Chapter 8- One-Way Glass
Just wanted to let you know that I'll be making chapters longer. I'd like to answer a question I've been getting a lot lately. (via PM) Q: Did you base Angel off yourself? A: Yes. In my early HG obession stage I took a bunch of quizzes about districts, weapons of choice, and how well I'd actually DO in the Games. Every time I got Distcrict 4, throwing knives, and- wait, that's one spoiler I WON'T tell you. :D There are some things about Angel that are pure me (ex: how pale she is), others not really (ex: she's drop-dead gorgeous). So yeah! Also I tried using throwing knives once and I rock at using them! WARNING: Will contain spoilers.
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES.
DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE A DIEHARD FANNIE OR GATNISS. Y.W.U.L.Y.K!
Noo clu howw too speel!
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Collin is aiming for cocky today. Most Careers can pull off this angel, but not me, I'm going to be the most modest person in the world. Our best bet is that if Collin comes across as someone who knows he'll be a Career then he'll be able to me in easy. With my knife throwing skills I will get in. For a few minuets we stretch in the center of the gym. Collin says each of his words loudly while I whisper, immidately we catch the attention of EVERYONE, including the Peacekeepers and Gamemakers.
"Collin," I whisper. "Do you think it's safe to try the knives today?" A few tributes are interested, trying to hear what is so secret that I have to whisper.
"What about the throwing knives?" Collin practically shouts streching his arms.
"The knives, Finnick said not to show off skills and save them for later, but I'd like to get some practice." I whisper back enjoying the whispers and looks from Granite and Ringlet. I lean over to reach my leg touching my foot, for someone with legs as long as mine it's impressive.
"Angel, if you want to do something, don't let Finnick change your mind." Collin barks. I nod my head pointing at the throwing knife station. "Okay then." Collin says in a normal voice tone.
"What are they doing?" Granite says to the boy from 2 as I whisper to the trainer running the throwing knife section. "Marshal! Get your head out of water angel's ass for one minuet and listen to me!"
"What?" Marshal asks. "I don't know about you but I think we should watch Angel." Granite throws her arms in the air and rolls her eyes. I give a slight nod to Collin who gives me a thumbs up. I try to make the thing as dramatic as possible. I bite my lip glancing up to the Gamemakers' balcony as if to check if they are watching when I know full well Frigus is watching. As well as the next two most important Gamemakers Seneca Crane and Pularch Havensbee. I can literally hear all the tributes turning to look at me. I breathe out then nod to the trainer. He presses the button. It begins. The knife throwing station is a bunch of targets shaped like human silloutes with large red circles where the hearts are. Each target lights up and you try to throw the knife at the heart of that target.
"Level one." The robotic voice from the station echoes off the walls. My first target lights up, I don't hesitate. My hand is at the belt of knives around my waist pulling one out and tossing it with ease. The targets continue lighting up and I hit each one. Each level gets harder, the targets light up quicker, begin spinning around and rotating. I shout with each throw hearing my voice echo off the walls. Sweat beads fall down my face.
"You have completed all levels." The voice says. Collin smiles cockily clapping loudly. Everyone goes back to their work. The Careers look at me in utter astonishment. Glamour grins leaning back on one heel. Casually I follow Collin over to the trident throwing station and watch him as I catch my breath. Slowly they walk over.
"Hey," Ringlet says. Collin tosses two more tridents before turning to face him.
"What?" Collin spits like Ringlet is wasting our time. I glance over Collin's shoulder playing my innocence down to the bone.
"We saw what you can do with tridents and swords yesterday." Ringlet says.
"Okay." Collin says. Granite glares at me and I quickly glance down, that was no acting.
"Would you like to join our pack or not?" She snaps. Ringlet shoots daggers at her.
"Depends." Collin says. He turns towards me and I blush looking at the ground. I'm not playing shy, this is 100% honest. Collin wraps his shoulder around me. "Angel and I, we're a package deal. I promised her brother Travis I'd keep her safe." I let out a small gasp, this is news to me. Marshal smiles.
"She's welcome too, with the way she throws those knives." He says grinning at me.
"Well, I'm not that good." I say to the floor.
"Yes you are pretty girl." Marshal says walking over and touching my face. Collin tightens his grip on my shoulder and I pull away from Marshal. Only my family touches me like that. My family and Finnick.
