Chapter 7-finnick
District after District was introduced, the first two wearing an impressive display of twinkling lights and barely-there clothing. I remembered what they had me in during the opening ceremony. It was embarrassing. I was a piece of meat being thrown off to the people of the capitol to feast on. Azure was in a two piece number, a bustier made of shells and a seaweed bottom, and despite it all, she looked stunning. She felt confident and it showed, she had the crowd in the palm of her hands since the very moment our train rolled into the city. I was nearly naked, and that's hardly an exaggeration. My upper body was exposed, with only a short pair of shorts strung together from seaweed, similar to Azures. The crowd enjoyed it, but I felt humiliated. That's when I began to lose dignity, piece by piece. I felt nervous for a moment as the two of district three walked in. What if they had Annie in some over exposing costume? I had told her not to worry. Why did I lie?
But when I heard her name, my mouth fell open in gawking surprise. I had never seen anyone look as beautiful as Azure did on that day…until now. Annie was sparkling. Although I was sitting in the front row, I was sure that even those sitting yards behind me could see her eyes shining like I did. I hardly noticed the crowds reaction until Mags nudged at my side, smiling. They were cheering, the loudest they had cheered for anyone as of yet. I felt an arm on my shoulder and turned around to see Johanna Mason, one of the past winners of district 7, congratulate me. Although our tributes were competing against each other, we still remained close, even helping each other at times. I put my hand over hers and squeezed it. We were the only two in our circle of victors just a few years apart in age. The rest were much older, and so we relied on each other a lot.
The other victors came and went, but my eyes were only on Annie, and Lucas of course. After all, their reaction was all that mattered to me. They were both smiling, standing a few inches apart, but I could see the tension lined in her shoulders. She was uncomfortable. Lucas seemed alright. He embraced the crowd, even spinning around when one of the ladies in the front asked him to. She clapped and shrieked in delight. He was a handsome boy, and the citizens of the Capitol had definitely noticed.
I didn't get to see Annie again until dinner. They had been sent straight up to our room to shower by the time we arrived. It wasn't about until an hour later that we all sat down for dinner.
"Everyone loved you!" oozed Costas, almost throwing a pea off his fork, "The crowds went mad!"
Lucas grinned, "I guess our glittery outfits worked then."
Costas laughed, "I'm sure that had very little to do with it."
Lucas crossed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
"I'm sure no one noticed the toned physique underneath your sequined vest." said Costas casually, as if he weren't complimenting Lucas on his body.
His cheeks turned red, but he didn't say anything.
I lingered on his face for a moment, before I noticed how quiet Annie was.
"You looked really good, Annie." I told her, being careful with my use of adjectives as to not make her uncomfortable.
"Thanks," She looked up from her plate, "Finnick." She added as an afterthought.
Mags threw her arm out across the table, "Do you need help taking those extensions off your hair later?" she asked sweetly, in a maternal tone.
Annie smiled at her, reaching out for her hand, "Helia told me to leave them on, I need them tomorrow too, but thank you."
She squeezed her hand before pulling away. My eyes remained on her hand, absently, and then I caught her eyes. I couldn't help looking away.
I didn't get to speak with her privately like I'd wished to. After dinner, we spent the rest of the night watching the recap of the opening ceremonies before Lucas and Annie dismissed themselves to go to sleep. I lay in my bed, my covers undone, and stared at the roof. What was this aching in my chest? This urge I couldn't control? I wanted to talk to her. But I knew it was pointless. She would be sent into the arena within a few days, and there was nothing either of us could do about. I jumped out of bed and went for a walk, hoping that I could just walk off these nagging feelings. The halls were dark, barely lit by the lamplight in the living room. I could still smell the snapper we had eaten earlier stinging the air. It was too quiet. I didn't like the quiet. Not when I so badly wanted to scream. My legs took me to the staircase that was always my escape during these grueling days. I took them again, appreciating their consistency, and went up to the roof, inhaling a gust of fresh air.
I was free, or at least, the closest I'll ever be to free.
I began walking, slowly, over to the edge of the roof when I saw a shadow sitting on the edge. Hair blowing madly in the wind. My heart lurched, I was even compelled to leave, but I was even more compelled to approach her.
"Mind if I sit here?" I asked, trying to sound smooth. Trying? I am smooth.
Her face arched up towards me and nodded, "Not at all. I actually wouldn't mind the company."
