Chapter 2: Janus

When I was younger, I was the less athletic one between my sister and I. I used to be terrified of the sea, of the unknown. It took years for my father to coax me into the water and teach me how to swim. Then it was a little less scary when I knew what I was up against, but I was still at a loss at how everyone in the district could transform into sea creatures, my sister especially. That was until one day he came, and took my hand and led me to the end of his fathers dock. Our families were laughing in the distance, enjoying the heat of July, and the coolness that the ocean brought. Celebrating even, a reaping that nobody would be directly affected by for years. I thought he was being sweet, and for a moment I almost wondered what it meant to hold a boy's hand like this. I mean, I was only 8, but I heard the older girls at the Prep Center (the attached lower education building for those under 10, not yet old enough to start at the actual Center) gossip in the bathroom over the strongest boys in their class. His sea green eyes were the last thing I saw before he pushed me off of the dock and 15 feet into the lukewarm water.

I was from District 4, so of course he was aware that I knew how to swim like all children, so I held my breath and decided to glide just below the dock so that he could no longer see me. I waited, allowing my eyes to adjust to the stinging of the water. All too familiar. Knowing I could hold my breath for just a little longer, I began to observe aquatic life. Fish of all sizes swam in small schools, moving unpredictably with the undercurrents. Light filtered in through the surface of the water, illuminating the floor of the sea, where mostly sand and some plants lay. I was so distracted by the beauty around me that I hadn't noticed the splash and frantic swimming coming towards me, until strong arms were wrapped around me and pulling me up. Before I knew it, we had surfaced and were under the dock, staring at each other.

"I thought you drowned Ari, don't scare me like that." He let go of me and we continued to tread water.

I laughed and shook my head, splashing him playfully with water.

"Come on, you don't think I'm that bad of a swimmer do you?" I questioned, swimming slightly inland, but only to see what creatures were stuck to the support post near us.

"Well Annie's a much better swimmer than you so who knows." I didn't take the insult too seriously. It only took a second of silence before both of us were laughing.

I remember that we swam the night away, barely stopping to eat before begging our parents to let us go back in the water, this time dragging Annie along with us. We ran to the water hand in hand.

For years we swam together, and as we grew older, we would train together at the Center. My strength began to vastly out do Annie's, as she went to the other school and I continued to push myself to keep up with him. Many times our hands would linger just a second too long when reaching for the same practice weapon, or I'd catch him staring at me in the study hall. It was beautiful and pure until one day it wasn't. I remember the day that he was reaped too, the breath leaving my body, every wisp of air knocked straight out of my lungs, as I looked over, and saw him, head held high walking towards the podium. Inhale, exhale, inhale, Annie's hand had squeezed mine so hard as I struggled to breath that I almost thought that I would pass out.

That is exactly how I feel now, but this time I can feel her hand relax and slowly release mine. As the girls around us begin to part, I look into her eyes, and I can tell she is terrified. I don't even think before I turn to the stage. I can tell she is about to grab me and say something, but I speak quickly, and confidently.

"I volunteer." The square is silent, and the Peacekeepers are the only people who seem somewhat indifferent to my declaration. Who knows what they look like under those helmets though, while stuck at attention. Some people avoid my eyes, but most give me approving nods. I walk to the center row, and in a few seconds make my way up the stage to Nash Osiris. He steps to the side of the microphone, smiling from ear to ear and gestures for me to join him, center stage.

"My, my. Another wonderful volunteer from District 4. May I ask for you to speak your name clearly into the microphone?" He is following protocol but it's clear that he knows who I am.

"I am Ariel Cresta." My voice, though firm and not wavering, is solemn. I take a moment to stare into the audience. I can see my parents standing strong, but clutching each other's arms in the way back with the other parents. Even from my spot so far at the front, I can see Annie's trembling as a school friend holds her back, likely the only thing stopping her from either collapsing or running out to me.

"Well Ariel, I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for you in this year's game. Now for our male tribute!" Nash dances around me and shoves his arm into the bowl to his right, about to select the boy who will likely die with me. I don't hear a name, nor do I even pay attention to the whole display as another boy who looks to be my age starts to make his way from all the way in the back, where I came from.

