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VOL. TWO; CH. EIGHTEEN ༄ ————side effects of being a victor
The train is moving fast, far faster than anything Finnick had ever experienced. His hands smooth over the dark wooded tables before him. Mahogany, he thinks. His district partner sits beside him, Maddyn Creole. He'd heard of her, of course, he had. She was a Creole for God's sake.
Her blue eyes were unlike anything he'd ever seen. They were frenzied—excited, as if she couldn't wait to rip his head off alongside the other twenty-two kids that would be joining them in the arena.
Their mentors, Mags and Sterling, were sat across from them. Sterling Macon had been the victor of the 52nd Hunger Games. Finnick hadn't even been alive, but his reputation preceded him. He was a graduate of the Creole Academy. After winning his games, he became pretty close with Amell and Wolf. Who, using context clues, Finnick was able to allot as Maddyn's uncles. Finnick thought that was unfair, he wasn't sure how yet, but he did.
Maddyn had instantly made it clear that she didn't want to be trained with the likes of him (her words, not his). Sterling was more than happy to take her up as his mentee, a decision that wasn't met with complete reluctance. From what Finnick could gather, that was the best they would get.
With Sterling laying his claim on Maddyn, that left Finnick with Mags by default. Something that Finnick was more than happy with. He didn't want to spend any more time with Sterling than necessary.
"How far is it to the capital?" Maddyn griped, shoving her potatoes around before shoving a forkful into her mouth. She hardly stifled her moan at the taste before continuing, mouth still full, "I'm bored out of my fucking mind."
"Patience," Sterling started, voice gruff, "you need to have patience."
"You sound just like my dad," Maddyn scoffed, mouth still containing remnants of potato as she added, "that's not a compliment."
"Maddyn, please," Coral huffed, "manners." Maddyn just rolled her eyes, leaning heavily on her left elbows as she shoveled another bite of food into her mouth. Coral almost bristled at the sight.
"We're still a few hours out." Mags' voice was a murmur as she answered the previously asked question, placating any animosity that remained. Though, it didn't last long.
"Odair," Sterling started as he smeared butter onto his bread roll using his butter knife, "you any good with a knife?" Maddyn leaned forward at the question, eyebrows raised and eyes twinkling with amusement and interest. As if she knew he was going to say no. However, his answer surprised her.
