Chapter 6

********************Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games!*********************

Anna gulped as Finnick and herself rounded the corner towards the glass panels that looked upon the capitol. The train then joulted to a sudden stop just as soon as they made it around the curve. The train station was illustrated colorfully before her. It was a mess of colorful wigs and puffy gowns, luxurious bedazzled suits with an abundance of makeup piled upon. Everybody and just about everything was coated in the stuff. Legs, arms, faces, anywhere on their bodies really. Frankly it was ot just on the women, but on the men, and even their children. The picture before was also dotted with a decent amount of I love Finnick posters as well as a couple we love district four signs. Anna let the glory of the vast amount of people absorb into her brain.

Whilst Finnick and her were waiting for the rest of the trains occupants to join them she waved towards the bejeweled crowd and flashed them her very best smile (as fake as she could be, just like they loved it). She could hear the thunderous applause and screams that she received from them. Funny how they could fall in love with a tribute so fast. Then again maybe it wasn't love, but the want for the seemingly fabulous experience of being a tribute. To them glory, fame, and beauty was everything. Paying with your life for something so wonderful (to them at least) was a seemingly small price to pay to the overly spoiled citizens of the capitol.

After giving a few more waves and batting her eyelashes a little, Annabell tucked herself behind the door that prevented the hyper citizens from cramming into their train to be up close and personal with them. Finnick was also mimicking Anna's previous actions, with a little more flirt in his persona of course. However he tucked himself away as well (much to the crowds displeasure) once he realized Anna had disappeared from the crowd's view. Anna decided she was going to mess with him a little while they waited for everyone else (who now all of a sudden took forever to get ready, then again, it probably took forever to get Flabia's wig rearranged).

"Sooooo, Finn?" she said to him a teasingly girly voice.

"Yessss?" He mimicked her in his tone, effectively soliciting a smile from her.

"So you'll do anything for me huh?" she said in a teasing tone her voice edging off into a bashful whisper, secretly wanting to know in what context he really meant it. She watched him hesitate for a moment and then smirked, and rolled his eyes in a playful way .

"Obviously I'll do anything for you silly, I am your mentor after all". She knew this was the answer she needed to hear to keep herself in check and nodded her head. She mimicked his devious smirk as best she could and nudged his shoulder and elvishly taunted him, "You certainly would do anything for your capitol ladies as well." She wiggled her eyebrows at him and giggled.

Soon it was quite blatant that she had struck a nerve which surprised her. All she was trying to do was merely tease him a little. However his seemingly sour face disappeared just as fast as it had reared it's head, being covered up by his gorgeous self-conceited face.

He simply just smiled subtly, and looked down to Anna. "I don't kiss and tell sweetheart… after all you know that".

Irritation bubbled up inside of her and she looked up at him and rolled her eyes, memories of the one kiss that they had shared right before he had left for the capitol after his reaping flashing through her mind. It had been both of their first kiss and was painfully Anna's only kiss. She noticed the twinge of what had been depicted on his face earlier still present in his eyes and whilst her heart felt a pang of sympathy for the nerve she had struck, she chose to ignore it, writing it off as Finnick being his melodramatic self. After all he had just successfully messed with her back anyways. However, he certainly still knew how to make her tick, she would give him that.

After their little exchange Anna attempted to put up the same facade as Finn had seemed to master. Displaying a smirk that would hopefully enchant the capitol in the same way his did. As soon as she slipped on her victor potential face everyone else aboard the train seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Flabia was of course directly behind her and when she shrieked at everyone, Anna could've sworn she was going to go deaf.

"Game faces everybody! Remember there are possible sponsors in the crowd! My reputation and your lives are literally on the line!". Although most likely hearing impaired now, Anna had to admit her words were very accurate. Surveying everybody around her, out of the corner of her eye she could see Shane, her fellow tribute, attempting to mimic Finnick's stance. It was actually slightly amusing to watch him try and smirk and put on the same facade as them. The only thing that helped him was standing up taller, but as for the flirtatious facade he was attempting to replicate, it merely made him look like an overly happy and dozy walrus, because quite frankly with his round baby face, petite stature, and lack of muscles was hurting his attempt.

Finnick and Mags seemed to notice his problem and they both leaned over and whispered to him, "Just play the nice boy card, the capitol loves a teddy bear".

This seemed to relax him and he became less tense and awkward, merely his typical teddy bear self. Anna couldn't help but wonder if his act was real. After all she was going to try and appear smart and cunning, with a hint of flirtatiousness. Of course this could all change depending on the way Finnick (and Mags) decided they should present her to the capitol, but for now she would play her cards the way she pleased and try and flaunt the beauty that some acclaimed her to have.

