05

All is Fair in Love and Games

A Hunger Games FanFic

By Sophia

Author's Note

Dear People Reading This,

Tis I, your lovely author Sophia. If you are reading this right now, it means I chose to send you my cringey writing because for some reason you like it and want more stories so here we are. The idea of the Hunger Games is unfortunately not mine and is owned by the ship killer, Suzanne Collins. This plot however is mostly mine, some ideas getting generated from those in the books, some me coming up with. The characters also belong to me so please don't copy them. When this story takes place, it is currently the 43rd Hunger Games. I hope you enjoy.

Your Wonderful Author,

✨Sophia✨

TRIBUTES

🩶 DISTRICT ONE 🩶

RAINA HOLLINGSTON:

AGE: 16

PLAYED BY: CAILEY FLEMING

***********

TRENTON YOUNG:

AGE: 18

PLAYED BY: ALEX HIBBERT

🩶 DISTRICT TWO 🩶

COURTNEY BROOKSEN:

AGE: 16

PLAYED BY: ISABELLA SERMON

***********

JACKSON FERRIS:

AGE: 14

PLAYED BY: AIDAN GALLAGHER

🩶 DISTRICT THREE 🩶

MALIA RODRIGUEZ:

AGE: 12

PLAYED BY: MACKENZIE FOY

***********

SEBASTIEN BROWNS:

AGE: 15

PLAYED BY: WALKER SCOBELL

🩶 DISTRICT FOUR 🩶

FAY KIRKS:

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: RAFFEY CASSIDY

***********

JONAH MONROE:

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: LEVI MILLER

🩶 DISTRICT FIVE 🩶

CASSIDY FINXS:

AGE: 16

PLAYED BY: PRESLEY ELISE

***********

DAXTON FINXS:

AGE: 16

PLAYED BY: MASON THAMES

🩶 DISTRICT SIX 🩶

LILLIE FORESTER

AGE: 17

PLAYED BY: ELLE FANNING

**********

TANNER HOCKINGS:

AGE: 12

PLAYED BY: MARCEL RUIZ

🩶 DISTRICT SEVEN 🩶

OPHELIA BURNS:

AGE: 12

PLAYED BY: ABBY WHITE

***********

ELLIOTT PORTERS:

AGE: 18

PLAYED BY: TIMOTHEE CHALAMET

🩶 DISTRICT EIGHT 🩶

HANNAH ADDAMS:

AGE: 15

PLAYED BY: KYLA MATTHEWS

***********

EVERETT JOHNSON:

AGE: 17

PLAYED BY: JAEDEN MARTELL

🩶 DISTRICT NINE 🩶

SAVANNAH CONNORS:

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: ISABELLA CROVETTI

************

COOPER GREYSON

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: ETHAN WACKER

🩶 DISTRICT TEN 🩶

RYLEE OSCARS:

AGE: 15

PLAYED BY: MALINA WEISSMAN

***********

CRAY DUNBAR:

AGE: 14

PLAYED BY: NOAH SCHNAPP

🩶 DISTRICT ELEVEN 🩶

EVEE ROLLINS:

AGE: 16

PLAYED BY: SADIE SINK

***********

MACE MCQUINN:

AGE: 12

PLAYED BY: DAAN LENNARD LIEBRENZ

🩶 DISTRICT TWELVE 🩶

MAYZEE O'CONNERS:

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: ANASTASIA BEZRUKOVA

***********

KALEB GREEN:

AGE: 13

PLAYED BY: NOAH JUPE

PART ONE ><><>< THE JOURNEY

'I might not have asked to be placed in the games but I'm sure not just gonna give up.'

CHAPTER ONE ~ NOT IN OUR FAVOR

*** SAVANNAH CONNORS POV ***

I smoothed out my yellow dress for what seemed like the 100th time today. I stood among the other thirteen year olds, some of which were silently crying. Our escort, Sunni Iris, stood at the front of the stage, her powdered blue hair piled atop her pale head. She reaches her milk colored hand into the bowl and pulls out a slip of paper. She opens it up, slowly as if wanting the suspense to build up.

"Representing District Nine in the 43rd annual Hunger Games as our female Tribute is Savannah Connors1" The odds are definitely not in my favor today. I blink twice, fast, and then a third time before slowly walking up to the dark gray stage. The stage matches the color of the clouds today which match my mood. I had a terrible feeling this morning when I woke up and thought it was just the nervousness kicking in. After all, this is only my second Reaping. I walk up the stairs, trying to draw out each step as if it will make time restart. The flashbacks from this morning flow through my head.

***** FLASHBACK *****

I climb over the fence that cages all of us in like animals. It isn't on. It never is. I hop to the ground on the other side. I'm in my yellow Reaping dress and it almost gets caught on the fence but fortunately for me, it doesn't. I sit down behind a tree and out of sight of nine. Out of sight of everyone getting ready for the Reaping. Out of sight of Panem. Out of sight of the world. 

