The sun streams in from the curtains, waking me up. I stretch my arms, surprised to have gotten a few hours of sleep without nightmares. It takes me a moment to recognize that I'm in District 4's room, and in Finnick Odair's arms. Oh boy. I tiptoe up the stairs to 12 (not wanting to risk the dings when I got in and out), and thankfully, Haymitch and Effie are still asleep when I get to the top floor. I crawl back into bed, and just a minute later, Effie barges in. "Good morning Katniss! Today's going to be a big big day!". I sit up, and put a robe on over my tank top and shorts.

When I reach the main room of the floor, Effie is at the door with 3 bags. "Haymitch will be taking good care of you for a bit, don't you worry! I'm not quite sure why today's so special, but the President insisted it was. I have to go back to my home, but I'll see you for the Victory Tour in a few months." She kisses me on the cheek. "Remember Katniss, manners." She steps in the elevator and I wave goodbye. The President. I remember tonight is my first 'date'.

"So sweetheart," Haymitch grumbled, eyes half shut. He never was a morning person. "Johanna and Finnick are gonna help you prepare for your date." He smiles sympathetically (for Haymitch) at me. "I know it'll get hard, and you'll want to quit, but try to be tenacious and keep on going. If not for you, for your family. It's a large burden to put on your shoulders, but then again are victors really ever winners?"

He's right, victors never end up winning. "Don't worry about me." I share a look of understanding with Haymitch. We both know I'd do anything for my family. *

I meet Johanna and Finnick on the 7th floor. Johanna's co-mentor Blight has already gone home, so the three of us are the only ones there, besides the avoxes. The two older victors seem subdued. Finnick is less charismatic, and Johanna barely is sarcastic. I can tell that they are remembering their first 'dates'.

Finnick teaches me how to flirt- what to say, how to move my hips, bat my eyelashes, bite my lower lip and show off my legs. He makes me take a small white pill every morning, to prevent me getting pregnant.

Johanna has me try on some skimpy lingerie, and shows me how to do my hair and makeup to look flirty but innocent. She puts a pink sticky gloss on my lips and nude colored powder on my eyes, followed by drawing on my eyelids with a black pencil and using a mascara to make my eyelashes long and dark. I look stunning. She could be a stylist for the Capitol. Not that she ever would want to be. I want to ask her why she's being so nice to me. I see sympathy in her dark eyes.

My 'date' is a capitol man by the name of. He's gone on dates with Johanna before and she says he's harsh. She recommends I sleep with Finnick, so I don't have to have my first time be with my 'date'. It's more painful than I could have ever imagined. Finnick seems aware of that and kisses my cheek, holding me close to him. But after a while, it doesn't feel that bad at all. He kisses me on the forehead before pulling the blanket over my body. "Take a nap, girl on fire. These next days might extinguish your flame."

When I wake up, I hear the shower running. It's 3:00. and my date will pick me up at 6. I tiptoe into the bathroom and hear Finnick's muffled sobs. I close the door behind me quickly and go into the living room. Johanna's eating a bowl of nuts, and watching a Capitol television show. "He feels terrible, you know that, right?" Johanna tells me. "He regrets taking your virginity, but doesn't want to have you lose it to your date." She gives me a small smile. "It doesn't hurt as much after that." She laughs loudly.

"What's so funny?"

"We thought you were the innocent one. We all saw how shy you got when you had to take off that b- Peeta's pants to clean out his leg. You were tomato red." I manage to crack a small smile. "And now you're... well for lack of a better word, a would've thought?" she laughs darkly. Johanna isn't a bad person, she just has been changed, like all the victors.

I shower in the second bathroom, having time to play around with all the buttons. There's different shampoos for different hair types and colors, different lotions, and temperatures. I dry off, and change into the revealing red lingerie that Johanna made me try on yesterday,. I realize there's no dress to wear over it, so I slip on my robe. I step outside and I see a familiar face. It's Cinna. He's dressed normally, with his signature gold eyeliner. "Hello, darling," he smiles at me. I run and give him a hug. "Let's go make you even more beautiful, shall we?"

Cinna puts me in a blue dress that went to the middle of my thigh, and ties my hair in a bun behind my right ear. I tell him everything. He doesn't interrupt until I'm done. He says nothing, but kisses my cheek. "You know what you have to do." He helps me do my makeup, putting me in Beauty Base Zero and then leaving me to do the rest. My prep team is off, and they don't have to come to see me until the prep tour. The phone rings. Johanna yells at me that its 6 o'clock - my date is here. I hug Cinna goodbye, slip on my high heels and go down the elevator in the training center, and step into a black car.

My date is a young-ish man - maybe in his thirties - with light brown hair and blue eyes. He's attractive by the Capitol's standards. I know immediately that he can't be trusted. His eyes show hate. "Katniss Everdeen," he says, kissing my hand. He has a Capitol accent. "I'm enthusiastic to have you in my company for tonight." He places his hand on my thigh. I bite my tongue to stop myself from vomiting. This man is repulsive.

I smile at him seductively, the way Finnick showed me. "Well I hope you are." I cross my ankles. He comes around my side of the car to let me out, and walk me into his house. At least he has manners. I stand up straight, breathe, and walk inside Apartment 3A.

My date is asleep. I sneak out of the bed, and put on my dress. I braid my hair like I used to back in 12. The car will come in an hour. I feel dirty. I know that no time in the shower will make me feel clean. A small little girl comes down the hallway. This must be the man's daughter. Crap. "Katniss Everdeen?" she asks me. She must be about 5 years old. She looks like Gale's youngest sister, Posy. I push her blond hair out of her face.

"No silly, this is a dream. Go back to bed." She turns around in the hallway and goes back to her bed. That could have been bad. The phone rings, and I walk downstairs to get into the car. As I'm getting out of the elevator, I walk into a blond woman who's getting in. She's holding a key in her hand, and drops it. I pick it up to give her the key, and I see the letters 3A engraved on the key.

A/N: Holy cow, thanks for all the fantastic feedback! Sorry it took so long to update.

Reviews = sugar cubes from Finnick.