Chapter 52

Today is the reaping for the Seventy-Second Hunger Games. It seems like that years worth of time went by with the blink of an eye. I have to go back to the Capitol and train someone who is probably going to die. I think of Maddy and how innocent she was, I hope the tributes this year aren't like her. I think I would prefer volunteers because they know what they are getting into.

Aries steps out with his gleaming smile and teal hair. This year he is in very casual clothes just some skin tight jeans and a teal t-shirt which gives you a good view of chest his tattoo. I'm surprised he can be in something so casual, the designer must be very popular. I'm sure that outfit costs more than my old house though.

"District Four Happy Hunger Games!" He shouts with excitement. He shows the video that explains why this happens every year then he smiles and heads to the glass bowls with the names.

"Let's start with the ladies." He smiles devilishly

He picks both names a little too eagerly and I think it is because he wants to have volunteers this year. Lucky for him he gets his wish. I wonder if it will make mentoring different for me this year.

I sigh.

"Are you okay?" Finnick asks me.

"Fine." I say. I lace my fingers with his and we walk to the train. We get on the train and sit on one of the sofas. I rest my head against his shoulder and close my eyes.

"Is it going to be different this year because the tributes volunteered?" I ask

"A little, they won't need our help." He rubs my arm and I open my eyes. He is looking at me like he doesn't want to tell me something.

"What?" I ask.

"Annie they probably won't want to talk to you." He says. I don't have to ask why and he knows he doesn't have to tell me why.

"Okay." I whisper.

"Don't listen to what they say Annie it's not true."

"What's two more people." I smile sadly.

"Annie." He says and kisses me.

"Love you." I say.

The tributes get on the train and don't really bother talking to any of us. They get dinner and once we tell them the recaps will be tomorrow they head to their bedroom.

I go to my bedroom and a few minutes later I hear a knock on my door and know it is Finnick.

"Come in." I say.

He does and sits next to me on the bed. I lie down and he wraps his arms around me, that is one thing I like about going to the Capitol I get to fall asleep in Finnick's arms. I'm sure I could in District Four but, I've never really thought about it. I like sleeping in my own house and I like when my Mom can take care of me. I smile at the thought.

I feel Finnick kiss my forehead and I smile, he strokes my hair until I fall into a dreamless sleep.


The train ride to the Capitol seems to have gone by fast because we are already rolling into a train station. Watching the recaps was somewhat disturbing because the tributes kept arguing on who would get to kill which ones. They both want to take out the people from Two as soon as they are presented with the opportunity. I just felt uncomfortable and pressed my knees to my chest the whole time

"Alright let's go and meet your stylist!" Aries beams and heads to the makeup plaza.

He takes them down the hall where they go to be made up.

"Do I have to go upstairs?" I ask Finnick because I wasn't allowed to be down here last year.

"No, you get to stay for the opening ceremonies. I'm not sure about the interview with Caesar but, I'm sure I will find out soon." He smiles.

"You're leaving aren't you?" I ask.

"Only for a little bit. I will be back for the opening ceremonies." He looks off to the side. "You should get away from all the craziness and go to the lounge area." He says.

He walks me over to the lounge area which is pretty much an open area that has some sofas and lots of Avoxs. I see other victors over here and some Capitol people.

"Just stay here." He kisses my cheek and I look up at him sadly.

"Don't worry Annie you will be fine. I will be back before you know it." He smiles.

I hug him.

"Love you." I whisper into his chest.

"And I love you Annie." He kisses my forehead. "See you soon." He let's go of me and I watch him disappear into the crowd.

After a few minute I feel a tap on my shoulder I turn around but see nothing but, when I turn back around I see Blake standing in front of me smiling.

I roll my eyes.

"Hello Annie." He smiles. "You look nice."

"Thanks." I look him up as down. "What happened to you?" I ask referring to his hair. Last year it was a dirty blonde this is year it is a bleach blonde, it is so bright it almost hurts my eyes. It does bring out his brown eyes and makes his skin tone seem a little darker but he does look ridiculous.

"New year new color, come on Annie." He says like I should know this already

"Why, are you like Caesar?"

