Almost close to two weeks of training and meeting people from the city, my idea to get more personal with our viewing crowd, today was the day. The day where the game makers judge us individually on how dangerous of an opponent we would make. The highest score you could get was ten, which most tributes would shot for that score. If anything you want to be marked on top because low scores indicate your weak, easy prey.

I sat on the window ceil watching the city buzz around as I kept thinking. I couldn't show off with a spear. I was very good at throwing a spear, but even better combating with one. But I wasn't going to beat up dummies because it looked stupid. And back to circle, I can't throw a spear because that was what my brother was going to do. Maybe I should throw a knife? Or set a trap?

Mags sat on the other side of me and said, "Looks like trouble."

I shrugged my shoulders and replied, "I'm just developing a few ideas on showing my ability."

Mags glanced out the window and responded solemnly, "Just remember killing them isn't allowed."

I gave a small smile, "Don't worry I'm just going to have a little fun. How's Reid?"

Mags shifted her eyes over and said firmly, "He's nervous. But Finnick took him aside in the pool area and was giving him some pointers."

I nodded my head silently and Mags placed her old crinkly hand on mine. She asked, "How are you holding up sweetie?"

I squeezed her hand and explained, "It's difficult to act like I don't care for my brother at all."

Mags added, "He understands now after we explained your actions at training."

I stared down at my leg and mumbled, "I felt miserable hurting him."

Mags said, "It'll be okay. Once you enter the games you won't have to pretend anymore for you opponents." She began to rub the top of my hand in comfort.

My brother and I were now sitting on the couch waiting for our scores. Finnick was pacing back and forth behind the couch while Mags sat calmly on a chair. And as for Mrs. Carright, she was staring at the screen very eager for the results. I sat there knowing Reid was extremely nervous especially when the dumb game makers didn't supply a spear at all. I was getting antsier with Finnick's motions.

I turned my head around toward Finnick and said, "You're going to burn a hole in that rug if you keep pacing like that."

Finnick stopped and gave an apologetic smile over to us. "Sorry."

Reid said sadly, "I don't think I did so well."

I rubbed his shoulders and explained, "You did the best with what they gave you."

Reid said, "I camouflaged myself and threw a knife that didn't stick." Reid was staring down at his hands and I could feel my lip beginning to bleed from biting so hard.

Finnick added comforting words, "This could be your strategy, Reid. You wanted them to give you a low score. The element of surprise."

My brother's eyes lit up at the idea. "Yea, I wanted to not show off."

The show is about to begin and I looked back to Finnick with an appreciative smile, which he just nodded back with understanding. The first District comes on the air with their picture.

District 1.

Chason Wilde. 9. I thought, he wasn't going to be happy with that score.

Otille Young. 8. Oh, even worse.

District 2.

Rocko Yule.

I scooted closer to the television intently to see the number 1. 1? I had been practicing with him this whole week and he was spectacular. Especially with the bow.

Carni Heart. 9.

Mrs. Carright said, "I guess the judges were being extremely tough this year."

District 3.

Ladden Strait. 7.

Mags commented hearing this score, "That's a great score for the district that does electronics." She explained to us, "Usually they get 5 or below most times."

Seno Hillside. 3.

District 4.

I gulped as I stared at the screen. My brother's face appeared first and flashed the number 2.

I glanced over to my brother's face in shock. I'm regretting to see my score. I should have shot low too. My face appeared on the screen and the number flashed.

10

Finnick slapped my back and said, "You did it!"

I'm in awe that out of all the career districts I have a 10. It's the highest score so far. Reid congratulated me in his excitement and asked, "How did you do it?"

Everyone was now intrigued on my accomplishment. I replied, "I set a trap up."

Mrs. Carright shook her head and said intrigued, "There's got to be more. Tell us."

"Well, when I entered the room I noticed that the game makers didn't seem to have an attention span anymore. So I had formed a plan that would either hate me or find me amusing….

I had evaluated the chamber with little equipment in the room. There was some knives, bow and arrows, sword, paint for camouflage, and some rope. No wonder they were bored, how could anyone show off their skills when there was only a few weapons to choose from. A few had looked over to see what weapon I would take. It was actually hilarious that when I touched the rope as I was thinking of maybe setting up a simple trap, they all began to ignore me and discuss among themselves.

Fine if that's the way they want to play so be it, I thought anger. I quickly sat on the floor tying the rope together making two sets of traps. I could tell my time would soon be coming to a close and I yelled, "Gentlemen, I ask for one brave volunteer to step down and place an apple on your head. I will be able to hit easily."

