Querencia | Finnick Odair

Chapter XXVIII

I am woken by the smell of bacon and eggs and when I open my eyes I see Finnick and Mags sitting at the table. For a short moment I am confused, but then remember that I've fallen asleep on the couch after having a melt down.

"Morning Princess. Care to join us?"

"You have bacon. Of course I will", I smile and trot over to the table.

I only order soup to the bacon, because I want my stomach to calm down. Mags is such a kind woman and we converse a bit, even though she has to repeat herself from time to time.

That is the reason why I decide to learn sign language. I want to be able to talk to her without saying 'could you please repeat that' every five minutes. So I just have to find somebody or a website that can teach me. Finnick helps me out from time to time and translates the signs Mags gives him.

Then we return to the mentors lounge and watch the games with the others.

Katniss and Rue are now in an alliance and have plans to blow up the careers supply pyramid that Katniss figured out after the girl from 5 pretty much shows her.

I grin when the pair plans and the careers mentors frown. They know how arrogant their kids are. Without their pyramid they have nothing.

~~~*~~~

That night I get a message telling me to attend a party with Samuel Jeffrey. It's the first time that I am given away during games. But I am sure that the party will have a live feed of the games as well. I sigh and get ready as far as I can. Then the paid stylist comes in and brings the dress with her.

My hair is falling down my back in waves and braids and the dress is a deep green and has, very surprisingly -note the sarcasm- a long slit. The shining material clings to my body and the neckline goes down to my stomach, held in place by tape. My make-up is held in dark colours, my lips painted in dark red.

My heels are strappy black ones, littered with what seems to be black diamonds.

"Oh wow, he is spoiling you. Look at this", the stylist exclaims and hands me a small hairpiece, that is decorated with diamonds as well.

"Yes, how generous of him", I spit out and shove the comb into my hair.

"No, no. It has to look pretty!",  she exclaims and I roll my eyes, but let her fiddle with my hair.

"Now you are ready", she smiles at me.

"I am so grateful", say with clenched teeth.

"Well have fun with your admirer", she exclaims joyfully and leaves.

I sigh and turn on the TV and almost laugh loudly when Katniss actually blows up the supplies, but after noticing that she can't move I grow worried, only after Cato's tantrum I laugh once again. I love that girl.

Then a message pops up on the screen and I leave my floor and the building, entering the limousine, which to my great surprise already holds three victors.

Finnick, Gloss and Enobaria.

"Well isn't this a cosy group", I mumble and sit down in between Gloss and Finnick.

Enobaria eyes me up and down. She is wearing a red dress that has less cleavage than mine, but is a two-piece and shows her midriff, the slit showing her tanned leg.

"Well somebody was generous", she motions to my shoes.

"Yes, how amazing", I reply sarcastically and she gives me a small smirk.

Finnick doesn't look at me, while Gloss does.

"Like what you see?", I grin.

"Maybe I do", he says and wiggles his eyebrows, then we burst out laughing.

He and Finnick are wearing suits. Gloss with a black shirt and dark red tie, Finnick with a white shirt and green tie.

"If I could wear something that covers me I'd start believing in the supernatural", I complain.

"Well at least it doesn't restrict your movement, I can't lift my arms up because the shirt is too tight", Gloss smiles, while Finnick just stays silent.

I shoot him a concerned look, but he looks away. Maybe it's because I didn't say anything about the girlfriend offer yet. But it didn't seem that way the other night and around breakfast.

We arrive at the destination of the party and Gloss helps me out of the car. Finnick does the same for Enobaria, whose heels are even higher than mine and I get cramps in my feet by only looking at them.

Then we are collected by each of our...customers. At least the guy is halfway attractive this time. But that isn't always a good thing either.

The party is similar to all the others I have been on, except that there is a big live stream of 'The Hunger Games' in every room.

That Samuel guy doesn't leave my side the entire night, his hand resting on my back and my occasionally my butt, which I didn't appreciate.

Right now I am surrounded by four Capitol men and women who ask me questions about my favourites in these games and who I would see as the winner of these Games. I am about two seconds away from strangling the next person who asked.

"Do you think the careers will recover or will Katniss be able to kill?" or slap Samuel for his wandering hand, when Finnick, with his jacket off, swoops in and asks for a dance. I am grateful, but very much confused at the same time, since he ignored me the whole evening, even when we stood at the buffet and I offered a chocolate lava cake. And there is nothing better than that.

"What are you doing?", I question when he pulls me into the mass of dancing bodies.

"You look like you wanted to murder somebody"

"Well, you looked like...oh right you didn't look at all", I retort, while placing my hand in his and on his shoulder.

"I, well, can I explain?", he asks.

"It's fine. I was just...well let's say surprised. But I mean if it's because I didn't give you an answer yet, I..."

"Oh. No. No! Of course not. It is just, I hate to see you like this."

"Like what?", I tilt my head while we spin around the room.

"In these clothes that you didn't choose and in another mans arms that you are not comfortable with"

"Finnick. It's fine. You have your lady, I have that guy and even if I would say yes, it wouldn't change. You'd still have to see me like this and I don't want to do that to you. For you to know that your girlfriend is given away to sleep with men she doesn't know", and now I have to fight back tears. Great.

"Talisa. I don't care about that. I am angry, sure, but I care about you the same. It is just that I would do anything to stop this for you."

"Finn..."

"We gotta change partners. Spin to the left."

"Finnick!", but he already spins me out and into Gloss' arms.

"Hey, Little 9. Nice seeing you again", he smirks and looks to Finnick and back to me.

Before he can question me I speak up.

"Didn't peg you as a dancer."

"Oh, I don't dance by choice."

"We are not here by choice, so I should have guessed."

"I hear you are rooting for the 12 girl?", Gloss questions and I nod.

"Can you blame me? She is a fighter."

"Well, she killed my girl. And my boy."

"After they tried to kill her. And you and I both know we can't blame them for killing. We did it ourselves. To survive. They are no different."

Gloss nods and spins me around perfectly, grinning as he lowers me down and pulls me back up.

"So you do like to dance", I grin.