Hi again! Sorry I took so long, with school and everything I haven't had much time to update. And before you use the 'don't homeschooled kids only take like, 3 hours to do school' argument, I started a new curriculum and everything's confusing now. That and I'm just now getting started on my high school work. Technically I should've started it in the fall, but my sister's only 10 months younger than me so we decided that I would start high school 6 months after I should've and she would start 6 months before so we could do it together. That doesn't mean that I haven't been doing school for the past 6 months though, just that I've been doing 8th grade work.

That, and I'm addicted to Tumblr.

Anyways, thank you Dreamtorium for following, NotYourNormalFangirl for following and favoriting, Liamhemsworthisamazing for following and favoriting, and 16craftytigers for following.

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Chapter 34: The Victors

Today's the day. The day that the victors get here. The day that Mags has been stressing over for the past week or so. It's not that I'm not excited, because I totally am. It's just that, well, I'm a little nervous. What happens if President Snow is angry with my decision? Will he take it out on them? They haven't done anything wrong. Not recently, anyways. Besides, I don't know if the things that we've done could technically be counted as wrong anyways. I'm pretty sure at least half of the times Snow's punished them, it's been over something small. Like Marissa falling in love. What's so wrong with that anyways, even if her love was from a different district? Barley and Violet, two of the past victors, were from different districts, and they fell in love. And look at them now! They're married with kids!

Or maybe they did get punished. I remember it now, how a couple years ago their twins were thrown into the Games together. Only one of them could've won, of course. Even I was crying over it, if I'm remembering it correctly. I think their son Crimson was the victor that year. It could've been their daughter Scarlett though. I don't really remember. A lot was going on that year.

I stay in my house for a while and try to avoid them. I don't want them to get caught up in my problems, whoever it is that came. I hear a knock at the door, and finally decide that it's time to face this. I stand up to answer it just as I hear another knock.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I yell in frustration. I open the door, only to discover that it's not another victor. It's just Annie. "Hey Ann. What's up?"

"Your dad told me to come get you," Annie says. "He says it's been a while since you've spent any time together. I guess he wants to make it up to you."

"Oh," I say. "Well, I need to stop by Mags's place first, if that's okay. She has some company over that she wants me to meet."

"Really? Who?" Annie asks. I can't help but smile. Annie's slowly getting back to her old self again. Slowly, but steadily. She'll be back to normal in no time.

"Some of the other victors," I say.

Annie's face lights up like a Christmas tree. "Can I come?"

I laugh. Annie has always had a fixation with the victors, especially the ones from other districts. "Sure, why not?"

"Yes!" she says excitedly. "Come on, let's go!"

And with that, Annie is already out the door. I run after her, but she's a lot faster than I am. She reaches the house first and rings the doorbell. I lean against the door and catch my breath.

"You've gotta stop doing that Ann," I pant.

"Doing what?" she asks as Mags opens the door.

"Finnick, I see you've made it," Mags nods her head.

"Hi Mags," Annie says shyly, her outgoing personality suddenly diminishing. She does that around people she doesn't really know. I'm not sure how she can go from extroverted to introverted in such a small amount of time.

"Hello Annie," Mags says loudly. Everyone talking in the background suddenly stops. Maybe it's because they know someone's here. Or maybe it's because that someone is Annie. I guess Mags lied to me. Maybe this is about Marissa. Either that or it's a more popular topic among the victors than I thought it was.

"Why don't you two come in," Mags says, interrupting me from my thoughts.

"Okay, sure," I say, leading Annie to the living room. I'm not exactly surprised by the little group that's been gathered. Blight, Angus, Ivy, Ash, Haymitch, Velvet, Lyme, Aria, Brutus, Chaff, and Aries. In addition to that, Ron, one of the victors from our district, is here too. All of them have stopped whatever it was they were doing to take a look at us. The newest addition to their little freak show, and someone who barely knew the person they were probably discussing.

"Well Mags, I knew you said she was a mini Marissa, but I didn't think you meant it that much," Lyme finally says, confirming my suspicions. Annie blushes and ducks her head. I can tell she's probably regretting coming here. That's okay, because I am too.

"Lyme, let's not turn this into a debate," Mags says.

"Who says this was gonna turn into a debate?" Aries asks.

"Status quo," Ash says. Angus, Brutus, Chaff, Blight, and Ivy laugh as if he's told the funniest joke in the world.

"Oh laugh away," Mags says, shaking her head.

"At least he didn't bring up the feudalism thing again," Angus butts in.

Mags glares at him. "Oh yes Angus, at least no one has said feudalism. It would be awful for us to even mention it."

"President Snow is older than that joke," Ivy smirks. Mags glares at her for a second before going back to Angus.

"Can we not talk about inside jokes?" I ask. "Because I'm lost."

"Yeah," Annie says quietly. Angus smiles at her, and she somehow smiles back at him.

"Children, this is less of an inside joke and more of an inside annoyance," Mags says sternly.

"Aww, we love you too Mags," Chaff says.

Mags shakes her head. "So what brings you two here?"

"Just thought we'd stop in and say hi," I shrug. "You know, since you guys are here and all. So when are you leaving?"

"It depends," Ash says. "If we're discovered we'll have to go home sooner."

"So no one else knows you're here?" Annie asks.

"Well, not the paparazzi," Angus explains. "And if they figure out that we're here, we're doomed."

"Oh," Annie says, nodding her head.

"I think we need to go," I say. "I think my dad is looking for us."

"See you kids later," Mags says.

"See you too."

"Bye," Annie says shyly as we walk out the door.

"So, what did my dad want us to do?" I ask.

"I think he wanted to take us fishing," Annie says.

"What do you mean, us?" I ask.

"Well, Attina and Caspian are coming too," Annie says.

"Oh," I say. The truth is, I've been drifting away from Attina and Caspian. Sure, Annie and I are as close as ever, but recently we've felt like 3rd and 4th wheels around them. Maybe things will be different today.

Lots of foreshadowing in this chapter. See if you can spot it ;)

Funny headline of the day! (because Taylor stumbled across this earlier and it's funnier than any quote I can think of at the moment)

"Naked Woman Gets Stuck in Her Ex's Chimney."

I'd hate to be her...

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Spectrobes Princess