VENUS《 FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 3. A STAR'S BARGAIN.

IT FELT WRONG. Yes, the carriages seemed to be fabricated out of pure fairytale, complete with the lot: emerald encrusted countertops, teacakes and pastries upon mother of pearl enlayed trays and a crystal chandelier that vicariously swayed sending shimmering tear drops of rainbow hue across the compartment. Everything appeared to swing to the hum of the train, even the rattle and buzz of the air conditioning. Too serene, too luxurious. A calm before the storm.

It was a mirage.

"Now you two, isn't it just sweet you get to experience such beauty before the games! Go on, try something, I would highly recommend the pavlova. Now I'll just go fetch Cece and Woof, I shouldn't be a moment," Candy primly patted the two on the back before wistfully walking to the next compartment, her heels tapping behind her.

"It's Edith Scotch right? Sorry I couldn't remember if it was Edna or Edith." The boy asked tentatively.

The brunette girl began to finally register his face, the loud rattle of the train snapping her out of fantasy. He was around eighteen, a lanky frame with muscles, paired with pale skin and sun bleached hair. A litter of freckles dusted his skin, as if he had his own private little constellation.

Sadly, she murmured to herself, he was beautiful. And something about his features, the tilt of his smirk, the soft lull in his eyes, the way his hair was tousled. She knew him, maybe from school?

"You were right the first time. What's yours?"

"Cade Coran," he playfully left his hand in front of the girl. Beckoning for a shake. But she had other things on her mind than how firm his grip was against her hand.

Edith inwardly cringed, she remembered him now. Of course she remembered him. You dont just forget your first little kid crush that easy. Not if you are a 'sentimental piece of shit' as Edith tended to adorn herself with in private. It didn't last long, of course, it was a stupid crush of a ten year old that went away once Cade was shunned into the farmlands with some miraculous luck on his Peacekeeper parent's behalf.

She analysed at the person before her, this was no ten year old, farmer's boy who cheerfully smiled with wobbly baby teeth at anyone who walked by. No, something changed when he left. Edith tried to rack her brain for any information, but she couldn't remember much about him leaving other than his parent's stature.

The attendance roll was never permanent in 8. Neither was the population count.

He continued after her pause, "That was pretty brave back there, what you did. You expecting special treatment or something?"

Edith scoffed. No emotion escaped the boys lips, a manner of which sent a crawling sensation down her spine.

Yes Lucy is the daughter of a victor, but did he really not notice how I held her? Did no one see the agony in my face, my scream over Cecelia's?

"She's like a sister to me, I have known her since we were both young. My younger siblings are good friends with her too."

"Right, well I doubt others in the Capitol will see it like that, the cameras didn't show you until you moved in front of the girl," his grey eyes narrowed on her.

"How do you know that?" She snarled, not erasing the unbothered disposition that glazed his face.

"What they show on the screens is what they show in the Capitol, its always been like that, and where I was standing all I could see was Sanchez and Candy's wig," Cade taunted back, mocking the poisonous tone she had previously laced her words with.

"Well they can believe what they want to believe, I'm going to be dead in a matter of days aren't I? What's a bit of misconception when the people who matter know?" Edith muttered, the boy's brows left raised.