They looked a little unnerved by my challenge. And so I took one knife to demonstrate aim. I hit right above the dummies head."See simple. Anyone brave enough could handle my shot," I said mocking. One man I guess not liking to be ridiculed began to climb down to the arena, with others in pursuit to see the event. The insulted judge was getting closer to the end of the staircase when I grabbed my chest and gasped for air.

This caught the attention from everyone and they began to push down the stairs to get a better look at me. As the angered judge ran first through the weaponry, he suddenly tripped face forward, from the first trap I set, and landed his head in my counter weight snare. The game makers gasped as one off the judges was hoisted up struggling for air. I clapped my hands to remove the dirt from the ground and explained, "I have a lot to offer. I can trap and…."

I threw my knife hitting the rope, which released the purple faced man. "And I'm deadly with a knife. I don't want to be messed with in the games." I left the sentence open for they could either take it as I don't want to be messed with my competitors or them.

The one man stepped forward and began to clap, "Impressive."

I smiled as I take a bow. I replied, "Thank you."

He placed his hand turning my face from side to side as he examined me. I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand as he said, "You are indeed like a siren. You call us and lured us into your trap. Very clever. Powerful. Deadly. And Beautiful." He twisted back to his comrades and laughed, "This is one of the better shows we had."

Everyone was smiling and clapping in agreement. I thought annoyed; he wouldn't be saying that if he knew how badly I wanted to kill him. Kill them all. But I settled with scaring them out of their wits. The man told me, "You can leave now Siren."

I nodded my head and began to walk out with my head held high. It didn't stop me though to show a small smile of glee as I locked eye with the once purple man. He smiled back hesitantly not sure the reason behind my amusement.

"So that's about it." I glanced up to see everyone stunned as to what I did.

Mrs. Carright jumped up and said terrified, "You strangled a judge?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I demonstrated my skills as a trapper. Oh, District 12 is on."

District 12

Cole Murry. 2

Aria Bernstein. 0.

Well those scores weren't very promising. Though, maybe the Careers wouldn't bother to search for them first. If anything, I seemed like the bigger threat.

The television announcer said, "Tune in for the next two days for the interviews of our tributes. Tomorrow Districts 1-6 and Saturday District 7-12 will be on air."

Panama stood up from her seat and directed our attention to her. "Reid, Willow. Tomorrow I will have to quickly instruct you on how to be a proper human." I bit my lip again as she said, "So get some sleep and I'll help you." She turned to Finnick and whispered into his ear, "If you need any help with anything, you know where to find me."

Unfortunately I was close enough to hear her statement. She left the room in her orange glow dress and I muttered, "Yea, if you like the taste of rotten pumpkin."

Finnick shot a glance over to me and asked, "What was that?"

I damn knew he had heard me, but I replied, "I'm going to bed."

When entering my room the sheets were now clean white ones again. The bed indented under my weight as I just sat staring at the wall. Realization was smacking into like a hard brick wall. I only have the interviews and then the games start. I have two days left to live.

A knock echoed on the door and I said loathing, "Go away Finnick!" Couldn't I have five minutes of peace?

He just entered anyway ignoring my command. He said quietly, "We need to talk."

I turned away and said stubbornly, "Maybe I don't want to talk to you."

He crossed over the room to me and said, "Look, what you saw a couple days ago wasn't anything but…."

I glared at him and said, "What? Business."

His temper was raised as he said, "I don't enjoy…."

"You looked very please from what I saw," I said bitterly.

He had clammed up again, but his fists were tightly clenched in anger.

I stood up to face him, "Why do you let them do that to you?"

"You wouldn't understand"

"Make me understand. I can take it."

"Because it's saved Annie before. And now it will save Reid and mostly you."

I said livid as I poked his rock hard chest, "Annie! This would have killed Annie if she knew what you were doing." I was rattling with more anger and added, "And how would your sexual endeavors help Reid and me?"

Finnick ran a hand through his bronze hair in frustration and pulled me closer to whisper in my ear. "They would kill Annie. The day I told them I had enough and wasn't going back to the capital so I can spend time with Annie, her name was picked into the hunger games that year. I knew from there on I had to obey or people I care for could get hurt. "

I pulled back a little to see his face holding tears in his eyes and he said louder, "I can't let them hurt you too. You love me for who I am. You don't see me like a big piece of meat. I have to get you as many sponsors as possible to save you."

My hand glided up to his cheek and I whisper, "Listen to me. The only thing hurting me is seeing them use you. I don't need protection or sponsors to keep my brother alive."

"Why did you stop talking to me even before I was reaped?"

This question I didn't expect. I responded unsure, "I was busy. I had work, training, my brother to raise at home."

"Tell me the truth Willow. Did you have feelings for me?"

I felt like a fish out of water again and I said, "What does it matter? Why discuss this when I'm going to…." Finnick placed his finger on my lips obviously not wanting to hear those words.

