It was getting close to the next reaping and Saylor was getting nervous. Of course she knew she couldn't get reaped again but it still made her stomach drop just thinking about another set of kids dying for the entertainment of others. Normally Saylor would have to mentor the next tributes for District 4 but since Saylor was so famous at the Capitol they wanted her to sing for the games. Saylor was hesitant to agree, but after talking to Finnick, she agreed so that he could have a break from being an entertainment worker.
It was Saylor's birthday and she was laying on her bed writing a song when she heard something hitting her window. For the past few days, it had just been her at the house since Finnick was at the Capitol. Saylor got up and went over to inspect. She opened her curtains and a rock hit her window. Saylor looked down and saw Coriolanus so she opened her window. "What are you doing?" She asked him. During the day it was Sejanus's shift so she didn't see Coriolanus during the day. "Can I come up?" He asked, Ignoring her question.
Saylor went into her closet and grabbed the rope ladder that she had. Saylor was about to hang it down but had a moment of realization. If she let him up this would be the first time a boy had been in her room that wasn't Finnick. I'm overthinking it... She let the ladder down and backed up waiting for him to climb up. Saylor looked around her room to see if anything embarrassing it poking out. My room is so childish... Saylor has had the same bedroom layout since they moved after Finnick's game. The only difference is her room used to have toys.
(A very rough sketch of Saylor's room. I tried lol)
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Coriolanus climbs up and Saylor becomes nervous. He was wearing his peacekeeper pants and a white tee. She was getting used to his casual outfit but this time something was different. He was wearing dog tags. Saylor looked at him and then quickly looked away. She didn't want to admit it to herself but she was starting to see Coriolanus in a different way.
Saylor and Coriolanus were getting pretty close. When she was in District 4 she found herself at the beach most nights with him. Or when she was at the Capitol she and Coriolanus would hang out in the living room. Saylor felt like when she and Coriolanus hung out it was almost like time froze and it was just them two. Saylor thought it normal to feel this way towards her friend since she didn't have friends. Until she saw the way Finnick looked at Annie or the way they would forget she was even in the room while they were in their own little world.
"Now are you going to tell me what you're doing here?" She asks. "I'm here to give you this." He pulled a little box out of his pocket and handed it to her. Saylor opened the box and was surprised to see a silver wave necklace. It's beautiful...
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"Corio... it's beautiful. Why would you give this to me?" Saylor asked, "Here let me help you." He said and took a step closer. He grabbed the necklace and unclasped it. Saylor turned and held her hair out of his way. Coriolanus puts the necklace around her neck and clasped it. "Happy Birthday Saylor..." He said softly. Saylor turns around and looks at him with surprise. "How did you know?" She asks, "Sejanus told me..." He explained. Saylor nods remembering when Sejanus spent the majority of a train ride asking Saylor get-to-know-you questions. "Well, Thank you Corio... you didn't have to get me anything." She tells him. "No, I didn't. But I wanted to." He says. "What are you doing to celebrate?" He asks.
" Nothing... Finnick's at the Capitol," she explains. "What do you normally do?" Saylor thinks for a second before responding. "Honestly not much. After our parents died we kinda stopped celebrating birthdays." She says then sits on her bed. And motions for him to sit. " What do you do to celebrate?" she asked
"When I lived with my cousin she would always make me a cake. And would wrap gifts in extra fabric she had. The gifts weren't much since we were poor but it still meant a lot."He lets out. "You cousin... You said she was in the entertainment business, right?" He nods. "Have I met her?" Saylor asks and she notices he hesitates before he answers. "Yeah... Tigris is my cousin." Saylor isn't surprised. She had her suspicions. The way Coriolanus would describe his cousin and then knowing Tigris it made sense. "So if you're not doing anything... Wanna meet at the beach? " He quickly changed the subject. "Sure... meet you at sunset?" She asked him. "Sounds good," Coriolanus replied then chimes back through the window.
"Once there was a way, to get back homeward, Once there was a way, to get back home Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby. Golden slumbers fill your eyes, smiles awake you when you rise Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby." Saylor sang out, In front of the Capitol.
It was the night of the tribute interviews and Saylor was the opening act. This year's District 4 tributes were pretty young. There was one Career girl and a young sickly boy. The Capitol probably didn't want another winner from District 4 hints at why a young boy was chosen. Saylor didn't know for sure if they rigged the reaping but she also wouldn't be surprised.
"Once there was a way, to get back homeward, Once there was a way, to get back home Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby Boy, you're gonna carry that weight, carry that weight for a long time. Boy, you're gonna carry that weight, carry that weight for a long time"
Saylor wasn't just singing to the Capitol she was singing to the tributes. A message that no matter what they did. That if they won they wouldn't be going home. And that they will carry the guilt of the games forever.
After Saylor's performance, the Capitol cheered like normal and then she exited the stage. Saylor swears that if she sang awful lyrics the Capitol wouldn't notice as long as she sounded good. "You did great! as always. Now let's get you out of that dress... " Baylee hugs Saylor.
The 72d Games were won by a 16-year-old. Named Pliny Arausio, From District 7. And his mentor was Johanna Mason. Saylor remembers briefly talking to her at a party and she saw her at the Interviews when Saylor sang. Johanna had won the year previous to Saylor and was decent friends with Finnick.
The District 4 tributes did surprisingly well in the games. The little boy had allied with the Career Girl but when it came down to it she stabbed him in the back. Then she got betrayed by another Career. Finnick told Saylor that he could tell the girl had a crush on the boy and followed him with loyalty. But the boy was obviously just using her which led to her downfall.
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Read please!!!! Ok, I'm rushing a little through the story but we are getting closer to the good part... AKA catching fire. So right now was the 72nd Hunger Games. And Katniss is obviously the 74th. Yes, there are still 2 years but I honestly won't be doing much of those.
When I started this book I overestimated how much time I needed for my ideas. I kinda didn't have anything planned out ... soooo we might be time skipping a whole year. Let me know if you have any major problems with that but if not then that's what I will probably do! Lmk if you have any questions!
