Disclaimer: I got nothing.

Guys, guys, guys… The only reason I kept this chapter off FF for so long is because I only got two reviews for chapter four… So, the Virtual Finnicks go to the same people. Really, guys, it won't be much of a competition if it keeps going to the same people. To Chocolate and , thanks sooo much for reviewing! :D Now back to the story!

Virtual Finnicks go to:

Death..

97

Chapter Five: Flawless

The T.V. car had a huge flat-screen that nearly covered the whole wall, but couldn't be thicker than a paperback child's picture book. Across from the television, the theme seemed to be white leather. There are two armchairs on either side of the room; between them two medium sized couches. In front of the couches was a coffee table, and there was a small red button that read service on it. We all sat down, and I found myself sitting next to Finnick. I studied him out of the corner of my eye.

***AN IMPORTANT NOTE***

The television has not exaggerated his hotness.

He has a swimmer's tan, but that was nothing new; he's from District Four, all boys have that. What really captured me was the shade of his dark green eyes. Dark green eyes were rare in Four. Blue, green, and hazel are the most common eye-colors. Never dark green; like emeralds. They were gorgeous. His hair was bronze, and sparkled almost gold when in sunlight. The strands of hair were artfully messy. His eyes were clouded over, as if he wasn't really with us, but he came back when I lightly touched his arm. He nearly jumped to the moon. And he also nearly broke my wrist. I pulled back before he could touch me though. He was about to say something, when the T.V. turned on, and anything he would have said was lost.

Ceaser Flickerman, the host of the Pre-Games System, or the things that happen before the actual Games begin, greets and welcomes us to the Seventieth Annual Hunger Games. That was met with a huge applause by the Capitol audience. He lets them clap and yell, before quieting the crowd and directing them to the huge screen set up in the Capitol's City Circle. It hums to life with a soft black glow. Then the footage begins, and the Reapings repeat, beginning with Districts One and Two. The youngest of the four classic Careers, a sixteen year old girl named Cecilia from Two, was bone thin, but still looked like she could kill me with one swing of a sword. The rest were in the seventeen to eighteen year old zone, and they were all very large. Next comes District Three, and they were both very skinny, but not District Eleven skinny. They still had a couple pounds on them; both looked well cared for, and very, very smart. I made a mental note not to count them out. They could probably create bombs with a toothpick and a piece of string.

Then Ceaser announces District Four. The camera did a sweep to see the whole Square, before coming in to Fillipa, who was going on with her regular speech we had heard not too long ago. Then she reaches in and pulls out a slip that I already know had my name on it. As my name rings out across the Square, and a small shift occurs in the fourteen year olds, it's obvious the name had come from there. The camera zooms in, finds a locked up girl with curly hair pulled back artfully, and with sea green eyes that show my disbelief (but you can't tell whether it's good or bad, thank God), before relaxing in a cocky style, and walking to the stage. Or, gliding. This girl is not me. I could never walk with such grace, with a small smile on my face, my eyes shining with a fire kindled by excitement. No, that is not me. But it is. Because when Fillipa asks the girl's age, it is my voice. "Fourteen." I say, and grin up at her. I'm shocked by the way I say it; so confidently, so sure in my own actions. It scares me. I said it twice, and I'll say it again.

This is not me.

Then Nearland comes up, he answers his age question, and I watch as my eyes flash in recognition. I see myself shift from foot to foot, and watch as I remember what to do. Smile, act excited. I do so, grinning at my sobbing friends, finding Alex in the crowd, smile to him, like I don't have a care in the world. God, I am way too good at acting. Then we shake hands, and the image cuts to District Five. I allow myself to glance over at Finnick, who automatically looks away, and I realize he's been watching me. Why? I know I wasn't the only Career girl he's had to mentor. Is he deciding to coach me instead of Nearland? No, he isn't. He can't. He has to coach Nearland. I don't think it's allowed in the Games, a girl tribute being mentored by a male Victor. Then again, there's no rules against it. Maybe I'm getting out of control here, maybe I did something subconsciously that caught him off guard… I shake my head to clear it, before going back to the Reapings, where District Ten just finished. The most I could see of the two were that they were small, and probably wouldn't make it past the blood bath. Then District Eleven comes, and I am again reminded of how those farther off from the Capitol are treated. They are skinny. No, not skinny. Malnourished, so malnourished you can see and count each of their ribs. Some of them who've been working in the fields for all their lives, like the eighteen year olds, can actually be potential Careers. If they were ever trained. Which they aren't. Ever. The boy (if he is seventeen or eighteen) can usually make it pretty far. The two that are Reaped are both in the younger group. The older one, the boy, is sixteen, the girl is thirteen. I feel horrible, because even though I know her age, she could pass for ten, at the youngest. Then it switches to District Twelve. These tributes almost always die at the blood bath, so they aren't much to look at. Skinny, starving kids, hollow eyes and just skin and bones. Dark hair and gray eyes; olive skin. But there's something about the glint in the fifteen year old boy's eyes…

It cuts back to Ceaser Flickerman, who is smiling, saying how certain he is that these will be the best Games yet. He says that every year. And every year things get even more horrific.

I'm sure this year will be no exception.

Finnick flicks off the T.V. and turns to me. "Go to bed, Annie. We'll arrive in the Capitol early, possibly at about eight." I was about to argue that eight A.M wasn't early, but I thought better of it and bit my tongue. "Okay." I whisper, before standing and heading for the exit of the dining car. Just as I wrestle open the door. I hear Finnick tell Mags that he wants Nearland. To mentor. He thinks he can't hear me; After all, we will find out officially who gets to mentor who tomorrow. I know though, that if I were a mentor, I would choose Nearland. Without a doubt.

I walk slowly to my room, open the door and collapse on the bed, kicking off my shoes as I go. Not even bothering to change into pajamas, I crawl under the covers. I stare at the ceiling, wondering if sleep will ever find me in these days to come. As I begin to drift off, I hear a knock at my door. I sigh, get out from under the covers, and walk over barefoot to get the door. I open it, and in my haze, I was about to tell Alex to bug off, when I don't see my older brother, I see Finnick. "Hi." He says. "Were you sleeping? Because if you are I can-." Before I can stop myself, I let out a short laugh without humor. "Sleeping? No, of course not. I probably won't get any sleep even if I tried. Did you want something?" Finnick looks beyond me, but is all the same looking at me. He did that weird flashback thing; like he's remembering something. "Actually, I've got a question." "Shoot." "Well, can we talk in your room? I don't want anyone overhearing, especially not Nearland." He adds the last part with a lot of sarcasm and a wink. "Sure, come on in." I let him through. I sit down on my bed, and watch him as he paces in front of me. "What's up?" "Well, I just wanted to ask if you'd be okay with… me mentoring you." Did I just hear that? "I… I thought you weren't supposed to make final decisions until tomorrow?" "That was the plan, yeah… But I need to jump on this chance before the window closes." I look up at him, eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?" Finnick stops and stares down at me, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable, I wasn't going to lie. "Annie…" He runs a hand through his hair. "You're not a real Career, are you?" It wasn't a question. It was statement, we both knew it. I shake my head slowly, watching his reaction. He scowls, something that looks weird on his face.

Then he turns, and smiles.

"Well, we better make your act…" He winks. "Flawless."

There you go guys! Hope you enjoyed! :D

All the best,

Guardian2Be