Author's note

So, no reviews yet? No problem… Sorry, But I kind of have to skip the story 9 years ahead or else it won't be exciting!

I woke up to the excellent smell of my mother's- Finnick! Stop dreaming and get up! Today wasn't a normal day-It was reaping day. Reaping day. I have to replay this in my mind a million times until I realized it was actually reaping day. Annie could be reaped! I prefer not to think about it. Annie has been my best friend for nine years. We met and I taught her how to swim. She's pretty much a natural now. I dread this day, because I have to be a mentor every year. My tributes didn't survive last year, or the year before, or the year before. It has been five years since I won the games. Annie was more than glad to see me come home. She's probably eating reaping breakfast with her family while I have no family at all. Good thing I learned how to cook when I was twelve.

"Finnick?" I hear a young girl whimpering at my door. That could only be Annie. Her voice is calm but worried. I open the door and she immediately wraps her arms around me. "I'm scared! What if I get picked? What if I…" Tears fill up in her eyes. I squeeze her tight. She lets go, sniffling.

"Annie, I can't promise you won't get reaped, nor can I promise you'll stay alive," I say. I can see the tears start to come down again.

"Finnick! I can't do anything! I'm weak and small!"

"Annie, you might not get reaped," I say.

"But what if I do?"

"Then, we'll just hope for the best. Not much you can do, really." I shrug. Annie flops down on my couch. Time for the reaping, I guess.

"Get up, Annie," I say to her. I grab her hand and pull her up. She sighs and we walk out the door. She joins the group of 17 year olds. Terra walks up onto the stage.

"Welcome, welcome to the 70th annual hunger games!" She's smiling. How could she smile on a dreadful day like this?

"Ladies first," She says. Her hand reaches in a bucketful of names of 12 year olds, 13 year olds, 14 year olds, 15 year olds, 16 year olds, 17 year olds, and 18 year olds. Annie's name is in there. I prefer not to think about it. She grabs a piece of paper and walks up to the microphone. She lets out a deep sigh, and opens the paper.

"Annie Cresta!" So from the group of the 17 year olds, my best friend walks up on the stage. "Now for the boys," Terra says. "Win Green," A small little 12 year old boy walks up on the stage. "Now, shake hands," Terra says. Annie and Win shake hands. "Happy Hunger Games and May the odds be Ever in your favor!"