Something Worth Living For [THG] // Finnick Odair

XXIII

I am making my way down to the gymnasium, several hours have passed since the scores were announced. I manage to sneak out without being seen, they wouldn't have let me leave, I have been the centre of attention since Caesar said I had gotten a twelve, it is quite annoying to say the truth.

I get to the gymnasium five minutes early, Finnick hasn't come yet. I turn on the lights and sit in the middle of the room.

"Hello." I hear Finnick's voice as he enters the room. "Miss 12."

"Oh come on!"

"I am afraid of my score." He says, mocking me.

"Shut up!" I say, punching him on his right arm.

"Ouch, that hurt!" He says playfully.

"It's what you get for being like this." I say, sticking my tongue out. "Anyway, what are we going to do tonight?"

"What did you do? What did you show the gamemakers?" Finnick asks me, ignoring my question.

"I used the gauntlet while some holograms came running to me and I shot arrows at them and threw knives and some sickles." I say shrugging. "I never expected a twelve, never dreamt of getting a twelve, do you think the gamemakers did it on purpose so now everyone will chase me?"

"I don't really think so, I think you really did earn that score." Finnick says frankly to me. "Which is quite impressive, because if I remember correctly, nobody has gotten a twelve, no one."

"No one at all?"

"No, until now."

"Wow!"

"Yeah, Divya almost choke when Caesar said it, everyone is really surprised by your score. I have heard some other mentors talk about you and they are all surprised." Finnick says.

"And you? Are you surprised?"

"Not that much." He shrugs. "I expected you to get a ten, nobody has gotten a twelve like I said earlier so I never considered a twelve as an option. But I'm not that surprised, I always knew you could do it."

"You should have seen Ryle, he totally lost it and started shouting like crazy, it was quite funny."

"He's an idiot." Finnick says. "I would love to see him, though."

"It was funny and he got scolded by Brutus and Enebry. Anyway, what are we going to do today?"

"Not much, just fight with the swords. You still need to improve in that area, though, it is clear you can perfectly do everything else."

"Okay." I say grabbing a sword. "Ready whenever you are."

He smiles at me, not a smirk but a normal, nice, smile. "That's the attitude!"

I smile as Finnick's sword slips from his hands, and lands far away from his reach. He looks at it, and tries to go for it but I stop him with my sword. I point it at his chest and my lips form a triumphal smile, he sighs.

"I think it's enough for tonight." He says. "You are improving."

"Thanks!"

Finnick and I fought for an hour and a bit more, I have improved indeed, but still have so much to learn. Finnick won most of our fights but on the first day I couldn't even hold a sword the right way.

"I bet your parents will be surprise when they see you out there, and I bet everything that they were very surprised today when they saw your score."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I do." Finnick says. "Come on, you need to sleep."

Finnick puts his arm around me and we both walk out of the gymnasium. He stops briefly to turn off the light, we continue walking after that, slower than we usually do, I just notice it when we reach the lift, but I decide to keep my mouth shut. Finnick presses the button and as we wait, Finnick never removes his arm from around my shoulders.