FRAGILE GIRL || THE HUNGER GAMES ¹

5.

"YOU IN THE END..."

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FOUR DAYS UNTIL THE GAMES.

Flattening out hundreds of ruffles in her shirt, she felt like a bloated marshmallow in the obnoxiously fancy blouse. This wasn't her. She'd have preferred to wearing something less⎯Capitol-like. Like a simple purple dress or a simple green jumpsuit. Something⎯anything less Capitol-like. Gently swatting her hand, she frowns at Pixie, the pixie pink woman sending her a scolding look.

"Pay attention, Athena. Klaus is trying to help you, dear." Pixie scolds, wagging a finger.

"Right⎯It's really simple." Klaus drones on, making her roll her eyes.

"Easy for you to say, you two are ancient!" Athena pouts.

Shooting the girl a mixed look of shock and offended, she giggles as Pixie squeaks out a quiet 'do I have wrinkles?'. No one gives her a response. Her face goes pale, her eyes widening. Scurrying past her, Pixie makes a beeline for the bathrooms, her hands touching the nonexistent wrinkles on her face.

Pushing past people frantically, giggles escape her lips at the comical sight. Pixie was perfectly fine. Not a wrinkle at sight. Turning her attention back to Klaus, he shakes his head at Pixie's departure before shifting his eyes to her.

"Like I was saying before you ever so rudley insulted me." He shoots her a disapproving look, "It's simple. Talk to everyone at the party. Your goal is to get them to like you. To get them willing to fork out some cash for you."

"Does that mean other Mentor's are off limits?" She questions, her mind drifting off to a certain Mentor.

"No you can talk to them⎯Why? Is there someone you want to see?" He questions, raising a brow.

"No..." She meekly pipes out.

Staring at her with narrowed eyes, she draws her eyes to the ground embarrassed, she bashfully kicks at the floor. Her shoes squeaked at the scuffing. She didn't know a lot of people. Just Klaus, Haymitch and Finnick. Well, the last two were kinda iffy.

She wasn't entirely sure if Haymitch would remember her, as he was completely and utterly drunk. And she wasn't sure if Finnick would want to be around her. She hadn't seen him since the night on the balcony months ago.

"Alright, who is it?" Klaus asks, a stern tone to his voice.

"The drunk from Twelve." She whispers ashamedly.

"The drunk from⎯You mean Haymitch? Haymitch Abernathy? The same Haymitch who face-planted into the ground at your Crowning Ceremony?" He scoffs, shaking his head.

"Yeah." She nods.

"I am going to ignore your poor choice in making friends. Who else do you want to see?" He shakes his head huffing, "And don't you dare give me some silly response like the creepy morphling from District 6."

She doesn't respond, just keeps her eyes on the ground. He places his hands on his hips, looking down at her. Giving her a look that a parent would give to their child whenever they did something wrong. So, she stuck out with Haymitch. How would he react to Finnick? Would he yell at her? Scold her for thinking that a Capitol Darling would give someone from the outer district's the time of day?

"Athena. Who else?" He asks

"The boy from Four." She whispers, picking at her bottom lip.

"Nope. Not happening." He shakes his head, "You can meet Haymitch. But, you are not to go near that boy, I won't allow it."

Lifting her head up from the ground, she glares at him, her blood boiling. He wasn't her Dad. He couldn't tell her what to do or what not to do. Better yet! Did he forget what Finnick did for her last year? With the special 'gift'. The same gift that she had to use for killing⎯The same gift that she had won with.

"Why? He hasn't done anything to me! He even helped us⎯me last year! Why can't I talk to him?" She questions, glaring up at him.

"That boy has the eyes of everyone on him. If you stick around him, those eyes will shift onto you." He booms, "And before you ask any more questions. Just know that you'll understand what I mean when you're older."

"I am going to talk to him and that's final! He saved my life. I wouldn't be here if he didn't help me out last year. Or did you forget that?" She argues coldly.

"You survived because you did what you had to do." He shakes his head, "You survived on your own. He didn't do anything."

"No, I survived because I had to kill Ares." She argues, her bottom lip trembling. 

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, this was the first time in months that she had said his name. Everything she heard his name, she would imagine the last time she was him. Eyes crazed. Blood gushed out of his neck. The pained gasping that felt like it dragged on for hours. She survived because of what she did to him. With the gift from Finnick. She would be standing there if it wasn't for Finnick and at the very least, she had to thank him for that.

"I survived because of the gift that I was given from him. It was because of him that I am here. I wouldn't have won that fight, if I didn't use that gift." She coldly reminds.

"Athena." He states sternly.

"You aren't my Dad!" She bellows, clenching her first at her side. "You don't get to tell me what to do!"

"You're right. I am not your Dad, but I am your Mentor. And that means that⎯" He tries, but she cuts him short.

"No, you listen to me! Just because you helped me doesn't mean that I need you anymore! I can take care of myself!" She argues, "Just like I did in the Arena! I am not your kid! I am not some stuipd little girl that needs you to babysit me! I can take care of myself! I can make my own decisions!"

He's silent. Staring at her with wide eyes, shocked by her explosive ranting. He knew that she wasn't happy about him shutting down her little crush on the boy. But, he wasn't about to have the smug little bastard around her. Not when the boy was actively having 'special' private meetings with his admirers. Not when Finnick would⎯could drag her into that bullshit. He wasn't about to let Finnick Odair ruin her.

"If I want to be around Finnick, I will. If I want to be around Haymitch, I will." She narrows her eyes, "You don't get to tell me not to just because you think it's wrong."

+++++

And I am done with the chapter! Stay safe out there guys!

I hope you all are doing okay emotionally and physically! I love you all!

I hope that you are enjoying the book so far! A quick reminder to comment below about the story of what you think so far!

P.S. So before you jump on Klaus! He doesn't know the full details of Snow & Finnick. All he knows is that Finnick was having special meetings with fans in private because he's a 'womanizer'. The reputaiton he's built up in the public. ( Just like how Katniss thought the same )

P.S.S. So as many of you might know ( if you've read my life updates ) I have officially started College! The fall semester started on August 22. So, updates will be slowed or halted until otherwise.