"Get up!" said a muffled noise as I pulled my duvet cover over my head. I was never the type of person who'd want to sleep in, always wanting to take each day as early as possible, defeating it before it could get the better of me, but ever since I got back from mentoring Marine at the 68th Annual Hunger Games, I'd just felt tired, my eyes always wanting to be shut.
"Just leave her," said another voice, one that made my heart beat pick up slightly as it spoke.
"No, Finnick!" replied the first frantic voice, sounding angry. "It's been ages since we've been back, she needs to get her arse into gear."
"Fine!" I slurred, intending for it to come out as an irate burst of flustration but getting the opposite affect as I swung my goosebumped legs over the edge of my bed, standing up, the blood rushing to my head.
"You can deal with her," Finnick grunted, stretching his arms with a grin as his eyes twinkled, the muscles on his bare chest strained, a tired look in his eyes as he swanned out of the room.
"Come on Aubrey," said the voice of my bored and equally tired looking friend Joride, who stood over me with his arms crossed, after throwing me an ugly looking dress that was probably a creation of Felix, who's not left me alone since the games.
I sighed, pulling it on, grateful that it wasn't too formal, and dragged myself unenthusatically down the stairs to greet the others, who looked just as sour faced as Jordie.
"What's the matter with everyone?" Augustus smiled as he swept into my kitchen a few minutes later, a large dead animal drapped over his shoulder, his grin turning into a disguisted frown as all six of district fours mentors turned to glare at him.
"I'm not going," Coral suddenly burst out, banging her fist on the table in response to baby Albert sobbing away from the front room, sending her flying from her chair in an instant.
"You have to at least show your face," Augustus said, looking like he was loosing the will to live as he shouted after Coral.
"No!" She shouted bluntly from the front room, Albert's cries ending abruptly.
Much to our dismay, we all found ourself in the justic building half an hour later, waiting for the victory tour to come singing it's way to our district. The mayor didn't seem as friendly towards us compared to the year I won, probably because of the enormous pile of food that he got and publicity that he wouldnt otherwise get if his district didn't win. Shame.
The train line in four had only had four stations; the justice building, the west harbour, docks, and the peacekeeper quatres. The justice buildings station very rarely got any attention, with trains only operating here for the use of the games, so when a train was due to arrive here the whole district new about it.
I glanced over at Finnick as he began to have some sort of coughing fit, probably to hide his laughter from something Troye or Jordie had said days ago that he'd just thought of. I gave his a dissaproving glance, which was mirrored by Gus from the otherside of the room, who was arm in arm with a very beautiful looking Coral, as the doors from the train station swung open, revealing an over dressed capitol man, probably the equivalant of Gus for District ten, leading in a very overwhelmed Jac and Clemmy.
Finnick raised his eyesbrows at me as he took my hand and glided me over to the group from District ten, getting the usual dirty look for Rhoswen before we'd even halted. Clemmy's eyes instantley glued onto me, a confused look on her face, clearly still not remembering what had happened to her in the games, most likely just getting short bursts back of what happened. I'd dread to be her; wandering around looking for my brother but not remembering the fact that he was dead.
"This is Jordie Net, won the 47th games," the capitol woman began , slowly introducing everyone from four. "Mags Cohen, 4th games, Troye Salter, 56th games, Coral Topaz 60th games, Finnick Odair, 65th, and Aubrey Reffnot, 67th."
"Impressive," Clemmy said in a blank voice, nodding as she glanced around at the portraits of Snow and past mayors that were littered around the halls of the buidling, taking the attention away from the vile brown wallpaper.
"And may I say Finnick, I'm an enormous fan," the capitol lady said, blushing.
"Thank you, I do try-" Finnick began.
"I'm you fan too," I whispered, running my hand along his hip and biting my lip, trying to make the captiol lady feel as awkard as possible as I pinched his bum, making him blush just as equally as the lady. "Who's the blushing virgin now?" I whispered, only to him as Jordie tugged me away, realising what I was trying to do.
"Remember Clementine," The lady began, still watching Finnick with a disgruntled exprssion, clearly new to this job. "Just speak from your heart, smile, and be yourself; their victor."
"She's not district four's victor Margret," Gus said, looking very disgruntled as he became protective over us; his victors.
"This year she is," Margret said, "Now Clementine..."
And she began a long winded speech to the poor girl, as Gus narrowed his eyes at her and looking more uptight as I'd probably ever seen him before.
"Come on," Finnick whispered, tugging lightly on the sleeve of my dress before we snuck out of the side of the justice building near a stack of bins and various bags that probably about to be sent of for recycling.
"Ready?" I asked, looking him in the eye.
"Let the 69th Annual Hunger Games begin."
