Finnick Odair's Story: Dark Secrets (The Hunger Games Fanfiction)

Five Years On

Twenty four. I turned twenty four last week. I never expected to be sitting in a luxury hotel room, surrounded by my closest friends, drinking champagne and expensive rosé. We've been in here for five days now, getting completely drunk off our faces. There's me, Johanna, two girls from the Capitol named Alexxia and Louise and two men named Fredrik and Chase.

It's surreal how different life is now to how it was only a few years ago. I've changed so much since being that stupid teenager. Since then, I've moved into my own house and live on my own, with servants who visit occasionally. It's the lap of luxury. I am the most famous man in the Capitol, and my popularity has only grown since winning the Games.

I've learnt to act as if I don't care. I'm undeniably arrogant and cocky, yet the Capitol falls more in love with me every single day. I play up to their expectations perfectly, I smile and flash my gleaming set of teeth for the cameras, ruffle my perfectly tousled hair and wear their ridiculously revealing outfits.

It almost feels natural to me now, but not completely, not all the time.

I know that I'll never be completely over Annie, but my efforts to see her have proved futile and I've lost hope. I've begged Snow countless times to return to District 4, but he just reminds me of my 'foolish mistake' of running away with Johanna years ago. Maybe I'll ask him again soon, after all - the Quarter Quell is coming up and it would be such a shame not to have a victors' reunion.

"Turn on the TV," Fredrik calls, and I switch on the huge screen that's pinned to the wall. Immediately, the Games are being broadcast, so we watch for a few minutes.

I'm not mentoring this year as I have done for the past two years, unfortunately without luck. Emerald is taking over the position and I'm grateful for it. I can just about watch this year's Games without feeling sick. There's this one girl called Katniss Everdeen. She's from 12, the coal mining district, and no one was really expecting her to be very good, but she can use a bow and arrow with almost unnatural skill and ease. From what I've heard around the city, she's the hot favourite to win. I'll be surprised if she isn't snapped up by Snow as soon as she does so.

"That girl is unreal," Chase mutters as we watch Katniss climbing a tree.

"She's a definite winner," comments Alexxia, flicking her long, red hair from her shoulder and sipping more alcohol.

"Let's hope so," Chase says. "I can't stand the Careers this year."

I smile as my new friends from the Capitol talk so casually about the Games. They're alright, not as bad as some people, but they will never quite understand what it's like in the arena. Johanna, sipping champagne and lying at my feet, glances at me nervously but I shrug to signal that I'm fine.

"More champagne?" Fredrik offers, drunkenly standing up and refilling our glasses.

"We should probably call room service, get some more alcohol," Louise says, leaning over and pressing a buzzer on the wall. I watch in awe as her tiny slip dress becomes shorter and shorter. She catches me looking and winks.

"The tributes from 4 are already dead," Chase laughs, his eyes still glued to the television. "Looks like they didn't continue your winning streak, Finnick."

I laugh with empty eyes, taking another glass of wine and drinking it in one gulp. It's only ten o'clock in the morning and I'm already seeing stars when I blink, whilst my friends are just morphing into colourful splatters, unrecognisable through my alcohol vision.

Alexxia and Chase curl up together in the corner and start kissing, whispering and laughing to one another. My heart aches for Annie, but not as much as it used to do; I've almost accepted that she's probably found someone new and moved on. Almost.