Hi there. You guys might know me from my older story, which was for Twilight, but I decided to write one for THG. I love this book, and can't wait till Catching Fire. Give this a shot, and see if you like it. I tried to capture her personality, and you will be able to compare her initial personality with her new one, after the Hunger Games. And please review! I hope you like it…

*I do not own most characters…**

Three Years Later.

Edlen, my thirteen year old younger brother, held onto my hand. We watched as Royce Linden, with his horrible cerulean curls stopping at his delicate shoulders, shuffled around the bowl. It reflected back at me, squealing: This could be you! This you could be you! I pushed the thought away, nervousness creeping up and down my spine. My name wasn't entered many times. Maybe two. I tried to concentrate on my brother, who was smiling up at me. He too saw the concentration in Royce Linden's eyes, the little crease in between his brow. It seemed like a very big deal for him to pick a paper. I rolled my eyes, and hoped it wasn't one of my friends…

But still. The sheet of note paper was picked, the name read.

"Annie Cresta."

Oh.

OH.

Somebody's name was called. Whose? Who was this "Annie Cresta"? That's how I felt. I had to tell myself that this was not just a name of a soon to be dead girl, but me. It was me. I was Annie Cresta, and they expected me to walk up there, sending myself into a slaughter house!

Faintly, I stood up and walked past Edlen. I didn't look at him. The long aisle seemed to go on forever. Applause sounded the good bye of another soul. I needed to fight though. Determination was the strongest in my soul, passionate and untamed. I could do this…Strategies came up inside my head. I looked up at the smiling face of my prep team, and then the aged face of a woman named Mags. I smiled politely, warming up. She looked fairly knowledgeable. Next to her, stood Finnick Odair.

I bit my lip, feeling a moment of being frozen. I let the anxiousness fill me up.

I didn't know if he had remembered me. The speculative look on his face showed he knew something about me. Wow. I was no longer just Annie Cresta, a quiet girl with a few friends and resident of District 4. I was Annie Cresta, a tribute to the Hunger Games. A weak pawn of the Capitol. Fire burned inside me. I could not let this happen. As small as I was… I used to be… I just… oh my. This was the end, was it?

No! I thought furiously. It didn't matter. I was going to win this, for my family, for the pride of District 4. I marched on to stage and accepted my congratulations and all. When the boy name was called, it was Rhoden Blake, an old boy with curly hair. He walked to stage and gave me a small smile. I smiled back. He seemed nice. Hard to kill. I wondered if my eyes were red now. For so long, I had served my family. I helped my Dad at the fisher harbor. I helped him work the pole and reeled in one of his huge fish. I actually helped the Capitol and they were going to kill me.

Moisture clouded my eyes. I forced myself not to cry. This would not be the last time I saw their faces. The crowd cheered, and I looked up smiling a plastic doll smile that was so fake it hurt.

"Let's give a warm applause to the brave young man and woman tributes from District 4! Congratulations!"

We smiled. This was going to be a joy ride. I wasn't afraid of the arena. But I was afraid of what they could do to me.

We were in different rooms, sitting in the Justice building and all. I observed the decorations, impressed by them. Very—

"ANNIE!" Edlen busted through the wooden door, tears streaming down his face. His mouth was in a frown. I choked.

He jumped on to me, hugging me tightly. He sobbed hard as my parents entered the room and closed the door behind them. None of them thought this would happen to us. Our lives so small, now so public and nerve wracking…

"DON'T! Don't go, Annie, please! Please don't go… Don't go to them…" he was a little boy now, and I held him extremely tightly. I kissed his cheek.

"Edlen, please. I-I can't do anything. Please… you need to be strong. You need to help Dad, you got it?" He nodded weakly.

"Win for us. For District Four… you're real smart." I nodded. I knew my strengths. I was going to for him.

"Annie, honey," my mother came to me. Her face was a sick shade of gray and her hair was in a mess. I hadn't ever seen her in a state like this. She was trim and proper. A woman I could admire was no doubt the woman hugging me right now: my mother. My Dad was next.

"You have helped us so much, my precious daughter. Please don't cry. Another tear will not be shed from you," he croaked. He hugged me tightly, and I felt a tear leak on to my shirt. Boy, he acted like I was dead already.

"Don't worry. A week. Okay?" They nodded, and walked out. Edlen kissed me one more time.

I thought I had no more visitors—I mostly spent my time helping my Dad, but I had some friends. I knew they couldn't see me, it would be too… horrible—when a sound came on the door. I looked at it.

Mags came in, and smiled. She wished me well and then opened the door to leave when Finnick showed up. The embarrassment tightly wounded into a ball in my stomach. He looked at me, and I stood up straighter. I was going to win, it said, my posture.

A glint was in his eyes.

He looked me up and down, and frowned. He seemed more then curious almost a little insecure then on television. I smiled weakly at the ground. This was going to be interesting.

But I knew what I had to do. Loading those heavy buckets formed muscles. My fingernails were chipped, but coarse. I knew my way. I was going to this—for my family, for everybody.