I don't care to pay attention because I can feel his eyes bearing into my back. Those stupid sea green eyes, probably just as furious as I am to have to be stuck together in what will likely be the last few weeks of my life. The boy tribute has made it to my side. Standing tall, with broad shoulders, he towers over me by several inches. I can tell that he is a sea hand, and not a Center student but I don't care. We're all the same now. Nash asks for a male volunteer, but nobody steps forward. We step aside for Mayor Ceto to give her annual speech. Minutes pass. My jaw tightens but I have to remind myself of my Center training, and continue to hold my head high, alluding to only confidence as the Mayor stands aside and Nash tells us to clasp hands. He announces us as this year's tributes, and the audience claps loudly and enthusiastically. Everyone is typically a lot less somber after the names of the tributes are decided upon. We briefly shake before dropping each other's hands and turning to face the crowd. The Anthem of Panem plays, but I am miles away.

As soon as it ends we are paraded to the Justice Building behind us. Peacekeepers clap us on the back as if they are fathers congratulating us on a goal after a children's soccer game. The boy next to me, whose name finally registers as Trent Theta strides swiftly ahead and is ushered to a room to our right. A Peacekeeper gestures to the room to my left. As I begin to walk into the room, I hear the Peacekeepers recite some instructions to us, so I turn to face him.

"If you will wait here. We will give the family 10 or so minutes to make their way into the building. Close friends are also allowed to come up as well. If we have to limit people to direct family we will for time, but we will try our best to get everyone in as we know they will want to congratulate you. You will only have 15 minutes though."

The door closes softly in my face. As I turn, I let my shoulders relax and my eyes drift to the ground. What I am not expecting is to see shoes standing only inches from mine. As my eyes travel upwards to the body attached to said shoes my breath hitches in my throat. My eyes meet his, and for a second they soften and I almost completely forget about the utter betrayal and anger I felt towards him not more than an hour before. I swallow, not bothering to compose myself.

"What are you doing here Finnick?" I shake my head, pushing past him and sit at the plush blue velvet couch at the center of the room.

"I needed to see you." Is all that he says.

"You'll see plenty of me in the Capital, as my mentor." I pause but before I can control myself, I am almost spitting out the next words. "Unless you were planning on gallivanting with female company instead of actually mentoring me."

His shoulders cave in defeat, and for a moment when he sighs and closes his eyes, I wonder if he is going to cry. I almost want him to cry. But that is gone almost immediately, and is instead replaced with a fierceness I have not seen in a while. He strides across the room to me. He kneels and suddenly grasps my shoulders. His mouth is almost at my ear as he speaks barely above the quietest whisper. I nearly shiver as his breath is hot on my neck, lighting a fire within me that I struggle to put out.

"Listen to me. Tell your family that you will come home, and bring them honor. Tell Annie-" I inhale swiftly, my breath almost ragged. My eyebrows furrow in anger.

"-tell Annie this isn't her fault and that you had a greater chance then her. That she needs to keep her head down and stay strong while you are away." His voice is almost frantic as he speaks, but he pauses and stands up. Straightening out his shirt, his eyes look as if there is an undercurrent in them, with something unsaid fighting to break through the surface.

He steps away from me and this time speaks a little louder. This time his voice is cool and collected, the suave victor that Panem had grown to love, but a voice that sounds like a stranger to me.

"Tell your family that my ma will be in touch if they need anything while we are gone. You can do this, I'll see you on the train." And just as suddenly as he appeared, he strides out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

I don't have long to ponder my confusion before my family is bursting through the doors. It looks like my ma and pa have composed themselves as they are back to looking like the strong, respectable parents that I had grown up with.

My pa reaches me first, and I nearly leap into his arms. He bends down to engulf me in the warmest of hugs. His head resting on mine, he chuckles. I can feel his chest rumble against my ear, as I pull away to look up at him.

"You always were destined to be so much more than this family ever was. If anyone is going to win this game, you will. My bravest star." He releases me just in time for my ma and Annie to nearly tackle me back into the couch.