"I wouldn't say that, but technically you are correct." He drapes his arm around me. "You see Annie all Capitol woman have a certain… je ne sais quoi ." He smiles and brushes his hand across my cheek and I blush.

"You think you would be used to my touch by now." He says.

I push his chest and he backs off. He is surprisingly strong for his body type.

I can't tell if this is Blake's true personality or he is just doing this for his own amusement. I saw him last year comforting Talia and know that was real.

"You were blonde last year." I say.

"It was darker, I'm on the lighter side of the color wheel now. People like lighter and darker shades. Just like some people like thin, muscular, big, tall, short. It's a personal preference thing. Doing this ensures new people."

"What's your real hair color then?" I ask.

He walks closer to me and runs his fingers in my hair.

"Just like yours." He smiles and steps away. "I don't remember the last time it was that shade though. Next year it will probably be black because I don't do unnatural colors and I don't want to go white like Bleu."

"So you go light all the way to black."

"Correct."

"I'm sure you skipped a few shades then." I mutter he may have won more than ten years ago but he shouldn't be able to start the cycle all over again yet.

He shrugs

"I forgot you are an artist." He smirks.

I roll my eyes

"I could go ginger but Talia and I would look too similar then." He smiles.

"You never go to the same girl twice do you?"

He shakes his head.

"I do but it doesn't hurt to widen your circle of friends." He smirks.

"Aren't you worried being with all these woman?"

He rolls his eyes.

"I like your concern Annie." He smirks "But, I think I can handle myself."

"Whatever." I whisper. He looks around and I think of something.

"You don't have to try so hard to take Capitol women to your bed, you are a victor."

"You're probably right but this makes it more fun and more distracting."

Distracting? I think to myself. Is this his way of coping with the Hunger Games. Acting like a fool and sleeping with all these women to fill the pain and agony the Hunger Games caused.

"You ever think one person is enough."

He shrugs.

"Not really I mean where is the fun in that? Where's the fun in you being with Finnick?"

"I-

"Always wondering if Snow is going to kill one of you doesn't sound like fun to me. These casual things are better because I know Snow won't go after them."He says but, he sounds sad.

"You had someone but he killed her, didn't he?"

"Not really." He says.

"But not no." I say.

He looks at me strangely.

"Don't analyze everything like the newest victor does."

"You talked to Johanna then."

"On the Victory Tour not here… yet."

I nod and look around.

"Annie." He taps my shoulder and I jump.

"You okay?" He asks me in his serious tone.

"Yes why?" I asks confused.

"You were staring off into space for a few minutes and were clenching your jaw as if to keep yourself from screaming."

"I'm fine."

"Okay because-

"Blake darling don't keep me waiting!"

"Just a second." He says.

"I could get rid of her and stay with you until Finnick comes back." He says seriously.

"That's okay." I say and once again I am confused by his personality

I smile and the girl comes closer to us.

"You confuse me Blake Shelard." I say and start to walk off. "Have fun with her." I say and head back to the Four station. I would rather be with Mags and Luna then alone even if it is will crazy people all around me.

"You confuse me as well Annie Cresta." He shouts and I turn around and see a woman with shoulder length fire like hair that has very choppy layers go over and hug him. He picks her up and places her in front of him and kisses her.

"Bleck." I say and run into someone.

I turn around and see Talia.

"That idiot." She whispers.

"Sorry Talia." I say.

She looks to me and smiles

"Don't worry about it."

She is different from last year I guess she hasn't had a nervous breakdown. I look at her hands and I don't even see bloody cuticles.

She doesn't seem to care that Blake is making out intensely with that girl and he is getting very handsy.

"Why doesn't he just take her upstairs." I mutter to myself.

"Annie we aren't allowed to leave floor." Talia says.

"I did last year."

"You were making a scene." She says sadly.

"Oh." I say.

"Oh Annie that reminds me, I know Finnick leaves a lot for certain things and I wanted to tell you that you can come to my room when he is gone."

"Oh... I don't know if I'm allowed."

"You are, you just can't go downstairs." She smiles.

