Falling Through Portals

You think this is a Trap?

Chapter 64

Finnick looked around the hall trying to spot Annabeth. She had only been gone a few minutes but it was disconcerting.

One of the many overdressed capitol women was talking to him. She was one of the more obese women there. It was hard to look at her straight on because of the mass amounts of glitter that glared reflected light in his eyes. She was telling him about her meaningless connections that she called "high up." he knew she was trying to bribe him into getting with her. Every other woman did the same thing since he had won the Games, so it was not new. But talking with her . . . thinking about what she wanted . . . what she wanted for him . . .

A shiver went down his spine.

Before he had met Annabeth he had dealt with it. He had done what the capitol had wanted him to do on the side and tried to ignore the fact afterwards. But now. Now he had Annabeth. The thought about doing that again . . . it made him want to throw up. The thought of this pig against him made his skin crawl.

"Finnick!" It was a winning girl from one of the other districts, "May I speak to you alone?" she glanced at the fat woman. The woman shuffled off sadly. Finnick sighed in relief.

"Thank you," he told her. She gave him a sad smile.

Her name was Alexandra. She had won 66. Most of the time he didn't remember single facts from specific games, but he clearly remembered hers. She had hunted each kid down and strangled them. He had read about how she had been raised by men and beaten as a child. The facts were sparse about where she had learned how to fight but she never did so without a reason. Alexandra could read people better than anyone he had ever met. No one had touched her after her games, other than foolish, arrogant capitol men who mysteriously vanished the next day. But she was very aware of the other champion's situations. More than once she had saved him from his predicaments.

"I saw that girl you had on your arm earlier," she said. He had a special spot in his heart for Alexandra. She was like a mother to all of the winners even though she was not even thirty yet.

"She is a friend," Finnick said. Alexandra cocked her had when she spied his smile.

"Where did you find her?" she asked.

"By chance, believe me," he almost laughed when he thought of the clever girl who had walked into the men's locker rooms.

"What is her name?" she asked.

"Annabeth," he told her in a hushed voice, "But everyone calls her Olympia."

The sad face was back. She knew that he loved her. Alexandra pursed her lips.

"You know it won't matter," she said sadly, as if walking on egg shells. Finnick looked away. He knew deep down that Snow wouldn't let him marry her until he had been used to his full extent.

"I know," he said in a small voice. It had been a bliss full past few weeks imagining that he would spend the rest of his life in a hospital with Annabeth, drawing her.

"I am sorry," she said putting a warm hand on his shoulder. He said nothing. Suddenly Alexandra's head turned to the side.

"Alexandra," cooed Annie as she strutted towards them, "Finnick," she said. He immediately knew that she was sober. She was among the few of the champions who still trained like she was headed to the Games again. "What are we talking about?"

"None of your business Anne," Alexandra said coldly. Alexandra couldn't stand Annie and how she put up with the capitol. Annie put on a pouty face.

"Aw, don't be like that Alex," Annie said, "we are all friends here," a feline smile played across Annie's face that reminded him more of a death threat than a treaty.