Dead in the Water | An Odesta Fanfic

Chapter Six

​Dinner was more subdued that night as Annie explained to Bay, Luna, and Finnick the situation in the training center. Bay listened to her in thoughtful concern, Luna fidgeted anxiously, and Finnick looked nothing short of impressed.

​"Making an alliance with everyone except the Careers?" he said, laughing. "I've never heard of it before. Most kids are too afraid to even sit with their district partner!"

​"I wasn't trying to ignore them." said Kai, not sure whether to take the compliments and ignore the panic on Annie's face.

​"It's about time someone did." Finnick said. "Every year they're the same, those stuck up little –"

​ "I know, it's impressive," Bay broke in, glaring at Finnick. "but we have more to be worried about now. If the Careers have their pride hurt, there's no telling what they'll do to get back at you."

​"I didn't mean to –" Kai started to say again.

​"It doesn't matter if you meant to or not. First Annie refuses to join the Careers and now you look like you're starting a bigger alliance without them? They're going to be furious. They already are, by the sound of it."

​Now Finnick went quiet. Annie didn't dare look over at him. She had never told him about the invitation from the Careers. But did he really have any right to know? Going out every night to drink and party as if she wasn't about to die next week? As if her life wasn't in his hands? She held her head high and avoided eye contact as Bay went on.

​"At this point, it's not going to hurt to keep the allies you've already made. You can't hide that from the Careers any more. They already have their opinion of you. During training tomorrow, you might as well take advantage of whatever real allies are in that group Kai has collected. See what they can teach you."

​Bay stood, suggesting they continue the conversation in the sitting room, and Luna and Kai followed his lead. Annie started to stand, but Finnick stopped her before she could follow them.

​"We'll catch up with you." He said to Bay. "We need to talk for a minute."

​The others had no problem leaving her behind. Annie and Finnick had had no real conversation in days, but it didn't seem as if she could escape him now. As far as she could tell, he had recovered his wits since breakfast and wasn't hungover or drunk. But then again, she had very little experience with drinking, so what did she know? There was a restless anger in his eyes that she hadn't seen before.

"The Careers ask you to join them and you don't even tell me?" Finnick said, as the others left. "Last time I checked, I was your mentor, not Bay."

​"Oh, I'm sorry," said Annie. "It didn't seem like you had time for me, between all the drinking and partying every night."

​"Honey," said Finnick, standing from his chair to tower over her. "What I do outside of this apartment is none of your concern. But what you do in the training center? I need to know everything that goes on in there."

​"It wasn't like I was planning to join the Career tributes anyway. I don't see why you need to know about that."

​"But I do need to know if my tribute is on the top of the Career's hit list. Which is where you're sitting right now, sweetheart."

"Bay explained that already." Annie told him.

"Of course he did." he said. "And tell me, how do you plan on surviving them without your own mentor? Without getting sponsors?"

"I'll have a weapon, won't I? Why are you acting like I won't be able to defend myself in the Games?"

"You really think you could do it?" said Finnick. "Take a life in the arena?"