Thank you guys so much for reading! I'm loving writing this story! Shark is one of my favorite characters I've written as and I'm probably going to cry when I *very obvious spoiler alert* have to kill him off *end of spoiler, but we all know where this is going anyway…* News! I have a companion piece for this story that is coming out around the same time this is! Actually, the companion piece was written before this story, for Fandoms4LLS! Great cause which you should totally check out! It's an organization raising money to help stop leukemia! The story is called 96. Check it out, if you have a chance.

advancedpotionmakingoninsta: Cool! Two of my best friends are Ravenclaws, as well as my youngest sister! I'm glad you liked the outfits. It took me forever to research the pirate costume to make it at least somewhat historically accurate. For as many times as I've Pirates of the Caribbean, one would think I have the costumes memorized… I don't actually speak math, but I'm sure that joke is really funny!

CrayolaCreation: No way it could have been coincidence that the love of Finnick's life was reaped by chance, just like no way it could have been coincidence that the victors had to kill one another in the 75th Games… timing was too perfect. Oh my gosh, I love that joke! XD Thank you for reviewing! It's always awesome to see a new reviewer a few chapters in. :)

Chapter Four

"And should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me, 'cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need." -Tenerife Sea, Ed Sheeran

I was exhausted by the time I could finally go to my bedroom. I took a look at my clothes I wore to the reapings, carefully folded on top of my bed. On top there was a twine necklace with a small seashell tied to it. I recognized it immediately as Pearl's. I suddenly remember her slipping it into my pocket. She must want it to be my token. I sigh and put it on. I'll keep it close to me until I, inevitably, die. Maybe Annie will take it back to Pearl for me, so she has something to remember me by. I take off my shirt and pants and prepare for bed, just in a pair of boxers the Capitol provided me. Just as I settle into bed I hear a knock on the door. Probably Gill or Finnick. Who else would want to talk to me at this hour? We have training tomorrow. I go to answer the door. To my surprise, it's Mags. I blush furiously. Mags doesn't need to see me in just my boxers- it's embarrassing! But, she doesn't seem to notice. "Mind if I come in?"

I just nod, a bit taken back. What does Mags want with me? Isn't she rooting for Annie? "Yes ma'am. Please, make yourself at home." Mags smiles and goes to sit on the end of my bed. "Do you want anything? A drink or something?" There's not much I can offer at the moment, but surely an Avox can bring something.

It doesn't matter, though, because Mags is shaking her head. "I just want to talk." She came all the way from Snow's mansion just to talk?

"Um, okay. What can I do for you, Mags?" I take a seat next to her and she takes one of my hands in hers.

"I know you're in love with Annie. Pretty and sweet girl she is, it's likely many men are in love with her." I nod. I don't know where she's going with this. This is all common knowledge. "You don't think you're going to make it out of that arena, do you?"

I shake my head. "No ma'am. I just want Annie to get out of there alive."

"And if she doesn't?" I'm a bit shocked at Mag's words. Does she not want Annie to make it out alive? I thought she cared for her. That's what it looked like on the train at least. "Shark, you are a really good kid. You would be willing to lay down your life for a heartbeat. I know Finnick would too, but Annie would do the same for both of you. She's scared, but she doesn't want you to die just so she doesn't have to. Shark, you can protect Annie, and heaven knows Annie is going to do her best to protect you, in her own way. You would be heartbroken if she gave her life for yours. She'd feel the same way." Mags lifts up my hands and kisses them. "Think about that, lad. There can only be one winner, and I know that this year it's going to be one of you. The choice is yours, who will win, but don't forget, Annie loves you too. I know she would forgive you for choosing to save yourself."

She gets up to leave and I sit there stunned on the bed. Mags wants me to try to win the games. She doesn't want me to give my life up for Annie's. She values me. This isn't going to change anything, though. I'm still going to protect Annie. I'm still going to give up my life for hers, if I need to. Mags was trying to talk me out of self sacrifice, but, if anything, she's made me want to protect Annie even more.

I go lie down in my bed, my head spinning with thoughts. I don't know how long I've been lying there when I hear another knock on my door. If it's Mags, again, she's already seen me in my boxers. It hardly matters now, but, when I open the door, I am once again surprised, and embarrassed. "Annie?" Her hair is piled on top of her head in an incredibly loose messy bun. She's completely free of makeup and jewelry, save a small white gem in her left cartilage. I remember the day she got that. Her and I had a bet at the district fair. She didn't think I could beat her at the karaoke game- to be honest, neither did I- but I won and she got a cartilage piercing. It's nice to be able to see it, like nothing has changed. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep. I'm too nervous for tomorrow."

I nod. "Same."

"Wanna bake cookies?" I smile. Annie will bake when she's bored or fidgety. She will then force the cookies on Finnick and myself until they're all gone. The cookies are never bad, but one can only eat so many cookies. I'll never have a chance to have her cookies again, though.

"Sure." I throw on the first shirt I see and walk out.

She walks out of the room and I can't help but check out her ass. She's wearing a too large t-shirt, which I assume is one of Finnick's, and a pair of green pajama shorts. I'm more of a boobs man, but Annie's ass is really nice, as far as District Four asses go, at least. Usually girl's asses in the district are pretty flat, but her's is exquisite. Her mermaid outfit earlier did not hide that fact at all.

We head to the small kitchen and Annie starts to pull out the ingredients. I see butter, eggs, flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, as well as a variety of other ingredients I don't recognize. She starts to whip the ingredients together and gets the dough done quickly. She then recruits me to help make the dough into balls. We've only filled up two cookies sheets when Annie puts them in the oven. "There! Now we can share the dough!"

We eat the dough in the kitchen while we wait for the cookies to bake. "So, why did you recruit me for cookie baking? Surely you would've enjoyed Finnick's company more."

Annie gives me a sad look and puts down her spoon. "Just because I love Finnick doesn't mean I don't love you too. You're my best friend. You have been for years. Nothing is going to change that."

I shake my head. There's so much I want to say to her. I want to tell her I want to be more than friend's. I'd kill to be in Finnick's position. I want her to love me the way she loves Finnick. I love you. "I love you too, Annie," just not in the same way that you love me.

Thank you all so much for reading! You are seriously the best! I'm loving this story so much! Thank you to my 5 faves and 8 follows. All of you are incredible!

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Question of the Day

What is your most awkward experience?

With Love,

Juliet