Something began to build up in my chest, but I ignored it. "Are you alright? You were kind of..quiet at dinner."
I can see her eyes narrow, still directed at the infinite night sky in front of us. "It's just…a case of the jitters, that's all."
"Because of the interview coming up? Or the games?"
I could see her shoulders tense. "Both."
I sat beside her, kicking my feet out in front of me next to hers. "You're not a career, are you?"
She made a small noise at the back of her throat, like a humorless laugh, "Yeah, right."
"Don't laugh. You don't have to be a career to win this." The firmness of my voice caught her attention, and now I can see her. The moonlight casting shadow underneath her cheekbones, the stars leaving bright circles of light in her striking green eyes.
"It's true. I wasn't. And I'm alive…at least, I think so."
She laughed. "I'd hope so, if not, everyone's been seeing a ghost."
"It'd be such a waste if I were see-through."
She couldn't tell if I was kidding or not, which I wasn't – it would be a tremendous waste – but I usually got a laugh from it. We sat in silence for a little. She stared up at the full moon illuminating the rooftops as I stared at her, from the corner of my eye.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this." She began, her voice soft.
"You can trust me. That's what I'm here for. You know, being your mentor and all."
The side of her mouth twitched, "Which is why I shouldn't tell you this." And then she looked at me, her eyes sincere and expecting as if she finally decided she could trust me.
"I know I'm not going to make it out there." She said definitively, as if there really were no other option.
"Annie –"
"No." she stopped me. I wouldn't have, but there was a sort of persistence in her voice that I couldn't ignore. "If any of us are going to win, it'd be Lucas. He's been training his whole life…" her voice trailed off after that, and I didn't know what else to do but hold her gaze. Her eyes had darkened, like an ocean bracing itself for a thunderstorm. As if it were an unconscious effort, my hand, just inches from her on the gravel, slid over and landed on her fingertips. She looked down, surprised, and then back at me.
"I wouldn't give up hope so easily if I were you, Annie Cresta."
She blushed, the pinkness in her cheeks visible through her sun-kissed skin. "Why not?"
I drew in breath, wondering why my mind was racing and having difficulty putting words together. "Because…I was just like you once."
Our fingertips were still touching, the nerves buzzing and jolting up my arm. "I wasn't a career. I never thought I'd get chosen. I mean, does anyone really ever expect it?" for a moment I didn't see her, I saw Azure, and the faces of the other tributes that I had killed. "Mags knew I was good at one thing. I could wield a trident like it was nobody's business."
Annie laughed.
"So she got me one. She wont tell me, not until this very day, but I know it was one of the biggest sacrifices she had ever had to make. Tridents aren't easy to come by. They're costly to make, and there are very few out there. But she managed it. All because I had her, looking out for me. That's what I'm going to do for you, Annie. I'm going to look after you."
The way she was looking at me made whatever it was that was building up in my chest before, practically explode. Her eyes darted back and forth, searching my face. And then a gust of wind blew past us, throwing brown hair on her face and I couldn't let it ruin the moment so I reached up with my free hand, and gently pushed it away. Her eyes widened, but this time, it wasn't because she was scared of me. I couldn't quite tell how she felt, but I knew it wasn't fear. My hand lingered on her face, millimeters away from her cheek and I wondered if she would let me go further and touch it. It was so tempting, especially with that blush creeping across her face. But before I could go any further, she turned away.
"How…how old were you, when you were reaped?"
My hand fell limply at my side, still feeling the proximity of her skin against it. "Fourteen."
"And it's been five years since then…"she said thoughtfully. "You were two years younger than I am now."
"I honestly don't know how I did it. Luck? I don't know."
"I saw your games, I remember them because you were so close to my age. You were so close to winning, and I was rooting for you because you gave me hope – that if I were chosen the next year or maybe even the next, I would have a chance at winning, too."
Her words surprised me. She remembered me from the games?
"And, where has your hope gone?"
She blinked twice and her eyes were shining amongst the stars, extinguishing their light in comparison. "I grew up. Reality happened and it just…disappeared."
After feeling the fidgeting her fingers beneath mine, I spoke carefully, leaving no room for deliberation. "I don't believe that."
A/N: Here you go my lovelies (: Thanks for all of your reviews, you've all been so tremendously sweet. By the way, if there's any suggestions or something your particularly interested in seeing for this story, let me know! Don't forget to review!
