Embers of Hope: The 69th Hunger Games

Chapter Fourteen

Brooke found her way back to the fourth floor on her own, riding in the elevator in silence, she couldn't deny that she felt accomplished but relieved that the training days were officially over. A small smile dusted her lips and she ignored the fact that she was disassociating herself from the reality that would be thrust upon her in forty-eight hours.

When she walked into their flat, Finnick, Mags, Maddox, and the two stylists, Azari and Vexen were seated in the sitting room, the tv turned on and the Capitol News channel flashing in the background.

They had their backs turned to her, and Brooke scanned the room for Ray. He came out of the hallway wearing fresh clothes and toweling his frizzy hair off.

A shower did seem nice right now.

"Well?" he asked.

The little group on the couches heard his voice and turned to her.

"How did it go, sunshine?" Finnick called from his seat.

Brooke felt a smile growing on her lips, she nodded and laughed, raising her hands momentarily before dropping them.

"What can I say?"

Their little group whooped and clapped, Finnick stood and went round to her, she met his gaze, looking up at him, he looked proud, he placed an arm on her shoulders, pulling her in, it was just them for a second, her side pressed against his, than he slung an arm around Ray too and pulled them over to the others.

"Sit, sit! Tell us all about it."

The talk grew more serious as Ray and Brooke both shared what happened in their private sessions.

Ray explained how he acted nonchalant, humming a casual tune as he approached the knives, picked them up, and expected them as though they were beneath him before showing off. He said he even dared to do a backflip in the middle of throwing a knife, which earned him claps from the Gamemakers and many smirks.

"They do always prefer a show over true talent," Azari mused from beside Brooke. The woman's unnatural blue eyes burned into her with the sincerity of a cat playing with its prey. Then her gaze flicked to Ray and she inclined her head, "Not that you don't have talent, I'm sure."

Ray lowered his head and made a face, settling for an accepted apology but still considering the comment awkward.

Vexen who had seated himself next to Ray patted the boy's leg as he stared at him with longing, and he uncomfortably squirmed away. Brooke noted how Mags got up to get a glass of water and came back seating herself between them.

Brooke was delighted to share how her training went, after the conversation fizzled out, Brooke excused herself to take a shower, change, and came back out for dinner.

After, it was time for the scores.

She and Finnick were the first to seat themselves in front of the TV. Brooke fiddled with her fingernails.

Calmly, Finnick reached over and placed a hand on both of hers, she glanced at him.

"I tried to aim for a middle to high score, like you said."

Finnick gave her a comforting smile.

Was it real, though?

Brooke wanted to believe it was.

"I think you're my only tribute who's ever actually taken my words to heart."

Brooke made a small noise of amusement as she looked down at their touching hands.

"Is that a good thing? Or..."

"Let's hope it is."

Brooke looked back at him with a smirk and a gaze saying she hoped it was.