My thoughts fight in my head like two childish kids fighting over who gets the swing at school. One side wants me to run away. To eight or ten or even thirteen which is rumored to exist underground. The other side is telling me to stay. That I won't get picked for the Reaping or any Reaping at all. The side that wants me to run is winning and the chances get higher and higher each second that ticks by that I'm going to run. 

I stand up, brush off my dress and am about to start making my way away from the dreadful place I grew up when I hear the rustling of leaves on the ground and a twig snapping. I spin around, my blonde hair whipping me in the face. I see a flash of brown hair dart behind a tree and smile on the inside. But on the outside, my face is as cold as stone.

"Why are you following me Cooper?" I ask. No answer. "Dude, I already know you're behind that tree, just come out." Reluctantly, the boy I grew up with my whole life, comes out from behind the tree.

"Hi," he says. I look him in the eyes. His green eyes stare into my blue ones.

"Why are you following me?" I repeat, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Well, what would you do if you saw your friend climb over the fence and run into the woods?" he asks, not giving me a clear answer.

"I wouldn't follow them like a stalker," I say dully.

"Well, what are you even doing?" he asks, his eyes shining.

"Running away," I answered simply. He mutters something under his breath, something like And she doesn't want me to follow her.

"Oh, Savannah. Do I have to do this again?"

"Again? And do what?" He gestures for me to sit down against one of the taller trees. I reluctantly sit down next to him with my legs out since I'm wearing a dress.

"Remember that day when we were six? You ran to my house at about five in the morning, knocked softly on my window continuously until I finally gave in and opened it. I asked you what you wanted and you said you wanted to run away and asked if I wanted to come. I asked why and you said because they were hurting people. I jumped out my window, sat down and you sat down next to me and I told you all the reasons you should stay. Saying we were both six years old, we argued back and forth about why we should or shouldn't stay but you finally gave in and we spent the rest of the day together," Cooper says. His eyes light up whenever he tells a story. I nod and after a couple of minutes I say "I remember."

"Savannah. Why are you running away?" I look up from my shoes and look at him.

"Cooper, I have a bad feeling about today. I had this vision last night, and before you say that it was just a dream, last time I had a vision, I saw Ellie getting picked. I saw her dying by the hand of the other in our District. And look what happened." Cooper stays silent, inviting me to continue. "I saw both of us getting Reaped today. And even if the vision isn't true, who says we aren't going to get Reaped next year. Or the year after that. Or after that. Cooper, people are dying. They are playing the stupid Capitol's game. I can't let them do that to me."

"So you're running away? How is that a good solution? You're just making it look like you're scared."

"I am scared Cooper! I'm scared for me and my mom and Ava and Rosie and for you and your dad and Jack and Stacee but most of all I'm scared for all of Panem. These games are going to break us!" I say, raising my voice slightly. "Ugh, I sound stupid." I bury my head in my hands.

"I think you sound brilliant," Cooper says, causing me to lift my head back up and face him. I give him a doubtful look. "You can't run away Savannah. What will I do? I can't lose you."

"You can come with," I suggest.

"I can't. With Dad working all day, I have to take care of Jack and Stacee."

"Bring them with."

"Bring a ten year old and a four year old to run away with you. Great idea," Cooper says sarcastically.

"Cooper, I can't stay here."

"Yes, you can. Savannah, we'll get through this together. Please stay." I stay silent for a while and hear the rushing of the river that runs through nine.

"I'll think about it," I say in a barely audible voice. Apparently it is audible enough because Cooper perks up and shines a bright smile at me. "You go, I'll be at the Reaping later."

"How do I know you won't leave?"

"I'm wearing a dress, you can't exactly run away with a dress, no food, no shelter, and it's cold today too," I say with a duh sort of tone.

"Promise?" he says, holding out his pinky finger.

"What are we? Six?" I ask. He ignores me and I nod and interlock our pinkies together and shake it. Cooper turns to leave but before he does he plants a quick kiss on my cheek and heads to scurry off but I'm too fast. I stick my leg out and trip him and he falls flat on his face, a red blush crawling across his cheeks as he gets up and brushes the imaginary dust off himself.

"Don't do that again," I warn. He laughs, red still all over his face.

"See you later Savannah."

***** END OF FLASHBACK *****

I should've run away after Cooper left or even better, convince him to come with me. Anything would've been better than staying here. I stand up on the stage next to Sunni, refusing to look at anything but the floor.

"What is your name dear?" Sunni asks as if she didn't just call my name out to all of nine and most likely all of the Capitol who is watching this live right now.

