Love at Sea (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 15

The energy was high in the room. The sleepover excitement was immense. It was like a carnival inside of compartment O.

Taiya was standing on the top bunk, hands in the air proudly as if commanding an imaginary kingdom consisting of just Johanna.

"Bow down, peasants!" Taiya proclaimed with an exaggerated enthusiasm that would give any Capitol citizen a run for their money.

"Get down you nutcase," Johanna put her hands on her hips, shaking her head with a smirk as she tried to contain her laughter. She was still moving a little slower than she used to, so she wasn't feeling up to joining her friend on the top bunk. "If Fishstick 2 comes in and sees you up there, I'm going to get the blame."

"Why would you get the blame? I'm the cool kid up here," Taiya retorted, grinning at her subject below.

"Because in Fishstick's eyes, you can do no wrong," Johanna replied with an eye roll.

"That's because I am innocent," Taiya protested.

Johanna couldn't stop the cackle that escaped her lips. There was not a chance Taiya was innocent, mischief was her speciality.

"Anyway, last time I got hurt, I got in trouble, not you. So your theory doesn't hold up," she shrugged.

"That's because it was your fault!" Johanna gasped, unable to believe Taiya was still going to try to pin her backflip disaster on her.

The door to their compartment started to open, signalling Finnick's arrival. In a panic, Taiya swiftly dropped down from her 'throne' atop the bunk bed, landing on her knees with a theatrical flair.

Finnick froze as he walked in. He could see Taiya bouncing from how quickly she'd dropped down, and Johanna was staring guiltily at Finnick.

"What did you two do?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing them both with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you think he means us?" Johanna asked Taiya.

"I think he does. Do you mean us?" Taiya asked.

"Yes, I do," Finnick nodded.

"Nothing," Taiya shot her head.

"Nothing at all," Johanna quickly echoed her sentiment.

"Why would you think we did anything?"

"We've never done anything wrong in our lives," Johanna shook her head.

Finnick eyed them sceptically. In the past, when they'd spoken in rapid-fire like they just did, it was because they were guilty of something.

"Never done anything wrong in your lives, huh?" he remarked dryly. "Oh whatever," he rolled his eyes, moving to sit down on his and Taiya's bed. "So what's the plan for tonight? You know the party's tomorrow so you guys can't go too crazy. We don't want any broken bones."

Taiya's eyes sparked at that suggestion and she shot Johanna a wink as she lay down on the top bunk.

"Oh geez," Johanna instantly groaned. It was a good thing Finnick couldn't see what she was about to do.

Taiya rolled herself off the top bunk, falling the short distance to the larger bed below, landing with a thud next to Finnick.

This scared him and he leapt up, not having expected anyone to come falling next to him.

"Tay!" he gasped. "I just said no broken bones!"

"That was actually so fun," Taiya stared back up at the bunk above. "Let's do that again!"

"No," Finnick shook his head, catching her around the waist and spinning her off the bed.

"The plan seems to be to annoy you," Johanna smirked at her friends.