Capitol's Boy

Stalker Girl

I take my shower with the temperature at its peak. I feel like if the water is really really hot, it will wash away my feelings. It never ends up that way, but the illusion helps. Do you ever feel that way? Like you just want to press pause on life and escape to somewhere where you don't have to feel any emotion? To where you can leave the big tangled ball of emotion you're feeling behind and go to a place where there is pure serenity?

I climb over the bathtub wall, grab my towel, wrap it around my waist, and stare at myself in the mirror. My skin is a bright pink, which can't be healthy. Not to mention, it hurts like hell, not much different from what I feel inside. Pain. I knew it was a bad idea, but it helped for a few minutes, and if the best I can get is relief for even a few minutes, I'll take it.

The man I see in the mirror isn't Finnick Odair. And I don't mean the Capitol version of Finnick Odair, I mean the Finnck Odair from District 4 who likes to swim in the ocean, fish for trouts to cook for dinner, and have a good laugh with the people he loves. Not the Capitol's Finnick Odair who likes to call around, search for a victim to screw, and leave with a pocketful of money. I don't even know who I am anymore.

I force myself to pull pants and a shirt on. Annie's last words echo in my mind. It's Thursday. I feel so guilty for how I treated her. I hope she and Finn are okay. I really didn't mean to lash out at her. It was all anger ridden. I hate myself sometimes for being me. Can I escape to that wonderful paradise now please?

I need to find out when the reunion starts tomorrow. Plutarch told me on the phone when he announced it, but I was preoccupied. I turn the lights off in my room, shut the door, and walk towards the elevator. The key card slot is there waiting for me to put my card in to go down the elevator. I reach in my pocket and- oh no. It's empty. The key card's locked in my room, sitting in there, right by the door. Great. Just great.

I take the velvet red-carpeted stairs down to the lobby, out of breath by the time I reach the bottom due to the endless drinks I've consumed and the countless hours I've spent on the couch. I'm scared I'm turning into Haymitch. Alright Finnick, just get a new key, find out the time, and get out of here.

I see the front desk is pretty vacant. Thank goodness. This will hopefully only take a second so I can get back to my room and get my head clear so I can slip into the 'Happy Finnick Odair who is happily married with a son and has left the war behind him' persona.

I approach the desk and a lady with short, dark brown hair to her shoulders, with not a single hair out of place, is standing behind it. She has chocolate-like brown eyes and a pure 'Capitol-white' pearl necklace on. "Hi, how can I help you?" she chirped. "Uh hi, I just locked my key card in my room," I say in a low voice. The lady chuckled. "Oh don't worry, we get that all the time. I'll give you another one," she said in a cheery voice. "What's the last name?"
"Odair," I mumble. I was surprised she could hear me. She searched my name on her computer, her long, fancy Capitol nails pecking on the keyboard. I stood there awkwardly, fakely admiring the gold all around me, just hoping no one would draw attention to me, but my instincts told me there was someone watching me. I turned to face the right side of me, and sure enough, someone was there. A little girl who had very long blonde hair in two braids that draped down her shoulders, a yellow dress that dragged behind her, and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. They were a icy blue that you would never find in the winter, but only in the summer as the color of a pool liner. She was waiting for something at the other desk, and didn't have anything to do but to stare at me, I guess.

"Hey, you're Finnick Odair, right?" said the girl in a small, yet confident voice. I was kind of taken aback, for my fans are usually self-conscious girls or women, not anywhere near confident like this girl.
"Uh, yeah. That's me," I say, a little twist of annoyance mixed in my tone. I'm chomping at the bit to get out of here and get to my room, alone.

"Oh! Well I think-" she started. The lady set the key card on the counter. Hallelujah! I snatch it from the counter just fast enough to cut the girl off with my actions. I speed walk to the elevator, out of the girl and the lady at the desk's sights. Good, now I can be alone.

I race to my room, shove the key in the slot, stumble in my room, slam the door behind me, and breath a sigh of relief. Oh shoot. I didn't get the time. Annie knows the time, but I can't call her right now. Not after what went down between us. I shouldn't dare go down to the desk and face the annoying fangirl and the lady I didn't even thank. You know what? I'll call Katniss. Hopefully she paid more attention than I did. I pick up my phone, still lying on the bed from my feud with Annie. I dial Katniss' number and wait for her to pick up.

"Hello?" I hear a small, yet confident voice on the other line. I freeze. It's the girl from the lobby.
"Uh, isn't this Katniss Everdeen's number?" I ask rudely.
"Oh it is! I'm just-" I hit the 'off' key before she could finish her sentence. What a stalker.
I decide to message Peeta. I would call him, but he's just too caring, so he'd keep me on the line for an hour asking how Annie and I are, how Finn is, and if he can make me a cake to calm my PTSD nerves. Plus, he's a better listener than Katniss and I, so he'll know the time. I find his contact in my phone, press message, and type my question.
-Do you know what time the reunion starts tomorrow?
He must be doing nothing too, because it only took him about a minute to respond.
-It starts at 5:30 in the ballroom on the ground floor. How are you and Annie? :)
Oh great. Just as expected.
-We're doing well.
I know it's a lie but it's kind of hard to fit 'well, I called her earlier to ask her what day it is because I don't bother to keep track anymore and she was stressed out and I lashed out at her but I didn't mean to because we were both stressed and I can't tell if she's mad or not right now but I don't want to call her back now because I'm stressed enough and so is she' in 180 characters.
-That's great to hear! Can't wait to see you both tomorrow!
Oh no. I didn't let anyone know that Annie couldn't come because we couldn't get a babysitter. Plus, we both agreed it wouldn't be right to leave a 12-month old baby with a stranger for a week. And it still kind of stresses Annie out to be in the Capitol again. Bless her broken, fragile heart.
-You too. Thanks
Now I feel like a big bully to the world. To Annie, the lady at the desk, and Peeta. The stalker girl doesn't matter. She's just a lonely girl who's obsessed with me.
Yeah, that's what I'll call her.
Stalker Girl.