𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 | f. odair

𝟏𝟖 ✫ 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

Adrian felt it was her duty to repay Sage for saving her life and tracked her down with a basket of vegetables and some bread from the bakery. Sage hadn't really been so welcoming, tried to push her and her gift back out the door, but Hyacinth was much nicer about it and insisted she stay. Soon, it became a habit. And as Adrian brought things for Sage and Hyacinth, Adrian would tell Sage all about herself as she helped her care for Hyacinth since it was hard for her to move around. Adrian knew Sage was only tolerating her because of Hyacinth, but she didn't care. She thought Sage deserved a friend, and Adrian was determined to make sure she knew she had someone in her corner, whether she wanted one or not.

Adrian wasn't stupid. Over time, she started to understand just how much Sage has suffered. She didn't understand how exactly, but knew Sage isolated herself for certain reasons. Sage is very defensive and doesn't let anyone get away with making fun of her or even bringing up the rumor that she was a 'Capitol baby'. Adrian had spent so many times trying to pull her self-appointed friend away before she did something to one of those mean kids, but it was always very hard and Sage rarely listened to her.

After a couple years, Sage just seemed to adjust to her presence and had even opened up to her, but only barely. It was something. Up until six months ago, Adrian was fully convinced that their friendship will always be one-sided and she had learned to accept that. It may seem strange, but Adrian saw Sage as her best friend, mainly because she was the only one who seemed to always tell her the truth and never worried about hurting her feelings. She never had to worry about Sage telling her what she wanted to hear like her other friends because she was the mayor's daughter.

So when Adrian's name was picked during the Reaping Ceremony, she swore on everything she held dear that that was it. She knew she didn't have the physical or mental strength to win the Hunger Games, she could barely stomach watching them from the comfort of her home. Her talent was making outfits whenever she could get the fabric and sketching designs in the sketchpad her dad had given her when she was ten years old. She didn't have any upper body strength and she didn't know how to hunt for food. She wasn't resourceful because she had been very sheltered as a child. And up until she was reaped, she didn't understand just how much she had taken life for granted until then.

Adrian had been absolutely terrified. She knew she wasn't going to survive in a fight against the other tributes, she was the weakest link. She had been sobbing because she knew she was never going to see her parents again. The first thing she did was run to her dad once she was on the stage, who had already been out of his seat, tears in his eyes. She was not going to make it out of whatever arena the Gamemakers had conjured up.

Until a hand rose in the air and a familiar voice Adrian knew all too well volunteered to take her place.

Adrian Pine had almost stopped breathing when her eyes landed on Sage Rowan's hand in the air. She had been so stunned and beyond confused. Why was Sage volunteering to take her place? She doesn't even like her. She only tolerated her presence. It just didn't make any sense.

But when Sage gave her that small, barely visible smile- that is when Adrian knew she had been wrong all along. The truth was, she had made a difference in Sage's life. It wasn't just a one-sided friendship she convinced herself it was and had accepted. She had wormed her way into Sage's closed off heart and made an impact so huge that she was willing to sacrifice herself to save her life by volunteering to take her place. It was something Adrian knew she was never going to be able to repay, but she knew if anyone had a chance of winning the whole thing, it was Sage Rowan.

And she did win. Sage actually won and came home six months ago to this date. Adrian hoped and rooted for her. She watched every single day and cheered so loudly when Sage scored one of the highest scores in her individual training like an actual Career. She admired the dress she wore in her interviews and cried when she referred to her as her best friend. She had been happy Sage made an alliance, though surprised because she had been pretty sure Sage was going to go at it on her own, but she appreciated that she had him because it seemed like he had her back, especially when that boy from seven had found them in the cave.