He pulled out of his coat pocket a small weaved cover book that had a bird patch to the top of the weave work. "Hey that's Annie's diary."

Finnick replied, "Yes. Annie gave it to me before your reaping."

My eyes were trained on it as I said, "You shouldn't read it."

Finnick tossing the book onto the bed and replied, "She asked me too." He stepped closer as he said, "I found a lot of interesting things in there. Like how Annie had been developing feeling for this kid name Sam and was going to break up with me. But Annie didn't because you begged her not to when I got reaped. You told her…."

I was outside the stadium with Annie and we didn't go into the justice building yet to see Finn. It seemed the roles had flipped with me blubbering like a baby and her cradling me in comfort. She told me, "Finn is strong, Willy. He'll make it. I know it." I nodded my head even though my heart is screaming in pain. I don't want Finn to go. He could die. Annie shook her head as Sam walked over to us.

She whispered, "This is all wrong. We should go together and tell him the truth. I can't stand lying to him anymore."

My eyes were burning, but I opened them to say to Annie, "You're not lying. You love him."

Annie disagreed, "You should be with Finn. You love him more than I could ever. We should tell him my feelings don't run as deep anymore."

I pleaded with her, "Don't do this to him now. He'll die for sure. Just wait until after the games."

She stared into my sad eyes and asked, "And you don't think he'll fight for you?"

I glanced down in shame, "No Annie. He loves you." I raised my head up to her and said, "Annie I know he'll never return my love, but you have to keep him alive. I'm selfish, I know, but I may die too if I lose him."

Annie made eye contact to the person that had now captured her heart, Sam. She replied, "Okay. I will do this for you. But after I have to set things right."

I hugged her so tightly with happiness, "Thank you, Annie."

"And because I was gone all the time and Annie didn't want to hurt my feelings, the day she was reaped, she never got the chance to tell me. Is this true? Is this why you stop hanging out when Annie and I were together?"

I stared at my hands knowing everything was revealed. I replied, "You don't know how hard it was to see you guys together and have these feeling for you being crushed."

Finnick shook his head, "I wish I had known you liked me before."

I glanced up over to him and asked, "What would it have mattered? You told me when you were thirteen that you liked her."

He replied, "Yea, that was after I got rejected by the girl I like a couple years back. Remember when I asked if you liked anyone?"

I stared at him in disbelief, "Of course I said no. I was an awkward girl that was supposed to reject boys because they had some dumb boy disease, even though in reality I do like them."

Finn wiggled his eyebrows, "So you like me. Is that why you get so jealous when Panama hits on me?"

I said hastily, "I'm not jealous." I muttered, "Maybe repulsed by her attempts."

"Because you like me?"

I huffed at his hounding and was about to walk to the door when he asked, "If you knew Annie didn't have feelings for me anymore, why keep it a secret?"

"Would you have believed me?" His face told it all. No. "Besides, the guy she liked had disappeared when she returned from the games and after her accident all she remembers is you." I paused and continued to say, "She deserves to be loved after all that's been done to her. And I know you're the one to be with her. You truly have this affect on her when you visit."

He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms for a hug. He whispered sincerely, "You truly are remarkable, you know that."

"I can stand to hear it more often," I said sarcastically.

His face was nuzzled into my red hair when he said demanding, "You're doing good. Now kiss me."

I closed my eyes trying to push back the tears. I understood now that we were bugged and we're putting on a great show to receive more sponsors.

I had heard it all along that we would make the perfect couple in the capital's eyes. Dear God I hope they didn't catch me with Finn on tape when I was naked. He pulled my chin up to face him and began to inch closer, which I responded by closing my eyes. My lips were foreign to this new event, for I had never kissed a boy before. I mean once a boy named Jeremy kissed me on the cheek, but I swung at him.

But this time I would not swing instead I wrapped my arms around his shoulder like I seen couples do before when they were in love. Unfortunately, for me I was the only one in love here, that poured her heart and soul out on a platter to watch get diced up. I had to be strong after all this wasn't about me.

I told, well more like yelled at, Finn way before to get used to the idea that I'm going to die and if he cared about me so much he would get me as many sponsor's as possible. Of course, I never wanted him to do this by being used by others. So I guess he came up with a clever solution, us loving us together equaled money.

We broke apart from a short sweet kiss and he smiled toward me. He asked again, "So is that a yes that you still like me?"

My face had turned a little red, not from embarrassment of finding out a secret love, but from anger. I glanced down quickly feeling the heat on my cheeks and pretend to be shy as I whisper, "love." I glanced into his beautiful ocean eyes and said boldly, "I can show you if you like?"

I reached up and gave him a more vigorous kiss.

Let the games begin, I thought angry.