CROSSFIRE [f. odiar]

chapter one

        Ariadne smoothed out her dress, her lined eyes darting around the heavily decorated room. She saw few familiar faces, many old and wrinkled versions of when they were famous, with the exception of the younger, fresher faces sporting battle scars that were still evident beneath the dresses and suits.

The Mentors Gala, oh how she hadn't missed it. Celebrating the death of all of their tributes with champagne and dances, all except for the mentor with the victor. Haymitch was the lucky one this year, especially lucky seeing as he left the Games with two victors under his belt instead of just one.

Taking in a deep breath, Ariadne's heels clicked as she walked down the regal staircase and towards the Gala. She ignored the stares and directed herself straight to bar, most likely the place that would allow her to get through this night as smoothly as possible. "Hey there, stranger." The voice from the bar stool beside the District 8 victor called out, the familiar voice bringing a smile to her face immediately.

"Well, isn't it just my luck. Already dreading this night and you are the first face that I see." Ariadne says, looking over to the brunette sitting besides her, the smile still prominent on her lips.

"Come 'ere, Ar, you know you love me." Johanna laughed, pulling her friend into a hug.

Johanna Mason was probably the one person that Ariadne could stand the most at these parties. They bonded over their dislike for everything Capitol related, and Johanna's confidence could instantly make up for what Ariadne clearly lacked. Quiet and untrusting Ariadne paired with bold and courageous Johanna was a combination no one saw coming, yet made total sense.

'Opposites attract' clearly wasn't a term only applied for dating.

An hour later, each girl had downed a few drinks and were laughing over the bits of gossip that they had collected since the last Mentors Gala. From wig disasters at the opening ceremony, to squirrel attacks back home, they talked about it all. Ariadne relished in these brief moments of true friendship, knowing that in a few hours she would packing up to go back to her lonely life in 8.

"How's Rosaline doing?" Johanna asked, her fingers rimming the top of her glass.

Ariadne smiled at the thought of her little sister, the only family she had and the only friend that she would ever need. It devastated her to leave her back at home for the duration of the Games, which Ariadne spent in Capitol collecting sponsors, but she swallowed the anxiety down with her drink. "She is growing so fast, I am sure that she will be taller than me in a few years."

At this, Johanna also smiled. She liked to see a smile on her friends face, a feature that she rarely saw. She knew first hand that life after the Games was just as hard as life in it, and having a loved one still to worry about must keep Ariadne up every night. Johanna didn't have any family to relate that feeling too, but knowing how vicious Snow could be, she could understand the fear.

"No little nine-year-old boyfriends yet, I assume?" Johanna joked, earning a laugh from Ariadne.

"Not yet, thankfully. I'm hoping that won't be a problem until she is precisely 38, but with her adorable little face I'm sure all the boys are swooning."

Ariadne was a complete replica of her Dad, complete with the brown hair and sharp jawline, while Rosie got lucky with her Mom's gentle eyes and button nose. It was something that she would always be jealous was, and was the reason why sometimes looking at Rosaline was almost too painful of a reminder of her parents fresh deaths.