Once everyone seemed situated and knew their places, Flabia promptly screeched in her thick capitol accent, "Well are we just going to stand here, or are we going to get going and show these people just how amazing Four really is?!". Everyone now being ready just nodded the okay and she quickly added, "Oh and Finnick darling, lead the way!"

All of this commotion seemed like forever to Anna, but according to Flabia they'd only been there for about two minutes, but to capitol people, who might I add are quite impatient, it took forever as well. Once Finnick opened the door the wall of sound hit Anna. She thought the deafening screams of the capitol citizens was so much that she was going to be knocked backwards. Quite frankly she didn't have much faith in Flabia's ability to catch her if she fell as well. Considering she was very frail and was wearing 7 inch heels. However, she didn't let the hoards of people or the screaming citizens, or even the fact girls were trying to climb onto the platform in order to get a closer look at them throw her off her A-game.

Smiling, waving, smirking, and blowing kisses at the crowd seemed to captivate them beyond belief. She knew from the increase in the screams from the crowd it was a signal that she was doing the right thing. Then again, it was probably the fact that the love of every capital citizen's life was right in front of her, Finnick Odair, but she was certainly doing a decent job. The nerves (and loud screams) were sort of affecting her hearing ability, but she often heard fragments of the colorful people saying, "We love you Anna!", "Finnick marry me please?!", "Go Anna", "Finnick you're hot!" and of course a fair amount of "Finnick we LOVE you!". Anna kind of felt bad that she only caught about 3 "Go Shane's!", but she quickly denied herself the ability to sympathize. After all this was a competition. Better to not get attached (despite the fact that he had attempted to be kind on the train by giving her Finnick as a mentor). Contrastly, she was kind of annoyed with him, because maybe he knew Finnick would distract her. Despite the fact that he probably didn't do it on purpose, it was better to start thinking the worst of the fellow tributes now then be hurt beyond repair when they would die later.

After about a rough six minutes of all of district fours capitol goers acknowledging applause and parading themselves around, flirting and smiling their biggest smiles for the citizens the peacekeepers ushered district four's ensemble away from the crowd. The peacekeepers also had to pull away a ten teenage girl who were trying to grab Finnick's ankle on the way out. Once the citizens were blocked from the group they were safely escorted to the lobby of the tribute center. There was a collective sigh from the group as soon as they entered the building. Finnick sarcastically remarked with a large outward gesture of his arms, as though to present something, "Well that's your first taste of the citizens, if you're lucky you'll get some more!". This earned a stern look from Mags and a scoff and hair flip from Flabia, but Anna couldn't help but giggle a little.

They traveled in a collective group to the elevators, Flabia's heels clicking on the glossy marble floors, her sparkly outfit reflecting off the crystal chandeliers like a disco ball in full spin. Anna couldn't help but roll her eyes at the abundant luxury. The capitol exceeded fancy, it was glutinously bedazzled in every crack it could find. Finnick pressed the elevator button and within a few seconds the cart to take them away to their floor appeared.

The interior of the elevator had a solid gold floor that glimmered in the light of the bejeweled ceiling along with what appeared to be labeled diamonds for the elevator keys for the corresponding floors. The entire elevator was paneled in glass, the interior designer probably wanting to flaunt the grandeur of the tribute center whilst you make a trip in the elevator. Flabia promptly pressed the diamond key labeled four with her three inch electric blue acrylics. They shot up at speeds Anna didn't know could be achieved by an elevator and within a few moments of Flabia pressing the button they arrived at their floor.

Flabia was the first to waltz out of the elevator, loudly proclaiming all the wonderful amenities and how luxurious the capitol was. The district escort made many hand gestures and giggly noises whilst giving her minnie tour, quite amusing in all honesty to watch. Anna could've sworn she also heard a few muses from Flabia about how annoying it was that the poorest district (12) got the penthouse.

"So where's my room…?" Anna muttered, of course only to be ignored by Flabia whom it was intended for. Finnick promptly tapped her on the shoulder and said "well I can show you… dinner isn't for about another hour".

Once Finnick extended an olive branch Anna realized she was slightly annoyed by the fact that she couldn't just ignore him and trade him off for Mags. She had to give him credit for trying to be nice despite their past making the duo a bit awkward. But, it was obvious to her that he was trying. Anna hesitated for a moment and then nodded her head to the now tentative Finnick, his eyes scared of her rejection, something he always feared as a child. She gulped and then gestured for him to lead the way. Finnick padded through the living room that was a bunch of bright oranges decorated in all glossy solid white furniture and over to a hallway that was encrusted with aquamarine jewels and the walls that flowed before them depicted beautiful murals of mermaids and sea creatures. Quite fitting for district four. Whilst still a capitol luxury it at least felt right for her, whereas the obnoxious pink room she'd had on the train had kind of hurt her eyes with its bright pinkness.

