Renata bounced her leg as she waited for her name to be called, surrounded by the rest of the tributes. It was a little unnerving that they were in such close quarters, especially when Brutus had been shooting looks in her direction. She held his gaze, but couldn't help blushing when his lips curled in a smile. What a bastard. She breathed a sigh of relief when he was called in for evaluation and she could focus on her plan. Her first evaluation had been humiliating; it made her shudder just to think about. She'd gotten a six, but maybe that too had been a result of Seneca's favor. The room they were waiting in was cold and she hugged her arms to her chest, mentally going through the days of training. She'd done the gauntlets everyday with Johanna and had improved each day, so she could go with that. Show off her speed.
"Rini," Finnick nudged her, interrupting her thoughts. "Stop bouncing your knee."
"Sorry," she murmured, wiping her hands on her pant legs. "Didn't realize I was." She glanced over at the tributes from Twelve, smiling when she caught the boy's eye. Her eye drifted to Katniss still felt completely in awe of her, especially after seeing her shoot. It was something else entirely seeing it in person.
"You know what you're going to do in there?" Finnick asked.
She shrugged, "I think so. I'll figure it out once I get in there. Do you know what you're going to do?"
"A bit of everything, I guess. They all know what we can do, don't they? He sighed and laid his cheek on top of her head. "Be sure you show them what you can do with a spear. It's just you in there, remember?"
"Should I?"
"You trained hard. You should surprise them," He brushed his lips over her temple and sighed when his name was called. "See you after."
Rini nodded and she watched him disappear, closing her eyes and imagining herself back in the training center at home. How it felt to hold a spear in her hands, how she slowed her breathing as she moved it and made it a true extension of her arm. He was right, she needed to stop hiding from Brutus and step up to her full potential. A small smile tugged at her lips and she shook her head; perhaps he would always be her mentor.
She was broken out of her daze when someone squeezed her sides from behind and she shrieked, reflexively grabbing the hands. She was pulled off her seat and onto the floor, Johanna's face grinning down at her. "What was that for?"
"I'm giving you an edge. You should be thankful," she smirked and the two girls shared a laugh.
Rini noticed as her laughter died that everyone was looking at them. Color rose in her cheeks at the look on Katniss' face. She wasn't sure if it was a glare or if that was just the way her face looked. Before she could ponder it over anymore, her name was called.
"Don't let me down, now," Johanna called after her. "It all has to be for something."
Renata tossed her a look over her shoulder before stepping through the doors where the Gamemakers awaited her.
The overwhelming sense of déjà vu was enough to make Renata sick. She swallowed back her nausea as she sat with Finnick and the rest of their teams, anxiously awaiting their evaluation scores. She looked at each face that watched the screen; Salvatore and Fascal both looked like they were about to burst into tears. She blinked and looked up at the screen when Finnick sat forward a little and his face appeared onscreen.
"Finnick Odair, District Four," Caesar read, shooting the camera a waggle of his eyebrow. "Eleven."
The room murmured their approval with such a high score; he had scored the same as the other tributes. She put her hand on his knee and felt her mouth run dry when Caesar said her name.
"…with a score of seven."
"Well, you've improved," Salvatore noted, breaking the silence that ensued.
She nodded and managed a half smile, feeling Finnick's eyes on her. Would a seven be enough? Certainly Finnick's score and reputation would garner many sponsors if the need arose. With a sigh, she leaned against his side and was content to have him draw her close.
Renata tapped her foot as she waited for her interview, happy that her outfit was less revealing but still comfortable. The deep iridescent blue fell down to the floor like cascading waves. She had no idea what she would say, or if anyone would care about her going back in. Did she want their pity? Or their so-called love? She sighed heavily and got to her mark behind the closed doors, the current interview being projected on a screen above her.
"Please join me in welcoming the young lady who is perhaps the best catch from our fishing district," Caesar chuckled to himself, and suddenly she could see nothing but blinding lights. "Renata Kelde!"
"Walk!" Fascal hissed and she lurched forward, finding her footing and making the trek up to where Caesar stood. The applause was fairly loud and she tried not to look as overwhelmed as she felt.
"Good evening," Caesar smiled and he reached for her hand, admiring her outfit. "It is refreshing to see you again, my dear. I wish the circumstances were different."
"Me too," she answered him in the same disappointed tone. "It's actually nice to be back in the Capitol. I haven't been since…" She trailed off and swallowed, looking to Caesar for help.
"Since what, Rini? You can tell us."
Could she? Did the people know the pretense for Plutarch taking over as Head Gamemaker? She'd given up his surname for her maiden name, but she could try the sad widow part.
"Since Seneca's death," She finally answered. It launched the audience into gasps and chatter and she bit her lip to hide her satisfaction in everyone's response. Caesar did his best to calm them down and Renata fidgeted with her fingers.
"You volunteered for this," He said when things were finally quiet. "Can I ask you why? You broke more than a few hearts by doing so."