"Savannah Connors," I say.

"And how old are you?"

"13."

"Very good, any volunteers?" Sunni asks the crowd. Absolute silence. I don't blame them though. Who would want to willingly go into the Hunger Games? The Careers that's who. 

The Careers are a group of kids normally from Districts One and Two and sometimes Four. They train all year and then volunteer at the Reapings. During the Games they stay together in groups and go around killing people. When it comes down to just them, they turn on each other so fast, you would think they were never a group in the first place. 

"All right. Now for the boys." She reaches into the other glass bowl and pulls out another white slip. She opens it and smiles sweetly. I know who it is before she even reads it out loud. "The male tribute that is representing District Nine in the 43rd Hunger Games is Cooper Greyson!" My face fell even though I already had a hint at what was coming. Cooper walks up the stairs and stands on the opposite side of Sunni. "And what is your name?"

"Cooper Greyson."

"Age?"

"13."

"Wow, another young one. Any volunteers?" Sunni asks the crowd. More silence. Sunni claps twice. "Hooray! Give it up for the tributes of District Nine!" No one claps again. In the back Jack and Ava stand side by side and put three fingers to their lips and raise them in the air. Everyone in the square follows. Thank goodness The Peacekeepers don't shoot the two down like what happened two years ago, when someone did the same thing and the Peacekeepers shot them with no hesitation. It must be because they are only ten. 

"Now, shake hands." I turn to shake Cooper's hand but instead of shaking hands, we both throw our arms around each other. There are cries of protest from the crowd as we are brought into the Justice Building. 

The Peacekeepers throw me into a small room with nothing but a stool and lots of dust bunnies. I choose not to sit on the stool and instead stand with my hands crossed across my chest, waiting. The next hour is time allotted for visitors. My first visitors are Mom, Ava, and Rosie. Rosie is clinging to Mom's hand like a life line and Ava is twisting her light blonde hair around her finger. A nervous habit of hers. Rosie runs to me and envelopes me in a hug. She sniffles.

"Savee, I don't want you to go," she says, using her nickname for me. I blink away the tears of sorrow and pull her away and look into her bright blue eyes, which are welling with tears about to flood down like a waterfall.

"Rosie, I need you to promise me something. Pinky promise." She nods slowly. "I need you to promise to stay happy. Forget I'm gone and cheer Mom up. And Ava. Most of all, cheer yourself up and stay the happy little five year old I know and love. Will you promise me that?"

"Yes, Savee," she says, extending her small pinky finger and interlocking it with mine. "I love you Savee."

"I love you too Rosie." I plant a kiss on her forehead and she runs back to Mom and buries her face into her pant leg. Ava is next. She walks towards me and wraps her thin, frail arms around me.

"Oh Savannah," she whispers, digging her head into my shoulder. She softly begins to whimper.

"Hey, hey. It's ok. Ava, I love you so much, as does everyone in nine. Never forget how much you make everyone's lives better. You sure make mine better. If you grieve and become sad and depressed, it will be like the sun doesn't shine for anyone anymore. Stay you. You are a beautiful, kind, caring, sweet ten year old and no one can afford to lose you."

"Hey Savannah?" Ava says, peeking up from my shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Try to win." I blink back the tears and nod.

"Of course Ava. I might not have asked to be placed in the games but I'm sure not giving up." She smiles softly and walks back over to comfort Rosie. Next, I pull Mom aside. "Mom. I need you to promise. Don't you ever do the same thing for me as you did when Dad died. Ava and Rosie need you. I need you to stay strong for them. Please." Mom nods her head slowly.

"Just try to win, sweetie. Remember, I always love you." I nod. A Peacekeeper barges in and yells that time is up. Rosie sniffles.

"I love you!" I call as the door slams shut. My next visitors aren't much of a surprise either. Kent, Jack, and Stacee walk in the door. Tears brim Stacee's, and Kent's eyes and Jack's face is stone cold. They've just visited Cooper I assume. Kent, Cooper's father, has Stacee in his arms. Stacee beckoned for her father to place her on the ground and when he obliged, she ran over and jumped into my arms. Her small, cold, hands wrapped around my neck and she buried her head into my shoulder. "Oh Stac, it's ok. Don't cry."

"Will you come back?" she asked, voice cracking in the middle of the sentence. I bit my lip before answering.

"I'll try. And so will Cooper. I love you Stac, never forget that." She nodded and dawdled back over to Kent. Jack walked over next. He smiled softly, his dimples threatening to pop out. I pulled him in for a hug. "I will protect him, Jack. I'll even go as far as dying for him if it means he gets to come home safe. Just please take care of Ava for me. She really loves you and you make her whole heart light up. Please. I love you Jack." I let go. I give a silent nod towards Kent and then they are escorted out of the room.