· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
▎ RUINS ▎
»»————-　act one. uneven odds
THIRTEEN ━━ forgotten dreams

and suddenly everything has changed

— taylor swift

'Flashback'

     THE SUN BEAMED DOWN ON THE TANNED SKIN OF A small girl who wore a smile just as bright as the yellow orb in the sky, she bounced around the beach. The combination of the warm sand and the soft breeze gave away the fact that district four was yet again enduring another heat wave.

     Her brown hair bounced on her shoulders as she excitedly waved at numerous people around her without a care in the world. Her eyes twinkled happily as she spotted the boy with the blonde hair and the ocean eyes.

     She giggled before taking off in a sprint, jumping on the boys back, who yelped at the sudden weight on his back.

     Both children fell forward into the sand. Erin groaned, trying to wip the sand of her face while the boy beside her was spitting sand out of his mouth.

     The two made eye contact and it was silent for a moment as they both stared at one another and after a second both bursted out in fits of laughter.

     Erin shook her head slightly looking at the fourteen year old boy with a huge smile before she stood back up and held her hand out for him to take, wingling her fingers.

     Finnick grinned before grabbing her hand and hauling himself up. And the moment he was back on his feet the twelve year old girl pulled him along with her towards the docks.

     Picking up his pace to match her quick steps, Finnick walked beside her swinging their hands back and forward.

     Walking over the wooden planks towards the edge, Erin watched as the waves gently crashed against the rocks and various boats were scattered across the ocean. She carefully sat down, swinging her legs back and forward, the smell of salt filled her nose as she stared at the horizon.

     She glanced at Finnick for a second before she patted the empty spot beside her.

     Finnick grinned, sitting down beside his best friend.

     The two silently sat side by side, staring at ocean and the orange glow ahead as the sun started to disappear beneath the horizon. The only thing that gave away that they weren't alone was the fact that their shoulders brushed against each other every so often.

     Erin sighed, turing her gaze towards the blonde boy. "I'm scared." She admitted.

     Finnick turned his head towards her with a small frown. "Don't worry, they won't chose you. It's your first time." He reassured her.

     "What about you?" She mumbled, avoiding eye contact by looking at her lap as she fumbled with her fingers.

     Finnick placed a hand on her shaking ones and Erin looked back up at him. "We'll get through this. I promise." He said.

     Erin huffed turning her head away. "You know you can't promise that Finnick."

     "I know." He sighed.

     "Erin!"

     Erin turned her head around to see her brother waving at them and she slowly stood up, giving Finnick a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

    BFinnick nodded. "Tomorrow." He said before giving her a small smile. "We'll do this together." He added.

     She nodded a small smile on her face. "Together." She promised before she turned around and joined Alex' side walking back towards their home.

     Finnick watched her figure disappear before he turned his gaze back towards the sea.

     The morning of the reaping, Erin was wide awake staring at the ceiling of their small home. She quietly turned her head to the side to see Alex still asleep, snoring lightly.

     She sighed looking at the window where the sun already seeped through the blue curtains. Sitting up straight in bed she threw the small duvet to the side before she stepped out bed.

     Walking in the small living room, the brunette was greeted by her father sitting at the wooden table, fishing equipment scattered around it.

     Taking a step inside the room, the floor creaked and her father looked up from where he was working on a fishing hook, to see his only daughter standing in the room.

      He smiled fondly at her and he couldn't help but see the resemblance she had with her mother. The girl was a spitting image of her.

     "Moring, darling." He greeted her with a somber look.

      "Morning." She said, not even commenting on the part that he didn't say good morning like he alway did. Because this day wasn't a good day it was a terrible day.

      He turned his head back towards his work, the time finally arrived for his little girl to come of age. He clenched his jaw tightly thinking about it. His son would return for the fourth time and now his daughter joined in.

      Erin took a seat across her father and he gave her a reasuring smile. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

     Erin followed behind Alex as the older sibling held her hand tightly, pulling her along the crowd of childer of district four.

     Waiting in the line Erin nervously glanced around until her eyes landed on Finnick, who stood a couple lines away from her.

     She focused her gaze on him until someone cleared their throat. He eyes snapped up towards the peacekeeper who nodded his head towards the woman at a small table. Realising that it was her turn now she walked towards her.

     "Hand." The woman said in a montone voice, obviously bored.

     Unsure she looked at her brother a few feet a away and he nodded.

     She slowly held her hand out and she flinched when a small needle was stuck in the tip of her finger, drawing blood.

     Without care the woman placed her hand on a sheet of paper before ushering her away.

     Following after the other twelve year old girls, Erin stepped inside the line looking towards the stage, where she could see one victor sitting on a stool, a solemn look on her face as she gazed across the children.

     For a moment the woman's eyes landed on her and her eyes widened slightly until the woman gave her a small smile which she returned with a much shyer one.

     Searching the crowd she found her brother standing between the other fifteen year olds and he gave her an encouraging nod which she returned. Her eyes trailed the line of fourteen year olds until they settled on Finnick face who too, was looking for her.

     When he spotted her he smiled at her before he turned his gaze towards the stage as the district four escort walked up to the microphone dressed in a sparkling blue dress supported by light blue hair.

     She cleared her throat "Welcome, welcome." She looked around the crowd. "Ladies first." She smiled before strolling towards the glass bowl.

      Erin anxiously watched as the escort twirled her hand around inside the bowl, before finally picking one and walking back towards the microphone. "And the female tribute is Tabitha Crestwell." She announched and Erin watched as a girl with red hair from the sixteen year olds walked on the stage.

     "Now for the boys." She continued.

     Erin watched nervously as the blue haired woman returned with a single piece of paper and her breath caught in her throat as the name slipped passed her lips.

     "Finnick Odair."

     Finnick was escorted on the stage by the peace keepers and his somber face fell on that of Erin and in that moment he watched the girl he grew up with lose her carefree spirit, replacing it with the reality of the harsh world they lived in.

     And watching her like that stirred something inside him and at that age he didn't know what that feeling was yet, but it only made him more determined to return.

     Because he couldn't stand losing her

     And she couldn't stand losing him.

     "The tributes of the 65th hungergames!"

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