Something Worth Living For [THG] // Finnick Odair

XXXI

On the other side of the backstage, where all the already interviewed tributes go, I find Kellen, who is smiling at me in a weird way. I glare at him and approach him fast.

"What was all that about?" I demand.

"What? Caesar asked me!" Kellen exclaims in an innocent way. "I had to answer!"

"I don't know what you are playing at, but it won't work."

"You hurt my feelings! Don't you think I actually mean what I said? Why would I say I like you if I don't really do? Why would I choose you in particular if there are other eleven girls there? What would be the use of lying?"

"I don't know." I admit. "But it must be something."

"Look, I did mean every word I said."

"No, you didn't." I whisper, more to convince myself than to deny what he is saying to me.

Kellen then lets a small laugh escape his lips, and then he starts getting closer and closer to me, I start to back away from him without even noticing what I'm doing, it's a reflex, he takes a step towards me I take a step back.

"What are you doing?"

He says nothing, he just keeps coming closer to me until I have no room to get away from him, I'm cornered. I have a wall at my back and my right, and Kellen is right in front of me blocking the little room I have to escape. He closes his green eyes slowly, he starts to lean in. No. This can't be happening.

I put my hands against his chest to stop him from getting closer to me but that isn't really working, I turn my head just in time so he ends up kissing my cheek instead of my lips, my first kiss can't just be this awful way, I can't let this happen.

"Kellen, leave me alone!" I scream. "Leave me alone!"

"Just one kiss, I know you like me too." He says.

I'm right in the corner of the room so I have no chance of escaping, he cups my face with his hands, holding it tightly making it impossible for me to turn away. He smiles sweetly at me, as he closes his eyes once again and leans in. I panic. I scream, I try to break free but I can't.

"What is going on!?"

Kellen instantly turns around, meaning I can escape from him now. I waste no time on running to Ryle's side, who looks like he could kill Kellen right now. Ryle puts an arm protectively around me, while I bury my face in his chest.

"Are you so thick that you can't understand that she doesn't want to?" Ryle shouts. "By doing this you will only get her to hate you and be afraid of you. Stay away from her!"

Ryle and I walk away from Kellen and sit down on some chairs, he rubs my back and doesn't leave my side. Ryle got just in time, I really didn't want my first kiss to happen like that. When I finally do kiss someone for the first time, I want it to be special, I want to like that person. I don't want it to be like this.

"Thanks." I murmur.

"It's alright. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." I say nodding at him.

After that I don't really pay much attention to the interviews, I keep an eye on Kellen, who keeps pacing in front of us while all the tributes that have already been interviewed take a seat, he probably doesn't seat because he'd have to sit next to me.

When Kade walks in he looks at me a bit concerned, he starts to approach me but stops and instead he goes to his seat, but he keeps looking at me every now and then. Luciana the brown-haired girl also looks at me in the same way, her brown eyes show concern but also curiosity. Her tribute partner, Xander, does the same as them. His hazel eyes are fixed on me, and he seems like he wants to ask me what's wrong but he doesn't.