Chapter 7: Reunited in a Tool Shop
Almost a year and a half have passed and I haven't seen Finnick much. I'm not mad at him anymore, but I'm not sure if he is. Thinking back to that day on our rock I should have greeted him better and shown him more friendliness. I mean, he just got out of The Hunger Games for crying out loud. Still, what he had said hurt me and I was never the one to say I'm sorry first.
My second reaping flew by like a breeze. Both our tributes died in the bloodbath.
My times with Finnick seemed like a haze as I was now rapidly approaching 15 years old. In 2 days to be exact.
I wasn't sure if he even wanted to see me anymore, so I kept my distance. His family had moved to his home in Victor's Village, leaving us with new neighbors- a crabby old couple that didn't appreciate my arrow shooting.
I was too busy with school to worry about anything other than get a good grade anyways. Finnick dropped school because he was so rich he would never need to get a job and also no one could get any work done if the Finnick Odair was in the same room as you supposedly.
My dad had told me that during his interview Finnick had said he loved me. I was shocked at first but then realized that it was probably meant brotherly or sisterly love. Nothing romantic I was sure. At least I hoped not. News reporters from the Capitol had come to take pictures of and film me for some reason but I shot an arrow through their camera and they left. They probably wanted to get a picture of the girl Finnick Odair 'loved'.
It was hard to go out in District 4 because I got a lot of hate from girls. It was irritating and annoying. It was annoying as well that Mrs. Odair constantly stopped by our house asking me to go to a charity dance with Finnick. I kept saying no and finally she stopped asking. She came by often to visit with my mom and she was absolutely smitten with Prim. Mrs. Odair would play for hours with Prim.
Mrs. Odair would always tell me that Finnick wouldn't go to any dances or social events without me. It seemed to me she wanted to guilt me into going with him as I was, "The prettiest and most beautiful girl" according to her. Was that all that mattered to her? To have a trophy daughter in law? I got annoyed with this all and stayed to myself going on long boat trips by myself and camping out on the beach.
Right now I was in an expensive gadget and parts store and I was looking for a piece for my boat. Seaweed had gotten into the engine and now I needed a new exhaust pipe.
A tall man with a red cap smiles at me and says, "Anything I can help you with Miss?"
"Yeah, I need a new exhaust pipe for an rx300 engine." I tell him and look around the gigantic store with parts of all kinds.
"All right follow me." He says and starts heading to the escalator that led to the second floor.
He leads me behind an aisle and points to a display. "Here are all the pipes. Choose any color, they all work the same." He says and turns around and leaves.
I look at the numerous parts and choose a plain white one that would match my boat.
I start to turn around when someone touches my shoulder and I whip my head around to see who it is.
It was Finnick.
It felt like forever since I'd seen his tanned skin, his curly hair and knowing eyes. He looked way older than his 16 (soon to be 17) years.
He smiles at me and says, "Haven't seen you in a while Katniss."
I give him a half smile. "Yeah, well I haven't exactly seen you either." I tell him frankly and turn back to the display as I realize the stupid store clerk led me to the wrong display when Finnick sighs.
"What is it?" I tell him and turn to face him again. I mentally hate myself for being such an awful person towards him- he had just come from the Hunger Games for crying out loud. Yet the stubborn part of me refuses to apologize.
"Are you still mad at me?" he asks and I shake my head.
"Of course not Finnick. It's just you're so busy and I'm busy as well." I tell him and pat his shoulder.
He smiles a little and then his watch beeps and he looks down at it.
"Don't let me waste any of your time." I say, moving to walk away and then he grabs my shoulders.
"Stop talking like that, Katniss. You could never waste any of my time." He says seriously and then he kisses me.
His lips were soft and seemed to be on fire as I kissed back. Again that feeling I got when I first kissed him ran through my body and I felt warm. He puts his hands on my waist and then I break away first.
"Finnick, I have to go." I tell him and he looks crestfallen as I start to walk away and then I call over my shoulder, "Hey Finnick? I'll meet you at the rock."
He grins and says cockily, "Well this is an improvement."
I laugh and turn around when I realize that I don't have my piece that I came to this store for.
Finnick laughs at my confusion and throws me a white exhaust pipe. "Knew you needed this." He says and chuckles.
"You little stalker!" I slap him lightly on the shoulder and head out of the store.
On the walk home I realize that it was all a set up. Finnick must have put the man up to showing me the wrong parts where Finnick, 'happened' to be.
I hop into my boat and rev the engine and steer it out to our rock where Finnick was waiting already.
I anchor it and then jump out of the boat to the rock and then sit down.
"Getting too lazy to swim I see." Finnick says playfully and I laugh.
The waves where slapping the rock as I answer, "Well I have to like, present the homecoming king and queen tonight at school. My mom will kill me if I get wet." I roll my eyes and he laughs. A Finnick laugh. The Finnick I knew before he went into the games and seemed to age 10 years.
I decide I need to ask him something that I've been dying to know for a while.
"Finnick, I heard that in the interview you said you...loved me. What did you…?" I trail off and peer into his sea green eyes.
He answers right away. "I meant that I loved you. Simple as that." He says and looks at me seriously.
This startles me and I almost fall off the rock. No, I didn't want anyone loving me.
I stay silent and he speaks again.
"You're the most amazing girl I've ever met. You have the nicest personality ever. You're funny, loving, sweet and caring. You're different than any girl I've ever met. You're also stunningly beautiful. Which is always a nice touch" He says and laughs a little at the last part but he seems worried about what I'm going to say.
"Finnick, I—I'm not ready for someone to love me. I'm sorry. But you're a great friend." I tell him but inside I feel something nagging me that I'm lying. You love him too and you know. You've never met anyone so friendly and as nice as him, my heart tells me but I silence it.
