Set Fire to the Third Bar: Snow Patrol. Happy Reading!

After the evening of mindless, yet happy chattering, we took the rowboat back to the shore and went our separate ways. The next morning, my mother had let me sleep in. She made me a small breakfast of poached eggs, fried fish, and toast, all my favorites. The reaping had always made her sick with worry. She would find me a pretty dress, wrap my hair up in some fancy braid or design, and then give me some of the makeup she had been given from a Capitol visitor for one of her better trades. This year she wrapped me up in a green cotton dress, the prettiest dress I had ever worn. It had intricate gold embroidery on the neck and at the bottom. It hugged my shapeless figure and as I entertained my mother with twirling, I remember feeling like a Capitol member, beautiful and extravagant and cultured. Mother didn't twist my hair this year; instead, she had left it in its natural wavy state and pushed back whatever fell into my eyes. She grabbed a wild flower Father had brought in to spruce up our small cottage kitchen and placed it in my hair, weaving the stem in with strands of hair.

"You look beautiful," She whispered after making me look in the mirror. Each year she said just that and each year she'd shed a tear as I walked to District Four's Justice Building without her. All of the promising tributes gathered into the middle of the square that day, awaiting the announcement and ultimately the Reaping. The smog had lightened and the sun wasn't nearly as harsh that day. I hated being herded into the square, but with Reaping in the air, there was so much excitement and fear, it would have been foolish to rebel against orders. There wasn't a single peacekeeper who would have wanted to start a riot on Reaping Day. My heart was racing, but seeing Finnick forced my frown to exchange in place of a small smile. "Hey Cresta," He mouthed as we split, boys on one side of the square, girls on the other. He looked more handsome to me that day and seemed a little brawnier than usual. His hair had been combed back and he stood taller than the rest of the boys around him. The image of fourteen-year-old Finnick may be forever branded into my memory. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him until one of the Capitol officials jumped to the podium at the top steps of the Justice Building. "Good morning!" She greeted in a deep, thick Capitol accent. She was a strange character, tall and well-fed. Her hair was a deep sea green, in honor of representing District Four, I suppose and she had a pale blue tint to her skin, like a fish tangled in seaweed. I didn't much care for her, nor did I listen to her opening speech. I only waited the reaping. "Let's get started, shall we?" She gracefully dropped her hand into a glass bowl filled with tiny folded slips of paper. "And our female tribute…" She let the suspense build. My heart was drumming wildly against my chest. "Malta Roschbar." I let out a sigh of relief, as did several others around me.

I knew of Malta. She was much older than I was, ranking in at seventeen. She was a tall girl and had apparently been training for years for this very moment. She wore a smug grin, pushing her long blond hair out of her dull gray eyes. I remember she approached the stage confidently, and even with her head held high, you could see the fear in her quivering smile and steel gray irises. I said a little prayer for her, but was selfishly relaxed. The Capitol Official went on, "Any volunteers?" It was silent throughout the entire District. "Alright, moving on. Our male tribute…" I remember scanning the crowd of boys opposite of me. My worries weren't over just yet. She unfolded the slip of paper and my heart crumbled the instant she read the first syllable. "Finnick Odair."

I felt my heart sink to my stomach. I wanted to vomit. I wanted to race over to him as he approached the steps. I wanted to call out his name. "Finnick!" My mind was in a rage. "Finnick!" I hadn't moved an inch. The entire square went silent, including me. He approached the woman on the stage, shaking Malta's hand. "District Four, your tributes for the 65th Annual Hunger Games." The crowd cheered on cue, but my world fell quiet. As the square cleared, I turned to go home and mourn, until some new thought overtook me. I couldn't leave him. I had only loved him for such a short time; it didn't seem fair to not see him through. I stood in the square thinking of my next move. I threw the flowers from my hair, I ran to the marketplace, and into my mother's shop grabbing a small item and then running back to the Justice Building. A peacekeeper stopped me at the door. "Who are you here to see?" He asked me. His voice created a small fear in me that made me want to run back home, but I stood my ground.

"Finnick Odair," I sighed after working up the courage to talk.

The peacekeeper watched me from the protection of his white uniform, as if a small teenage girl was a threat. "Are you a friend of Mr. Odair?" He asked cautiously.

I gulped, nodding. "Yes."

He looked me over and a chill ran up my spine, "You have five minutes," He said authoritatively, shoving me through the door.

"Thank you," I whispered. I had slipped through the door, hardly breathing. The room was fairly empty except for a few chairs and one table, all adorned with something relating to the sea. But even with a room full of familiar ideas about home, it felt like a new, distant world countries away from District Four. He sat in a nice chair at the corner of the room. "Finnick," I breathed. He lifted his head and barely smiled at me.

"Hey Cresta," He greeted me with a half-hearted grin. A definite sadness was hanging in the air. I could hardly breathe, looking into his sad pretty eyes.

"Hey…How are you?" I asked, trying to keep a charming smile on my face. I pushed strands of caramel curls from my face, tucking the loose ends behind my ear. Finnick smiled half-heartedly.

"I guess we kind of saw this coming," He said sadly.

I frowned, my throat starting to close. "Kind of…" I said quietly. I walked over to him and he stood. He was so much so much taller than I was and I felt like my lungs might burst from despair. "Here," I extended my hand, my arm shaking with nerves.

He took the little token I had to offer with confusion. "Annie…what's this?" He asked unraveling the small gift.

I shrugged. "It's just a piece of rope. So…so you can practice," I stammered, nerves taking the best of me. My voice had been small, which had never occurred in front of Finnick before.

Finnick looked over the scrap piece of rope, "Oh thanks. It's great," Although gloom lingered in his voice, the gratitude couldn't be ignored.

I smiled weakly. "It's not. It's a piece of rope," I whispered.

Finnick laughed hollowly, he took the rope and tied it in a knot around his wrist. "Now I won't lose it…it'll be my token," He smiled and when I thought he was ready to say his final goodbyes to me, he didn't. His eyes became serious. "But Annie thanks still…for coming here. You might be my only friend," He chuckled sorrowfully.

I shook my head, confused yet flattered. "Surely, I'm not." But the truth was in his eyes. There hadn't been much of a line of people to see Finnick, other than his family. Even though he was loved throughout the District, love becomes sparse during Reaping season. I remember the first real promise we made to each other. I had been embarrassed of the request at first, but now I don't regret it. "But hey, Finn…" I started, staring up into the green eyes that watched me. He looked so much older than he really was. Because he was forced to be older than he actually was. "Come back, please."

Finnick smiled, "I will," He told me. My love for Finnick continued to grow since that moment.

"Do you promise?" I asked in a small whisper. My voice was close to breaking. I kept my tears to myself, crying later that day, not in front of him.

He embraced me, one thing I never imagined happening before that day. "Will you be waiting for me?" My heart leapt and a tear escaped, falling on his blue button up.

I pushed away from him, tried to laugh and hide my crying. "I'll race you to the bank when you get back," I said, wiping the tears from my eyes.

He hugged me again and this time tighter. "Thanks Annie," Finnick whispered, burying his head in my shoulder. I was in love with Finnick Odair, and I was his only friend.

"Just come home Finn," I said into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me fully, letting me know his newfound affection for me.

I could hear a small wisp of hope in his quietest remark. "I will."

The door opened. "Times up," a peacekeeper grunted.

Still wiping at falling tears, I gave him one last hug, "Good luck Odair," I said with a smile as a group of peacekeepers ushered me out the room.

"I'll see you soon Cresta," He said with a small smile. He was already twisting at the piece of rope tied to his wrist comfortably.