AN: Hey guys! So my school is giving us a week off for Thanksgiving so I decided to post a new chapter everyday. To all those that doubt me all I have to say is...challenge accepted. :) Just know that the story on Thanksgiving will either be posted the day after or it might be short because I will be spending time with my family.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games nor the characters in it.
Chapter 4
Once the reaping's over, they lead Finnick and his District partner into the Justice building. I only know this because the person I grabbed onto shook me out of my state.
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked. I look up to find a boy in my class named James. He has shiny, short black hair that spikes a little at the end and hazel eyes that are more on the dark blue side due to his navy shirt. He has been in my class for years but I never really talked to him. I try and muster up a smile and nod my head weakly.
" Ya, I'm fine." He pushes me to my feet gently and nods his head towards the Justice building.
"You better hurry if you want to see them. They could have a lot of visitors". I say a quick thank you and run into the building. It's the first time I've ever been in the Justice Building and I hope it's my last. It's not that it's scary or frightening in appearance. It's actually very interesting with the stone tile that covers the floor and walls giving it an eery feeling. The red curtains with the capital symbol on them covers half of the windows, not allowing all the light to enter. Unfortunately, that's exactly how I feel, like no light can enter my body at the moment for Finnick, the boy with the amazing eyes, with the comforting touch is going into the Hunger Games and nothing can save him now. I continue walking as I see two doors with peacekeepers in front of them. My eyes search for Adams as I scan the lines. Blue eyes meet mine as I run up to the line outside what must be Finnick's door. I rush towards him and embrace him as tightly as I can.
"Annieā¦.I-I can't do this." He states shakily. I pull back at arms length and look him straight in the eyes.
"Yes you can, Adam." I reassure him while shaking him lightly. "Finnick needs you now and he's probably scared. He needs a friend." I smile warmly at him, hoping my message sank in.
His face turns pale for a second before retaining its color. He gulped, his adams apple bobbing, as he nods his head repeatedly. "Okay. I can do this." He says more to himself than me. The peacekeeper standing in the front of Finnick's door shouts next and that was Adams que to leave. As Adam walks in I saw Finnick's younger sister, Kailana, walk by while tears streaked down her face. I feel so bad for her. Soon she will have to watch her only brother fight to the death in a televised event that she is too young to understand. I remember when I was her age, I barely knew what the Hunger games were and, now that Finnick's going in, she will be forced to understand, one way or another. I make a promise to myself then and there that I will become a friend to her and help her with anything she needs. A door slamming breaks me out of my train of thought as I look up to see the dark-haired head of my brother staring at the ground. Oh shit. I thought. I'm next. What am I going to say? I panic as I reach towards the door and turn the ice-cold handle. Taking a few steps in, I faintly hear a voice behind me say, "You'll have two minutes."
Looking across the room I could see Finnick sitting on a red velvet sofa. His elbows were on his knees while his head was in his hands while slowly rocking back and forth. His hunched back shows all the distress he's been through in the last half hour. I shift my weight, uncomfortable with how to approach him. Here this broken man sits in front of me and I know there's nothing I can do to truly easy his suffering. Slowly, I walk towards him and kneel so that I'm eye level with him. For a moment I stay there thinking he's going to move or acknowledge me in some way but the silence stretched on. Carefully I reach for his hands and gently collect both of them in my hands. I rub my hands over his creating warmth while giving him a kind smile. He slowly meets my eyes and what I see makes me want to break down. His face looks as if it has aged twice as fast as his eyes bore into mine. Staring into them I notice his eyes are full of unshed tears, pleading with me to stay with him. I pull him in to a comforting hug as my hand trails up and down his back slowly. He soon sheds his tears which quickly turn into sobs that rack through his body. "Shhhh" I coon. "It's okay. Everything will be fine." I lied. To be honest, I don't know how this will end. His odds are not the best with 23 other people wanting to get back to their own families; plus he's only 14. He's going to be one of the youngest competitors in the whole area, fighting against much bigger and stronger opponents. I dispel these thoughts from my head as we stay in this position for a while longer while Finnick's sobs die out. "You can do this Finnick. You can win this. Your're smart and brave and know how to hunt. All you need to do is out live the others. Get sponsors and...come back home. Please. Never give up." I urge him. As I pull back to look him in the eye. "Oh also, I'm going to look after her." I added quickly. "Your sister. I'll make sure she's alright."
"Thank you Annie. I will try." He says robotically. As if he's said the same thing to every other person that's come to visit him today. I stare into his sea green eyes determined to get a more convincing response.
"Promise?" I questioned feeling like a 5 year old again.
His expression changed to confusion as he tried to piece together what I meant. "What?"
"Promise me Odair. Promise me that you are going to try your hardest to get out of that area alive and come home to us." At this point I was on the verge of tears as he stared right back into my green eyes.
"I promise, Annie. You have my word." He genuinely spoke never breaking eye contact with me. We continue to stare for a second longer before I look down to the floor, blushing.
"Here." I say shyly as I slide my rope bracelet onto his wrist. "I thought you might want it. To remind you of home and the people waiting for you and why you are fighting."
"Thank you Annie." He says while looking down at it with a faint smile playing on his lips. Suddenly, his head snaps up to me and I notice a different emotion in his eyes as they meet mine. It looks like a mix of gratitude and something more that I can't place. "and just so you know I-"
"Times up!" Finnick's sentence was cut off by the peacekeeper barging into his room. Finnick's eyes flash in disappointment for a split second before they harden. I didn't want to move from my position kneeling in front of Finnick with my hands in his. Wait. When did that happen? I wasn't given much time to ponder that for I was grabbed around my waist while my hands were being ripped from his. Tears were pouring down my face as I yelled for him, reaching to touch him one last time.
"Don't hurt her!" Finnick yelled at the peacekeeper as I was being dragged out of the room. Just before the door was slammed in my face, I could see Finnick's eyes and the message they said behind them. Stay with me. I wish I could Finnick. I wish I could.
As soon as I was put down, I turn to Adam and run to his arms. I feel him walk me out and as we exit I could hear him say, "Looks like we both broke our promises." I chuckle at his lame attempt of a joke but it doesn't feel right. I feels unnatural. So as we continue to walk silence engulfs us as I think about how much I never want to go back to that building again. Ever.
