"THOSE WEREN'T MY TERMS." Aella whispered harshly, dipping her chin, while clutching the plastic cup of water in her hand. Rage flowed from every inch of her body. It had been a long while since she'd been so thoroughly wound up. Her companions had almost forgotten what it looked like when she reached her boiling point.
Her fingers itched to feel something sharp against them. She missed the sharp edge of a blade, missed the way it hurt when her skin split under the pressure. For years that had been her coping mechanism... pain. Physical, metaphorical, mental. It didn't matter what. Pain sated her anger, nothing else. All she had around her was a plastic cup and her finger nails.
At that thought her hands fisted into balls. She dug her nails into her palms as hard as she could while closing her eyes as the pain seared through her body.
"Aella." Clio hissed deeply, pulling her back to the surface, "Stop talking before you get yourself into trouble."
"I don't care." She snapped lowly. Their conversation was still contained between she, Clio, Finnick and Daniel around the dining table but the rage that rolled of the woman's shoulders was very much evident. People passed with caution. Some didn't dare look over, "Let her hear me. Maybe then she'll rethink her words."
"You can't threaten a president, Aella." Daniel warned her, forking whatever beige food was on his plate.
Slamming the cup on the table she locked eyes with him and growled, "Watch me."
The sound of the cup hitting the table echoed through the cafeteria though it wasn't loud enough to divert everyone's attention to her. Those on the surrounding tables peered over with curious eyes. Many looked away immediately when they saw the cold fury dancing in her icy blue irises.
"Alright, Ella," Finnick intervened dismissively. He picked up her cup after the water sloshed on the table, moved it away and leaned in, "It's just a negotiation."
Aella turned her head to the man who kept her level headed. Finnick saw the wild anger swimming in her eyes and he kept his face hard as stone. Aella wasn't one that was easily pacified. Usually it took the same level of fire to put her out.
"I didn't agree to a negotiation." She whispered harshly as she leaned toward him, "It's not fair, Finnick—"
"I didn't say it was." He interrupted her, "But right now your hands are tied," She scoffed bitterly and he shook his head, "Aella, you might think you can fix this but we're guests here. You need to remind yourself of that. They didn't have to rescue us after the Games but they did."
Aella's jaw set harshly, "I refuse to let her manipulate me into slaving away for her like he did."
Clio slipped her nimble fingers over Aella's shoulder and pulled back gently. Her eyes were soft and caring like they always were and she shook her head gently, "She's not trying to manipulate you, Aella." She reassured her, "It's okay."
"It's not okay!" Aella snapped loudly. Eyes turned to them again and this time she noticed them. She released a heavy breath and ran her fingers through her shorter hair before repeating in a quieter tone, "It's not okay."
"You can let your guard down here, Aella." Clio informed her, "They won't hurt you."
Claustrophobia hit Aella like a tidal wave and a heavy weight sat on her shoulders. She shrugged Clio's hand from her shoulder and sat back. Crowded. No air. Could she breathe? Yes. It just wasn't as clear as before. How long had it been different? She'd never noticed the difference in the air underground compared to what it was like overground. She'd never had to fight for it underground though. That's why it was suddenly different to her.. harder than usual.
Clio shuffled back ever so slightly. Aella's eyes fluttered shut and she said, "It's not about getting hurt."
"No?" Finnick questioned her, genuinely curious.
"No." Aella responded after a calming breath, "It's about Coin using Johanna, Peeta and Annie against Katniss and I. She's dangling their rescue over our heads like a carrot on a stick and I won't stand for it."
"That's not what she's doing—"
"That's exactly what she's doing." Aella responded firmly, "I just seem to be the only one who can see it. She's exactly like Snow." She whispered dangerously, eyes glued to the table.
Clio stiffened in her seat and shook her head, "Aella you can't say that. She's harbouring us all. If it weren't for her allowing us to come here we'd all be dead."
Aella shook her head in disagreement, "She's doing it to look good. She's using us to be the noble President. She said it herself, if we fail she'll leave them there to rot. I'm telling you.." She shook her head, "She's just like him...nothing more than a poisonous snake."
Finnick began to shake his head, "I don't think—"
She moved to stand up and Finnick trailed off. Instead he reached out to her hand. A quick swipe saw that she avoided it and stepped back, "I just..." A deep breath, "I need some air, or something. This place is driving me crazy."
"Okay." Finnick nodded in understanding. The cabin fever had kicked in and the enclosed walls had amplified everything. District Thirteen was—in some ways—like a prison. They were used to freedom, or at least being able to walk outside and breathe in the fresh air. Now all they had was four walls and dim lighting everywhere they went. It was claustrophobic to even the most level headed people.
Finnick moved to follow her as she turned her back on the group but she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, "Don't follow me, Finnick," She said tightly, "I need time alone."
They watched as she left, silent and unsure. Finnick shook his head and dragged his hand through his overgrown hair. His mind cast back to how Aella had gripped to the stands at the nape of his neck that very morning in their bed. She'd smiled at him in the most mischievous way. It had made his heart burn in all the right ways. How the tables had turned. Now all he felt was deep stress.
A part of him just wanted Coin and Heavensbee to leave them be. They'd done their part—or at least most of it. The only thing they'd failed in was ensuing Peeta made it out but they'd ran round that circle over and over again. Finnick had lost count over how many times he'd told Aella that it wasn't her fault but now... He couldn't help but wonder if this was a punishment maybe? Was Heavensbee coercing Aella into all of this because she had let Peeta slip through her fingers? He just didn't know.
It was unlikely. Aella had said they seemed pretty desperate to have her on board. Like they knew Katniss wouldn't be able to hold it on her own. Maybe it was her constant rebellion against Snow during the run up to the Games that had caused Heavensbee to select her.
Aella had been caught on camera preventing Peacekeepers from burning down a school in District Five after the Victory Tour. She'd plucked a rose from her chariot during the parade and crumpled it in her hand before tossing it on the ground for Snow to see. She refused to follow instruction in her individual assessment and whatever she had showcased had caused enough chaos for Snow to personally award her a score of twelve purely to target her. She stood on a stage in front of the entire Capitol, before Panem, and told them indirectly that Snow was the one who had her family executed.
She'd done it all in front of Heavensbee. He'd been the one watching her like a hawk—watching them all. Maybe he had just seen a potential in her that no one else had been able to see. He'd gotten the full picture. Not them.