Annie looks like a mess, face streaked with tears, eyes and cheeks a deep red and much too puffy. I look from my ma and back to Annie before speaking.

"I will win. I will be this year's victor, it wasn't your fault Annie. I just know that I have greater odds than you with my training." I already knew that I was going to say this but something about Finnick's words echoes in my brain before I continue.

"Keep your head down and stay strong. Finnick's mother should be in touch shortly to see if anyone needs anything." Annie stifled a sob just long enough to look at me with questioning eyes, her forehead creasing as she took in my words.

"I will. I'll make sure we will have plenty of crab when you return."

I can't really respond before the Peacekeepers are opening the doors and kindly asking our family to exit so that others can congratulate me. With one last hug, and a quick "I love you" they are out the door and walking in is my former training partner Layla Marks, alongside a few of my old mentors from the Center. A switch flips in me, and a much more confident version of myself comes to surface. My Center persona enters alongside my team.

I greet them all with a handshake, which quickly turns into round robin hugs as I smile at them all.

"I always knew you'd make it to the games, Ari. You truly are a force to be reckoned with at the Center. I don't know anybody who can fight harder and longer than you. You'll bring us so much honor with your win." Layla's gray eyes shine with a wickedness that I have become accustomed to. She always had an obsession with the game, but if it came down to it, she would never go if not reaped by chance. She was going to become a Biologist with her high scores from the Center. She had so much life to live, and as she just passed her last reaping, she was guaranteed to live it as successfully as she was destined for.

I pat her on the shoulder and can barely hold back my signature Center smirk.

"Thank you Layla. You know it. I'll be back." I sound nonchalant, but my skin wants to crawl at how careless I sound. We aren't really ones to get too emotional with each other so she seems to take this as my goodbye before stepping back so that my mentors can have their last words with me.

My closest mentor steps forward. Jen Dagger, known as Dags to the students at the Center, is a middle aged woman with gray streaks in her blond hair. Muscular enough that her shoulders bulge out from under her delicate blouse, she smiles.

"Great job volunteering for your sister back there. Congratulations on being this year's soon to be victor. I know you can do this. Hurry back, we will especially need you for Center training. The students will be ecstatic to have a victor as an intern this year." I nod in agreement, and stand back.

"I'll be back before you know it Dags. You'll barely have time to get me my Center trident." If a former Center student is ever crowned victor, they are gifted a rather sturdy black trident, with the school's crest and their initials burned into the base where the three prongs meet. Almost all of District 4's victors have come from the Center, so all of them have the trident somewhere. In the back of my mind, I know that Finnick's is hidden in the back of a closet, and hasn't seen the light of day since he was given it.

I only have a few more seconds to speak to my other three mentors, who came to see me off before they are swept away and others are ushered in. Too many people come and go in the 15 minutes that we have to say goodbye, but I keep my smile and good natured demeanor up. They can't know that I am terrified. They can't know that I have no fucking clue what I am doing and that the next time I'm back is going to be in a casket.

Fun Facts/Lore:

Mayor Ceto - She is the current mayor of District 4.

Trent Theta - 18 years old. Male tribute. Sea Hand meaning is likely working the boats and goes to Annie's school. Several inches taller than Ari.

Layla Marks - Longtime training partner from the Center. Cocky but deep down scared of the games. Going to be a biologist.

Jen Dagger - Known as "Dags" by the students at the Center. Is a middle aged woman with gray streaks in hair. Physically muscular.

Unnamed three mentors came to visit.

Ari - We have discovered more about her relationship with Finnick. She is angry at him for something. She has almost a second personality as a high ranking Center student.

Prep Center - The primary/elementary school that prospective prep students go to prior to going to the Center.

The Center - Revealed that official Center training starts at age 10, allowing students 2 years before their first reaping to train, and ending in graduation at age 18.

Chapter is meant to display that she has several parts to herself that she reveals to her family, versus her colleagues and friends.

Authors Note: Hope this chapter feels okay! Got some more backstory in, though it is still a pretty typical reaping chapter. Please leave a review with any comments! I will update one week from now with chapter 3. Hope you've enjoyed these past two chapters.