Shit. The question she was hoping to avoid. "What was the point of Seneca letting Katniss and Peeta win if they just get put back in the arena? What was the point of any of us winning? I think that if he were still alive, maybe this wouldn't be happening," She sniffled and wiped at a phantom tear. In reality, if he were still alive, she would probably be watching all this from the audience's point of view. In her place would be Mags or one of the other female victors. "I had a better chance of surviving than any other of the victors at home," she answered. "I have just as good of a chance of winning as everyone else here."
The audience applauded but it wasn't as generous as it had been when she first walked out. The evening was only going to get worse; tension hung thick in the air. She smiled at Caesar and let him kiss her cheeks before sending her up the stairs to stand with the other tributes.
"But do they know how he died?" The man beside her murmured. Renata looked at Beetee in surprise, swallowing.
She opened her mouth to reply but thought better of it, jumping when the audience started screaming. Finnick strolled up to Caesar, his shoulders squared and looking every bit of the golden boy they thought he was. Several of the Capitol ladies in the audience had lost their composure and Rini rolled her eyes at a women who was outright crying with her arms outstretched towards the stage. She swallowed hard, having an awful thought. He'd been a Capitol slave for nearly ten years. In that amount of time, how many people had he serviced? Her heart ached for him; she had only gotten a taste of what it had been like. For him, it was his life.
"Finnick, I understand that you have message for somebody out there. A special somebody," Caesar grinned excitedly. "Can we hear it?"
He took a breath when Caesar held out the microphone to him and Renata's heart quickened as the whole place fell silent. "My love," He began, pausing to lick his lips. "You have my heart for all eternity. And…and if I die in that arena, my last thought will be of your lips." He smiled and gave Caesar a cheeky grin before heading for the stairs. Apparently that's all that Panem would get out of him.
"Nice job," she finally murmured at the end of the interviews from Five. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a grin stretch across his face.
"I was wondering if you were going to ever speak to me again," he replied quietly, chuckling. "You didn't like it?"
"I don't know," she muttered, sighing and biting her lip when someone cleared their throat. She tried her hardest to pay attention to everyone's interviews, assessing how well she believed they would fare come the morning. Johanna, as expected, went on an angry tirade and nearly knocked Caesar off the stage when she grabbed the microphone from him.
At last, the only interviews that remained were Katniss and Peeta's. Rini could feel beads of sweat rolling down her back and her feet hurt from standing for so long. People rose out of their chairs and cheered as Katniss was called out onto the stage, nearly unrecognizable in her huge white dress.
"A wedding dress?" She murmured to Finnick, who shrugged.
"They were going to get married, remember?"
Katniss was charming, which tickled Caesar to no end. She seemed so different in the glimpses of training than the girl that stood before her eyes.
That was the point, she thought to herself. You had to turn into whatever would please the higher powers. Rini was beginning to rethink what she had said in the interview. Had it been too careless? Her heart pounded faster, wishing she could hit herself. It had taken them no time at all to get to Cecil after the finale of the games last year. How much of a provocation did Snow need? How long would it take for him to order them to be killed?
A chorus of gasps made Rini look up to see Katniss twirling at the lip of the stage. Her dress caught fire from the bottom and slowly moved up the gown, transforming it from its pure, innocent white into black. Her eyes widened when she lifted her arms and the attachments on her dress fanned out into wings. Finnick gasped quiet beside her and Rini looked at him to see him watching her with admiration on his face.
Snow had to be pulling his hair out. This had gone way too far, and the audience was at their wit's end.
The air felt like it was filled with static electricity as Peeta came onstage, looking gracious to the applause that he got. He revealed to everyone that he and Katniss had married in secret after they had found out about the Quarter Quell.
"I wouldn't have any regrets, if it weren't for the baby," Peeta said softly, and the room exploded. People were leaping out of their seats and pointing at the stage, crying out to put a stop to the games.
Renata swallowed and she looked at Katniss, who kept her eyes on the floor. A baby? Her eyes went to Finnick and she swallowed nervously. This kept getting more complicated.
"You really think that they could cancel the games?" Rini asked as she and Finnick made their way to the elevator. There was still a bunch of chaos going on, and talks of the games being cancelled, but that's all it could be. There was no way Snow would allow that. The joining of the victors' hands would mean nothing in a matter of hours.
"Wait up!"
Finnick held the elevator door, raising his brows when Haymitch jumped into the lift with them. "Going up?"
He nodded and waited until the doors closed before he pulled something out of his pocket. "Wear this into the arena tomorrow," He held the gold bangle out to Finnick. "Katniss knows that it's mine, be sure to show it off."
"What for?" Rini spoke up, watching Finnick turn it over in his hands. The elevator stopped at the fourth floor and they all got off but hovered at the door.
Haymitch smiled wryly, "That girl's got a hard head. She isn't quick to ally up, but this may just convince her to play along."
"What about Rini, shouldn't she wear it?"
"No offense, but Katniss won't be as likely to shoot first if she comes face to face with Rini. Plus, Peeta likes her," he murmured, nodding to the redhead. "She doesn't trust you. So wear it and show her you can be trusted. Look out for Beetee and Wiress, too. She wants them." The older man gave Finnick a look until he nodded in understanding. "Sleep tight, tomorrow's a big day."
