Warnings: None! I really hope you like this but the first two Chapters are focussed on Finnick's life in District 4. Reaping Day starts in Chapter 3. (coming soon)

Chapter 1~ Catch of the Day

The sunrise shines almost angelically as it always does every morning in District Four. I sit on the deck of the boat while waiting for father to retrieve the worms from the boat's storage. Father and I always laugh at all the fishermen missing out on this natural treat for a few more minutes of shut-eye, not to mention this is when the fish travel through this bay the most. That's why people say Kale Odair is the best fisher District 4 has had in years. Not only does he know how to catch those scaly creatures, but knows how to think like them. I bet they expect little Finnick to fall into his father's footsteps.

This thought has never really bothered me. I love fishing with my father, being that close to nature. Mother even said that I can have my first boat when I turn sixteen. I look at my watch to see the time. Fix sixteen.

"You ready, Finnick?" I turn to see my father with a bucket of worms. He's a strongly built man with golden skin like mine and almond-brown hair and face very chiseled and strong, things you'd expect from a strong fisher. His green buttoned-up shirt makes his blue eyes pop out, which are worn with fishing overalls and boots. He has on his signature baseball cap with the words 'Kale's Catch'. I stop myself from commenting a joke on his outfit to realize I have on the same thing but with a red shirt.

"What took so long?" I ask. "We were suppose to be out by five o' clock sharp."

He smiles at me and responds with a sarcastic "Sorry, Captain," with a salute and a raise of his thick eyebrow lying just above his brown sea-green eyes. I laugh and roll my matching eyes and run my hands through my blonde hair.

"Seriously though. It took you sixteen minutes to get worms?"

"No," he responds. "I was waiting to see if the Cresta's would be joining us again."

Good grief, all I can think of out of true annoyance. It wasn't because I dislike Harold Cresta. He's a pretty funny guy. Although dad has to keep telling him to not curse around me even though I just laugh. No, Mr. Cresta is a good man. It's his daughter that makes my smile disappear.

Annie Cresta, one of the most irritating, proud know-it-alls you'll ever meet. She's a grade below me. I always see her surrounded by a crowd of girls in her age group. I'm not saying that bothers me. I have a crew of friends myself, no bragging intended. But from the squealing and cheering of her posy, to her just on her own annoying me to death with her comebacks and sarcastic remarks that put her on a very low rating of people I want to hang out with unless I'm teasing her with charm.

"Looks like they aren't coming, though" I hear dad continue. "Shame, I really like that little Annie Cresta. She's looks exactly like her older sister."

And that little fun fact about Annie always makes me feel so guilty about loathing the very sand she walks on. Her sister, Arieta, had died drowning a little over a year ago. People said she was wasted when drinking after her boyfriend had died in that year's Hunger Games.

I got shivers just thinking about the games and how close it was. In a week, the tributes for the 65th Hunger Games would be selected by another unusual Capitol escorter.

"Well, Finnick," My father's voice snaps me out of my deep thoughts. "Just go grab the case of fishhooks and we'll be all set." I ask if the case is still on the dock and he nods. I stand up and make my way off the boat. My father named it the Sunny Kahtia, after my mother. I used find that the weirdest and possibly worst name for a boat I had ever heard. Then I got a better look at her. The golden-brown wood with swirl carvings with a white roof to cover the steering wheel and controls. It was truly enchanting. Truly sunny.

I look around and spot the little gray case of fishhooks on the edge of the dock. I reach over to grab the case when I hear a horrible screech behind my back. So thrown off by the noise, I feel my feet slip underneath me and plunge head-first into the water. I immediately shoot up to the surface of the freezing ocean and look around frantically.

What was that? Is dad alright? Then I hear laughter above my head, coming from the dock. The laugh of the devil.

"Morning, Finnick." Annie smiles shortly with a flip off her long brown locks and does a satisfied strut down the dock. I grab the edge of the dock (sleeves soaking) and pull myself from the cool water and scowl after her. I finally get to my feet as she turns back to see my reaction.

"Morning, Cresta." I say in my most alluring voice. She responds with a roll her eyes and continues her way to the ship. "I'm not my friends, Finnick. That ridiculous voice of yours won't throw me off." It's true that her friends melt like butter every time I simply brush against their arm in the hallway. But never Annie Cresta. This is why I love teasing her by trying to flirt with her in front of her friends as they shriek and laugh as Annie just stands, looking mortified. Dad says kill 'em with kindness; I say kill 'em with charm.

I run to catch up with her walking pace and continue my flirtatious accent. "So you're saying my voice does have that effect, Cresta?" I notice now her pace is starting to collect speed and I try to match it.

"One, my name is Annie, Finnick Odair. And two, don't act like you don't know what you're doing." She shoots a glare as deadly as a knife but all I respond with is a few bats of my eyelashes. She, again, rolls her sea-green eyes and makes her way up the stairs and onto the Sunny Kahtia. Annie wears a plaid red shirt with a yellow tank underneath and the legs of her jeans tucked into her fishing boots incase we decide catch some critters by the shore. My father spots Annie and smiles and walks towards us.

"Ah, Annie. You made it!" he turns his vision to me and a puzzled look plays on his face. "Finnick, you're wet." No kidding, Kale. I see Annie hold in a giggle out of the corner of my eye.

I hear footsteps behind me and turn to see Mr. Cresta walking up the steps to the boat. "Annie, I told you to wait up. An old man can only go so fast." Mr. Cresta is a scrawny man with fair hair and a little bit of a beard. His jean jacket and pants hang loosely on him that he could easily slip out. Maybe clothes look so big on him because he's skinny but he's got muscles that accent scars on his arms from many stories he loves to tell.

He spots me and gives me the same look of confusion as dad did. I just point to Annie and he understands and nods. "Now Annie, apologize to Finnick for your prank. That's the third time in a little over a week." This is why I love the guy.

