended fishing trips, has no problems with Shore visiting. Except, apparently, for today.
"Sorry, Shore," Finnick tells him, "But Ariel and I are having an Odair Family Day of Fun today", with a pointed look at me, ordering me to not contradict his story.
I do anyway.
"That's not a thing," I inform Finnick, rolling my eyes.
"I just made it a thing," he challenges, playfully glaring at me threateningly.
"Wow, Finnick, you're so cool," I tell him, my voice dripping with way more sarcasm than any girl, except maybe Johanna Mason, has ever talked to him with. Finnick decides to play along, fanning himself the way some of his fan-girls do when he walks by, and telling me to stop, because I'm making him blush. We all laugh at this impression.
"Well, I'm off," Shore smiles as he turns to leave to walk to his own house, "You two have fun!" He blows a kiss over his shoulder at us, in mocking of Finnick's previous shenanigans.
Finnick looks at me, and laughs out loud at my involuntary smile and blush at Shore's gesture. I send a menacing glare at him before elbowing his torso. This just makes Finnick laugh harder.
"Was that supposed to hurt? Or look scary? Ari, you just don't have what it takes to be mean", Finnick tells me with a loving smile whilst putting his arm around me. I know it's supposed to be a compliment, but, in light of recent events, I just can't seem to take it as one.
"See how mean you find me when I beat you home" I retort, taking off in the direction of District Four's Victor's Village, ignoring Finnick's yelled reminder from behind me that I'm not carrying a key.
We both make it to Finnick's, and, as he opens the door to let us in, he turns to me and says, "Ariel, today I want you to take your mind off Shore. Ignore him; don't think about him. You know I'm going to do everything in my power to bring him back home in one piece, and you worrying yourself sick isn't going to help anybody. So stop. Today's Day of Fun is for you to relax and enjoy yourself."
"Wait… you were serious about the Odair Family's Day of Fun?" I ask bemused. Finnick makes a lot of jokes, and, though I barely understand sarcasm, I can usually tell whether or not Finnick's being serious. There are always a couple of times now and then when he completely surprises me, though.
"Well, the Odair Family Plus Mags and Annie's Day of Fun" Finnick amends.
"So the Odair Family's Day of Fun" I tease with a smile.
"Exactly", he says with a laugh.
We change into swimsuits and each grab a mini crab cake from Finnick's kitchen, and then run off to collect Annie and Mags. The four of us walk along the coast of the beach, taking the scenic route to the market. Within minutes, Annie's standing on the shore holding all our shoes as Finnick, Mags, and I swim-chase each other through the ocean water, yelping, splashing, and taunting. Annie is laughing, and calling us all children. According to her, at 15, I'm the only one young enough to forget our plans and play silly games. Finnick just laughs, carries Mags out of the water, and gives Annie a kiss.
The four of us continue on our way, stopping occasionally to say hi to some of my father's fishermen friends, to sign autographs for Games fanatics, and to jump into the ocean to relieve ourselves of District Four's constant heat. Finally, we make it to District Four's market.
Mags, hungry from exerting more energy than she's used to, asks a confused stand-owner for some of the pineapple he's selling. Finnick quickly jumps in and translates for the stand-owner, as Mags has been hard to understand by those who don't know her as well as we do ever since her stroke last fall. Annie and I spend some time looking through jewelry and clothes, and she buys a beautiful sunset-orange dress.
All too soon, the sun continues it's odyssey around the Earth, disappearing bit by bit into the sparkling blue ocean. Mags is yawning, Annie and I are all shopped out, and, although Finnick still has enough energy to run a small island, he knows it's time to head home before it becomes too dark to see. He somehow manages to hold both Annie and my hands while carrying Mags on his back, and, as we walk home joking and laughing, clasped hands swaying in time with the crashing waves, I know that today's adventures will be one of many happy memories I'll be able to look back upon in the Games, when life looks bleak and hope is as scarce as food.