Finnick opened one of the two doors that was presented along the hallway. He explained that one was a bathroom, and the other was her room. He then promptly pointed down the mirroring hallway (which continued the underwater theme of course) telling her that the last door on the hallway was his room. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and fold her arms into a stern position because she realized he was treating her like a capitolite. Then he quickly added with a wink, "You can come anytime you want…" Finnick of course promptly cracked up at how stiff Anna got and then also remarked "because I'm your mentor of course."

After his giggle fit he again pointed out the bathroom which had a stone door with emeralds which bedazzled it in a capital like fashion. Why of course, It just had to sparkle. Once done surveying the exterior of the bathroom she looked upon the contrasting door that was on that branch of the hallway. Anna's room had a mahogany door with a dazziling golden doorknob. The eloquent simplicity of the door pleased her and when she walked into the room she immediately felt nostalgic. The room smelt of the ocean and the bed was an enormous king sized bed that had ocean blue sheets with small quilting in it of golden thread. The mural of the ocean continued into her room (but it could be changed with a click on a remote, which Finnick showed her). The floors were a beautiful swirl of blues and grays that were encrusted into marble. There was also a blue wooden door that connected to the bathroom on the door opposite to the bed. There was just so many details that no one human could describe it all. The only key that they were still in the mortal world was a large floor to roof panel of window that looked out upon the capitol. The bright lights from the city shining into the room. However once covered with the beautiful golden curtains everything was shut out and the room seemed to transport her to the realm of Poseidon.

Finnick noticed her mesmerized look and tapped her on the shoulder and murmured "So, I'm guessing you like it? It was my room when I was a tribute, figured you would." In the midst of it all, all Anna could do was nod. Finnick jumped onto her bed and posed for her, his antics finally kicking in. Wiggling his eyebrows and winking at her was what he was now best at of course. She presumed that he was trying to lighten the mood. Anna simply sighed and rolled her eyes, she put her hands on her hips and when he didn't change his pose she picked up one of the fancy pillows from a chair tucked into the far corner of the room and launched it at his face, successfully hitting her target.

Finnick finally got into a normal position (once he removed the pillow from himself) and said to her, "So my old bestie, any questions for me? Please though keep it upbeat, we'll get to the depressing stuff later." Anna just sighed and said, "Haha, you mean like my imminent death?", her voice dripped with enough sarcasm to create another person. Finnick merely mused that she wouldn't die (as well as a small side comment about how the sass levek was "too high") and quite frankly Anna was so exhausted that she didn't have the motivation to argue. To be honest, she hoped he was right. She plopped herself onto the bed and had to resist the urge to rest her head on him, because it could be seen the wrong way.

Ironically the simplest and least depressing thing she could say was, "So when are the other districts arriving?" Finnick chuckled and replied, "They'll come when they come… District twelve and eleven usually take a while because they're so far away from the capitol. We'll have a day to kill until they arrive, then the tribute parade". Anna nodded her head and once she got her sass under control, she began to ramble off about anything light hearted that she could think about.

Realization dawned on her. Being with Finnick wasn't awkward unless she made it like that. This idea sunk in for a moment, and as soon as it did she felt herself slip back into her old tactics. It was like putting on an old T-shirt that still fit, it felt right. Socializing wasn't hard after all. Right then she realized that being his friend, in the way that they had been for so long wasn't actually a problem, the feelings she decided had dissipated. Thus she should act like it.

For a whole hour they just sat there, talking like the old friends they were. They discussed everything from the games that were scaring Anna to death, music they both enjoyed, to even things as simple as the beaches from back home. Everything they loved was out in the open the way it used to be. Anna put aside the fact that he had ignored her for three years and simply listened and chatted along side him.

Part of her begged for the history that she'd missed out on, but she just shrugged off her concern for him and enjoyed the moment of their previous normalities. After all there was nothing against being friends in her self made pact. Right?

************Author's Note:***********

Sorryyyyyy for not updating very often, I'm trying, but I've overcome some more writer's block, but anyways…

I know I'm a bad updater, but seriously I'm obsessed with this story and this was soooooo much fun to write. Literally took me almost a whole day, but it's pretty long and I hope you love it! Please review, comments motivate me so much you don't even understand how much fun this is and I just want you to know that this is fun and thank you for reading and please continue to read and review! Favorite and follow too, I really thank you guys for all the support and please continue to support this story. Thanks again! :D