Alright, Chapter 5 is here. I want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a review. It really makes me want to write more. Just saying, there's 61 people following this story, the more reviews, the better I feel. hahaha
"Such a wonderful District that was." Effie sat down in the chair; finally getting her weight off her heals. "I always loved district three, so much interesting technology."
"Yeah, I also loved the large industrial smoke stacks pumping out tons of smog." Haymitch commented back to her as he took a sip of his drink. "Who needs to see the sun?"
Effie may have enjoyed District Three but the rest of us could get out of there fast enough. I didn't bother waiting around in the main car for everyone to get tired and retire to their rooms. Without a word to anyone I made my way to my room and sat myself down in front of a fresh canvas. With a paintbrush in my hand I made broad strokes across the whiteness, filling it with a bright blue that I loved. Whenever there's a paintbrush in my hand I always felt like I was in a trance, like there was a force taking over for me. A mix of pink, yellow, purple spread its way across the once white board. When I finally finished, the final drops of paint finding a place on the canvas I stood back and admired what I made. It was a portrait of Effie. I sighed and put it with the rest of them.
It's been four days since I last said anything to Gale. He had snapped at me for no reason and hasn't looked at me again. I took my anguish out by painting whatever came to mind. Everything but him. I wanted to rid myself of him. I went to tear up the sketch I drew of him but I couldn't find it. Ever since I had painted pictures of Haymitch, Katniss, Prim and now Effie. I was quickly running out of subjects to district me.
The tension between Gale and I hadn't gone unnoticed either. At least once a day Katniss had tried to corner me and asked me what is wrong with me. At the party in District Two, I kept to myself for the night. Not to mention most of people weren't too happy with our arrival. Apparently most of them felt that Cato and Clove could have won and we ruined the chances of it. The tributes weren't much better; Enobaria was scary, her teeth sharpened into points and coated with gold. It sent chills down my spine when I looked at her.
District Three was, if it was ever possible, dirtier than District Twelve. Being an industrial district meant it had nothing but factories as jobs. Smoke constantly chugged from the buildings nearly blocking out the sun. The people were not happy looking like in District One and Two. It was almost as sad as being home and watching the lines of coal miners come home from a long day of work. It made us all home sick. On the bright side, the tributes Wiress and Beetee were both generally nice.
A slight knock came at my door. "Come in."
The door slid open and Katniss slipped in, locking the door behind her. She stood in the doorway, making sure I had nowhere to run off to. "All right Peeta," She said, her arms crossed over her body. "I want an explanation of what's going on."
"What do you mean?" I play dumb. It wasn't that hard to tell there was tension between Gale and I. It was almost so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"What do you mean 'what do I mean'? You just seem so… sad. You've barley talked to anyone for days, you spend every second locked up in your room, and not to mention anytime you and Gale are in a room together it feels like someone's going to start a fight. So, yeah, I can tell something's wrong."
I step away from my art supplies and go into the bathroom to wash the paint off my hands. "I don't know what you mean. First of all, I don't talk because I hate being on this tour and don't feel like I have anything to say to anyone." The water swirls down the rain in a rainbow of different colors. "Second, I'm in my room so I can paint. See"
I lead her over to the portraits I've done of everyone. She takes a second to look them over, almost amazed at the likeness of the subjects. "What about Gale?" She asks
"What about him?"
"Well you haven't painted a portrait of him or answered my question." She holds the picture of Prim and runs her fingers over the paint.
"Gale is your friend, Katniss. Remember you asked me to invite him here. We… don't get along. I told him the truth about our fake love during the games. It eased the tension but there's still nothing I have to say to him." Once the words have left me I feel guilty, guilty for lying to her but also being so harsh with my answer. She was only concerned for my wellbeing.
"I'm sorry," She says, taken aback by my blunt words. "I've been so wrapped up in having Prim and Gale here and keeping them safe from present snow, I barley think about anything else. I haven't been a very good friend to you." She puts the down the portrait and pulled me into a tight hug. I hug her back. She may be self-adsorbed but she is still a friend. She saved my life more than once. But the truth about Gale and me doesn't concern her.