"You two in or not?" Glamour asks. Collin looks down at me.
"Sure, I guess." I say. Granite looks like she'd like to kill me, but holds her ground.
"Do you both realize how important today is?" Alicia asks us at breakfast. I nod with a full mouth. I've gotten a lot leaner since I got here, eating twice as much as usual and doing nothing but exercise. I look like a true Career.
"At least we get to go early on." Collin offers. I nod my head. I'm scared so much right now. Since the knife throwing scene we tributes have gotten only one more day to train for today's private sessions. I have 48 hours until I face my doom. But I do my best not to focus on that. Instead I channel my energy into today, hoping to get at least a six.
My hair is done in a bun directly ontop of my head, I DO NOT want hair in my face today. We line up in order of district this time, with boys going first. Ringlet is the first to go in. He comes out grinning giving thumbs up to all of us Careers and simply ignoring everyone but the boy from district 12 who he glares at. Not that I can blame him. Despite how scary this year's Careers are Daniel is the person to bet on. Glamour goes in without emotion and comes out just as icy. District 2 goes in and is almost spat back out, both Granite and Marshal hold their heads high and smile. Marshal, however, stops to bite his lip and smugly check me out. Both of the tiny tots from 3 take at least a half hour. Collin goes in and I smile at him knowing he'll do great. In two minuets he comes back out.
"You'll do great." He whispers to me. The Peacekeepers nod to me and open the doors. I enter keeping my posture tall and my steps slow. I will not fall, I will not fall, I will not fall... I think to myself. The Gamemakers are somewhat excited for me. By now most of them probably know about my knife-throwing skills. They haven't had wine either. An Avox girl is pouring them cups which were just handed out by another Avox boy. Plus I'm the last Career, after this the Gamemakers might not see any more action. I clear my throat and instantly they all turn to face me.
"Miss Caprice, you may begin." Frigus says. I bow my head lightly and sprint to the throwing knives. I start at level ten and quickly finish. Then I think of something. I whisper my idea to the trainer for the bow and arrows station. He looks at me strangely, but nods. I grab a knife, one with a wide flat blade, and prepare. The trainer knocks an arrow into place and lets it fly straight towards my face. I reject it with my knife easily. He continues releasing arrows and not a single one touches my skin. I set my knife down as the trainer gathers my deflected arrows.
"You are dissmissed Miss Caprice." Pularch says. I bow my head then exit. I walk straight down the hall until I meet up with Collin.
"What should we do, I mean, we have half of the day to spare." He says. I shrug my shoulders.
"I don't know, but suddenly I need to eat." I say. Collin smiles.
"Okay." Collin and I head back to our quarters ordering lots of food, then I suggest we go to the rooftop to have a picnic. The veiw is amazing, District 12 is so lucky to have a veiwlike this. Collin and I talk about home and stratigies. Our relationship is very identical to the one I share with Travis. When we order another basket of bread the avox comes hold a basket of District 4's trademark bread. It almost makes me cry. Collin's eyes get glassy too.
"It's in two days." I say, still not believing my own words.
"Yeah." Collin's voice says cracking. "I'm going to miss Alexa the most."
"She won't miss me. She hates me."
"Well, actually, can you keep a secret?"
"Two can keep a secret is one is dead." The words come out before I can stop them. There's an awkward silence before Collin speaks again.
"Alexa, likes your-"
"Brother? She likes Travis?" This is horrifying.
"Sister. Emily I think. Alexa is bisexual." This is news to me. There are plenty of people in Panem who are gay, lesibean, bi, but most never talk about it. It's easier to live your life alone because no one would marry you than to live with someone your same gender, it's just another mouth to feed.
"Is that why she never volunteers?" I ask. In District 4 volunteering is common, almost every year. I search my mind trying to think of a Games where someone liked their own gender. I remember one year, a girl admitted to being a lesibean and had a very hot kissing scene with another girl tribute that got her enough sponsers to win.
