The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

22

We both sat in silence. But it was a tense silence. What time is it now? Surely close to midnight. I gazed briefly at Liam, his sea green eyes locked hauntingly onto the shoreline. 

I wonder if he knows why Finnick's disappointed. It was bumbing me out that Johanna hadn't signed off on the note. I knew the spile was her doing yet only Finnick Odair bothered to sign it. Is she also disappointed or just Finnick?. 

I sighed and cleared my throat. "It's because we nearly died of thirst, isn't it?".

Liam's head slowly rose and he turned to me with a frown. "Maybe it's because you said my mother went insane".

Okay, so I kinda deserved that but at least I'm trying to break the tension. I bit my lip and turned away from him. The both of us enduring even more of that heavy silence. 

Suddenly, the arena was filled with a thunder like bang and immediatly we both stood, weapons pointed at the wooden white door. Our breaths shallow and our limbs tight ready for action. Only the door remained closed, in the distace a giant like tree was being struck repeatedly by lightning. 

I slowly lowered my axe and stared at the giant tree. I heard Liam sigh and roll out his shoulders. "Guess its midnight then".

Right. How could I forget? This arena is one giant clock. I nodded not trusting myself to say anything.  I never thought I'd say this but a part of me just wants to go home. To live in my room even if I'll be woken up at five-thirty by Johanna everyday. It's still better then being on edge every second of every waking minute I'm in here. 

I sat back down in the sand, drawing little sriwls and a tree. I felt Liam's eyes on me, he was still standing but hadn't said anything. But I knew he wanted to, I'm just not in the mood to talk to someone so rude. "You're not what I expected".

I looked up at him with a frown. "What's that supposed to mean?".

He smirked and sat across from me in the sand. "I thought you'd be more like Johanna."

I paused in my little drawings and rose my eyebrow at him. "Well, if it's any consolation I think your exactly like your father". And that's not a good thing.

He shrugged. "I didn't mean to offend you".

I frowned. Yes he did, infact he's probably annoyed that I'm happy at the compariosn being so different. I smirked. "You didn't".

He rubbed the back of his neck casually and glared at the ocean. "Yeah, I gathered that".

And then I laughed. Like, genuinelly laughed. He gave me a confused look which only added to my amusment. Until, I had to hold my stomach and try to breath through my nose to stop. All the while, Liam Odair stared at me like I've gone mad. "S-sorry. But if you honestly think that Johanna Mason of all people is the way to upset me...". And that was it, I was laughing again.

He shook his head at me. "You know in here she's basically your only life line, right?. I wouldn't be laughing at her".

I sobered up and glared at him a little. "Well that's up to her. Besides we're...". 

What was I going to say?...Basically strangers, if I say that I'll lose all my sponsors. 

He tipped his head at me expectantly. "You're what?".

I shrugged. Might as well pull this around somehow. "Family".

He scoffed. "Family. Some family we've got. It's because of family that we're here in the first place". 

I nodded, that's true. "I always figured you'd volunteer".

He rose an eyebrow at me and I sighed. "Growing up you were always so in everyones face. Even in District Seven, everyone knew all about you. We even had this bet going around that at fourteen you'd volunteer. And I thought you would, but you never did. And that always surprised  me".