4.
I shimmer like a fish in the sea, like a diamond in the sky.
I stand in front of the mirror, looking at myself in shock, I can't believe the girl I'm seeing is really me.
Poppy has dressed me in a fancy blue dress with shimmering diamonds that are the colours of blue and ocean green. it looks like I'm wearing scales like a fish. I'm wearing tall gold high heels which make my look taller, and a pretty gold head bands. I'm even wearing gold jewelry. I look like an under water goddess.
My prep team and Poppy circle around me clapping and exclaiming how wonderful I look. I can't help but agree, she makes me look strong and majestic. Something I could never manage to do on my own.
"They're gonna love it!" Simmer exclaims happily and I smile. My prep team claps excitedly.
"I think you ready" Poppy tells me happily, obviously proud of her work, at least I'm not going naked.
"Your gonna be amazing" my prep team gushes as Poppy leads me out of the room. I quickly say thank you before the door closes.
"So on the chariot I want you to be waving but just staring straight ahead. I want you to look strong but not rude!" she tells me as we enter a huge room.
We walk into the room that is placed in front of where the parade takes place. The whole room is lined with chariots, each in order for how they will go. Stylists, tributes, escorts, and mentors are rushing around making sure everything looks perfect.
My eyes travel to the District 12 chariot, Haymich their mentor is stumbling around drunk. He won the 50th Hunger Games, the quarter quell and he is the only victor for District 12. The two tributes are dressed in awful miners outfits again, at least they're fully clothed. I expect the couple to be paying attention to each other but they ignore each other.
Maybe the games are really driving them apart.
Poppy leads me to the 4th chariot and I know that it's ours. Finnick is leaning against the side dressed in a stunning grey suit. He's talking to a bare chested Ivan.
Ivan is dressed in a pair of pants that match my dress. He has on a gold head band as well as gold shoes. Together we look like underwater gods.
"You look pretty" Finnick comments while looking me up and down. I blush.
"Thank you" I say quietly and he laughs at me. I feel flustered as he lets me take his hand for balance to climb into the chariot. I quickly try to remove my hand but he doesn't let go.
He runs his thumb over my hand and gives me a breath taking smile. "You have soft hands" he tells me. I stare at him in confusion before he lets go of my hand and leaves to talk to Johanna, District 7's mentor.
I stare after him in confusion. Was he just flirting with me? I shake my head, I'm just an ordinary girl sentenced to death. He's just messing with my head like he does with every other girl.
He turns to look in my direction and I quickly look away.
"You ready?" Ivan asks and ahead of us I see District 3 entering the parade. I collect myself, put on a normal expression, and fix my dress.
Soon our big black horses are pulling us into the parade. The chariot rolls down the isle, I stare straight ahead at the president's balacony. I lift up my hand to wave at the crowd and they go wild. They scream are names and throw us their flowers. Beside me Ivan shows off his body earning him kisses and roses from the crowd.
I look into one of the screens as we go by and we definitely have the best costumes of the night. Each District gets attention but the cameras always find their way back to us. At least we made a good impression on the sponsors.
The chariots pull to a stop in a semi circle in front of the balcony. President Snow walks up to the podium.
"Welcome tributes for the 70th Hunger Games" he tells us and the crowd goes wild. Once the crowd has quieted down he continues his speech.
"We salut your bravery and your sacrifice" I have to force myself to keep a straight face. Like they care about us at all, they just want to watch us die for enjoyment. He continues his speech about how he thinks we are brave and hope we enjoy ourselves before we are able to leave.
My chariot rolls back into the big room and pulls to a stop. Our prep teams, stylists, and mentors sworn around us congratulating us.
"Great job guys that was awesome" my prep team gushes.
"You guys looked so good!" Ivan's stylist Jen exclaims.
"You definitely were the best there" says Mags.
"It's good for sponsers" adds Finnick before I notice the tributes from Districts 1 and 2 glaring at us. Finnick notices too and glowers at them. They turn away quickly but I still feel unsettled. What if we just put a huge target on our backs?
Finnick helps me down from the chariot quickly "come on let's go upstairs" he says before leading me to the elevator. Everyone follows and Daisy pushes the button for the 4th floor.
I stand behind Finnick but fall into him as the elevator gives a jolt and shoots up wards. He steadies me with a smile before looking away.
"Sorry" I mumble, why do I keep bumping into him? I'm just so clumsy and I can't help it.
Finnick laughs before assuring me it's fine but suggests I take some balance lessons. Then he falls short because he knows I won't make it back home to do that. I don't blame him for thinking that I will die, we both know it's true.
We walk into our room and I am found staring around in shock. The place is beautiful and huge, the nicest place I have ever seen. It's covered in plush furniture and fancy tables. Silk curtains cover the windows and pretty crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Everything is so high tech and strange, it looks nothing like home.
Standing against the walls are people dressed in red jump suits. I say hi to one as I pass by but he doesn't reply. I wonder why he doesn't reply and is being so rude before I remember about Avoxs.
An Avox is someone who has defied the Capitol and has been caught. They punish them by cutting out their tongues and forcing them to work in the Capitol.
Daisy smiles when she sees my awe struck face. "Beautiful isn't it!" She exclaims "and it's all for you". I would rather be in a shack safe then here I can't help but think.
"You can get changed for dinner" Daisy tells me.
"Where's my room?" I ask her is confusion. Ivan has already disappeared to his.
"Didn't you listen when I told you?" Daisy scolds.
"Sorry I was lost in though I guess" I explain and she seems to take my apology well enough.