He stays silent for a second but then he grins. "Do you realize that you just rejected Finnick Odair?" he says and laughs deeply.
I laugh as well and say, "Someone's full of himself."
"Then why did you kiss me back?" he asks curiously and looks me right in the eye.
"The first time I kissed you I was just scared I'd never see you again. This time—I don't know why." I admit and stare at the sunset.
Why did I kiss him? Everything was so confusing. I look back at Finnick to see him staring at me.
"You did it because you love me too." He says quietly and I look at him seriously.
I take in this handsome and funny boy and then tell him, "I'll only be 15 after the reaping Finnick. I can't love anyone yet."
He smiles at me and says, "Are you so sure? You are already late for having a boyfriend."
He was right. Every single girl in my class had a boyfriend. I was the only person without one. And it was my choice. If I had a dollar for every boy who asked me out I could buy the biggest house in Panem.
I smile as I think of the perfect comeback. "How do you know?" I look innocently at him and he looks flustered.
"You—uh—you do have one?" he gets out and I laugh.
"I'm just joking. That doesn't mean I haven't been asked out of course." I tell him and I get annoyed about thinking what jerks the other boys were.
He sighs in relief and then I look seriously at him. "You'll have to leave soon for the Capitol right? To mentor?"
He nods sadly and says, "Now I have to mentor someone who is going to die."
I see the new Finnick coming out again and I ask him quietly. "Finnick, how are you fairing. With y'know the killing and everything."
He winces and then sighs in defeat and he looks all sad and defeated. It scares me. Finnick was the most confident person I knew. And when the person you think is the most confident person you know breaks down, it kind of makes you feel hopeless.
I see a small tear run down his handsome, tanned face and I reach forward to give him a hug.
He accepts the hug and I just stroke his hair and stare at him. He seemed so light and easy going you'd never guess that he was emotionally scarred.
We sit there for a few minutes so I move his head onto my lap and just continue stoking his hair.
He finally talks. "It's the most horrible feeling Katniss."
He starts to shake again so I lean down and plant a kiss on his forehead and let him take his time to continue.
"To know that you killed kids." He says again and I feel so sorry for him. It must feel horrible.
"Finnick you did what you had to do to win—" I start but he interrupts.
"No Katniss. I killed 12 kids! 12 kids Katniss! I'm a murderer! You shouldn't even come near me. I've killed kids your age." He says and tries to get up from his resting position on my lap.
I hold firmly keep him on my lap and I tell him, "Finnick stop. You had to do it Finnick. It's the Capitol that killed those kids. You are not responsible in anyway. It's the dirty Capitol's fault."
I start getting angry at the Capitol. How could they do this to people? Even if you win it must be horrible.
He sniffles and says, "And the nightmares. They never go away. All the kids I killed come and haunt me in my dreams. It's torture. I should have just died in the arena."
I stroke his face and say, "Finnick, if you died I would have died too." This shocks me as I say it but I realize that it is true.
He smiles a bit at this and says, "That's the only reason I decided to win Katniss. I couldn't care less about my family. I knew I had to come back to you."
I feel overwhelmed with emotions and try to clear my mind. It was hard to know that someone you just told you don't love say that the only reason they were alive was because of you. I sigh and say, "Oh Finnick."
We stay silent for a few minutes and then I stand up. "Let's get into the boat." I tell him and he nods.
"It was uncomfortable sitting there on the rock." Finnick says and laughs weakly.
We head into the cabin of my boat and we head to the couch and just lean on each other.
"I had no idea that you were so pained." I tell him and watch as he seems to be struggling about something.
"I can't let you worry about me Katniss. What's done is done. I can't change that I'm a murderer Katniss. No matter how you explain it and whose fault it is." He starts with his handsome features pained.
I sigh and watch as he continues, "These hands." He holds up his hands in front of me. "Killed 12 kids, Katniss."
I stay silent as I can't answer that. He was right and I couldn't sugarcoat it.
We stay silent and I glance at the clock and see that it was 11 at night. Guess we were going to sleep here.
"Finnick do you need to leave now? It's late." I tell him and he answers quickly.
"No, I'd rather stay. I hate my house in Victor's Village. Can we just sleep here?" he asks and I realize he's not acting cocky or joking. He's serious.
"Of course." I tell him and we both try to settle ourselves on the couch.
A few minutes pass and I'm sure he's fallen asleep when he says, "There's something I'm going to have to be doing with myself soon." He says and I can tell he's crying in the dark of the boat's cabin.
"What is it?" I ask him fearfully. Did I really want to know?
"I can't tell you Katniss. And I don't want to do it but I need to. To keep you safe. You're my last grip on sanity Katniss. My reason to be here. Promise me you'll never leave me again?" he asks desperately and I respond my leaning down and kissing him.
"Of course. I'll never leave you Finnick. I promise." I tell him and he sighs and then he laughs and says, "I'm going to hold you to that Katniss Everdeen."
I smile in the dark and lay my head on his chest. "I know Finnick Odair."
Yay, a little sweetness! Hope this made up for the tense meeting last time between Finnick and Katniss. To avoid confusion, there was a little time jump. In the beginning Katniss was 12, about to be 13. Katniss is now 14 about to be 15. Finnick is now 16. Also, here is what happened with the showing of the games. Snow and the technicians saw that Finnick was starting to say something and they didn't want any outbursts against the Capitiol. So they immediately stopped the showing and the resumed it at the start of the games. But after his interview everyone in the Districts knew what he said. Showing in the Capitol was the same and they saw the outburst. PM if you still have any confusion about the showing. Thanks for the great reviews guys! Please continue to REVIEW because I enjoy seeing how you liked the chapter. ALSO: Reaping is in the next chapter! Lexi
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