The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

7

I felt anxiety crawl it's way into my stomach as Caesar Flickerman continued to rant about how exciting these games are. Questions were swirling in my head such as; Who am I up against?. Would I recognise any of them?. Will they be strange faces?. I eyed Trent whose eyes were glued to the screen in determination. How many are trained?...that thought caused me to shiver.

Johanna sat on the couch opposite me. I can't ever remember spending this much time together indoors. Actually, I don't think I've spent an entire day in her company before. I guess today's a first. 

She seemed to be glaring down Caesar as if he was actually with us instead of only on the screen. Pursed lips and hand swirling a glass of scotch she's yet to touch.

Blight, like usual is passed out next to Trent. Despite Trent nudging him every so often. Another look of determination made its way onto his face as he eyed Clement's glass on the table. I bit my lip to contain my smile. Guess he's finally found his fingerprint location.

I watched on as the screen showed a wealthy looking District. From years of watching reapings on TV I could instantly recognised it as District One. The stage was that crowded with young people that the camera had to strain to show the faces of the many Victors sitting behind them. I sank in my chair at the sight of it. Nearly all the teens and young adults on that stage wore eager smiles. A clear contrast to their parents or relatives behind them. 

Clement nodded enthusiastically to the screen. "Now, that's something different. Of course it's descendants of Victors under the age of twenty-five. There's probably an eighth of District One on that stage".

That's true, District One has too many Victors over history to count. Meaning there's allot of descendants under the age of twenty-five. I looked from Clement back to the screen with a weird after thought. It might be a first then this year where lower districts have better odds than District One. It could be your cousin or aunt that you hardly know that's cost your name to be reaped. Meaning, you're not famous compared to the celebrities going into this. So no sponsors. And you never grew up in Victors Village so you're not wealthy either. I couldn't imagine it. Especially if you're over eighteen and thought you'd survived all the reapings. I sighed. "That's not necessarily a bad thing". 

At least for us. It's an advantage. If anyone had heard me then they didn't acknowledge it. Everyone just wanted to watch.  So we watched. And reaped were two kids nobody knew. Ages sixteen and eighteen and then, then the shoving came. They were all screaming and yelling. All of them...Volunteering.

I shared a look with Trent who shook his head and muttered. "Freaks".

District One. I shouldn't have expected anything less. To most of them it's probably their second chance to follow in their parents footsteps. They picked the most 'known' tributes who volunteered. The two cousins who could pass for siblings.  Fragrance and Satin. Both blond bombshells and I rolled my eyes at the sight of their eager pretty faces. You'd have to be living under a rock to not know who they are. The children of Cashmere and Gloss who both won back to back games or something like that.

Johanna sighed and muttered. "Figures".

We both turned to her but her eyes were still glued to the screen. She smirked happily when it showed Cashmere's false smile. "They'll be trained in knives".

I guess my mother doesn't like Cashmere. I don't know how to feel about my mother having made enemies out of other Victors. I didn't want to be targeted just because my mother doesn't have a filter. But I also know she's friends with a lot of them. Or at the very least acquaintances.  

Trent leant back in his seat and rose his eyebrows at me before whispering into my ear. "Since when does she ever talk to us?".

I observed my mother's casual demener before whispering back. "Since we got reaped I guess".

Next was District Two and it was like someone replayed the reaping of District One but recasted everyone. Still eager and volunteering tributes. Still angry looking Victors. The son of Brutus was reaped. He looked strong and is exactly twenty-five. The female volunteer is Enobaria's cousin. Both of them aren't that famous. And Enobaria's cousin, isn't even a little bit famous. Nobody outside District Two would know who she is or how she fights.

Trent scoffed. "Let's hope fangs don't run in the family".

I smirked back at him and turned as District Three came on screen. Two tributes, one on each side with only one slip in each bowel. Just like our District. 

Clement chose that moment to tusk. "What a pity that they're brother and sister".

And just like that, with one sentence we felt the full weight of these games. You could easily see the resemblance, even without the matching glasses. It was unnerving, both their parents are Victors and they sat behind their children with regretful faces. 

Johanna rolled out her shoulders with a sigh. "Keep an eye on those two. They'll have good brains being raised by Nuts and Volts".

Right. Because we totally know who Nuts and Volts are!. I could already tell I'll have to watch a few games just to understand my competitors better. And more importantly what kind of parent post games raised them. 

District Four was next. The stage was fairly full with tributes. I guess being a career district, the odds are in their favour. However, everyone knows nobody volunteers in District Four. They're the career district that are just as likely to rebel then side with the Capitol.

The girl was unknown. It was only once Caesar said she was the great granddaughter of one of the first Victors that a look of recognition crossed Johanna's face. She then lost it in seconds as if writing her off as not a threat.

Once the name of the male tribute was called out it caused a mixed response from the entire District. Mix of cheers and outcries. I watched in slight fear as the Capitol's heartthrob walked confidently to the side. Liam Odair. Probably one of the most famous to enter these games. Even just as, if not more famous than me. The carbon copy of his father and doted on by the Capitol. 

Johanna bit her lip and muttered out a slight. "Fuck".

And for once I completely agreed with my mother. Fuck! or should I say, fuck me!. Finnick smirked out at the crowd, one that matched his son's. At first I thought that Johanna was pissed because she thought I'd probably die now. But the more I observed her, the more I noticed she watched Finnick comforting his wife over Liam. They're friends.

Annie Cresta was screaming. And I mean literally screaming. It's no secret that she's insane so she never goes to the Capitol to mentor. But Finnick Odair does. To do...things Annie Odair wouldn't approve of. Therefore, my mother is more likely sympathetic for Finnick. 

I bit my lip in fear. Finnick Odair literally managed to get a trident from a sponsor in his games and won at a mere fourteen. Liam, like myself has been famous since the second he was born. I wonder what he'd be able to get from sponsors...

I could even tell Trent looked a little on edge. As if none of us considered the Capitol golden boy's name would ever be called out. There was no denying that he was gorgeous, I'm not blind. I had a dreaded feeling that if our parents are friends, then like Johanna, Finnick probably trained him relentlessly for the games. Even past the age of eighteen.

I sighed in defeat and leant back in my seat. Only four districts in, and already I feel like the odds aren't in my favour...and I'm not even going to play. So yeah, I'm fucked.