Chapter Nine
"Where's Lena?" Annie asks when they come out for breakfast.
"I don't think she came home last night darling." Aries says slightly annoyed.
"What?" Annie says confused.
"I know it's so unlike her character." Aries says disappointed. "You shouldn't worry though I'm sure she'll be back by the time the scores are shown."
Annie nods.
"Have you guys figured out what you're going to show the gamemakers?" Finnick asks.
"Yes." Aden says.
"I've got a general idea." Annie says.
"You've got a good spot so that is already an advantage." Zayden says.
"Good spot?" Aden asks.
"Yes, you're close enough to the start so they won't be bored when your turn rolls around. By the time district seven rolls around the gamemakers start to lose interest." Zayden says.
"That why the scores are always so low?" Annie asks.
"It could be a number of things." Zayden says.
"They're also pretty awful, don't you watch the games Annie?" Aden says annoyed.
"It is the law." Annie mumbles.
Finnick rolls his eyes. Zayden's statement is true, but Aden could be as well. The tributes after eight seem to underperform frequently. However, that doesn't mean they will lose.
"Just make sure to do your best." Mags says quietly.
"I'll take them down and afterwards we can celebrate." Aries says.
"Celebrate?" Annie says.
"Your training will be officially over and I'm sure you will both do very well." Aries says as they are walking towards the elevator.
The elevator doors close slowly.
"Lena's here you know." Zayden says.
"I figured." Finnick says.
"Maybe someone should talk to her." Zayden says.
Mags and Zayden both look intently at Finnick.
Finnick sighs.
"If she kicks me out I won't stay." Finnick says.
"Sounds fair." Zayden responses.
Finnick knocks on the door.
"Enter." Lena says.
Finnick does and sees her sitting at the desk looking into the mirror.
"You're not the Avox." She says angrily.
"Never said I was." He says and notices her putting on makeup to cover a small bruise just under her eye.
She rolls her eyes and goes back to looking at her face.
"You're doing it wrong you know." Finnick says.
"What?" She says angered.
"You don't have the right kind of makeup." Finnick says knowing the right kind of makeup to cover the bruises. He's been hit by clients, Snow's guards, and other unpleasant occurrences.
She turns around.
"How the hell would you know." She says angrily.
"Really after last night you're asking me this." He says slightly annoyed.
She rolls her eyes.
He picks up the small bottle of concealer.
"You buy for brand name, not quality. Ironically the cheaper stuff covers better."He says and puts it back down. "I'll get one of the stylists to get you the right kind." He says.
"You knew about this the whole time didn't you." She says disgusted.
"It's not a secret." Finnick says.
It's not really a secret that Snow prostitutes out the victors. All the veterans know, but of course no one wants to be the bearer of that bad news. There is never a good time to just blurt it out and not everyone is always involved. Some people aren't well liked or good looking enough so it would be a waste of time and resources to involve victors that wouldn't bring in the money.
"Well I didn't know."Lena says angrily.
"Sorry someone probably should've told you." Finnick says.
"But not you." Lena says annoyed.
"I don't like talking about it." Finnick says.
"You also don't like me much." Lena says.
Finnick shrugs.
"I will admit you aren't my favorite person, but I wouldn't wish this on you or anyone." Finnick says.
"Is this why you don't like me, because I like being a victor." Lena says.
"Maybe." Finnick says. He never gave much thought to it.
"I still think I can like it." Lena says.
"Really." Finnick says baffled.
"Yes, really. These people want to pay for my affections because they love me and think I'm beautiful." Lena says upset.
"Seriously?" Finnick says confused. He can't believe she still doesn't get it, maybe she is in shock. "Snow is threatening you and if you mess up he will hurt or kill someone." Finnick says.
"I don't believe so, but even if it were true it's just a night with a stranger that adores me anyway."
"You're either in denial or far more greedier than I thought."
"I am not in denial it's just not that big of a deal. It's just sex."
"But you can never say no, to anything."
"Stop being dramatic." Lena says annoyed.
"I'm not being dramatic if you don't play the game then someone will get hurt or someone will die."
"I don't like playing games." Lena says carefully.
"Yet you've survived the deadliest one." Finnick says.
"Winning the Hunger Games was easy and I didn't win to become a slave." Lena says.
"There are no winners Lena, just survivors still trying to survive." Finnick says.
