ONE DAY LATER

Finnick's POV.

Today is the day of the Tribute parade. All twenty-four tributes gather in the backstage area for a briefing on the event. Once we know what we have to do, we go even more backstage to get dressed and for the girls to put on their makeup. My stylist's name is Anelleta, which is pronounced 'an-a-let-a.' she has a costume in the back room waiting for me. I take is out of the costume bag and look at it. Are you serious? I am literally being dressed as a fish! It looks like a cardigan with pants, but the colors make it look like a fish. District 4, Fishing! Who thought of that?

I dress in the stupid costume because I don't have a choice and I look at myself in the mirror. The sleeves of the 'fish' are bright green and yellow. And the pants look like something straight out of a Lady Gaga music video. I look at myself one more time before I head out the door. I am very tempted to rip this thing off and go in my singlet underneath. I find Ivy at our chariot. She is dressed almost the same as myself but, in a dress, and she has a headpiece. "You look nice!" I say as I walk past her and go to the horses at the front.

She chuckles and says, "Thank you!" then goes over to talk to her stylist, Jalo.

"Tributes, please mount your chariot!" Seneca Crane says over the loudspeaker coming from the game maker's headquarters. I walk to the base of the chariot and mount it. Holding my hand down to help Ivy up onto the chariot. To my surprise, she does take it and I lift her off the floor and onto the vehicle.

Seneca Crane's voice booms out once again. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Tributes hold on!" He says, and I grip the handle at the front of the chariot and wait to be zooming through the crowds of people who want me dead…

Annie's POV.

I've been watching the television all day waiting for the tribute parade. I can't miss it. Finnick knows that I will be watching, I've been waiting to his face all day.

The Television light flashes brightly and the sound of the Capitol anthem booms through our houses weak sound system. I see President Snow then I see the first chariot roll out of the back room and into the streets of the crowds. District 1 'Luxury.' Are dressed in bright gold and turquoise, the girl is in a long, elegant dress with gold framing the shoulders, neck, waist and the bottom of the dress. The rest of the dress is a beautiful turquoise. The boy is dress in a suit, he also has gold framing the neck, shoulders, and waist, but he is wearing black pants and a headpiece made of gold and turquoise flowers. I will be honest they do look lovely, but I don't focus on them completely.

District 2 'Masonry.' Are wearing a material that looks like bricks, the girl wearing a dress and the boy wearing pants and a shirt. The material is very weird, ill be honest. They honestly look like bricks.

District 3 'Technology.' This one is always a wildcard every year. I think the stylists struggle to find a costume that the tributes can wear to represent technology. They come out wearing a black jumpsuit, both of them wearing the same jumpsuit. It has little wire-like chords sticking out everywhere and they and both wearing a wiry headpiece and boots. I think that the stylists did pretty well this year, last year District came out, the girl wearing nothing, but a black tube top and shorts and the boy came out in nothing but black knee length pants. It was rather funny.

District 4 'Fishing.' And there he is…

Finnick's POV.

I smack a wide grin across my face as I am jolted into the swarms of people that are waiting for me to come out from the backstage area. I know Annie will be watching so I plaster on my nicest smile and wave to the crowd. When the camera comes down to focus on my face I smile sweetly and blow a kiss to the crowd, hoping that Annie will know it's meant for her and her only.

As I ride out on my chariot, I see thousands upon thousands of people, waiting to see my death as public entertainment. I hate them! I think. I hate them all, how can they see this as fun. The Capitol is stupid if they think that all of the sad, lonely, hungry people in the districts will keep on sending their kids to the reaping forever. How can this continue? I know that there was and Uprising in the Districts and that Is why president Snow is so bound to the Hunger Games, but we have grown from that. And the people who started the Uprisings are all dead now, so why do people in the Capitol see this as fun and entertainment? We are all living people that do not deserve to be shipped away from our families so that the Capitol can have fun. It's not fair. I hate them!

I think all of this whilst smiling and waving at the crowd, it's all I can do to make Annie happy to see me again before I possibly die...

Annie's POV.

