Taiya sighed as she woke up. It was Reaping Day. She was only 14, her name was only in there 3 times, but the day still struck fear into her heart. She rolled over and checked her clock to see it was 6 am and smiled as she crept out of bed and got dressed. She quietly snuck out of her room and tiptoed down the stairs of her house and ran out the door and down to the docks. "Finnick," she smiled as she saw him already there.

"Should've known you'd be late," he smirked.

"Shut up, I'm not that late," she groaned, shoving him as she sat down next to him on the docks.

"No," he smiled. "Not that late. You nervous?"

"Finn… do we have to talk about that?"

"I think it'd be good to get it off your chest," he shrugged. "Your mom can be…"

"Yeah I know," she agreed. She didn't have the best relationship with her mom. "I don't need tesserae's though so my name's only in there three times, same as you. I doubt we'll get picked."

"Yeah well if there's anyone in four who doesn't need a tesserae it's you."

"Being the Mayor's daughter isn't all it's hyped up to be you know that," she muttered.

"I know," he nodded before they fell silent. "Theo's name is in there 6 times," Finnick said, bringing up their other friend.

"He shouldn't have taken those tesserae's," Taiya sighed. "I could've gotten his family food."

"He's too proud for that Tay, it's not your fault."

"He won't get picked," Taiya resolved. "There are so many names in there."

"Do you remember when we met?" Finnick asked his best friend, changing the subject so they could both cheer up.

"Duh," she said rolling her eyes. "I was so mad at you," she said looking over at him and seeing an evil glint in his eyes. "No, no, Finnick!" she laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her from the edge of the pier into the water. As soon as they hit the water, he released his hold on her and they both kicked their way up to the surface laughing. "You're such an ass," Taiya said between the laughter. "It wasn't funny when you knocked me in the water then and it's not funny now," she giggled.

"Excuse you, it was very funny," Finnick smirked and she rolled her eyes and splashed him. "Well now you're in trouble," he said as he went to splash her back, but she dived underwater and started swimming away. "Slow down, truce?" he called as she popped back up.

"Fine," she said as she swam back, she could tell something was bothering him. "What is it?" she asked.

"Real talk?" he said and she nodded. "Say I do get reaped…"

"Finnick."

"Let me finish. Say I do get reaped, or even if you or Theo get reaped, what would we do? I mean when we have classes at the academy all we three do is play around, we don't concentrate like the others. Doesn't that put us at a disadvantage?"

"Maybe," Taiya nodded, there was no point lying. "But Finnick, reapings are going to happen every year, and we'll be in it until we're 18. I know we should probably focus more on training but you and Theo are always top of the class. There's no point making ourselves miserable until we're 18, time is precious Finn, we need to enjoy life while we have it."

Finnick gave her a small smile before his demeanor changed to joking and he said, "well if I do get reaped I'll have no problem getting sponsors, I'm overloaded with charm," he said with a wink.

Taiya rolled her eyes, "yeah right Odair," she laughed. "We should probably head home, my mom will be mad if I'm late. Race you to the pier," she challenged before lunging and shoving him underwater so she could take off with a head start.


"Taiya Ambersnow where have you been!" her mother screeched as she walked into the house. "And you're wet! Do you have no respect for today!"

"Easy Azalea," Taiya's father said as he walked down the stairs. "I'm sure she was just helping Finnick collect fish at the docks," he said giving her a stare.

Taiya nodded, "I was, mom. I was helping collect the fish from the traps we set last night."

"Why are you all wet then?" Azalea demanded.

"One of the traps got stuck under the pier and I dove in to get it, I'm sorry," she lied.

"Go wash," Azalea demanded. "You're the mayor's daughter, we cannot allow you to look a mess at the reaping. NOW!" she yelled when Taiya didn't move immediately.

Taiya nodded and started walking up the stairs to her room, briefly stopping in front of her father, "thank you," she whispered before heading to her room to get ready.


After Taiya had scrubbed as much saltwater off her body as she could, she headed back into her room to see the dress she had laid out on her bed. It was the nicest dress she owned. It was her reaping day dress. Letting out a shaky breath Taiya dropped the towel and got dressed. She turned to the mirror and brushed her sun-bleached hair behind her back and began to do an intricate fishtail braid down her back before walking downstairs to join her family.

Her mother looked her up and down as she reached the bottom of the stairs before nodding, "at least you look nice."

"You look wonderful," her father Caspian smiled at her as he placed his hands on her shoulder in comfort.

"Come on," Azalea hurried them. "We have to get there early."

"Very well," Caspian nodded, releasing his grip on his daughter as the family headed out of the house and towards the square. As they get closer to the square Caspian pulled his daughter to the side, "I have to go backstage now, your mother will be in the crowd" he said and she gave him a gentle nod. He smiled down at his 14-year-old daughter and pulled her in for a hug. "I love you, you're going to be fine," he said kissing her on her head. "I'll see you after."

"I love you," Taiya smiled at him before he and her mother turned and left her.

The square in district four was large, larger than most other districts, but with everyone crammed in on reaping day, it gets a bit tight. Taiya made her way over to the group of 14-year-old girls and looked across at the line of 14-year-old boys to see Finnick and Theo messing around as subtly as they could so they wouldn't get in trouble. Even on reaping day they acted like little children. Taiya looked up at the stage set up in front of the justice building as she saw her father take a seat. She couldn't hold her stare on her father for long before her eyes gravitated to the bowls at the front filled with names. Taiya stared at the girl's bowl, in there were three slips of paper with the name Taiya Ambersnow written on them. No matter how low the chance of her name getting selected was, she was always nervous. If she did get reaped, there would be no one to take her place. District 4 may train their children, but they didn't volunteer. It was an unspoken rule in 4.

The clock struck one and Taiya's father, Mayor Ambersnow, walked up to the podium and began to read the same story he read every year. He told the story of the history of Panem, the beginning, the uprising, the Treaty of Treason that marked the beginning of the Hunger Games. "It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks," the mayor read. "We honor our past victors Mags Flanagan, Buck Dawntide, Todd Keenmark, and Tyler Silvergaze," he read as the victors walked onto the stage and took their seats as the crowd applauded. None of them smiled, they just stared at the crowd with a hard gaze. The last time District 4 had a victor was Tyler, 10 years ago. The mayor then ended his speech by introducing District 4's escort from the Capitol, Moxie Rosehorn, to the stage.

Eccentrically dressed and skipping, Moxie Rosehorn bounded up to the microphone and smiled at the crowd. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor," she smiled widely. "What an honor it is to be here with you today," she sang as the wind whipped through her blue wig. "As always, ladies first," she says as she crossed the stage and over to the ball holding the girls' names. She dramatically waved her hand around before plunging it into the bowl and pulling out a name with a gasp. The crowd stares at her silently as she slowly crosses back to the podium, loving the tension building in the crowd. She unfolds the name on the piece of paper and smiles before leaning over to the microphone, "Halle Mildstar," she reads.

Every girl but one lets out a sigh of relief as the 17-year-old girl slowly makes her way out of the crowd and towards the stage. Taiya never had much to do with her, but she was a sweet girl, she never caused trouble. She didn't deserve this. Halle climbs up to the stage, she has a cool resolve, but anyone can read her eyes, her eyes scream fear.

"Do we have any volunteers?" Moxie asks looking around, "no? Very well, onto the boys," she says walking over to the bowl and grabbing a piece of paper. "The male tribute this year is," she says as she unfolds the paper. "Finnick Odair."