A/N- Thanks for the awesome reviews, I really appreciate it. I'm glad you liked that chapter, and I hope that you'll like this one too. Just a quick warning, but my posts may get more infrequent with the start of basketball practice. I won't take a month long break or anything, but don't expect a new chapter every night. I'll try to keep writing as much as I can though. Thank you for reading.
The sky is dark, and silver colored clouds press down on District 4. The air is thick with humidity, which adds to the feeling of being shoved in a box. Thunder plays angry music in the distance, with lightning dancing to the fierce melody. Yet, to me, it's one of the most beautiful days of the year. Annie is due back from her victory tour any minute, and every nerve in my body is wired tightly with anticipation.
"Calm down Finnick, you look like you're going to mug her," Rafe says. I crack a smile and punch his arm. Since my little trip to the arena, I've been more relaxed, and I'm pumped up for Annie to get back. Well, and Mags. I need to call an emergency meeting pretty soon. It's been over a month since Plutarch talked to me, and I haven't said a word to them about it.
I guess the fact that our resistance group is down to three people sort of takes the tragedy away. I wonder if we'll even hike up the mountain anymore. Mags needs to be carried a lot of the way, and Felix isn't strong enough to, which leaves me to haul her the whole way. She may be tiny, but the hike along could kill someone. I get this horrible thought that the District 4 rebels have been shut down. Then the train pulls up, and I basically stop caring. Annie's back.
Annie is the first one off the train, and I immediately run over there and wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly against my chest.
"I missed you," I whisper in her ear. She leans up and kisses me softly, her eyes sparkling so beautifully that looking at her almost hurts because I love her so much more than a human should be able to love anybody. It seems like we finally may be able to really have a life together. We've both made it through the Games, broken and beat up, but we're here now, and I can't imagine that anything will tear us apart if we haven't been already. Sure, there's gonna be a war, and hell, I pray I'll get to fight in it, but if I haven't died yet, a stupid war isn't going to take me out.
"I missed you too," Annie whispers. My grip on her tightens, and I bury my face in her soft, curly hair. This is perfect, so perfect. I hadn't realize how much I missed her, but now that she's back, I don't want to contemplate her leaving again.
"Finnick," Alva whispers. I consider flipping her off, but Annie wouldn't like that. Instead, I try to ignore her. I know that she'll say what she wants to say whether I answer her or not.
"Finnick," Silvia says now. "I need to get Annie ready."
"How can you make her anymore beautiful than she is now?" I ask. Annie giggles, but pushes me back.
"It'll all be done tomorrow," Annie says. I kiss her one more time, then finally let her go.
"Yeah, I guess," I mutter, not exactly thrilled. The prep team, Silvia, and Alva think this is so cute, and they all start laughing. I don't. I grab Rafe and drag him away, sneaking one last peek at Annie from over my shoulder. She blows me a kiss. I give her one back and Rafe laughs at me.
"You are such a girl," he says.
"Have you ever been in love?" I ask him. He snorts.
"If I have to go through what you did to get love, I think I'm fine without it," he says.
"Oh come on dude, I say it's worth it."
"Fuck that. My head is screwed on nice and tight, and there's no way some stupid girl is going to unscrew it."
"So you're saying that I don't have my head on straight?" I ask, loading my voice with over exaggerated anger.
"I wouldn't have said anything if I thought it'd make you mad," he says innocently, like he's serious. I start to tell him I was messing around when he continues. "I mean, you're so fucked up that I figured you'd probably think that was a compliment."
"I ought to throw you off the dock for that."
"You're threatening me, you little punk? I wouldn't be acting so tough to someone who could bench you two times over." I try to stand up taller to look down at him, but he's so much taller than me that all it really does is make his size advantage that much easier to see.
"I could so take you," I say, trying not to crack a smile.
"Wanna bet?" he asks. I notice him backing onto the dock, and I follow him, hoping to lead him off the edge.
"Sure, I'll take that bet," I tell him. Then I rush at him. He doesn't back up like a normal person, though. No, the dumbass grabs me and picks me up, cradling me in his arms like I'm a baby. I don't struggle because then he'd just throw me over the edge.
"If you throw me over, Annie's gonna find out, and you don't want to know what she'd do to you." A grin spreads across Rafe's face.
"What? Laugh and thank me for giving her a mental picture that will forever make her happy." I have to laugh, because knowing Annie, that's exactly what she'd do. Oh well, I guess that's why I love her.
"Okay, you got that one. But it's freezing, and there's lightning, and I really don't want to die."
"You're awful heavy, Finnick. You better convince me not to drop you pretty quick."
"Just put me down," I almost scream. So he does. In the damn ocean. Only as soon as I feel him letting me go, I get a vice grip on his leg and he comes down with me.
The wind isn't bowing that hard, so there aren't many waves, but the water is cold enough to chill me to the bone. My teeth start chattering instantly, and I know that we should really get out, but really, I'm having fun. I grab Rafe by the neck and dunk him under, holding him down there until he rears me off like a bronco, sending me flying through the water. Then he chases after me, grabbing my waist and twisting me around, grinning himself stupid the whole time.
We only mess around for a minute before we crawl out of the water and onto shore, freezing, numb, and laughing our heads off.
"Shit, my toes are purple," Rafe complains. They aren't even purple. At least that purple.
