Come Back to Me

IX

"Cordelia Stone."

The automated voice shot through her like a bullet. She turned to her side, rolling her eyes at the smirk on her partner's face.

"Good luck, little fishy." He chuckled.

She walked past him, subtly stomping on his foot on the way. She sent Parker a small smile and squeezed Carter's shoulder when she passed him. Cordelia took a couple deep breaths, calming the shakiness of her palms on her way down the short hallway and into the evaluation room. Her hazel eyes widened slightly as they floated up, taking in the presence of the headgamemaker, as well as the people working along side him. The grey haired man, leaned his tall thin frame against the railing, his eyes golden like a hawk, watching Cordelia intently as she stood still in the center of the room.

"Cordelia Stone," She announced confidently, holding her head up high, "District Four."

The rest of the gamemakers snapped their gaze to her, taken aback by her loud tone. She was commanding their attention and it was working well.

"You may begin." The head gamemaker smirked.

Cordelia sent a mocking salute towards him before walking, quickly and calmly, to a table holding various materials, including the roping she'd use to start her presentation. She took the bundle, undoing it and tying a trap quickly enough, the net triggering when she pushed a mannequin under it, trapping the plastic in the netting, alerting Cordelia to turn around and head towards the wall of weapons, awaiting her choice. She wrapped her hands around the handle of a spear.

"Surely she won't be able to hit her target from so far away," One gamemaker said surely as he leaned into another's ear, "not with such a small frame."

Cordelia met the man's eyes, cutting through him like knives, his words being louder than he had thought. She tilted her head innocently at him, before taking a couple steps backward, settling into her stance.

Keep your form, just like that.

She could almost feel Finnick's hands guiding her as she readjusted herself.

Hold your aim.

Her blood boiled at the space he had taken up in her mind. She didn't want anything to do with him. It boiled her blood even more to know that was a lie. She calmy and steadily pulled her hand back, stretching her free hand out in front of her to guide her aim. Cordelia closed her eyes, and let out a deep huff.

And fire.

Cordelia hurled her arm forward with all of her might, letting out a harsh grunt with the motion, letting her spear fly through the air. She smirked of satisfaction when the weapon hit her target. Right in between one of the gaps in her net, lodging itself in the small target on the mannequin's chest, meant to represent it's heart. The room stilled for a moment, most people in the privelegaed box above her being too stunned to speak. She turned slowly to face the men who had literally as well as figuritively been deemed above her with the hardest, strongest glare she could muster. She bowed to the men, sarcastically but with a proud smirk, turning her back on them without so much as an urge of another glance. She passed Christian on her way back up the hall and towards the exit she had been instructed to use. He looked at her intensely, obviously trying to figure her out. She gave him no such satisfaction, sending him a small smile instead, as well as a wink.

"Good luck."

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"Just wait until you see what I have for your interview tomorrow," Caspian grinned, "it's still working with the theme of your district. and-"