As I get older I find it harder and harder to stay calm at these things. It's reaping day and I'm still on the beach, in my normal clothes. Usually, by now, I would be in my dress and shoes, but I have other matters to attend to. Life as an Odair isn't exactly an easy life. I mean being compared to your older brother that has won not only the Hunger Games, but the hearts of thousands of women all over Panem! It infuriates me. Being the second oldest in the family means I, Coral Odair, must provide when Finnick is not around of course. And he usually isn't because he's always in the Capitol these days and I miss him dearly.
"Time to get ready, Coral," says Finnick. I'm startled at the sound of his voice. I didn't know he was going to be here today. I turn around and run towards him. He embraces me, it feels warm and genuine.
"I've missed you," I whisper into his ear.
"We all did," says Annie Cresta from behind Finnick.
"Annie!" I yell because she has also spent much time in the Capitol. We head towards the house. My mom, as always, is in a panic.
"Mom. Mom," Finnick says in a soothing voice. "It's ok. I found Coral." She stares at me with those sea green eyes exactly like my sister's, Finnick's, and mine. Almost everyone in District 4 has sea green eyes.
"You had me worried sick!" My mother yelled, then she smiles and hugs me.
"Ok. I will do your hair, but first go put on your dress. It's hanging in the bathroom," she says directing me to our small, but exceptional bathroom. I just stand there, looking at the dress. It's a knee high dress, it's a very soft shade of sea green, and a pair of beautiful badazzled flats. I slip on the dress. I look at myself in the mirror. Everyone says I'm the prettiest girl in District 4 but I say I'm average. As a girl with blonde hair, sea green eyes, and quite skinny, I have to say, I look nothing like the girls here.
I step out and they all stare at me. I look at myself and twirl a little.
"Oh, honey," my mother says with a kind of a sigh. "You look beautiful," she whispers as she fixes my hair.
"I wish I looked like you," says a little voice that I haven't heard since this morning. I turn a moment to look at her in her beautiful light blue dress, black flats, and her hair in a pony tail. My hair now is done up into curls.
"No no no," I say smiling and fixing her dress. "No I wish I looked like you." She blushes.
"Time to go," says Finnick. He's not over dressed, nor under dressed either. We all walk hand in hand to show we are proud to be Odair's.
I get my finger pricked and head straight to the 13 year-old section.
"Coral! Coral!" A familiar voice calls out. I look around searching for who it is. It's my best friend, Teal.
"Coral! Coral! Coral!" She yells 3 more times. I try and push my way through the sea of people. I eventually do and when I reach her, I hug her so hard I think her face turned blue.
"You nervous," asks Teal. "Never," I reply confidently. But really on the inside I was terrified. I mean it's practically rigged. And me being Finnick Odair's sister is not exactly a good standing point for me.
"Welcome, welcome District 4 citizens," a women with a perky attitude and an unusual hair colored announced. I tune out everything until the names are drawn. Then, I look to the boy sector and see my other best friend, Conner. He winks and I return with a smile. We just have that kind of relationship with each other.
"Ladies first," she says as she walks to the large bowl that had our death scrolls on them. A silence hushes over the crowd. Everyone takes a deep breathe and we can all hear it.
"Oh my...Coral Odair," she obviously knows I'm related to Finnick. I'm frozen, scared, but I put on a brave face because I am an Odair, after all. I march up to the stage.
"Well I'd never thought to see another Odair on this stage," she exclaims. I'm still looking into the crowd. Teal is crying, so is Annie, and Mags, my grandmother. Finnick has his brave face on and I can tell he's very proud. Conner is also being brave, but I can tell, by the look in his eyes, that he is about to cry.
"Now for the boys," she says still as perky as ever. I can't bare to listen to the boy who I will be locked into the arena with. I take another deep breathe.
"Fin Rupertson," I know that name all too well. He walks to the stage very proud. But I don't notice.
"Shake hands, you two," the lady says. We do but I hope that was the last time we had to make eyes contact.
