Love at Sea (Finnick Odair)

Chapter 14

"What the hell are we watching?" Taiya asked in shock.

"Did she just..." Finnick trailed off.

"She did," Tyler confirmed.

The two mentors and Taiya stared at the screen in shock. Never had someone from District 12 volunteered before.

"What does that mean?" the boy tribute from 4 asked.

"It means it's going to be very hard to get media attention," Tyler answered honestly as they watched Caesar repeat the reaping of District 12.

They all looked up at an avox as she entered the room and handed the phone to Moxie.

"Hello?" Moxie answered with her posh Capitol accent. "Oh of course darling. Taiya," she called out. "It's your fiancé."

Taiya immediately leapt up from the couch and grabbed the phone. "Hey. Have you seen?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm calling actually. I wanted to see what you all thought of it. I'm not quite sure what angle to play here."

"I think we're all just surprised. She's the first-ever volunteer from 12," she admitted as she left the room so the tributes couldn't hear. "Tyler said that she'll get all the media attention."

"Did you see my interview from last night?"

"No, I went to bed early. You didn't tell me you were doing an interview."

"With Caesar Flickerman. Which room on the train are you in? I'll send it to you."

"I'm in my room."

"Hang on, I'm sending it to your screen now." A moment after he said that, her television screen turned on and his interview with Caesar began playing.

"Your hair looks good," she joked. "I'm going to need your conditioner brand." She then began paying attention to his interview as he discussed the Hunger Games history.

"I think it's grown from that. I think it's something that knits us all together," he smiled as he talked with Caesar. Taiya knew this interview was something he'd be proud of. But it was something that made her skin tingle. He was falling away from her. He was falling into the glitz and glamour that came with the Games. This was what she'd always feared. That as he grew older he would lean more into the lifestyle he rebelled against in his younger years.

"It's a good interview," Taiya complimented.

"You think so? I felt good about it."

"We're going to pull up to the Capitol in two hours. Do you want to meet me at the station or catch up later?" she asked.

"No, I'll meet you at the station. I wouldn't mind your opinion on the parade set-up before I have to head back to the Gamemaker's centre."

"Not a problem. I'll see you later," she said before hanging up.

*********************

"I saw you fall off the stage at the reaping," Taiya smiled as she spotted Haymitch.

"Shame they didn't cut that from the broadcast," he smiled as he messily kissed her cheek in greeting. "Where's your fiancé?" he mocked.

"He was having another interview with Caesar, but he'll be at the Gamemaker centre by now," she answered as she fixed the man's collar.

"These parades are more fun when you don't have to sit with the Capitol freaks right?" he laughed and she just rolled her eyes. She'd gotten to sit with her friends the past three years that Seneca had been in charge.