"Surviving isn't living though." Lena says.
"It's better than death." Finnick says.
She shrugs.
"I still think I will like being a victor though." Lena says.
"Maybe you will." Finnick says baffled.
"Did you ever like it?" Lena asks.
"Being a victor?" He asks and she nods. "Honestly, yes but when the rose tinted glasses broke it became clear that we are all just pawns for our lovely president."
"You gonna get me that make up?" Lena asks wanting him to leave.
"Sure." Finnick says and leaves the room.
"So how is she?" Mags asks when he comes to the sitting room.
"She seems okay but I don't know how long that will last." Finnick says.
When did it become okay for me.
"The scores will be shown after dinner so you can shower or discuss strategy with your mentors." Aries says as they walk into the common room.
"So how'd it go?" Zayden's deep voice booms.
"I would be insulted if they gave me anything less than a 9." Aden says.
"And Annie?" Mags asks.
"Time will tell." She says meekly and heads to her bedroom.
"She looked super pale before her session. I thought she was going to vomit." Aden says with a sly smile.
"She is your teammate." Finnick reminds him.
"If she got a low score we wouldn't consider taking her on." Aden says.
"Is it we already then?" Zayden asks.
"Yes why would it not be. One, two, and four always work together." Aden says annoyed.
"We have insider information that the District One tributes will be a danger to you and Annie." Zayden says.
He snorts.
"They're not, I could take them." Aden says.
"Oh really." Lena says annoyed. She looks a little better than before.
"Yes." Aden says.
Finnick watches the Avox in the kitchen as he ignores the conversation around him.
He feels the sofa shift and smells coconut.
"What's up?" Annie says softly to him.
He turns and sees her wet brown hair is in two braids. He can still smell the scent of shampoo in her hair. He hasn't been this close to her before, he never noticed that she has freckles on the bridge of her nose.
"I don't know. I was watching her cook." Finnick says and motions towards the Avox.
"Kind of weird that they don't have names." Annie says.
"Yeah." Finnick says. "So, do you think you did okay with your score?" Finnick asks.
"I don't know. It's like school when you take a test. Sometimes I feel I did great, but I actually did awful. If I had to guess I think I did a good job, but I could be wrong." Annie says and sighs.
"Were the gamemakers paying attention?" He asks.
"Yes." Annie responds.
Finnick nods.
"Aden says if I don't get a ten then I won't be in the alliance." Annie says.
"That reminds me, we were told the District One tributes don't really have the desire to work with you two." Finnick says.
"Who told you this?" Annie asks.
"One of their mentors." Finnick says.
"Pfft they're probably lying Finnick." Annie says.
"They weren't." He says thinking back to his conversation with Cashmere. Finnick isn't best friends with the girl, but knows her well enough to know she was being sincere when telling him her tributes shouldn't be trusted.
"Real talk do you think I should do this by myself?" Annie asks nervously.
"Let's see your score before you make any decisions to run off by yourself." Finnick says.
"Do you think I'm going to die?" Annie asks.
"I have no reason to believe you will die." Finnick says.
"Yet." Annie mutters.
Finnick shrugs.
"Like in all games Annie luck is something you should factor in." Finnick says.
"I wasn't lucky." Annie smirks. "There's this girl I work with and she said she was going to volunteer but I talked her out of it and now I'm here and she's back in 4. Is it terrible of me to wish I never talked her out of it." Annie says.
"No it's not terrible." Finnick says.
Annie nods and looks at Lena.
"Do you know where she was this morning?" Annie asks slightly annoyed.
"Uh yeah she wasn't feeling well, we think she ate something bad." Finnick lies.
"Wasn't she meeting with the President?" Annie asks.
"Cooks can mess up from time to time." Finnick says.
"I'd hate to be the cook that made the President sick." Annie says.
"Yeah so would I." Finnick says wondering if Snow would punish the person.
"So you've met the President-"
"All victors do." Finnick says cutting her off. He doesn't want to talk about Snow anymore than he needs to.
"So what's he like?" Annie asks.
"If you win you can find out for yourself." Finnick says.
"That's not a very good incentive."
"Do you honestly need one?" Finnick asks teasingly.
Annie shrugs.
"You really don't have one." Finnick says surprised.
"I uh people die all the time and my family would get over it." She shrugs.
