A/N: I have been getting no responses to my stories. Please review for this. I would seriously love just to get 1 review per chapter. Is that too much to ask?
I've got thick skin
and an elastic heart
Our first date is today. We decided to go to this popular restaurant called The Gurant. Don't ask me. I think it is a terrible name and has nothing to do with anything related to food, but whatever. Finnick intertwines our fingers. He leads us straight through the door of the place. No warning? Really dude?
I hold my head high and look at Finnick, in what I hope is a longing glance. To be honest, it's still a little awkward with what happened last night, but I guess we gotta forget about it and move on. We are prostitutes. Plus, he was just helping me. I told him I was scared, which I was, don't get me wrong. I agreed and I am glad I did. I don't want my first time to be with some Capitol buyer. We'll probably have a couple buying us, since we are both male and female. Watch it be husband and wife. What a great commitment they have to each other! Disgusting.
The food at this place looks…for lack of a better word, exotic. Finnick sits us down at our reserved table. This happens to one of the most popular restaurant in the Capitol. There are screaming fans all around us.
Yeah, we're victors of a sickening game you put us through. We killed innocent children to get out alive. We have nightmares every night and we feel so guilty. Oh, and don't forget that we're prostitutes and if we deny our loved ones die. If we make one wrong move, one accident, our loved ones die. Yeah, we're totally winners. Where's our prize?
They don't understand. They never had to kill anyone. They never once went to bed without their stomachs full. They never struggled. The only pain they ever went through is when the tribute they bet on dies. It's sickening, really.
I try to make my expression less sour when we sit down. Finnick sits down across from me and just watches me as I look over the menu. I only know this because I see him through my eyelashes. I instantly see something I like. Lamb stew. The menu is dropped onto the table. It lands on the edge of the table and slides to the floor. As I bend over to get it, Finnick bends over too. Suddenly, I feel his hot breath on my ear, "Lighten up, look like you are enjoying it. Tease me, I'll tease you. More longing in your glances, footsie." Before I can ask him what footsie is he leans back up bringing the menu with him. Screams about how he just nibbled on my ear fill the room. Great, that'll be on the cover of a magazine. Maybe it'll help. Snow did say to be public, very public.
A foot starts to slide around my ankle, so I look under the table. The foot is connected to legs, which are connected to Finnick. I furrow my eyebrows at Finnick, hoping he understands my confusion. He mouths footsie. Oh, that's what that is. I nod. To follow along with the game, I start sliding my feet around his feet and ankles. Finnick decides to make this more interesting and starts taking off my shoes with his feet, so I do the same. I get both of his shoes off before he gets one of mine off. When our shoes are off, it is so much easier to play this little game. It gets really interesting when a member of the audience notices our game under the table and points it out to press, who snap as many pictures as they can.
A waitress brings us our food, so we just sit there eating the food and playing that game. Every once and a while, we steal very longing glances at each other. Finnick isn't half bad. Well, he is actually very attractive. I can admit that now that I am not attached to Peeta. I still can't believe he is gone. I feel the sting of oncoming tears. Not now, don't think about Peeta. Control your emotions.
Finnick, well, I understand why the Capitol people desire him, but me? Why?
We finish and the waitress comes by to pick up our plates. When Finnick holds out a hand of money, she shakes her head no. She walks away without taking the money. I don't understand that. He was paying for our food. Finnick grabs my hand again and we take off to our room.
Some random chick runs up and pushes me into a wall and grabs Finnick. She tries pulling him away with her, but he was a victor and she is from the Capitol. I feel blood drip down from my nose. Great, she broke it. Finnick hands me a handkerchief and I press it to my nose. Finnick's arm snakes it way around my waist and pulls me close.
************LINE BREAK***TIME SKIP***LINE BREAK***TIME SKIP***************
That night when we were getting ready to go to bed, the phone rings. I run from the bathroom, where I washing my face, to get to the phone. When I answer it, I almost drop it from shock of who is on the other line. It's Snow. Why would he call us? Wouldn't he just send letters or a guard as a messenger?
"Miss Everdeen, I would like you to pass this message on to Mr. Odair as well as listen to it yourself. You will stay being a couple forever. You two will get married. But, that's not the point, you will not have your next client – singular or together – for a whole year. Don't think of this as a gift. Mr. Odair shall propose next week and you should be pregnant within 2 months of the marriage. This is not a suggestion. This is a command. Goodbye."