"Room 103 down that hallway" she says while pointing towards a hallway leading away from the dining room.
I mutter a thanks before walking to the hallway and looking around for room 103. I quickly find it and slip inside. It's even more magnificent than the train.
It has a plush double bed with a lime green comforter. A fancy 'window' screen thing you can change the image for and a fancy crystal chandelier. the dresser is huge and when I look inside I see it's laden when a huge variety of clothes.
"Wow" I breath and stare at the 'window'. I can't believe there is even something like this. I find the remote and scroll through the pictures, seeing which one I like the best. The pictures vary between images from the Capitol (which I would never want to stare at all day) to pretty fields and forests.
My breath is taken away when I switch to the last one. I can even hear the waves crashing against the shore and see the ripples in the water. It looks just like home.
I feel a tear roll down my cheek as I put my hand on the glass, I would give anything to be back home now, swimming with Lynn on a warm day.
"The water is cold" Lynn would complain before splashing me in the face. I would laugh happily and splash her back. Doing ducks and dives in the water like a mermaid. I would give anything to be there right now, without a care in he world.
I feel the tears slip out of the corner of my eye and I quickly change the image back to the night sky. How was I ever going to accept that I'm never going home if I keep looking at that image?
I turn away and quickly run into the bathroom as the tears roll down my cheeks. I rib off my clothes in frustration, hating the Capitol and everything they do. I put my hands on the counter before I sink to the ground in sobs.
I want to go home to the beach. I want to feel the sand in my toes and the wind in my hair. I want to see Lynn again and my family again. A thought forms that I was afraid would take place.
'I don't want to die'
But I also don't want to kill innocent children. The thought and hope of survival is like poison to me, quickly seeping from my head to my heart. I can't afford to feel this way. I have made a choice, I will not let the Capitol turn me into something I'm not.
I'm not murder.
I gather my bearings with determination, why am I crying on the bathroom floor? Contemplating actually killing so I can make it home, that's what the Capitol wants. I for one am not going to give it to them.
I wipe away my tears before stepping into the shower. I make sure the water is warm on before I turn it on and let the hot water roll down my back. At least I figured out how to use the shower on the train.
I don't know how long I stand in the water but soon I hear banging on my door. "Dinner" Daisy calls impatiently.
I quickly wash off my makeup and body oil before stepping out of the shower and drying myself. I run into my room, pull on a pair of jeans and a nice pink blouse before I run down the hall and into the dinning room.
I feel my wet hair dripping down my back but I ignore it and quickly take a seat. "Sorry I'm late" I say hurriedly.
"You should be" Daisy exclaims "it's poor manners".
"Give her a break" Finnick says from across the table. I give him a small smile over my plate. He returns one before we start piling our plates highly with food.
For dinner I eat steak, a plum and rice stew, a ceaser salade, some lasagna and bread. I wolf down the food quickly and instantly regret eating so much when I am done. I can't even manage to stuff in done desert.
"So tomorrow training begins"Mags tells us once everyone is finished eating. "I want you both to focus on survival training, you can work with some weapons but save your skills for the private training sessions".
"Also make sure you learn as much as you can from all the stations. If your good at one move on to the next one, maybe one your not so good at. Make sure you use the time you have usefully" Finnick adds.
"Also if your really good at something don't do it, save it for the private sessions. It would be better if the other tributes don't know all your skills. Also make sure you watch the other tributes, look for weaknesses and strengths, make note of them." Mags finishes. I try to take in all the new information and lodge it into my brain for tomorrow.
"Okay" I agree once I realize they are waiting for one of us to say something.
"Any questions about the games?" Mags asks.
"If your freezing at night do you start a fire?" Ivan asks.
"No" Finnick replies "that would make you an easy target for any tribute or animal looking for you, you don't want to cause attention to yourself".
"What if your freezing?" I ask, imagining a bitter cold night.
"Tough it out till morning" Finnick tells me.
"Oh okay" is all I say.
"Also don't step off your pedestal until the games actually start, the game makers will blow you sky high if you do" Mags tells us. I make a mental note in my brain to remember that.
"Also Annie I want you to get away from the cornucopia as fast as possible. That thing is a bloodbath and I don't want you any where near there when the games begin" Finnick tells me. I know this rule doesn't apply to Ivan who would most likely be fine. I know it's because I'm weak.
"Promise me" Finnick urges.
"I promise" I say, it's not like I would want to be part of that killing anyways. Finnick seems to accept my answer and he smiles.
"Good" is all he says "we should watch the recap of the opening cerimonies".
We all move to the couch and turn the screen on. We watch as the first 3 Districts do fairly well, then we roll out and the crowd goes wild. We look like the shimmering sea itself. They show the other tributes as they roll out but the camera keeps coming back to us. We completely outshine the other tributes.
President Snow gives his fake speech before the program ends. Everyone claps and Daisy squeals in delight. We definitely made a good first impression for sponsors.
Everyone congratulates us one more time before Ivan excuses himself and goes to bed.
"I guess I should go to bed now" I say while standing up.
"Me too" Finnick says while following me down the hall.
"I don't get why you even bother with me" I tell Finnick once we stop outside my room "we both know I'm not going to make it".
Finnick looks angry as he slams me against the wall and leans into me "don't say that" he snarls "I'm going to get you out of there".
I start to protest but Finnick silences me when he crashes his lips to mine. I can't believe what happens next.
A/N: Thanks so much for the amazing reviews you guys are helping me so much! Added some more Fannie into this (I think that's their couple name lol) either way it's cute!