There he is, and he looks confident as ever. In the short time that I've known him I already know that it's a mask, anyone that cares about him can see that he is hiding the utmost of fears inside. He is scared, and I can't blame him, I am petrified for him! I won't be able to watch him die!

One hour later and the parade has almost finished, President Snow wraps up his speech on the power of the capitol and his usual speech about the Hunger Games. I watch as the chariots take the tributes backstage, they go back this time, District 12 goes back first, District 11… I wait, I don't want to look but I do anyway. District 10… I can't look, I really can't! I look away. District 9… I look back I don't want to miss him leaving. District 8… I crouch down close to the television deciding that I can see him better from here even if my eyes hurt because of the stinging sensation the screen is giving off. District 7… I let out a soft cry. I don't want to see him leave. District 6… I back away from the screen a bit and I have a perfect view of the departing tributes. District 5… I wait as patiently as I can, I know this might be the last time I see him, so I wait, and I don't dare blink. District 4… and I take one last look at his face, blowing a kiss to the screen, I know it's for me by the way his hand lies over his heart before he is sped off into the great unknown…

Finnick's POV.

I am standing backstage four days later in the most stunning suit I have ever seen. I am wearing a pair of black pants and a green Blazer, I know it doesn't sound like the most spectacular thing ever, but I am savoring what I can with the end of my life so close. The training for the Hunger Games went by in a blast and tomorrow, I might be dead. "District three, male tribute, Chester Glory!" I hear Caesar Flickerman shout from the stage. I am getting more nervous by the minute, Jerry doesn't really have that, warm feeling about him, he doesn't speak as though he is actually going to help me win the Games, so this interview with the world famous Caesar Flickerman might get me, sponsors which could save my life, I might need something when I'm in the arena so I need to make the best impression as I possibly can or else, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Chester Glory's interview is over as soon as I gather my thoughts, he shakes Caesar's hand one more time before grinning and walking off the stage. "Isn't that just amazing! Next up we have our Female tribute from District Four, Ivy Grondell!"

I hear Ivy take a breath as she takes a few steps towards the entrance of the stage. Before the walks through the door I see her lips moving. Good luck! She mouths, and I nod my head in return.

Ivy's POV.

Good luck! I mouth to Finnick as I walk a few more steps to the stairs in which Caesar awaits. His hand is held out to me as I reach two white chairs in the center of the stage. I take his hand and sit down in the comfortable chair. "So, Ivy, how are you finding it here in the Capitol?" Caesar asks me.

I think about this for a second, I don't want my first impression on the Capitol to be rude, because I want sponsors, but I don't want to be a sweet little innocent girl from District Four. I hate being here, so I am going to express my feelings. "Well, I'm not really enjoying it, I mean all this nice stuff is just a distraction from the arena," I say lightly and let out an exasperated breath.

"Yes, I guess so… and is there anything that you are enjoying about the Capitol?" Caesar questions. I actually do think about this for a long time, I cannot think of one thing that I like about the Capitol.

"No, it's all a bit… confronting. I mean I've lived in a poor district for my entire life, eating very little and going off by myself whenever I wanted but being here in the Capitol is very strange from back home." I answer. I think I answered that one alright.

"Well, yes that is a bit unfortunate, isn't it folks?" the crowd whimpers for me and Caesar looks back at me. "Well, Ivy. I have two more questions for you, the first one of them concerning the reaping, is that okay with you?" I nod. "I think we were all very sad for you when you were reaped, that little girl next to you, her poor little face, you obviously know who she is. How close are you to her?"

"I think we were as close as friends get, well, for a while, we were so close but then a few days before the reaping she just got… distracted with other things and I felt as though I wasn't good enough for her so I gave her space, then after the reaping, when she came to see me, she didn't show any indication of us being friends, she just went on talking about her… distraction." I say and struggle not to tear up as I replay what she said to me in the small room in the back of the square. The moment when she implied that she would rather Finnick win than me. The moment when she asked me to help him win.

"That is unfortunate for you, and my last question for you is about back in District Four," I swallow as Caesar continues, I don't feel up to talking about my home right now. "Is there anyone special that you would like to say anything to?"