"You're a great friend. I just have my own stuff going on. It's nothing to worry about."
"If you say so."
XXX
As day broke the train began into pull into District Four. I spent the morning on the back of the train watching the sunrise. After the choking smoke clouds of District Three, this place seemed like a dream come true. Something was very different about this District; the sky was the most blue I'd ever seen it. Large, white, fluffy-looking clouds dotted the horizon. The air smelled of something strange, not strange like the coalmines of Twelve or the factories of Three, but something new. It was fresh, crisp, clean smelling with a tang of salt mixed in. It made my lungs feel refreshed, cleansed of all those years of living in a dirty District.
I saw something I never thought I would see in my life. The ocean. A great blue body of water stretched out along a white sand beach as far as the eye could see. Small white birds flew over the water as great ships filled with workers hulled in nets bubbling with fish. The sun seemed to shine brighter as its rays shimmered in the crystal blue waters. It was all so breathtaking. The Capital almost didn't compare to this.
Inside, Effie was already fanning herself with a small paper fan that matched her outfit. The heat here was something none of us were used to. My stomach growled as I took a seat but was surprised to find that there was no food.
"The mayor has decided that instead of a dinner, we would have a lovely brunch with the victors." Effie said as she dabbed her forehead with a napkin so her makeup would run.
"I got my breakfast right here." Haymitch held up a glass of white liquor and took a large sip. Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Gale sat there, his eyes avoiding me at all cost. I just sighed and felt my stomach rumble as we pulled into the station. As we went to meet the Mayor the people on the street seemed different somehow. None of them looked miserable, everyone seemed to have a smile on their faces, each of them waving at us as we passed. People were happy here.
The brunch was much bigger than I had anticipated. The past few were very small by comparison. Many of the people were dressed in very little clothing, mostly just swimsuits or something of that nature. The buffet was a sight to see; crab legs and shrimp by the dozen, fish so fresh that it looked like they had just been plucked from the sea, a cornucopia of different fruit – cocoanut, limes, pineapple, and some I had never seen before. The place smelled of a mixture of sweet fruit and salty seafood. I spent the first hour along eating as much as I could. This kind of food was rare, especially in District Twelve. The only kind of fish I even seen was the kind that was caught at lakes and stream outside of the fences.
No one there seemed too concerned with us. No one cared that we were the winners or that their tributes didn't win, or about the games at all. Everyone just seemed to be enjoying their time. An older victor name Mags came to introduce herself to me. She acted very sweet, telling me how handsome I am before going on her way.
I watched Gale as many women flocked around him. He pretended like none if bothered him, as if he was enjoying the attention, but I know that he was just faking it.
"Usually I'm the one getting all the attention." A sexy and velvety voice said as a tall body place itself next to mine. "I don't say this very often but he just may be better looking than me."
The voice belonged to one of the victors. He was an extremely handsome guy who won the games a few years earlier. He was tall, muscular, and athletic, with tan skin, bronze-colored hair, and incredible sea green eyes. When he was in the games he never needed to do anything for sponsors, everyone was attracted to his natural beauty. I remember seeing him being able to wield a trident with deadly skill.
"Hi, I'm Finnick Odair." He held out his hand. In his palm sat a small white sugar cube. "I'll trade you for all your secrets."
I felt a small tingle run down my spine. Looking upon his beautiful face I had almost felt like I forgot how to speak. "No thank you. I'm Peeta…"
"Peeta Mellark." He cut me off. "That's ok." He said as he ate up the cube. "I already know all your secrets." He gave me a small wink before walking away. I don't know why but when he said that it send me into a panic. I follow after him as he walked to the bar to order a drink.
"What does that mean?"
"Make it two," He said to the bartender, how had start mixing his drink. He turned back to me. "It means that I know everything I need to know about you."
