Our Love Could Be Lethal

Act II: Winners and Choosers

Unsurprisingly, Finnick and I weren't allowed to leave together after the club. I was lucky that they, and by they I suspect I mean Plutarch, allowed for us to show up at the train station to go back home at the same time.

Once out of the prying eyes of the paparazzi, I give Finnick a big long hug. I likely won't see him until my brother's games start.

Finnick pulls out of the hug and holds onto my shoulders. "Hey, don't worry. Once you're back here with your brother we're gonna figure it all out. Got it?"

I nod.

Finnick goes into his back pocket and pulls out a jewelry box.

Is he going to propose? Here?

Finnick must see the look on my face because he laughs. "Oh, c'mon marrying me wouldn't be that bad." He mentions the notion of marriage so casually, that he brushes over it completely, seemingly too excited about what's really in the box. "It's for your brother. He can use it as a token if he wants. I had Plutarch look it over to make sure it would pass the inspection, just to be safe."

Finnick opens the box to reveal a beautiful bracelet. Finnick must've made it because it's the material is an intricately plaited fishing line. But then I look closer and see two marble charms on the bracelet, one with my name and one with my brothers.

"It's beautiful," I tell him.

"I'm glad you like it. I thought of it after you mentioned your brother's trust issues. The fishing line to remind him he's got an ally in me, and then the marble beads with your names on it to represent masonry."

Finnick's Capitolian intern comes over to rush him onto his train. "Good-bye, Knife Girl," he says teasingly, referring to what he had called me to the press the night before.

"See you in a couple of months, Floppy Air," I reply.

Once his intern is satisfied that Finnick is moving in the right direction, he turns around and gives me one last glance, reassuring me that everything is going to be alright.

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I sit on the train intently reading the tabloid as I sip on my water. I always found it entertaining to read what they have to say about my fellow Victors and I whenever we visit. Somehow, reading it on a luxurious train, speeding away from the Capitol, makes it so much more satisfying. Victor's are a popular subject for gossip magazines. Sure, the Capitol has its own home-bred celebrities, but the citizens of the Capitol take an interest in the Victor's lives like their own depend on it. While it can be annoying, I find it interesting that the people of the Capitol have everything they could ever want, but they look up to people from the districts; people who came from having nothing.

Finnick and I made the front page; at this point, it's no surprise. My quote about loving my knives is the top headline. I smile, proud of myself. The picture below is a split photo; my arrival at the club on one side and Finnick's on the other. I flip to the page that contains our story.

As usual, there's a lot of speculation about Finnick and I having a fling. Luckily they don't mention anything about him being at my apartment earlier that day. However, someone snapped a very dark photo of him whispering into my ear. But that picture looks like nothing compared to the photographs of Capitolian women flung over him. However, there's one section that catches my eye. It reads:

Finnick Odair, 23, has been spotted out with several new beaus. While he showed up in a different car than long-time suspected fling Octavia Jones, also 23, the Victor seemed to have no problem flirting with several different women during his night out at the Panem 33 Club. Jones on the other hand, was spotted talking with soon to be three-time Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane, 31. They seemed to be very friendly while speaking together alone on the balcony of the club's exclusive VIP section (picture above). There's speculation as to whether or not Jones was simply talking with Crane for business or if there's a blossoming relationship. Have the two Victors been telling the truth about their "friendship" all along? Or did the couple stage the outing to throw everyone off their scent? Tell us what you think!