Liberosis - The Hunger Games

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"Damn Rory, those waves look good enough to surf on!" My best friend joked, emerging from behind the canvas, causing me to jolt back in surprise.

"Finnick Odair you scared the hell out of me!" I exclaimed, shaking my hand and wiping my paintbrush on the old scrap of towel I was using to clean off excess paint.

Finnick Odair was a lifelong friend of mine, I had known the boy since we were seven, the pair of us were inseparable from the first time we met. We had our differences and our little quirks, but it made our friendship feel more wholesome and authentic. I had watched him grow from the green-eyed, squishy faced seven-year-old to the only fourteen-year-old with a chiselled jawline and strong build. He had watched me grow from an awkward child to a slightly moody, slightly unbearable teen and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Finnick bat his long eyelashes at me and flashed an award-winning smile as I placed the paintbrush gingerly on the table beside me. "I like your dress, is it new?" He asked, picking up my paint-covered rag and throwing it in the trash. He was complimenting me and helping me clean which could only mean one thing, he undoubtedly wanted something.

"What do you want Finnick?" I raised an eyebrow as I tried and failed to mask the amusement in my tone. My arms folded over my chest and I jut my hip out, shifting my weight over to one side of my body.

"I wasn't lying, it is a lovely dress! It suits you!" He comments, circling his finger around in a 'twirl for me' motion. I let out a scoff but twirled around anyway, the skirt flowing out lightly as I rotate.

"Happy?" I asked, smoothing out my skirt and sitting back down on one of the mushroom-shaped pedestals that sat within the art room.

Finnick let out a dry laugh before throwing himself onto one of the stools across from me. "How can I be happy?" He begins in a miserable voice, "The reaping's tomorrow."

I smack my palm against my forehead, the reaping, how could I forget. Granted it wasn't something that many people wanted to remember but it always stayed branded into our minds. The day we sent two innocent lives away to become killers.

We may have been a career district but compared to that of the other career districts we were often seen as more rebellious. One and Two were swarming with kids jumping at the chance to volunteer. If you were reaped in district four the streets fell silent, birds sang in total obliviousness as the poor tributes stumble out of their parents grasp and on a train to their deaths.

Addison turned twelve two months ago, marking today as her first-ever reaping. Unsurprisingly, she has been plagued with nightmares every night in the upcoming week. Mother gave her the week off school, she did the same for me and she'll do the same for the twins when they're entered in the reaping next year. I keep reminding her that she's only got one slip amongst a thousand, surely the odds will be in her favour. Finnick and I have been entered with three votes each, it's not much- neither of us had to take the tesserae but a slim chance of getting chosen pokes at the back of my mind.

We sit in solemn silence for a short period of time before Finnick stands up and look is in my direction, "Take the rest of the day off with me?" He offered, holding his hand out for me to take.

I consider it before shaking my head in protest, "I've had enough days off Finn, Mum will kill me."

"Come of Rory, It's practically tradition- I'll even trade lunch with you!" He tried to bargain; I knew he'd get his way- I could never say no to him. I wouldn't give the satisfaction straight away.

"No way, I have a fruit salad what do you have?" I asked.

Finnick grimaced, "Tuna sandwich." He sighed in defeat.