"Like what?" I asked. The bartender handed us two drinks in large glasses. They were white with tiny umbrellas sitting on the rim.
"Drink this, you'll love it. It's called a Piña colada." He said shoving the glass in my hand. I was hesitant at first but once he began to sip the drink I gave it a try. It was nothing I ever tried before, sweet and delicious but with a bite to it.
"What's in this?" I ask sipping more and more of the cool refreshing drink. I seemed to have a strange relaxing effect on me.
"Cocoanut, pineapple and rum. Now that you're a little loosened up, I know that you're in love with that boy over there." He said pointing to Gale. At his words I nearly choked on the drink. It took a second for me gain my composer. Before I could even deny it or ask how he knew he answered me. "Your mentor very there spilled the beans when I told him I'd give him all the drinks he wanted." Outrage ran through me. Haymitch, that stupid drunk, I could kill him.
"Don't be too upset, I make it my business to know everyone's secrets." Haymitch never promised to keep the secret to himself so I suppose I couldn't be too mad. Next time I share something with him I'll have to make sure to swear him to secrecy.
"Why do you even care? I'm nobody important."
Finnick took a long sip of his drink, looking like a model as he did so. "Ah but you are. You're and Katniss made waves when you both won by telling everyone you were in love. Seeing the way you look at him," his gaze falling to Gale, who was looking around the room, making sure to avoid where I was looking, "that's how most people look at me, head over heels in love." He leaned in a little closer to me; his hot breath was on my ear. "Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me."
I let out a small laugh. Maybe I was more obvious about it than I thought I was. Now Haymitch and Finnick had both been able to figure it out. "Well it's not like he would ever return it."
"Oh?" If Finnick's ears could perk up they would have. My self-pity had seemed to pique his interest.
"A few days ago he basically told me nothing would ever happen between us… this is of course after he kissed me" I don't know why I was tell him this. Maybe it was the fact that he already knew and I needed someone to talk to, maybe it was the rum. Whatever the reason, but listening to him talk and looking into his incredible eyes made me want to tell him everything. "Figures I'd fall in love with someone who hates me."
"That boy over there," He said pointing to Gale, who had made his way next to Katniss in an attempt to ward off anymore unwanted attention. "He's so deeply in love with you he doesn't know what to do."
If I had been drinking again I would have almost choked again. "What?"
"Trust me on this. If there's one thing I know it's how people act when they try to hide their true feelings." Finnick would be the expert. Even I was so studded by his presents. People must fall at his feet begging for him to even look at them. "Look at how he looks around the room, making sure at only linger on you for a second before looking away. That just shows how much he's intimidated by you." Gales eyes darted around the room, making sure to take quick glances at the bar before looking away. It was subtle but now that Finnick had pointed it out it was noticeable.
"Notice how he clings to her side." Gale was practically glued to Katniss. If they were standing any closer their arms would be locked. "That's because he's clinging to a life he used to know. When you two kissed it changed everything he ever thought possible. And it scares him. So he stays to her hoping that things will just go back to the way they were. But they never will be the same for him again." Listening to Finnick talk about this was like listening to Katniss talk about hunting or my father about baking; he just knew what he was talking about. A lifetime of experience had made his someone who was an expert on human behavior.
"Now follow me, and stay close to my side." Finnick left the bar and headed towards an outside balcony filled with people. When Finnick stepped out into the sun, his hair began to shine like motel bronze. People instantly noticed him and began to try to speak to him. But he passed by them to stand at the edge of the railing. "Now pay attention. I give it no more than five minutes before he is out here."
"I doubt that will happen."
"If I'm right," he said turning his body into mine, "then you owe me one request."
"And if you're wrong?"
He shrugged. "I'll forget everything I've learned today. Do we have a deal?" he held out his hand. As much confidence he had, it was no match for the confidence I had that Gale wouldn't follow us outside. I shook his hand. If he was willing to forget everything than what do I have to lose? "Good, now when he shows up, turn into me and make it look like we're deep in conversation. Make it convincing, look into my eyes, lean in, don't be afraid to look like you're flirting."
