In Our Favor

Ch.2

📍Interviews
3:00pm

Finnick and I are in the line behind the stage, waiting for the district 3 tributes to finish up. Soon enough, Cesar finishes, the crowd cheers for them, and they pass us. A show runner signals for us to come on stage, and Finnick and I walk on.

First, I'm blinded by the bright lights of the stage, but the crowd is louder than I anticipated. Despite our horrifying circumstances, the feeling of the world cheering for you will never not feel good. Though, the thought that everyone that they cheered for will probably end up dead is fucked up.

Cesar Flickerman flashes a bright smile and holds his hand out for us to sit down. Finnick sits closest to him while I sit on the further sofa. As the crowd calms down, Cesar begins.

"Odairs!" He sits down.

"Hi!" We smile.

"So, I must start off by saying. You two look fabulous tonight. Honestly. You've gotten big since we last saw you."

"10 years will do that to you." I joke, the crowd laughs.

"We appreciate it." Finnick says to him.

"How's life back home for you two, since the last games?" He begins his questions.

"Good." Finnick starts. "We were really starting to get back on our feet and in routine, you know? Living with our parents and with the support of our district. We were good."

"That's great to hear." Cesar smiles. "And Florence! Tell us, how did you react when you heard that you had to compete in the games again?"

I think for a minute. Of course, I was fucking angry. But in interview practice, I was told to keep it respectful.

"It was disheartening, you know? Especially because we were, like Finnick said, really getting settled back home. It wasn't great news." I answer.

"I see." He nods. "And we can't forget your combat skills. I mean, wow! At just 14, the youngest victors, what else do you have to bring?"

"Oh, we're only getting better. Expect to see a much more improved version of us in the arena." Finnick says.

"Isn't that exciting!?" Cesar hypes up the crowd.

They erupt into applause, and stand out of their seats.

"And as we wrap our few minutes up, I absolutely have to ask you one last thing." He says.

"Shoot." Finnick responds.

I exhale, glad that this went by so quickly.

"You're training with district 12 this year, is that correct?"

"Correct." Finnick says.

"That's great!" He smiles, but it quickly fades.
"But on a more solemn note, how did you two - and this is just awful- How did you two feel when you found out that your mentor, Mags Flannigan had passed? Do tell." He says, putting the mic over to us.

My face drops and my skin goes cold. My hands begin to slightly shake in the silence.

She's dead?

Cesar takes the mic back and urges our answers.
"It was just terrible news, I presume?"

I look over at Finnick, but his face is expressionless, though he's white as a ghost.I realize that we have to do something, and I say anything just to get off of this stage.

"Yes, Cesar. We were heartbroken. Anyone who knew her knew she was a kind soul who deserved more. Her death wasn't in vain, we all love you Mags." I choke out, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"That's just awful. Cheer for the two, would you?" He asks the audience.

They applaud as Cesar puts a hand on Finnick's back, signaling for us to stand up. We do, and fake a final smile before finishing.

Finnick quickly whispers something to Cesar and he nods. Finnick takes my hand, and instead of going onto the platform with the other victors, we quickly walk off stage.

As soon as we get backstage, I can tell Finnick is in a trapped in his own emotions. When we get to the line of other victors, standing out of line waiting for us is Haymitch, Zero, and Nikolaí.

"You son of a bitch!" Finnick lunges himself at Haymitch in a fit of rage.

Nikolaí quickly jumps into action and holds him back.

"Finnick!" I push his chest back as he continues to fight to get to Haymitch.

"Did you know!?" He yells at him, tears emerging from his eyes.

Peeta jumps out of line and helps hold Finnick back.

"Come on man, not here." He says softly to Finnick, trying to calm him down.

"Get the fuck off me 12!" He pushes Peeta aside. "Did you know that Mags was dead! That shit you said on the train! Yes or no, did you know!?" He continues to fight.

Eventually, Nikolaí, a tribute from the line, and I all manage to push Finnick into the styling room. I let the tribute know he can go, and he exits the room.

Nikolaí and I sit Finnick down and I take a seat beside him. He sits with his head hanging low. Tears falling from both of our eyes.

"Haymitch knew." He croaks. "He said she was 'unavailable' on the train. He knew she was dead."

I stay silent, unable to handle this right now.

"Finnick, we all knew." Nikolaí says.

Both of our heads raise immediately to look at Nikolaí.

"What?" I ask.

"Everyone knew. She was an easy target for the Capitol to use as an example. An example of what happens to the rebellion. Even the tributes knew." He reveals.

"How is that possible?" I ask.

"...What exactly were you told?" He questions in return.

"Nothing, they just said she wasn't mentoring us anymore. Not that she was fucking killed." A waterfall of emotion stream from his eyes.
"God damn it." He wipes them away.

He hates being seen this way, in what he perceives as weak. Nikolaí rubs his back as Finnick's arm lays around me.

Zero walks in and senses the dark tone in the room. She sees us three and rushes over.

"Oh my babies, I'm so sorry." She says. "Not to kill any mood, but you have to go back out there on the podium with everyone else." She starts to touch up my makeup that was ruined from the tears.

"Ugh." I huff.

"I know honey, just a little longer." She continues.

Nikolaí slightly fixes Finnick's collar and smoothes out his shirt as Finnick tries to get himself together. Soon enough, we hear the applause, signaling the end of someone's interview. Presumably, Katniss and Peeta's.

The door opens, it's Haymitch.

"You two need to be on stage. Now." He demands.

Zero and Nikolaí help us up, and we walk toward the door. Finnick stops when he passes Haymitch.

"Uh, I wanted to say sorry-"

"Yea yea, I know. Buy me a drink, no hard feelings. Now we don't have time for this, go." He dismisses.

Finnick smiles before sprinting with me back to the stage. We walk onto the platform while the audience is still applauding. They're so amazed by Katniss' dress that they don't pay any mind to us sneaking behind her.

Finnick and I take our places as Katniss and Peeta join on the end. Cesar says a few words, and as he does, I look down. I notice everyone locking hands, and Finnick holds mine. I immediately understand what's going on, and I grab the tributes hand beside me. When Cesar is done, we all raise our hands, united.

The crowd erupts in a chaotic uproar. Cesar's face changes and he motions off stage to cut. But it's too late, The Capitol will know our resistance. Literally or not, we aren't going down without a fight.