"It was your idea to throw me in the ocean," I say.
"Yeah, but I wasn't planning on joining you," he says, that messed up smile still spread across his face.
"No one messes with Finnick Odair and gets away in one piece." Then I take another look at Rafe's toes. "Actually, we better hurry up before that's totally true."
I get up, then haul Rafe to his feet, rushing him to my house. Then I make sure that he knows what to do with his feet before I take a quick shower. After that, I throw on a suit for Annie's banquet, then head downstairs to check on Rafe. I still have to gel my hair and put on makeup- Snow's strict orders for all public appearances- and I want to get Rafe out of here so he does not find out that I have to do that. Okay, I know maybe that's a little petty, but there is no way in hell that Rafe is going to find out I wear makeup, no matter if it's an order or not.
"How you doing?" I ask Rafe. He makes a face.
"Fine. My feet hurt like hell, but they aren't falling off."
"Do you want me to give you a ride home?" I ask.
"Yeah, that's fine." Thank God. "See you at the banquet?"
"Yup. See you there."
I take Rafe home, finish bringing out my "natural beauty", then head over to the town square. That banquet doesn't start for an hour yet, but I sort of hope to see Annie there. If not, I figure that I can find someone to talk to. My district is actually proud of me, other than the other eleven, so I can go up and talk to random people if I want.
When I get there, people are already milling around some of the shops, gazing at the food that set out under tents, not to be touched. I don't really see anyone I know, so I just walk around, smiling, nodding hellos. Then I catch a glimpse of Felix standing with a couple other victors, including Orica Nadar. I freeze in my tracks when I see her. This chick scares the crap out of me.
She is the youngest victor in the history of the Games, the only victor to win while she was twelve. This was maybe eighteen years ago, so she's still just 30. She's also one of the most ferocious killers the Games have ever seen, and she's still terrifying.
Orica is one of those victors that you would never ask to take part in the rebellion. She's Capitol all the way, from her powder blue skin to her bright yellow eyes. She lived underwater, or mostly at least. On the very first day, she swam deep into the lake and found a hole in the rock, revealing a hidden cave, about two thirds filled with water. There was just enough land for her to sleep on, even though I don't think she ever slept. Like a shark, she'd stay under as long as possible, tracking her prey. Then, when they got close enough to the murky water, she'd spring, dragging them under, then slitting their throats before they knew what had grabbed them.
That explains the sea monster look, and the fact that she did this at age twelve also goes a long way in explaining her attitude. Remember when I said the Games were a big part of me? Well, that's what that whole creature of the deep thing is for her. She lives by it. I'll see her walking around my house at night, peeking in windows with those freakish yellow eyes. She eats raw fish. I know that she spends almost all of her time at the ocean, but not like Rafe and I do. She swims as deep as she can, somehow managing to stay down for minutes at a time.
Felix once told me that she catches fish by her hands while she's down there. I guess I don't know. I just know that whatever she does, she isn't truly human, and she scares the hell out of me. That is why I really don't want to talk to Felix. I was planning on giving him a sign that says we need a meeting, but of course seeing Ms. Fish-lady changed that. At least until Felix sees me and calls me over. I make my way over to them as slowly as possible, fidgeting under Orica's gaze, which happens to be locked on me. Finally I get to them, hanging close enough to Felix that it borders on slightly creepy.
"Hey," I say. I don't take my eyes off the ground. That stupid mer-thing is still looking at me. I'd flip her off, but it looks like she's filed her teeth into fangs, and I don't want her to bite me. Even if she didn't get my jugular, they look damn yellow and I don't want to catch some kind of disease.
"Finnick, I haven't talked to you for a while," Felix says. Then I see why he called me over. I'm not the only one with news. Well, good thing, too. If he's just calling a meeting, then it'll only take a second.
"Yeah. We really need to talk sometime," I say, saying the words slowly and clearly, making my meaning obvious. He nods.
"Good. Obviously you'll want to be mingling with your friends here, but maybe tomorrow. Mags should be happy to join us as well. I know how badly you've missed her these last weeks." I smile.
"Yes. Perfect. My house at five?"
"Sounds good." Then I start to walk away. Only the psycho fish chick hisses.
"Yeah?" I ask, not bothering to turn around.
"Keep your guard up." I shrug her words off as some kind of stupid threat, even though I can almost feel meaning in them. But what would she say that could have any meaning other than instilling fear in me? None, none at all. I start walking again.
"I'll keep that in mind," I say over my shoulder, then hustle away from her. She scares me, bad. The threat didn't help either. Those things leave my mind pretty quickly, though. I see Rafe walking over to me, well, limping over. I hustle over to stand by him, just as the ceremony starts. Then I just focus on Annie, and for once truly enjoy the speeches that are usually so boring to me. Maybe it's because I spend the whole time gazing into Annie's eyes and I don't hear a single word, but that isn't a problem. I don't want to hear the words of the Capitol.
My head is too busy to listen anyway. It's filled with thoughts about how much I love Annie, how beautiful she is, and how everything is so perfect, so amazing right now. Orica's warning hangs in the back of my head, but I pay no attention to it. There are more important things right now, and I focus on those instead. Is that really so wrong, only looking at the good after so much bad?
Well, it doesn't take me long to realize that it wasn't that smart, that's for sure.