Brooke Langston, a determined and resourceful young woman, volunteers as tribute to spare a sickly little girl who holds a special place in her heart. Little does she anticipate that her closest friend, Ray Adhira, would also be chosen, forcing them...
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"Well done! Well done! My dears!" Maddox, their lovely, terribly annoying escort, rushed towards them too soon since they had last seen him.
The prep team also hurried towards them, pulling them down from the chariot, and taking the capes, jewelry, and pearls out of her hair and off her body.
The main garment was left, but the rest were not hers anymore.
Vexen approached Ray enthusiastically, grabbing his hand and leading him off to the side, chanting his approval. Ray shot Brooke a look that screamed help me.
Azari kept her distance but nodded in approval.
Brooke grinned but swiveled her head, looking for two people in particular. Soon enough, she saw them, Mags and Finnick, talking to other mentors across the room.
Brooke felt a giddy excitement as she gazed at Finnick, eager to hear his feedback and applause for Brooke and Ray's eventful show. She knew the excitement was in the wrong place at the wrong time, she should be more concerned about the envious looks being sent in District Four's direction from the careers and some other tributes. She should have been considering her and Ray's next moves and figuring out how they would continue to amaze the Capitol, avoiding the huge target that was most definitely placed on both their backs (Brooke would not be resolving that by allying with the bloodthirsty careers). However, none of those rational thoughts stuck for long as she watched Finnick and Mags bid farewell to their friends and approach her.
Finnick had changed into a very handsome outfit from the cozy one he had been wearing for the Reaping, the buttoned shirt was unbuttoned enough to show more than exactly necessary. Brooke found it slightly shameful that she didn't mind. She also couldn't believe that the Reaping had been simply hours ago, it felt like ages, and she realized how exhausted she was with a startling plunge in her adrenaline.
"Hey, sweetheart, you were awesome out there," Finnick praised as he approached her, Mags at his side. He fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve, looking at her with his head tilted and chin raised, that same flirtatious confidence that got her every time.
Brooke smiled back but fought off a sudden yawn. She was exhausted, her head kind of felt like she'd run into a concrete wall.
"Whoa there sunshine, you okay?" Finnick placed his hands on either side of her upper arms, steadying her. Brooke's skin tingled from the warmth of his hands.
She looked up at him, sea-green eyes meeting golden brown. She could see the dotted freckles across his nose, his messy blonde hair falling in his face.
"I-I'm good," she blushed at their proximity and pulled away. "Just tired."
Finnick didn't seem to notice, for once. "That's fair, long day for you and Ray," at the mention of her friend he looked up and spotted the boy being accosted by Vexen. He smiled in sympathy. "Oof, better go save the man."