Right as the words left his mouth, Rini felt her stomach plummet. They were going into the arena. Plan or no plan, they were going into an environment designed to kill them with 22 other people. What if the plan didn't work and everyone was killed? She swallowed with some difficulty and followed Finnick to their room, afraid to voice her fears. The room was dim but meticulously clean, not how they had left it. What if Snow already knew? They'd all been trying to stop the games…
She slowly shed her clothes until she was in her underwear, staring out the window at the bright lights of the Capitol. The streets were filled with people, and as she walked closer she watched them, wondering what was going through their minds. The glass was cool against her forehead and her breath fogged the pane. Would Leona be safe? Would the rescue come for them even if the escape plan failed?
Goosebumps rose on her arms as she felt Finnick's arms slip around her middle, the warmth of his chest pressing against her bare back. This could be their last time together, she realized. It felt like she needed to say so much more to him. That she wasn't ready, whether it be death or motherhood. "I'm scared," she finally whispered, closing her eyes when he rested his chin on her shoulder.
He tightened his arms around her slightly and let his lips brush against her neck. "We'll be okay." Even if everything went to hell and the plan was abandoned, he would protect her. He may have agreed to protect Katniss, but Rini was his first priority.
"Will we?" Her stomach was full of butterflies and it felt like every hair the prep team had left on her body was standing on end. "I keep thinking about what I said, and what if Leona-"
"Don't do that to yourself," Finnick let go of her and he turned her around to look at her, dressed in a pair of casual gray pants. She could see some of the colored lights from outside projected onto his skin and the darkness in the room cast a shadow across his face.
"What if it's too late? What if they're gone?" Renata blurted, tears wellling in her eyes.
"I don't know," He interrupted her and put his hands on her shoulders. "We can't do anything about it right now." His eyes were full of concern and he swallowed when a couple tears rolled down Rini's cheeks. "You can't think about that. Not when-"
"I know," she nodded and chewed on her quivering lip. "I just don't know if I can do this." She sniffled and hated the pitying look that he gave her. "You were right. I should have just stayed put."
Finnick made a strange noise and he shook his head. "You choose to admit I was right the night before we go in? I swear…" He sighed and tilted her chin up. "You're right where you need to be. With me."
Her heart quickened and she swallowed back more tears, managing a nod. She let him pull her in for an embrace and she buried her face in his neck, breathing him in. Shivers went down her back, following the trace of his fingertips along her spine.
The bed was too soft. She sunk down into the mattress when he laid her down, fearing for a moment that she would be swallowed into the floor. Her mind had been so abuzz with her thoughts and then suddenly they were all quieted and there was only Finnick. His skin was warm against hers and his lips were pillow soft as they captured hers.
They both knew this could be the last time, but neither one wanted to say it.
"I will find you," Finnick breathed, his lips pressing to every bit of her feverish skin he could catch. A shiver went through him as Rini ran her hands up his sides, and he stared down into her wide blue eyes. She hadn't bothered to take any of her makeup off, but it didn't matter. "And if I don't…"
"I'll find you," Rini finished for him, pulling him down for another kiss. They were a mess of limbs as they struggled to hold onto one another as tightly as they could while working off their garments. She let out a small laugh when he took hold of her wrists and pinned them to the pillow, her breath coming in soft gasps. It felt like a fire was burning inside her, an insatiable hunger that she couldn't control.
His hands tugged her underwear down her legs and they shared a nervous giggle when the fabric snagged around her ankles. "Sorry," he smiled shyly and pulled off his underwear. He moved up on his knees, leaning forward so he was above her and holding himself up on his hands. His eyes fluttered closed when she brushed her fingers over his lips and he felt her knees squeeze his hips. "Do you love me?" he whispered against her fingertips.
"I do."
Afterwards he held her in his arms, his hand stroking her damp hair. Her eyes were starting to droop and when he pulled away from planting a kiss in the middle of her forehead, they were closed. Fear started to creep up on him, pushing away his feelings of peace and warmth. As big as he acted, he couldn't fully prepare himself for the arena. He needed to get through it and then he would be free. Free to fight back properly. He sighed and listened to Renata's soft snores; he knew how badly she wanted to fight too. She would fight him this whole pregnancy, he bet. More worries ebbed at him as he added Rini and their growing child to his plans of rebellion. What if something happened to them? Or him, and he left them behind?
Finnick shook his head and burrowed down into the mattress, closing his eyes. It wasn't worth it to wonder about things. He was going in tomorrow and so was Rini, just like they planned. He couldn't afford to second-guess himself.
Hello everyone! Hope you enjoy the update! The arena is up next, how exciting at last! Leave a review and let me know what you thought, pretty please!
How about that Mockingjay teaser? Ahhh I can't wait! I want it but I also don't because that means the end is coming and I'M NOT READY FOR THAT.
Also my birthday is in 3 days, yay!
Thanks for reading!
-Kelsey xx