That Fine Line

Chapter 3 - Empty Promises

A few knocks sounded on the door. "Come in," I croaked, my throat still closed from both the sleep and the crying.

Finnick stepped into my room. Great, just the person I wanted to see. I almost rolled my eyes.

"Hey." His eyes scanned my face worriedly.

I turned my face away, trying to conceal the evidence of tears even though I was already too late.

He walked over and sat at the foot of my bed, not getting too close in case he made me uncomfortable like he did earlier on the couch.

"I know you're scared, but I promise you that I will do my best to keep you safe. You saved Mags, and there's no reason to regret it. It really was a the right thing to do."

I was wondering why he was saying all this when it hit me. Oh. I get it now. He felt bad for me. He hadn't read my hostility as malice towards him. He thought I was afraid. This timid girl whom he'd remembered when she was eighteen, had just sacrificed herself for the sake of our senile mentor, despite how scared she was.

A surge of anger rose from my chest. "Thanks. I appreciate you being nice to me, but I don't need your pity," was what I would have said if he hadn't spoken.

"Stick with me during the Games, Y/N." He lowered his voice. "There's a chance that we could both survive this if you work with me."

Bullshit. There can only be one victor. I didn't know why he was even bothering to try to be my ally and convincing me that we could both make it out alive. We were no Katniss and Peeta. We barely even knew each other. At least, he barely knew me. 

But nonetheless, it occurred to me that if I agreed to joined him, it would be all the more easier to kill him. In fact, it'd be quite cinematic. A great betrayal as the darling of the Capitol puts his trust in the wrong person, ending with a tragic backstabbing death. The same backstabbing as he had essentially done to me four years ago.

So, I decided to play along for now. Pretend to open up to him. Let him put his trust in me. And then he'll see how betrayal feels when the roles are reversed.

I looked back into those captivating eyes of his, as if debating whether or not I believed him, and gave him my answer: "Okay."

~

The train jolted to a stop. I guess we'd finally arrived at the Capitol.

Without knocking, Dan bursted into my room. "Alrighty, dear tributes, it's time to go!" He sang giddily as he pranced away.

I was just standing up from the bed when Finnick got in my way. "Y/N, wait." He pulled something shiny out of his back pocket. "Here. Keep this with you at all times. It symbolizes our alliance."

It was a golden hair clip. I took a moment to stare at the clip in awe. How pretty. I had quite a thing for jewelry. Something about shiny objects always managed to catch and hold my attention. Which was why before I could ask him why he had given me such a fine trinket, I looked up to see that he had already left the room.