I just rolled my eyes. "Why?"
"Because jealousy is a powerful thing. Now look at me." I looked up into his big green eyes and instantly felt like I was lost out at sea. His golden tan skin only made them seem to stand out more. "Don't look now but here come prince charming." I kept my eyes locked onto Finnick's but from my peripheral vision I could see Gale and Katniss exit from the building to the balcony.
"That doesn't count, for all we know Katniss was the one to bring him out here."
"Maybe," he shrugged, "But he's still came out here, so you owe me one request." I wanted to slap Finnick but I should blame myself for not setting out more formal guidelines. My eyes drifted towards the two of them but Finnick wouldn't allow me to look anywhere else.
"So what do I owe you?" I asked. Most likely wants me to tell him every tawdry detail of my personal life.
"Have dinner with me… tonight." I was taken back by his out of the ordinary request. Not something I had expected for him to ask. He could almost read the shock in my mind. "I like talking to you Peeta, I'd like to continue it in a more… private setting. Don't worry everything will be one me. Just let me show you the wonders of the district."
I was suspect of his intentions. But before I could answer Katniss and Gale interrupted us by introducing themselves to Finnick. As Gale shook his hands, he almost seemed to turn animalistic; standing up as tall as he could, puffing out his chest, almost looking like he was going to attack Finnick for stepping to close to his territory. After shaking hands, Gale's was staring daggers at him. Finnick was affected in the least.
"I think that sounds great Finnick." Katniss and Gale looked at me with questioning eyes. "Oh, Finnick asked me to dinner tonight." I played dumb, like I didn't know it wouldn't sire up a fire inside of Gale. Now I was the one getting daggers stared at me.
"Just the two of you?" Katniss asked, not sure what to think about the arrangement.
"Of course," Finnick said, his arm snaking around my waist and pulling me closer to him. My cheeks burned like they were on fire. "Peeta here intrigues me." I could almost see the wheels inside her head as she examined the situation. I pushed my away from his arms and continued to sip my drink. I wanted to crack a smile; the look on Gale's face was nothing short of pure shock and rage.
XXX
I paced my train car, trying to figure out what to wear. Why was I so nervous? Something about being alone with Finnick gave me jitters inside. Nothing seemed to look good enough as I flipped through the clothes in my closet. A knock came at the door and Katniss walked in holding a large, flat white box tied with a red ribbon.
"Hey, this came for you." She said handing the box to me. I took off the ribbon and opened it up. Inside were a simple white shirt and some dark blue jeans inside. I picked up the card.
Dear Peeta,
Wear this tonight.
It's nothing too fancy.
Both are made from the finest cotton
You'll look great.
Finnick.
It was simple but something about the simplicity is what I liked. I hadn't realized Katniss was still in the room until she cleared her throat. "So you and Finnick?" She questioned.
"Its just dinner, no big deal."
"Yeah it's a big deal!" She stepped closer, her hand on my shoulder. "Peeta, why didn't you tell me that you were… you know."
I shrugged. Really I didn't want anyone to know because it was no ones business. Not that I didn't want to tell her but how do you tell someone something like that without mentioning that you're in love with her best friend? "That I like guy? Never really came up in conversation."
"You know you can tell me anything." I nodded my head. I lied. There are some things I could never say to her, not in a million years. "So have you ever even… kissed a guy?"
I don't know who was more embarrassed by this question, her or me. But I tried to crack a smile at her bravery. She was trying to connect with me again and I couldn't blame her for that. "I have. Just one." I told her with all honesty.
"Well I'm sure if all goes well tonight it will be two."
XXX
Finnick came to the train to pick me up. He was dressed in causal attire; a simple plain shirt and short with sandals. Somehow it was very easy going but it looked very nice on him.
