I don't own the Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins.
Chapter Four
Still grinning, proud of her achievement, Katniss took the elevator, wanting to go back to the training room. When the elevator came to an abrupt stop on the District Four floor, Katniss was quick to wipe the happy smile off of her face.
The doors opened and Katniss was faced with the district four male tribute. He just stared at her, seemingly intimidated by her blank expression and the score she recently received, before entering. Inwardly, Katniss let out a sigh of relief, happy that it wasn't Finnick.
"Oh, hey Fire Girl!" Finnick called from across the room, sitting in front of the screen, watching one of the terrible Capitol soap dramas they had on. He was quick to rise to feet after seeing her, "Come to visit—"
Faster than Katniss even knew possible; she pressed the close button on the elevator, which caused the doors to swiftly shut. Even Katniss was stunned at how fast the doors closed, expecting a few second delay rather than the immediate reaction. However, as she began to really think about it, she figured it was for safety reason. In the case that another tribute was running away from a Career, they would be safe the second they reached the elevator. Katniss seriously doubted many people could outrun a Career, though. The Careers have been training their whole life in agility, basic survival skills, and weaponry.
"I thought you liked Finnick…" The quiet voice of the District Four boy rung out and she turned to him, almost forgetting that he was there.
"No ways! Is that what he's been telling everybody?" Katniss denied, enraged at Finnick for spreading rumors about her.
"No, but I head Johanna Mason, the mentor for District Seven came to our floor not long ago. She was talking about your date and well… If you went on a date with him, I just kind of assumed you liked him…" he explains to her.
"It wasn't a date. It was a meeting," Katniss mutters to him. The next few seconds are spent in awkward silence before he turns to look at her.
"I'm Gabriel," he introduces himself to her, holding out his hand. "I don't know if Finnicks been talking about us or not, hell, I don't even think that he remembers my name. But, I guess I just wanted to let you know."
"Katniss Everdeen," she replies to him, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. "I'm from District Twelve."
"I know who you are Katniss, everyone is talking about you," Gabriel laughs. "Everyone is wondering how you managed to get that eleven. But honestly, you don't seem any more dangerous than Cato to me." The door opens; signaling their arrival to the training room but Katniss doesn't get out right away.
"And you? Are you wondering about how I got that eleven?" Katniss eyes him warily, untrustingly. The boy shrugs in reply.
"Well of course I am," he confesses. "But I'm not going to badger you about it. I doubt you would tell me anyways." Katniss nods, it was true that she would never let her secret out. It gave her an advantage over the others. If the Careers managed to find out her skill with a bow, they would make absolute sure that she couldn't get to her chosen weapon in the Games and she doubted she could survive without it.
"You're right." Gabriel, who was just walking out the door, paused to look back at her. Katniss steps out after him and continues walking, however she looked over her should to the District Four Male. "You're right to think that I wouldn't tell you."
The second she steps into the training room, the atmosphere seems to tense. The Careers pause in their training and Cato grins at her, marching over to her.
"So Fire Girl, seems like you've been hiding something from us," he says in a playful voice, although his body language is tense and ready. "An eleven, huh? Say, you don't even need to tell us your skills… How about you join us in the Games?" He says this as if she should be honored.
"Thanks, but no thanks." Katniss sneers, trying to walk past him. However, he is quick to grab her arm in a grip so harsh, Katniss winces in pain.
"Not so fast, Girl on Fire. Either you join us in the arena or you become our number one target," Cato warns, his grip on her tightening with each word. For a second, Katniss started to become terrified that he would break her arm and ruin all chances she had of winning in the arena, and she struggles viciously. The other Careers laughed from the sidelines, amused at the scene.
"Let me go!" Katniss demands, pushing against him and trying to pull her arm free.
"Not unless you agree," Cato says calmly, unfazed by her squirming.
"Hey, let her go!" Finnick's strong voice rings out from the entrance. He had decided to go to the training room to give Katniss a pleasant surprise, and maybe to try to coax a few secrets out of her.
Cato reacts immediately, letting Katniss's arm go and she backs up a safe distance, however keeps a wary glare at the Career's leader.
"What, Odair? Scared for your girlfriend," Cato taunts, turning towards the infamous District Four Victor.
"Tributes aren't supposed to fight before they are released in the arena," Finnick reminds Cato of one of the few tribute rules. "You would have been punished should anything of happened to her." Cato doesn't take the warning well, his face turning red with anger.
