A fate worse than death~~A Finnick Odair story~~

15. My ears!

"So I was thinking--."
I was having a consultation with Sivers when she told me what jewelry and accessories she thought would go best with my dress, but I have to admit I wasn't listening. I just smiled and nodded, it would probably work out and honestly I wasn't interested in knowing what I was going to wear tonight. I could walk up that tendon wearing a garbage bag and I couldn't care less.
"So how does that sound?"
"Great!"
I had no idea what I had just agreed to, but how bad could it really get.

~~~

"So what did you come up with?"
"No clue."
"What do you mean no clue? You were there for 3 hours, you should have figured something out."
"We did."
"Okay, then what?"
"No clue."
"For God's sake Elizabeth you can't keep being so nonchalant!!"
"Why not?!"
"Because it won't work!"
"Well then fuck you!!"

I understood very well that Finnick was getting frustrated, but before he could come up whit a comeback, I had stormed into my room and slammed the door shut behindme.

I'll be damned if I let a 14 year old boy tell me what to do!!

But still, a small voice inside me whispered something I werry much didn't want to listen to.
It said that he was right.
I knew deep down that he was right, but damn if I was going to admit it, no I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

I stood in the shower for a long time and let the hot water run over me. I had considered a bath, they always used to calm me down, but after my game I was no longer sure if it would have that effect. Just the thought of letting my body sink into the water brought me back to an icy bath and screams behind me.
So shower it was.

I came out with clean hair and the smell of strawberries on my body. I had scrubbed my body until it was completely red, but nothing I did could make the dirt I felt go away. Of course, this wasn't the first time I showered after the game, nor was it the first time I scrubbed until my skin burned and turned red, but the dirt was still there.
Of course it was there, it would always be there.

I practiced smiling as I passed the mirror, then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my body. I stepped out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, dried myself and pulled on a gray onesie. It didn't matter what I put on now, it would soon be replaced by whatever Silvers had planned.

After a quick chat, it was time to leave. Finnick followed me into the elevator and into the room that I now almost knew the way to by heart.
"See you on the other side."
"You make it sound like we're going to die.
I pursed my lips a little, barely noticeable at our words, but my smile widened as he continued.
"God knows, maybe we will be when the stylists are done with us!"
"We'll see."
And then we went into our separate rooms, me to Silver's and Finnick to his stylist.

I was stripped to my underwear before Silvers saw it.
"What is this?"
She said while lifting the chain with the ring around my neck.
"I thought we desided on no jewelry?!"
"Did we, or yes we did, but I just love it, it--."
"Okay. Then I'll need gold rings for your ears too."
"But I don't have pierced ears."
"Thats not a problem!"
Okay great, clip-on earrings!

"Ahh aww!!"
"Ohh huch it's not that bad!"
Not clip-on earrings, nope, Silvers with the help of two assistants had pirsed my ears, and it hurt!

But nobody cared. They were to busy studying their work.
The dress was a light blue tulle skirt that reached my knees with a top in the same material and with princess-like arms, over all werry innocent, unlike me.

"Yes, jewelry was clearly the right choice!"
Silvers spoke first and the others agreed.
"Small, but elegant!"
"Just right!"
"My ears hurt!"
"Ohh huch child! You are a canvas for us to paint!!"
But at that moment, Silver's expression changed.

"Everybody out!!"
"What?"
"Everyone out!! Everyone but Elizabeth!"
Confused, they followed her order and left, then when the door splashed behind them, Silver's mouth opened. "What a comant! You are not a canvas! You are a victor remember that Elizabeth!!"
I opened my mouth as if to say something, but before I could I was interrupted.
"Ohh you would you look at the time, you have to go right now!!"
And that I was whisked away into the arms of two peacekeepers who escorted me to the room below the stage.

"You look good?"
"I would say sweet, too bad I can't say the same for you!"
"More innocent....It's good, Silvers is good."
"Where's your shirt?!"
"Do not ask!"
"Too late."

A smile spread across my lips as Finnick sighed and put his head in his hands.
"I honestly don't know, Wera is trying something new!"
"Well, I don't know if it works."

"And now let me welcome the winner of this year's Hunger Games, and her handsome mentor, Elizabeth Whitmore and Finnick Odair!!!"

"That's us!"
Then he got up from where he was sitting, took my hand and we went up the stage. I smiled and waved and Finnick did the same, but every now and then he blew a kiss to the audience and excited screams could be heard.
"Elizabeth, Finnick sit sit!!"
"Well, thank you Caesar!!"

Finnick spoke first, but then the questions were directed at me.

"Elizabeth how does it feel to win, what was scariest, what was best, blah blah blah."
The questions just flowed together, but I still managed to answer them with a smile on my face. Then came a question I was not prepared for.

"How did you do it?"
"Did what?"
"Win of course!!"
The smile on Caesar Flickerman face looked so real, I wonder if it was.

"Cota just collapsed, we want so badly knows, how did you do that?!!"
The crowd roared in agreement, and I don't know what came over me.
"Ohh you now?"
"Oooo yes!!"
"Well."
I turned to the audience and said with a smile on my face.
"I put a spell on him!!"
"I love it!! I just love it!!"
Caesar could help himself my, and neither could the audience.

So the interview continued, more questions for me and Finnick, a lot about our clothes, and when we were asked to stand up so the audience could see properly a woman passed out way up front as Finnick blew a kiss her way.
Then he leaned a little closer to me and whispered.
"Oh, it works."

"Now, it's been great having you here, but before you go, Finnick one last question."
"Yes?"
"How much did you lose?"
Then Finnick smiled.

"Caesar, I'll be honest."
"Please be!!"
"Not a single penny."
"Well well well ladies and gentlemen that's all the time we had today but I look forward to seeing you both in the future Finnick and Elizabeth!!"
We thanked and went to the exit stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen a final round of applause for District 4 victors, The Handsome Finnick Odair and Four's very own witch Elizabeth Whitmore!!"

So when we got off stage I couldn't help but ask.
"Then how much did you win?" "What?"
"If you didn't lose a dime, how much did you win?"
"Ohh that, not a single penny."
"What? That dosn't make enny seens!" "It dose for me."
"How?"
"Because I'm not betting money, I'm dealing with something much more valuable."
"What?"
"Secrets."