"So where are you taking me?" I asked as we walked down the cool streets of District Four. Everyone that was on the street seemed to be wearing virtually nothing at all, just a small amount of clothing to cover up what they didn't want to show off. Everyone seemed so relaxed here.
"You'll see." We walked for about a mile before we came upon a small restaurant that looked like a small cottage that sat along the beach. The outside seemed to be made up on small shells plastered to the walls, giving it an iridescent glow in the moonlight. Finnick held the door open for me. It was very small inside, only a few rooms, each only fitting one table.
The girl working there turned red as she saw Finnick. "Right this way Mr. Odair, your table is read for you." We followed her to the backmost room. The table was set for two, the low glow of candles lighting the room. The walls were adorned with pictures of boats, fish, and a statue of a mermaid.
"This place is wonderful, no place like it anywhere in this world." He sat across from me, looking as relaxed as ever. His eye gleamed like gems even in the dim lighting.
"What's there to eat here?" With a menu I wasn't really sure what could be made. When the waitress came back Finnick told her that we'd have whatever the chefs special was for the evening. She nearly turned purple and scurried away back into the kitchen.
"You seem to have that effect on everyone, you know that?" He cracked a smirk across his handsome face.
"Do you find me… distracting?" He was turning the charm on full blast.
"I'm only human." He seemed to revel in my honest answer. If there wasn't a person Finnick couldn't charm then they probably didn't have a pulse. "So why did you ask me to this dinner?"
He leaned forward over the table, the light from the candle in the middle of catching a gleam in his eyes. "Like I told Katniss, you intrigue me. And since you've been honest with me, I'll say that I've been very intrigued since I first saw you during the games. When you rode the chariot, flame all around you like a halo, you looked like an angel."
Finnick sounded melodramatic the way he described first seeing me. But even with his silver tongue, there was still something that didn't seem right about all of this. "Is that why you went to such great lengths to learn my secrets?"
"You can read me like a book." The waitress came back with our plates. When she set them down my stomach almost churned. What sat before me was some kind of monster from the deep; it had eight legs with suction cups and was grilled. "One of my favorite, grilled octopus."
Before Finnick sound dig in he must have noticed my questioning disgust with what was placed before me. "You know what, how about we skip this and go for something a little more fun." Finnick called the girl back and told her we weren't going to stay. We left the restaurant and headed down the block.
"So how did you know all that stuff about Gale?"
We entered a small shop that smelled of sweets. It was an ice cream pallor. "All my life I've had nothing but people throwing themselves at me. But there are always the people who pretend not to be interested. Maybe because their too shy or they don't want to admit it but they always show the same signs."
Finnick ordered two of the sea-salt cones. I was still hesitant after the last monster I was given. If Finnick was right, Gale was totally in love with me. But thinking about it, why didn't the idea make me as excited as I should be? My heart should be jumping for joy out of my ribcage. We were handed the cone. The ice cream looked innocent enough. The taste was something I didn't expect. It was sweet and salty, a strange combo but it somehow worked.
"Would you like to walk on the beach?" he asked as we left the small store. My mouth was full of the sweet dessert that I could only nod. "I have to you Peeta, there's another reason why I took such an interest in you."
We reached the point where the street turned from stone into soft sand. Finnick instantly kicked off his shoes and put his feet in the sand. I had never walk on such a strange surface before I almost lost my balance as I followed his lead. We walked along, the sand filling between my toes, such a strange feeling. "The other reason I took such an interest in you is because… well… I haven't really ever met someone like us."
He didn't have to explain; I knew exactly what he meant. I had always felt like I was an island, forever adrift in a sea of loneliness. As we walked Finnick's hand grazed mine and before I knew it, our fingers were interlocked. "There is a portion of people like us in the Capital. But it's not the same. Everyone there is almost alien."
