I felt my breath hitch in my throat as my eyes connected with a gorgeous pair of sea green ones.
Fuck.
Like literally fuck!.
I instantly dropped my head.
Actually, I panicked and dunked it in the ocean. Anything to avoid the embarrassment that is making any form of contact with Finnick-fucking-Odair.
I held my breath and squeezed my eyes so they'd shut tightly. I could feel my body sink to the ocean floor, down to a soft pillow of sand and my hair flowed dangerously around me. Count it out...
1...2...3.......until I can't hold it any longer. Until I'm at exactly a minute and thirty-three seconds. Until, I'm crashing through the surface with the worlds biggest gulp of air. Until it's just me, staring out at the shore line of District Four and there's no sight of those pretty eyes anywhere.
I guess I should explain. My name is Coral Cresta. Nothing special really. Except for the fact that I used to know probably the biggest fuck boy to ever grace Panem. We used to be best friends. I know, it's hard to believe after I just nearly drowned myself in panic at the sight of him. But it's true, I swear. Best friends and then like most things in my life I fucked it up. Or at least, I think I did.
When he was reaped I said my goodbyes, like any best friend would. Except, I also declared my love for him...and kissed him. Only for him to then go on and win the games, ignore me and make out with and fuck every girl in Panem that isn't me. Thus, the ultimate 'I don't love you at all and, you're kissing skills are so bad that I must forget you by fucking everyone that isn't you'. So yeah, no wonder I avoid Finnick Odair like the plague. But in fairness, he does the same to me.
It's not like I'm obsessed with Finnick Odair. It's more like my District won't let me forget Finnick Odair. He's the pride of the district. Youngest ever Victor and super charming, smart and the reason the Capitol is now more generous to us. More money, less quotas and better resources. All that have come into effect after Finnick won. Not that I'm complaining, it's been nice to consecutively eat three meals a day for the past four years.
Apart from Finnick, District four has little to show for being a 'Career' district. We only have one other Victor, Mags. I personally don't know her but she seems kind. Although, she is a Victor so you never know. The old lady could be a secret psycho and the whole district wouldn't even know about it.
We have an academy and unlike One and Two, only the rich kids like *cough*Finnick*cough* get to go. So, my poor ass never went. Okay, so poor might be a bit of a stretch. But you know, not wealthy enough to pay any academy tuition or whatever.
So reaping days, like today are always a bit...stressful. For two reasons:
Reason 1- I could potentially be picked and die.
Reason 2- As a Victor, Finnick has to attend the reaping and therefore stay here, in District Four. And not in the Capitol where he just seems to 'love' it. Thus, potentially seeing him and remembering that mistakes were definitely made at age fourteen.
Once I was a hundred and ten percent sure, that no living legend was wondering on the beach I decided that the cost was clear. I made my way back sombrely to my house. It didn't used to be a house, but like I said. District Four owes allot to Finnick.
As soon as I entered, my sister Annie gave me a forced smile. I think I cringed back at her. We shared a look. A look of pure dread. We have maybe, twenty minutes until the reaping.
Annie sighed. "I picked out the green dress for you. Mum was going to make you wear pink".
God, who'd put a child with red hair in a pink dress?!?
I smirked. "Thanks. Truely, I'd be lost with out you".
Annie nodded as if to say 'yeah, probably'. My sister is only one younger than myself. But, if you only spent probably five minutes with us both then you'd soon realise she's the most mature.
I quickly got ready before being pulled along by an anxious Annie to the town square. The atmosphere at reapings in our district is mixed. A real class divide actually. The rich, especially those in the academy tend to be excited and treat today as something to celebrate. And then, there's those, like my family. We treat today as a potential death sentence and something to fear. Like I said, two types of people.
We followed the lines of mixed emotion children. Some with shit eating grins, others close to tears. Literally no in between. Annie's eyes were already glassy and my hands were so sweaty that Annie kept wiping her hand on her dress in disgust. Before she'd mouth 'sorry' and grip my hand again.
The peacekeepers beckoned her forward and she looked at me with a shaky smile. "You got this, Coral".
I nodded, look I'd like to say I smiled too. But, I probably just looked back at her in freight. "Thanks, you too Annie".
I watched her prick her finger and get lost in the sea of kids. Before I knew it, I winced at that prickly feeling of my own finger and joined the sea of eighteen-year-old girls.
I tried to look behind me for Annie but I couldn't find her anywhere. Giggling erupted around me and I groaned. I closed my eyes in dread before turning back towards the stage of the justice building. I felt my eyes cringe in judgment when my they landed on him. Finnick, was in nothing but a white button shirt and trousers. Normally, I wouldn't mind but really?!? Why have it undone. Like, whose that for? The twelves in the back?!?...
He wasn't the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. I think that's what pains me the most when I'm forced to look at him. That the sweet and kind boy who taught me how to swim when I was twelve could now be an arrogant...slut. And cruel, we were best friends for fourteen years. Even if he didn't love me he could've told me instead of snubbing me completely.
The squeals around me had died down now and I decided that staring at the ocean behind the justice building was a better use of my time. I could feel the desperate girls of District Four trying to make eye contact with him or giggling manically. I found it more comical than attractive. Once upon a time I know Finnick would've too. Now, I have no idea what he's like, let alone how he thinks.
Out of the corner of my eye two other figures entered the stage, one that dazzled in a rainbow of colours and one hobbled with a cane. Our escort; Tippy and of course, Mags.
A taping on the microphone followed by static had me tearing my eyes from the sea in annoyance. Tippy stared at us all in excitement. "Well, well, well District Four! It's time for another hungergames!".
Surprisingly, that got a half hearted cheer from most of the District. Key word, most. She presented the video. The one that's been playing in every district since the beginning of time. Followed by her eager clapping afterwards. She sighed. "Alrighty, Lovely Ladies!".
She actually skipped up to the bowl causing me to raise an eyebrow. She rustled her hand in the bowl for a good five minutes. I was chewing on my lip pretty bad by the time she'd finally pulled out a slip.
I felt my eyes closing in anticipation, Tippy's voice suddenly filled the air.
"Annie Cresta".
Oh shit!.
Shit-fucking-shit-fuck!
I felt eyes of my fellow eighteen-year-old girls staring at me. If I was really paying attention I might've been able to tell you that even Finnick gripped his chair and swore. But instead it all escaped me, because it's my sister whose openly crying as she walks onto those steps. My little sister whose being patted on the cheek by that walking talking rainbow.
And before I know it, I'm downed in a cold sweat. I'm back under water and I'm drowning. Except, there's no water. It's just Annie and I staring at eachother from below and on top a stage. Both of us gasping and trying to breathe. Both of us drowning. And just as Tippy is about to call out the name of the male tribute....
I do something so stupid, reckless and suicidal.
But something I have to do to be able to sleep at night,
I remember how to breathe and I scream. "I volunteer as tribute!".