"Yes actually," I take a breath. I have to make this look realistic even though there is no one back home that I hold close. I need to make the Capitol feel bad for sending me into the games. I need to make it sound as though I have a special boy back home. Here we go! I think and begin to speak lies that may get me, sponsors. "If you are listening to this now, you will know that I am speaking to you." I take a breath and continue, "I love you, I love you so much and I really wish that I didn't have to leave you this early in our relationship but that's what has to happen." I start to cry to make it more realistic. I sob and sob and see Caesars face crumple because of how sad I am. This is working in my favor. "I just wanted you to know that because I don't know if I will come out of that arena, and if I don't, I hope you find happiness with someone else." I cry and cry. I look down at my dress to hide the smile forming on my lips. The crowds pout and I can hear sobs coming from people. Oh, how the Capitol is so very stupid! I think.

"Well, that is very sad. I am so sorry Ivy… Well thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of your experiences here!" Caesar finishes the turns to the crowd holding my hand and shouts, "A round of applause for Ivy Grondell!" I smile sadly at the crowd then I am being ushered off the stage and into the backroom.

Finnick's POV.

After Ivy's interview, I am very nervous to do mine. I know that she is faking because during the training sessions she went on and on about how she had no-one that cared for her back home and no-one she cared about. It was quite sad but when she went for her interview and I could see how gullible the Capitol is.

"And next we have our District four male tribute Finnick Odair!" Caesar shouts at the crowd and I am pushed onto the stage. I smile because if I don't I with either be named weak, scared or arrogant and that's not what I want. I also smile because my home will be watching me, as will Annie.

"Hello Finnick, how are you doing this fine afternoon?" He asks me, What a question! I think sarcastically.

"I am great Caesar, how are you?" I reply and sit down in the white seat next to him.

"I am wonderful, so Finnick… How do you like the Capitol?"

"It's great, I'm really learning the different ways of life around here. I don't usually get to see the richer side of life when I am in District four but it's nice for a change."

"That's great and I have a question for you about the reaping. I think that we were all very touched when that young girl run up to you at the reaping," I struggle to hide my smile as he talks about Annie. "What was her name?" He asks, do I answer or not?

"Annie, Annie Cresta." I say scratching my head.

"Ah, well, what is Annie to you? Am I allowed to ask that?"

"Yes, of course. Well, Annie is… she…" I stutter unable to think about what she is to me. "I love Annie, and I just wish that we didn't have to leave each other this early in our relationship. I just wish I had more time with her." I say and just hope that the answer was good enough.

A few questions later I am ushered off the stage. I really hope that what I said in the interview was good enough to buy me a few sponsors. I'm going to need the best if I'm coming home alive for Annie.

….

The time comes to quickly, I'm not prepared enough! I'm not going to be able to outlive the other tributes! I'm so dead!

I am loaded into the last room I will see before I go into the arena. My thoughts are running wild. Most of them revolve around Annie. Anelleta is waiting for me with a coat in her hands.

"The coat is made from a very thick wool, so I would say the arena is either Antarctic or snow mountains. Not sure but I can tell you it will be cold." She says, and I immediately shiver at the thought.

"Thank you Anelleta!" I say and begin to walk towards the tube. She stops me halfway.

"Good luck Finnick, I believe you can win this if you try! Give it your best shot my boy." She say, and I turn around and smile at her.

I step into the tube,

The doors close around me,

And I begin to rise…

Hope you liked it. I'm sorry I haven't been publishing chapters in the last few days, I have been so busy with school and I didn't have any internet a few days ago so it was really hard to write things. In a few weeks, I will be publishing more often. I really need people who read this to review it so I know what I can improve on and what I can add to make it even better than it is.

Thank you for reading the newest addition to 'Finnick's Story' and I really hope that they are getting better as I go along. I know that this one was a bit longer because I was getting bored writing about Finnicks life before the arena and I really just want to get into writing about Finnick time fighting, I didn't want to write another Chapter about his life in the Capitol. So please review and tell me some name of other tributes from other districts.

Once again thankyou for reading please review and follow my account to see all of the stories that I post in the future.