"dont you dare leave me."
~Sabrina Bailey
"i never left."
~Finnick odair
"finnick odair, youngest victor of the hunger games at age 14. sabrina bailey, the capital's sweetheart, won her hunger games at age 15. two years after finnick. you want th...
I sit there on the cold sand of District Four's beach as the sun barely starts to rise. Today was the reaping of the 75th Hunger Games otherwise known as President Snow's prized 3rd Quarter Quell. I should be fine, I already won my Games when I was 15, the 66th Hunger Games. But this year it was different. Snow had decided he wanted to select tributes for the games from the existing pool of victors. I promised myself if Finnick was picked I would volunteer, no matter who the selected female tribute was. I knew that I was not letting him go in alone. Last year there were two victors that survived the games so why couldn't it happen again? No matter what Finnick had to make it out alive with or without me. We've both had to deal with the capital and their shit, and Finnick deserved better, he deserved a life without being used for his body. He was worth so much more than that to me, and if that meant dying for him so be it.
"Sab?" I heard his familiar voice. "Hm?" I hummed, I didn't bother to look away from the rising sun, how the bright yellow rays reflected off of the sparkling blue water. "What are you doing here this early?" Finnick questioned, sitting down beside me "I could ask you the same thing." I stated, my gaze still not leaving the sparkling water. Finnick chuckled to himself as he threw his arm over my shoulders while I rested my head on his arm. "I woke up and you weren't there, you scared me sweetheart." Finnick told me as he placed a kiss atop my head. "So back to my question, what are you doing here at 6 am?" Finnick questioned, turning his head to face me. "I don't know, it's peaceful." I told him, taking in the gorgeous view, not knowing if it'd be my last view of district 4. "I love you, you know that right?" Finnick whispered into my hair, kissing my head. "Of course I do, and I love you more." I whispered back, turning my head to look at him, as he placed a gentle kiss on my lips. "Finnick? Can you promise me something?" I asked looking into his sincere eyes. "Of course, sweetheart." Whispered placing his nose against mine. "If I get reaped today, promise me that you'll take care of August." I told him as a tear slipped down my face that he quickly swiped away with his thumb. "Always. And Sabrina, promise me that you won't volunteer if I get reaped." Finnick told me, I turned my face away from him, he knew me all too well. Finnick placed his pointer finger under my chin and moved my face to face him. "Sabrina, promise me you won't." Finnick demanded, yet his face was still soft. "Finnick-" I started but he cut me off. "Sabrina." Finnick scolded and he caressed my cheek with his thumb. "Finnick there were two victors last year." I tried to reason but he wouldn't hear of it. "Yeah Sabrina and we both saw how angry Snow was, you know he won't let it happen again." Finnick countered, his eyes filled with a sense of hope that neither of us would get picked but they were also filled with a sorrow, knowing our chances were low. "Finnick, I love you too much to let you go alone." Finnick went silent after that, looking down at his feet that were covered in sand. I didn't want to fight over this but I was not lying to him and I was definitely not letting him go alone. "God, you're insane Sabrina." Finnick finally spoke looking at me. "That's why you love me isn't it? Finnick Odair." I told him teasingly, kissing him with more passion this time than before, which he quickly returned.
"Sabrina! Finnick!" I heard my sister yell from the street. "Hey August!" Finnick waved like a child seeing his best friend. "Finnick." She spoke sarcastically. "Seriously guys, the reaping is starting in an hour we need to get ready, so let's go!" August ordered. Finnick and I got up walking to her hand in hand. "Hey aren't I the older one here?" I told her once we reached her "Yeah but I'm just more mature." She snapped back once again sarcastically. "Haha very funny." I joked back at her. She just rolled her eyes at me. "I'll see you soon sweetheart." Finnick said kissing my forehead as we entered victor's village and we went to our separate houses.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Remember when it's reaping day, even if you don't get reaped, it's always best to dress to impress. If you end up getting reaped then your first thing to do is to get you sponsors, especially when you're one of Snow's 'favorites'. August walked into my room, leaning against the door. "Are you ready for this?" She asked. My sister sadly had to learn how to be immune from feelings, after Snow decided my parents were too much of a distraction for me and killed them in front of us, I was 15 fresh out of the games while August was only 9. We both had to learn how to not feel. She looked up at me, I could tell that she had been crying. I stood up walking over to her and opening up my arms as she ran into my arms. We stood there hugging each other. "Don't get reaped, please just stay with me." Was all August said. I didn't want to pressure her to say more I just hugged her tightly, I knew exactly what she needed and this was it. "I love you August." "I love you Sabrina." August cried. "Okay, let's dry the tears and get going okay?" I told her holding back my own. We walked out of the house to be met with Finnick. "You two look gorgeous as always." Finnick winked, taking my hand in his and throwing his arm over August's shoulders as we entered the dreaded justice building. I hugged August goodbye as she went to stand with the other 18 year olds, and Finnick and I went up on the stage with the other victors. As I went to the female victors I saw my best friend since childhood, Annie Cresta and Mags, who took me and August in after our parents died. I hugged them both and went to stand in between them as our Escort, Trina Locket, started her opening. I always spaced out when she would start the opening, not that I didn't like her, I loved Trina, the opening just was always nothing but lies of the capital. "And our male tribute for the 3rd Quarter Quell is... Finnick Odair!" Her voice celebrated but her face was quite opposite, she looked at me as sorrow and pity filled her eyes. "And now our female tribute is... oh no... Sabrina Bailey!" I watched as Finnick's eyes went wide and the color left his face, as did Trina's. Trina had me and Finnick shake hands as the peacekeepers pushed us through the hallway to the carriage. "Hey! Don't we get a visit! We deserve a visit!" I yelled at the peacekeepers. "Not this year." He snapped. I tried to turn around to see August but he grabbed my waist roughly and pushed me hard to the front almost making me fall if I didn't catch myself. "Hey! You touch her again and I'll kill you!" Finnick snarled as the peacekeepers just snickered and threw us into the carriage with Trina and our mentor Mags. The carriage took us to the train, back to the dreaded capital where we were nothing more than bodies to them. Back to the torture. Being in the capital was back to the illicit affairs.