"No, a lot of people can say that they would do something, but never take action." Collin says. "You're not one of those people Angel, you gave up your life to save Abigal's." Her name hits me like a bullet. Abigal, Travis, Emily all of the people that I will never see again. But it's like one-way glass, they'll see me. Surely Travis and Emily will take turns watching live. At home with the games being so big and all if one of your family members is in the Games you're allowed to miss work or school. Daddy will most likely try to keep everyone calm or maybe not do anything and just lie in bed. The twins will watch some but never remember, Emily will have to describe me to them when they're older. Bailey might remember something as big as this, at least bits and pieces. Bella and Christina will cover their eyes when they get scared, or Travis will order them out of the room. Him and Emily though, they'll watch every bloody detail down to my death. I hope for their sakes that it's quick. Collin and I sit out until it's dark, the scores aren't given out until 8pm. Finnick and Alicia find us and force us back to the fourth floor. They flash a picture of Glamour from the tribute parade in a velvet red dress flashes onto the screen next to the District 1 seal. Then the number 9. Ringlet follows with a score of 9 as well. Then Granite gets an 8. Marshal gets a 10. The girl from 3, whose name is Gadget, manages a 6. The boy from her District, Chip, only gets a 4. Then Collin's face is on the screen followed by and 8. Alicia pats him on the back and Finnick messes up his hair. I hold my breath, my name comes onto the screen,
They're watching this at home...
The District 4 seal and a picture of me smiling in that white dress. I pull my knees to my chest.
Emily, Travis, Bella, and Christina. Bailey is in bed, Rose and Jasmine too.
Then the screen changes to show-
Everyone in Panem is watching.
A ten. 10! I got a 10! Finnick smiles at me. Collin pats me on the back. I'm tied with Marshal! The rest of the scores come on, no one gets anything above a 7. Except Daniel from District 12 who ties with Marshal and me. I'm the only girl who got a ten!
"Okay everyone!" Bianca shouts coming out of thin air. "Tomorrow we prepare for the interviews! Collin, Angel, there are three of us to work with. Alicia, Finnick, and me. We're going to work for twelve hours of the day. That means you get four hours with each of us. We eat early in the morning so you can go to bed early. Any questions?""
"What about lunch?" Collin asks. It's a dumb question, but I'm glad that he asked it.
"You'll have a small snack with each mentor. Off to bed you two!" Bianca orders. I slowly walk to my room. I fall asleep easily but the dark canvas of my sleep is quickly painted with vivid colors of nightmare. My family is watching me die Emily crying tears of blood, Travis losing focus at work falling into the water, Mom. Mom is everywhere, she's a ghost telling me it's all my fault, it's all my fault. I'm crying over her dead body.
"Mom wake up!" I screamed. The healer woman tried to comfort me but I only pushed her away. "You can't leave us Mom! Wake up! Wake up! Please! You can't leave them! They can't remember you like this!" I voice fell to a whisper. "You can't leave me."
Because I'm weak, I needed her, I need her now. I reached out to slap her awake but I was slapping empitness. Her heart had stopped.
SLAP!
I'm the one feeling the pain now, I look up to see Finnick hanging over me. God those eyes.
"Who's Daisy?" He asks. I'm still trying to figure out what just happened.
"What?" I ask.
"You were screaming again, so I came in to check on you and you were saying 'Daisy Caprice.' Who's that?" Finnick asks. I try to put things together but it doesn't work.
"My mom." I say blindly. I was having nightmares, Finnick slapped me awake. Oh! Now it makes sense!
"Oh." Finnick says. He lets the word evaporate into the air. I can feel it. Withput question Finnick slips into my bed wrapping his arms around me. I snuggle closer to him. He stopped the nightmares once, he can do it again. I only hope I won't scream in the arena, I'll be killed for sure. I close my eyes inhaling the perfect Finnicky scent of Finnick.
48 Hours.
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Strange way to end the chapter but I like it. So the general idea of this chapter changed quite a few times (didn't see the thing about Alexa coming, did you?) but mostly surrounded the general topic. Don't worry, I'll give you more Fingel action soon. With all the training and such there's not too much time for lemons. After the interviews... maybe a sour lime. MAYBE. Finnick doesn't want too many emotions inside of Angel. HE WANTS HER TO WIN! Angel for Hunger Games victor! Next chapter Angel will "train" for her interveiw. And you will see her dress, this one will really be in your minds because I FAIL at trying to draw it. How did the thing work out with image manager? Was it like you imagined it? Add this to your favorites and follow! Reveiws money, the more reveiws the more sponser gifts Angel gets! (Her fate is decided already, but do you really want her to suffer?) Do it for the children of Shoreline. (It's like the Seam of Dis. 4)