"Can I talk to you?"
President Coin stops in her tracks and turns to look at me. Several other people who had been at the meeting stop as well, but she waves them forward impatiently.
"Of course, Finnick. If anything, you deserve a few moments of my time. What can I do for you?"
Her slush-colored eyes study me carefully, as if searching to see if her inquiry had been a mistake, wondering if I am going to make an impossible demand and then explode when she says no.
I don't think that my demand is impossible. It isn't to me, at least. Then again, there are a lot of things that Coin probably wouldn't agree with me on.
"I want to go to District 8 with Katniss. I'm well enough, I really am."
She shakes her head immediately, and I know exactly what's coming next.
"No."
No. The word reverberates firmly through my ears, and I can feel my stomach plummet.
"No? Why? Look at me. I'm still in better shape than anyone else here! I can be useful."
"Yes, but you are in no shape to fight."
"I am, though. Fighting is the only thing that I can do at a time like this," I protest. "It'll take my mind off of things. Please. I have to do this. I can't just sit around while Katniss does everything."
"Finnick," she says firmly. "I'm afraid that I cannot allow this. You are in no condition to fight."
My temper is starting to wear thin, but I clutch my rope more tightly in my hand and take a step forward so that I'm only a few feet away from her.
"Then I won't fight. I'll just ride along, watch. I swear that I will not step out of the hovercraft. There cannot possibly be a problem with that."
"It'll be cramped as it is, and you have no important purpose," she says coldly. "Besides, you are not even cleared to have your own quarters, let alone go on a mission that most of our high ranking officials are not allowed to go on."
"Like Katniss?" I ask, my voice rising sharply. "She's just as crazy as I am! But of course, she's the Mockingjay, so she gets to go! What about me? I'm prettier than she is. Let. Me. Go."
Her pale eyes glance up at me, bored. I clench my fists. Bored? She's treating me like a petulant child.
"I do not have time for your temper tantrums. I'm sorry. Maybe you will be cleared to do something after a couple more weeks. This meeting is done, Finnick."
And then she walks away with her perfect hair and slush-gray eyes, and I just watch, my hands shaking, desperately wishing for some kind of weapon to send through her skull.
I sit there for a very long time, seething. I'm not stupid. Why is everyone treating me like I'm stupid? There's a difference between desperate, crazy, completely torn apart, and stupid.
Of course they don't realize that. They just see Finnick the man-whore, pissed off because he's lost all his girls.
I sit and fidget and try not to go crazy, but it doesn't work. If they won't even let me go to District 8 in a hovercraft, they'll never let me get Annie in the Capitol.
There has to be something else I can do, there has to be something.
Then I think of it. Katniss is the Mockingjay. If she wants me to go, I'll be able to go.
Hopping up excitedly, I sprint out of Command and run towards the Airborne Division, praying that she's still there.
Thankfully, Katniss is waiting for the elevator when I get there, the big soldier who was sitting next to Coin at her side. The elevator door opens, and I sprint at them, panting as I run.
"Katniss, they won't let me go. I told them I'm fine, but they won't even let me ride in the hovercraft!"
Both of them turn and look at me in surprise, and after a small hesitation, Katniss smacks herself on the head.
"Oh, I forgot. It's this stupid concussion. I was supposed to tell you to report to Beetee in Special Weaponry. He's designed a new trident for you."
Trident. They designed a trident for me. Meaning that they think that I will get better and that I'm not stupid and crazy after all.
"Really? What's it do?" I ask excitedly, my mind already spinning with how badly I need to touch a weapon. I don't even want to go to District 8 anymore.
"I don't know. But if it's anything like my bow and arrows, you're going to love it," she says. "You'll need to train with it, though."
Train with it. Train with it. As in use it.
"Right. Of course. I guess I better get down there," I say, already half turned around.
"Finnick? Maybe some pants," she says.
I look down at my legs and notice the hospital gown. Right. It is kind of unflattering.
I take it off.
"Why? Do you find this-" I strike the most provocative pose I can think of- "distracting?"
The soldier next to Katniss sputters, and Katniss starts laughing, and I can't help but joining in because the looks on their faces are so hilarious that they actually makes me feel happy.
And when Katniss says, "I'm only human, Odair," I actually feel like myself, and a goofy smile stays plastered to my face the entire way back to the hospital.
"What happened with you?" a familiar voice asks when I slide into my room, and I turn to see Prim looking at me strangely.
"I just got done talking with Katniss," I say hurriedly, rummaging through a drawer under my bed until I pull out a pull of plain gray pants and a gray t-shirt.
"What?" asks Prim.
I pause for a moment, then start laughing again when I realize what this would look like.
"Not like that," I correct quickly. "She just told me that Beetee made a trident for me in command, and if they made a trident for me, that means that they don't think I'm crazy."
Prim still looks concerned.
"That's great," she said. "But why are you in your underwear?"
"Why? Do you find it distracting?" I ask with a smirk.
"I'm only human," she says.
I pull my shirt over my head and give her a disbelieving look.
"What?" she asks.
"Nothing," I answer with a shake of my head, combing my hair with my fingers and starting out of the hospital.
"You haven't answered my question," she calls after me.
"You're too young," I yell back over my shoulder, then hurry down to Special Defense to talk to Beetee about my trident.
A/N-
Sorry that was so short and so late. I've been kind of stuck on this story, buy hopefully I can get it going again soon.
Thanks to all my reviewers, and please keep it up.
~bballgirl32~