"I'm going to save your girlfriend for last. I won't even use my sword, that's too quick. I'm going to use a knife, hell maybe I'll drown her," Cato growls out. "How ironic would that be? District Four is well known for its sea. I could kill her with the very essence you associate with your home."
"That's enough, District One," Finnick stops Cato before he could say anything else. He looks unfazed by Cato's threats and he talks with civility, like he's speaking to a child. "Just go back to your spear throwing or whatever. I don't have time for you." Cato looks enraged at being treated like a kid, but he stomps off anyways. Returning to his fellow Careers, Glimmer tries to comfort him, clinging to him and murmuring sweet nothings to him, although from over Cato's shoulder, she's throwing Finnick a seductive smile.
Katniss storms up to Finnick, pushing into his chest. "I could have took care of myself!" she yells at him. "You made me look weak!"
Rather than replying, Finnick grabs at her hands and holds it into his chest. In response to this, Katniss furiously tries to pull away from him. However, he doesn't let up, instead sliding his free hand around her waist and pulling her closer to him.
"What are you doing, Odair!?" she screeches. "Let go of me!"
"Nah, I find this position quite comfortable," Finnick purrs into her ear, holding her into his chest firmly. Infuriated and blinded by embarrassment and humiliation, Katniss reels back her head and slams it forward with as much force as she could muster.
Finnick stumbles back blindly, completely in shock and clutching his nose where her forehead hit most prominently. It's bleeding and Finnick temporarily loses his control, something that hasn't happened in years, and curses.
However, immediately after being let go, Katniss falls to the floor. Clutching her head, she groans in pain.
"You, bastard! You, bastard, my head!" Katniss doesn't even comprehending what she's saying, her head is pounding and it feels as if there is a constant pounding in her skull.
It takes a few moments for Katniss to pull herself together, realizing that she's the center of attention in the training room. She shoots up, hands still gripping her head because she feels that if she were to let go, everything would fall apart. Stumbling to her feet, Katniss moans in pain when she finally stands on her feet. To her, it feels as if the room is spinning and she wants to puke from the unpleasant sensation that is flowing throughout her.
Vaguely, Katniss could see Careers laughing from their corner of the room. Cato seems to have completely forgotten about their previous confrontation and it looks as if he's going to start crying from laughter anytime now. The sight of seeing the both of them in pain must have brought extreme pleasure to the sick District One boy.
"You, you actually head-butted me!" Finnick sputters, he keeps a firm grip on his bloody nose, causing his voice to sound slightly nasally. "I think my nose is broken!"
"Lucky you," Katniss mutters sarcastically. "I think I cracked my skull." Finally, the training room mentors seem to snap out of their shock at the scene and they surge forward to grab at the girl that injured a victor, a very important victor. Katniss looks at them, just now realizing that she just injured a victor, which is absolute taboo. She looks scared for a moment; thinking that they would punish her family for her stupid, blind actions.
However, Finnick hold out his hand to them. He glares at Katniss for a second, then his expression softens and he starts to grin.
"Wow, Girl on Fire. You're really something else. Your name matches you well," he smirks and Katniss looks at him, shocked. Confused that he would take it so well. She broke his nose.
Then she grins, happy with the release. She's been wanted to hit Finnick from the moment she met him. "Well you know, just living up to my reputation. Personally, I think I did you a favor. You look ten times better than before!"
"Sorry, I can't say the same for you. I doubt that any type of Capitol plastic surgery can fix your face," Finnick replies back smoothly, as if he's complimenting her rather than insulting her.
"Really know? Then why are you so obsessed with me?" Katniss retaliated, but at the same time she was also curious.
"What are you talking about? I was just coming down here to help my tribute out," he nods over to where Gabriel is still blatantly staring at the two of them. "But since you decided to rearrange my face, I think I'll be going to the medical center to fix this." He looks down at his bleeding nose, indicating to it, before turning around and striding out the door.
Katniss watches him leave incredulously. For a moment, she feels guilty for head-butting him, but remembering how he crushed her body to his, she felt a surge of hatred flow through her. Who exactly did Finnick Odair think he was?
And that concludes Chapter Four. Just as before, chapter five is finished but I'll be waiting to complete Chapter Six before I post anything. And wow~ 37 Reviews! I'm hoping to hit 50 before I post my new chapter. Since I had 13 reviews on my first chapter, I don't find that too unrealistic. Personally, I really like my chapter five. But, I'm not revealing anything. I'm thinking about starting a new story, too, but than that would be me juggling three stories at once, which is completely unrealistic. However, winter break is almost upon us… Once again, I encourage everyone to create a Finnick/Katniss fanfiction. I think I read them all…