"Well, don't you have to go to the meetings and find sponsors?"

"I go to the meetings because they are required. I don't do anything with the sponsors though… mostly because Blake take cares of that by all of his friends." She smiles.

"Oh."

"We probably don't get as much money as you, but we do alright."

"I'm sure you do. I don't really know how all of that works."

She nods.

"So you'll come see me?" She asks with a smile. It's hard to say no to her she is so nice and seems very innocent.

"Probably." I say.

A woman who has green hair, eyes, and nails comes over. She is wearing silver makeup and has silver streaks in her hair.

"Talia the tributes are all done!" She exclaims. This must be District Nine's escort.

"Thank you Evergreen, I'll be sure to get Blake over here so we can look at them." She says

Evergreen walks off.

"They're done already?" I ask confused. The triubtes from Four are done after a few hours. We have only been here twenty minutes and the ones from Nine are done.

"The stylist gave up a few years ago and doesn't really care, which I don't understand. If you want to move up you have to put your best work out there." She smiles.

"I guess you are right." I say.

She picks up something next to her and throws it. It hits Blake on the back and he stops kissing the girl and looks this way.

"Tributes are ready put that on pause!" She shouts. He kisses the girl one more time and heads over here.

"I'm surprised you didn't miss, were you good at knife throwing?" I ask.

"No, I've been hitting Blake with objects for years." She smiles. "I would probably be decent with knives if I ever had to go back in there but that won't happen."

I no and see Blake walking over here.

"How are the tributes looking?" Blake asks

"Haven't seen them yet but, Evergreen said they were done so, we should probably look at them." She mocks in a Capitol accent.

"Okay." He says

"Hello Annie." Blake says again. I think he wants to mess with me but Talia is looking at him as if to say no.

"Hello again." I smile.

He turns to Talia.

"Do you care if I don't come back after the ceremonies?"

"Where are you going to be?" She asks.

"I was thinking with Esmeralda." He says. I'm surprised he is talking with her about this.

"What about that idiot over there?" I ask.

"Oh she is kind of a set up for later." He smirks and I roll my eyes.

"That's fine, have fun I mean you only get to see her once a year. Sometimes not even that because I enable you."

"Talia you don't-

"Relax Blake I was kidding besides you know if I really need you I will call or ransack District Eights suite it is only one floor below us. After all that has worked before." She smiles.

"Okay. I'll be right there if you need me." He says."Annie." He smiles at me. "As always it's a pleasure."

He goes off and heads to the victors from District 8.

"Does that bother you?" I ask her.

"What?" She says confused.

"Blake going off with all those people."

"Not really. He can do whatever I just don't like when he brings them back to the suite." She says

"Oh." I say confused because that would bother me.

I see Finnick walking over here.

"Talia." He says.

"Hey." She says.

"That was fast." I say.

"Like I said it was just a quick thing but, after the ceremonies I have to see a client." He says and I nod and lace my fingers with his

"See you later Talia." I say and she nods.

Finnick and I head back to the Four station. In a few hours the tributes are ready and Yule has them dressed like sailors. I was dressed as a sailor too but, it is a different type of outfit. I wonder what took him so long, they don't look like they are wearing a lot of makeup and the hair doesn't seem complex.

We take them to the chariots and they get shown to the crowd and you can hear the screams and claps of the people out there. They soon come back after Snow makes the opening remarks and then everyone is headed towards the elevator. Finnick and I linger back probably because he wants to say goodbye to me.

"You have to leave." I say and it isn't a question.

He nods.

"Don't let the tributes get to you Annie. If you are afraid they will just go back to your room and order food in there."

I smile.

"I think I can handle myself without you for a few hours." I say.

"You're probably right." He says and kisses me and I hold onto him tightly for a few minutes.

"Love you." I whisper into his chest.

He let's go of me.

"Love you too and I will be back soon." He says and kisses me softly.

I sigh and watch him walk away.

I head to the elevator but before I get there I get tugged by the arm and am pinned down to the wall. It takes me awhile to see who has taken me. I realize it is the client Finnick got put on the list. It's Cynthia.