"I know what you mean." People in the Capital were stranger than anyone I had ever met. We took a seat in the sand, just at the point where the water would come and wash over our feet before falling back into the sea. "Mags told me about a time when she was younger when people like us were everywhere, it didn't matter. But one year during the games there were two tributes that had fallen in love with each other, two male tributes. When it came down two it neither of them could find it in their hearts to kill one another. The gamekeepers made sure they suffered horrible deaths. After that, to make a point, President Snow had anyone like us who lived in the districts rounded up and executed. He figured any type of love that got in the way of the games had to extinguished."
That would explain why President Snow has it out for Katniss and me. Our pretend love got in the way of the game and we had to pay for it. I held onto his hand as he told the story, like I was holding onto a piece of the memory. Finnick almost looked like he had tears in his eyes from the story. "Of course, those who lived in the Capital were exempt from his wrath."
The warm water washed over our toes. Stories like that are enough to scare anyone into hiding. None of those people did anything but love another person. No love would ever get in the way of bloodshed. I looked up into the sky at the million of stars that dotted the black nothingness above. The view was breathtaking, but only made much better by the fact that I was holding someone's hand.
"Would you care for a swim?"
I blushed in the dark. "I don't know how to swim," I answered him. He seemed shocked by this, like he had never heard of such a thing. Not surprising, everyone in District Four grew up swimming. The closest you would get tot hat in Twelve is when parts would flood and kids would play in the oversized puddles.
"How about I teach you tomorrow? Come to the beach with me and I can show you everything you need to know."
Finnick was generous, and I was in no position to turn him down. He had show me nothing but kindness, something I had not been accustomed. "That'd be nice, but I don't have a swimsuit."
"Not a problem, we can go shopping for one." He pulled his hand from mine and put it around my shoulder, pulling me closer to his body. I had realized how much the temperature had dropped. The clothes Finnick picked out for me didn't hold heat very well. The warmth from his body made me nuzzle in closer.
"You're freezing. Why don't I get you back, it's getting late." A part of me was disappointed. I didn't want this night to end. But Finnick pulled me to my feet and we headed towards the train. He held me close as we walked back. Feeling his body pressed against mine was comforting. Something I never expected to feel from someone.
We reached the train, both of us stood there; a newfound awkward silence had fallen between us. I'm sure Finnick was used to dates ending in his bedroom. But now he seemed nervous. "I had a good time tonight." I said.
"Yeah, I did too." There was the silence again. I wanted him to kiss me but he was being too much of a gentlemen. I took things into my own hands. Before he could step away for the night I grabbed him by the front of the shirt and pulled him into a kiss. Kissing Finnick was fundamentally different from kissing Gale. When he kissed me back I could feel the passion inside of him flowing out. He put everything he had into his kiss. By the time it was over my head was spinning.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I said as I slipped back into the train. The main car was pitch black, everyone must have been sleeping. I began to quietly make my way to my room when the and light turned on. Gale was sitting by the window. I almost died of a heart attack. "What the hell are you doing sitting in the dark?"
"Have a good time?" he asked totally ignoring my question. "Pretty late for you to be getting in."
"Are you my mother?" he didn't like my response too much. The glare he shot me was deathly serious.
"Seemed to enjoy that kiss. Someone moves on fast." Now he was getting me angry. I had had a wonderful night and now he was messing it up with his angst.
"And what do you care?" I snapped back. "Last thing you said to me was whatever ever happened between us was never going to happen again so as far as I'm concerned it's none of your business." I stormed off to my room. "And he's taking me swimming tomorrow"
I don't know why I threw that last part in. I guess I did it because I wanted to add a little salt to his wounds. Finnick was right. Gale wouldn't act like that if he didn't care. But Finnick had already shown me how much he cared. Being with Finnick was easy. But my feeling for Gale wouldn't just go away overnight. Now my heart was being torn in two. Not because of one guy's selfishness, but because two cared too much.
Next chapter should still take place in district 4. More Finnick and Peeta and totally jealous Gale. But chapter 7 is the one I can't wait to write. It will be awesome, and crazy and sexy.