snow fall | finnick odair

chapter twelve

Cassia felt her blush grow. He just smirked,

"Umm thank you..." she replied, trying to forget what happened. Knowing she needed to focus. Focus on choosing a meal....

"What you ordering?" He asked, she scanned the menu once more before looking up into his eyes.

"Umm I think... the egg sandwich...?" He nodded, a small smile on his face, "what?"

"The egg sandwich is good, you'll like it" she stared at him confused, he laughed ever so slightly, "honestly what's that look for?" A smirk growing on his face, Cassia felt her cheeks grow in redness.

Within minutes, the woman from earlier was coming to take their order.

"The usual Finnick?" She asked, he smiled and nodded,

"Yes please Mrs Vanderpot" he smiled at her, the elder woman returned a smile, it faded slightly as she turned to Cassia.

"And for you Miss Snow?" Cassius smiled, trying to be kind and ignore the clear hatred this woman had for her,

"The egg sandwich please" she nodded and wrote it down, Finnick ordered them some coffee before the woman, Mrs Vanderpot, hurried off. "I don't think she likes me..." she whispered, Finnick sighed, reaching over and taking her hand in his.

"Cassia... I'm sorry, you don't deserve that..." she sighed and smiled at him,

"It's alright Finnick....they have every right to hate me..." he stared at her, looking almost sorry for her, "they do! I understand why and it's fine..."

"If they knew you, they'd love you" he whispered, she chuckled and smiled slightly, Finnick returned her smile.

"Thanks..." she replied, the coffee was served, she thanked Mrs Vanderpot, and the grey haired woman offered her a small smile before walking off. Finnick attempted to distract her with conversation about the upcoming day, telling her about what the celebratory festival consisted of. A speech from the mayor. Lunch. A dance. But not a formal dance,  more fun one. Apparently the choir children would be singing as well, performing for her. Cassia thought it was all too much, she wasn't that important, surely. That's when their food was served, Cassia thought it was good, Finnick was watching her, seeing what she thought of it. "It's good" she assured, satisfied with her response, he began eating his own food.

Around twenty minutes later, Finnick was taking her to talk to some children, so they could tell her the truth, hoping they'd realise they didn't have to lie and she'd do everything she could to protect them.

"Hey guys!" Finnick called, a group of kids, who had been at the home the previous day, ran over, smiling.

"Hi Finnick" they all chorused, their eyes widened slightly as they saw her, looking slightly nervous,

"This is my friend Cassia, she wants you guys to just tell her the truth about your lives okay?" The both knelt down,

"I promise that I won't let anything happen to you" she told them, they looked each other then back at Finnick,

"You can trust her, I promise" he assured, they nodded and began to tell her everything. The truth, the true extent they suffered. How they ate mostly seaweed and their diets were just enough to keep them going. How they were forced to do long days at school before working at the fisheries. Every thing. This shocked her, she thanked them before they walked off.

The two walked off, Finnick looked down,

"It's not all bad, those kids have it worst... lots of the kids are well fed, they do well enough..." he sighed, she looked up at him, their eyes locking onto one another.