"Are you giving up already Annie?" Finnick says louder than he meant.
All eyes are looking at them now.
"Of course not." Annie says annoyed. "But it wouldn't be the worst thing if-"
"To your family it would be and that goes for you too Aden." Mags says.
"I ain't giving up until I'm dead." Aden says.
"Neither should you Annie." Lena says.
Finnick looks at her surprised because she has been saying Annie will die since she got on the train.
"Besides, the arena could be an island for all you know." Zayden says.
"Why does that matter?" Aden groans.
"Most people from other districts don't know how to swim. So, people could easily drown." Zaysen says.
"That'd be a boring death." Aden says.
Annie scoffs.
"If we're gonna die in there Annie we should at least have a memorable death." Aden says.
"It doesn't really matter, you'll be forgotten by Capitol citizens when the Victory Tour rolls around." Lena says.
"But not by everyone else." Aden says with a devilish smile.
Lena rolls her eyes.
The television flashes on to show the scores.
"Oh they must be earlier this year!" Aries cheers.
The scores come and go quickly, it is generically the same except the boy from 12 got a nine.
"I'm very very proud of you two." Aries says after the scores are shown. They both received a score of 10.
"What happens now that training is over?" Annie asks.
"We train for your interview." Aries says with a smile.
"I think Annie and I can handle answering questions." Aden says annoyed that Annie got the same score as he did.
"You need to be remembered not just answer questions." Aries says annoyed.
"Remembered?" Aden asks as if it was the first time he's heard the word.
"If you aren't memorable it will be hard to sell you to sponsors." Zayden says.
"We both earned tens, that should be a good enough sell." Aden says annoyed.
Zayden sighs in annoyance.
"Things aren't that simple Aden you see-"
"But 4 always has money." Aden says not bothering to listen to anyone any longer.
While this is true, tributes from 4 usually get at least one parachute in the arena. However, there are times when it doesn't happen. Finnick has noticed it happens more frequently with the younger children.
"If the sponsor deems you too boring or annoying then you'll have trouble getting some sponsors." Finnick says.
"Well, I think the businesses from home are loyal to the tributes."Aden says.
"Their money doesn't go that far." Lena says annoyed.
"Just leave the sponsors part to the professionals." Finnick says slightly annoyed.
"Finnick?" Annie says softly.
"Hm?" He responds.
"What did you mean by boring?" Annie asks.
"Do you really not know the definition of boring?" Finnick smirks.
Annie rolls her eyes.
"Forget it. I'm going to bed."
"We'll go over it tomorrow, but you can't just be too plain. Myself and the other mentors will go over your life to make an interesting story." Finnick says.
"Make up a story? I can't change what has happened in my life Finnick."
"No, but you can embellish or twist it to make your life seem more interesting. Although for you the girl next door angle might work well."
"Is that how you see me?" Annie asks.
"I don't know you well enough to form a proper judge of character, but I could see that angle working for you. You're a fisherman's daughter and have a hometown job. You're pretty and with the right makeup and dress they could make you look like an innocent girl next door." Finnick says.
"How'd you know I was a fisherman's daughter?" Annie asks.
"I saw you go home from work one day. You were headed in the direction where most fishermen live." Finnick says.
"If I recall you were following me." Annie says.
Finnick shrugs.
"I'm not the perfect hometown girl though." Annie say.
"You don't have to be, but it can be your narrative." Finnick says.
"This game is more complex than just killing." Annie says softly.
"Lying and charming are a big part as well." Finnick says.
"Charming… must've come easily to you." Annie says.
"Tell me Annie what do you remember about me?" Finnick asks.
"You were a young kid, but you were charming, confident, and slightly cocky." Annie says.
"There's a narrative." Finnick says and stands up.
"That's just your personality. You're still like that" Annie says slightly confused.
"I could just be a good liar." Finnick says. "We should go to sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day." He says and goes to his room.
"No one is that good of a liar." Annie says to herself.
"Yeah… yeah that's what they all say." Finnick says as he walks down the hall.
The truth is Finnick could be summed up in those words charming, confident, and cocky but so could many people. Whenever Finnick goes to the Capitol he is still playing a part. However, this time it isn't his own narrative it's the one Snow has given him.
A/N: Been ages I know, but I think I'm back. More updates to come soon :)