𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑶𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒓

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄.

Trained to Kill

"You gotta get up, Rosie," Jessica Hamm told Rosie for the third time. She shook the girl's shoulder to wake her from her fake sleep. "Tony, give her a kiss."

Sure enough, Tony jumped up on Jess' bed and attacked Rosie. When Rosie taught him tricks, she wanted him to press his nose against her cheek when she asked for a kiss. That turned quickly into him nipping nosed extremely gently. How it changed to that, Rosie wasn't sure.

Once the dog nuzzled its face against Rosie for a second time, the teenager broke. "Okay, fine. I'm up. You happy now?" Rosie glared at Jess.

The pair had slept in the same bed for the past week. She had been splitting her time between the Hamm household, and Kit's place. She had yet to step foot back in the home she shared with her family, the one she now lived in alone. It had been cleaned up, Rosie knew that. And they'd had a funeral for her Uncle and Orion. The next few months were a depressing blur—she was essentially on suicide watch. There was always someone hovering. Nancy had banned alcohol from her house, worried Rosie would go down that path like her Uncle. A man she shared no biological relation with.

Time ticked on, and it was the 71st Reaping.

Four years since the fateful day when everything changed, and the events she was currently suffering through began unfolding.

Three years since she boarded the train with Elio, knowing he wouldn't be on the train on the way back.

Two years since she kissed Finnick and swore it would never happen again; it was for the best, she'd assured herself time and time again.

One year since she'd stepped foot in the Capitol, and one year since she'd seen Finnick in all his blond, sarcastic glory. For the last twelve months, he'd only been seen in her sleep, but now she'd actually see the man himself. A part of her was, of course, excited, but more of her was nervous.

The wounds had healed on the surface, but they still bled. Everyone around her knew how much pain she was in, strong as she tried to act, anyone who truly knew Rosemary Blue could see she was hurting. And, all those around her in District 9, knew if Rosie held on until she saw Finnick the hurt would lessen. It would give her time with the person who seemed to numb Rosie's loud mind. However, not everyone who knew Rosie in District 9 was thrilled for her to be going back to the Capitol and seeing Finnick.

Kai Mansfield was Finnick's number-one hater.

He knew Finnick had carved a space in Rosie's heart, and no matter how much Kai tried to win Rosie over, she was steadfast in her apathy. He tried, he'd been trying for two years to get her to want to see him, but Kai knew she'd only go to him when she needed something. She'd spent countless hours telling him a thousand different ways that he was doing it all wrong, but what irked him was that she didn't care to see he was doing it on purpose. The second she decided he didn't need any more lessons that would be that.

He'd gotten her to teach him about knives, but also about what plants do what.

Kai had been training for years and it was all coming together. He'd recently turned eighteen, he was tall and strong, and the new adult had worked every day to make himself the best contender in the 71st Annual Hunger Games.

If he was her Tribute—no doubt the one that had more of a chance than whatever girl was unfortunately chosen—Rosie wouldn't be able to pretend he didn't exist. And, when he was crowned Victor, they'd live next to each other. No longer would Rosie be able to brush Kai off by walking to the Victor's Village, hidden on the other side of the town. He would live there too, he'd be able to carve his own space.