Annie stiffens a little bit and mutters a sorry. "Good." Mr. Cresta says. "Now hug it out like men as an agreement to stop these dumb pranks."

I simply scoff. No way am I hugging Cresta after all schemes she's pulled on me lately, from creeping up to scare me to putting mayonnaise in my sunscreen.

However, Annie takes it to the extreme. She backs up so fast, she trips over her own foot and crashes into the bucket of worms my father just brought up. My stomach suddenly releases a roar of laughter as Annie sheepishly tries to get her rear end out of the bucket, face unbearably red.

"Finnick!"my father snaps at me. "Try to act your age please and help her get up!" Still laughing a bit, I make my way towards Annie. "Us adults," my father continues. "Will be steering the boat if you need us. I'll tell you two when to drop the net. Since all the worms seem to be..." he awkwardly watches Annie struggle to get unstuck. "Forget it." he finally says. "We'll just use the net for today unless those worms don't suffocate."

Father and Mr. Cresta walk up the stairs to the controls to steer the boat. I look back at Annie, still stuck.

"What?" she snaps. "Either help or walk away."

"That's a lot of pride for someone who has a bucket stuck to her butt." I flatly retort. Annie takes a deep sigh, swallowing some of her pride.

"Can you help me, please?"

I smirk, ready to say a sly remark but stop myself. I look at her and see how vulnerable she looks. Surprising myself, I answer back "Sure." and grab her hand.

She blinks a bit right when our hands touch and all I think is if this girl is going to cry, this is going to be awkward- or more awkward then it already is. But she doesn't, though she also seems to be avoiding eye contact with me. Guess it's another pride thing. I pull her up by her hand and the bucket slips from her halfway up to her feet.

"Thank you" she mutters but still no eye contact. Now this is starting to annoy me more.

"Come on, Cresta. If you're say thank you at least look the person in the eye."

She looks up at me but instead of thanking me she says "Don't push it, Odair." She walks past me and meets up with the fathers.I let out an annoyed sigh and follow her.

We finally return at 9:00 with two nets-full of fish that could feed all of Panem and still have leftovers. Unfortunately, though Annie was the one to push me in the bay, I was the one ending up getting an earful for leaving the box of hooks at the dock. All Annie got was the chance to snicker at me as my father went on and on about how leaving any equipment behind is irresponsible, unlike a fisherman.

He finally stopped his lecture when we reached the dock once more. Annie helps my father tie the rope back to the Sunny Kahtia before it could float away. At this point, thinking to myself, I just can't wait to head home.

…

Once father and I entered the house, a smell of fish blasted into our faces. We're used to it, though. I feel at home when ever I smell fresh bass. The aroma reaches the whole orange house we live in. Mother was in the small wooden kitchen, cutting up cod for lunch when I snuck upstairs to my room to relax.

I check my watch to see that I've been up here for a good two hours and all I've thought about is Cresta and my confrontation. Often times I wonder why do I even care enough to bother Cresta. I will admit, it does keep me entertained. She has this way of trying to cover up a panicked face with a hard and sarcastic face that apparently I can only see. I guess like the idea that I'm the one that makes her crack the worst...

Suddenly I hear my mother's voice ringing from downstairs. "Finnick, come help me with this food!" she shouts. "I'm running out of hands!" I smirk and chuckle to myself. It's amazing how much it takes to get this woman to sit down and relax for a change.

Hopping off my green, small bed, I glance at my room before exiting. The room is white walls and a hard wooden floor. Around the room I have photos of family and friends and a desk with my computer and fishing gear. School books and shoes are packed to the sides of the room. I've never exactly been the cleanest person ever.

I run down the staircase and jump the last few steps. Crossing the hall, I see mother walking fast, quickly fixing errors in her cooking and singing old folk songs under her breath as she usually does. She loves fixing stuff that was never wrong in the first place. What surprises me is that there is more food here than to feed just three mouthes.

"Hey, what's with to buffet?" I ask curiously.

"Oh, most of it is for the dinner party tomorrow night."

"What dinner party?"

"Well," mother continues. "It's more for the adults but some of them do have kids so some children your age will be coming, too."

"Oh sweet. Is Barley coming?"

"Yes, his parents RSVP'd last night."

"Cool." I reply. Barley and I are inseparable. We've been best friends since diapers. Our parents met through to Fish Market and were both expecting sons. Glancing to my right I see and unopened bottle of water and twist the cap and start to drink from it. I take a breath just to ask,"Who else?"

"Uh your cousins, Celeste and Lucas, will be there. So are the Dover kids, the Greenwoods, the Crestas-"

Abruptly I start to argue but forget I was drinking water and start choking and gagging. Whether mother noticed the cause of my sudden choke-attack, I do not know but she still yells at me.

"Finnick, would you slow down with that water? Going any slower won't make the water disappear!"

"Sorry" I mutter between coughs.

"When they get here, just take the kids out to the yard and go swimming or something."

"Sure thing." I say after I finally stopped coughing. Our house was along the beach line so our back yard was basically our own private beach. There was just enough room to do whatever, in the water or out on the sand. She starts to sing again, her voice as silky as the air itself. I laugh as I recognize the song as an old fisherman song.

Under the waves, The beautiful daze

I sit on the decks to gaze

And when I am done

The fish will be gone

And I will have food on my plate

It's not exactly the happiest song for the fishes.

"Now," mother stops singing to say. "Make yourself useful and pop those crab cakes into the oven. I still gotta dice up this celery."

Hope you reeeeaaaally enjoyed this Chapter! Please comment and share. I myself are super excited for his Games since I have all the other tributes and stuff thought out, including his mentor, Mags. Thanks so much! I want LOTS of feedback! :)