The phone falls from its place in my hand and it lands on the floor with a clunk. Next thing you know, I'm in the floor in a heap. The water running in the bathroom stops – Finnick is out of the shower. The door opens and out steps a towel-clad Finnick. He sees me on the floor sobbing, puts on boxers and shorts, and helps me to the bed.
"What's wrong? Katniss! What's wrong?" He asks frantically.
"Proposal…week. No clients…year. Married…2…pregnant." I'm sure those are the only words he can understand, I spoke with so much hiccups it isn't even funny.
"Proposal in a week? No clients for a year? Married, 2 years then you have to be pregnant?"
"Yes…yes…no. Months."
"You have to be pregnant within 2 months of our marriage?"
All I can do is nod. This is too much. I just started dating Finnick today. It doesn't matter what happened last night. I don't want to get married this early. I wouldn't have even done this with Peeta. This is too soon. And I have to be pregnant. I have to have kids. That's something I always told myself I would never do. A kid of two victors. Think about it, they would obviously be in the games, with my rebellious acts. What better way to punish me? Send my kid to fight to the death just like I had. That is something Snow would do. Why not have a "Half Quarter Quell"? My kid would be around 13 or so. Perfect age for the games.
Suddenly, breaking me from my thoughts, arms wrap around me. "Shhh. Katniss, it's okay. We get married. We're friends. In public we can be romantic and stuff, but in private, we can just be friends, okay?"
"Okay."
"About the pregnancy though, you do know that when this child is born that it will definitely be put in the games right?"
I nod my head. "But Finnick, I don't want a kid. I have never wanted a kid. It will mean a risk of losing a loved one. I can't do this Finn. I can't." I shake my head frantically and lean into the warmth of his body. "I can't believe this is happening." I mumble.
"I know. I know. It shouldn't be happening. Not at all. It shouldn't happen to anyone. They should be able to marry who they want, when they want, and have kids if they want or not. You shouldn't be ordered around. In a perfect world this wouldn't happen, but in a perfect world neither would kids fighting to the death."
This really can't be happening though. I'll be pregnant when I mentor for the 75th Quarter Quell.
"Finn, I'm going to call Haymitch. When I left, he told me to call him." I say, struggling to get through my words.
Finnick pulls me closer as he whispers in my ear, "The line is bugged. Keep that in mind during your conversation."
I nod. I didn't plan on saying anything that I didn't want Snow to hear.
I dial in Haymitch's number with sweaty and shaky fingers. I am suddenly nervous and I don't know why. It is just Haymitch and there is nothing to be worried about.
"Hello? I don't know anyone who would call bes…Katniss!"
"Hello, Haymitch."
"How are you doing sweetheart? You holding up?"
"I'm doing fine, Haymitch. Umm…is Peeta…really gone?" I get choked up with emotions near the end, so I'm not even sure if he understood what I said.
The other line goes silent. "Haymitch?" No answer. "Hello, Haymitch? Are you there?"
"What? Oh, yeah, sweetheart, I'm here. Yeah, he really is. The claims are that he slipped and landed on a knife." If you know Haymitch well, you can tell just by the tone of his voice that he doesn't believe the rumors either.
The clock turns to midnight, telling me I should go to bed. "Haymitch, I gotta go to bed."
"Remember sweetheart, don't let them break you and stay alive." I crack a grin at our old joke.
I hang the phone back on the line and crawl into bed. Finnick is already there, so he pulls me into his side while I cry myself to sleep; not for the first time and it won't be the last.
A/N: Please review! One review per chapter is all I am asking for! More than that would be fine, but I would like the minimum be one. Sorry for sucky chapter. I might not be updating this weekend with Catching Fire coming out. I am watching Catching Fire on Friday, then my friend and I are having a sleepover after the movie (we are going together to the movie), then I have another sleepover on Saturday since my mom won't let me be in the house on Saturday as she is having an adults only get together with her sisters, so all I have left is Sunday and I might have homework or chores to do. I will try my best. But I can't make promises. If I can get let's see…5 or more reviews on this chapter I will try my absolute positive best on updating this tomorrow. Same for my other story, Captured. I have a writer's block right now for Divergent High. I'm absolutely stuck on that one. SOO REVIEW!