Liberosis - The Hunger Games

15

I'd broken many of the rules in my time at school, most of them had been in the company of my best friend, we'd landed ourselves several detentions and both of us were proud of it. We never really hurt anyone unless they really deserved it, take the boy that Finnick hit over the head on the day that we first met.

It was almost poetic that the only time he had ever hurt anyone by accident was his partner in crime. We were ten, sparring in training when his trident slashed the side of my cheek accidentally, blood began to trickle down the side of my face much like the tears that were falling down his. I didn't even get to tell him that I was ok, he ran off before my hand had even touched my cheek.

"Let's get that cleaned up," The instructor said, touching my shoulder, I shrug her off, instead I run in the direction of my best friend. One of the students pointed me in the direction of the bathroom, it wasn't a difficult choice, look out for my best friend and get embarrassed or leave him crying in the bathrooms. I lifted my chin and walked confidently into the boy's bathrooms, a collection of them screeching in shock.

"Finnick come out here, I'm ok," I assured him, rapping on the door of the toilet cubicle.

I could hear sniffling sounds coming from the other side of the door as he cried, "I hurt you," He whispered shakily, refusing to let me in, "I hurt you, Rory,"

"It's just a little scratch," I brush it off in attempts to comfort him. Lie. I did actually have to get stitches in my cheek and there's a light scar that follows the shape of my cheekbone, "Come on Finn, everything's fine, I promise,"

The door creaks open and I found my best friend sitting on the toilet seat with puffy eyes, tears still streaming down his face, "That's a lot of blood," He whispered, "I did that to you,"

I shake my head, "I didn't block you properly, it's my fault, it's just a little scratch, I'm not going to die or anything," I smile softly. Maybe it was insane that our district taught us to fight each other from such a young age but I trusted Finnick more than I trusted anyone, he would never hurt me on purpose. "Let's get you home," I stand up, offering him my hand.

"I don't want to go home," He responded stubbornly, "I want to be with you,"

"Then let's go," He takes my hand after I say it, "Anywhere you want,"

I didn't want to wake up after my dream, I missed him so much it hurt. It was almost obsessive how much time we spent around each other but neither of us really cared, we were closer than anyone I had ever been close to before. Finnick wasn't just my friend he was much home.

I wondered what he had been up to after I had gotten into the arena, was he watching intently, praying for my survival or had he given into the Capitol women... again. Every time I asked him about his company he seemed so off like it was a sensitive topic. He changes so much whenever he goes to the Capitol.

Beck took over keeping watch about five hours after Thorn fell asleep, it was rough a night for my first in the arena, my eyes found it hard to go heavy and when they did my dreams were plagued with death, the District Three boy's blood spraying over my face. I woke with a jump as the sun peaked over the ocean, pink and orange paint over the sky.

We still had a bit of food left for breakfast, Beck began splaying our food and Thorn help me pack our equipment into our bags. We didn't want to leave everything out in the open, it was too easy for the other tributes to come and steal.

Elsie woke up in tears, a terrified scream upping through the air which Beck quickly muffled as he pulled her into a hug. She cried all through the morning, realising the nightmares were far from over as she woke up.