Socialite II Finnick Odair

V

there is nothing more satisfying to me than getting my will. it's the best feeling i could have, there is not a thing that could top it. the sole reason why i am so careful about my actions and words is so that my plans work the way i anticipated them. thus this moment is the happiest of my life.

"president snow? this is the student i told you about." headmaster finnigan let his pearly teeth show, while his eyebrows seemed to move with every word he said. "she is absolutely the smartest student this year had to offer, just like you requested."

the president smiled at that, but way smaller than finnigan did. it was almost only a grin. "ideal! miss schermerhorn, i am pleased to make your acquaintance. say, where do you plan on working now that you are done with school? or are you planning on going to the university of panem?"

"oh, erm... well, i will be starting my new job at the comission of economy this fall. and i am also starting university around that time. i hope to serve panem with my achievements later in life." his questions honestly freak me out. my answers are probably going to make or break me in the future. "so, you are planning on making it in politics?"

president snow seemingly knows how to do it, because that is exactly what they tell you to do at the academy. and it is also my plan. i can still hear my professor's voice: "to go into politics, you need to start working early on, while also obtaining a university degree.

"yes i would like that", i nod at his question. "and working for the government has always been my biggest dream."

"very well, i hope you find great joy in your new life as a grownup. i have great hopes in you after all. and while you're at it, send your father my kindest regards." the president's tone changed at the last part. the kindness in his voice vanishes and all it leaves behind are cold words. cold and discomforting, almost threatening even.

the only feeling left behind by my conversation with president snow is uneasiness. he has an aura as powerful as expected, just not in the way i figured he would have. it is darker by and less grandfatherly.

i am ripped out of my thoughts by asher calling my name. when i look up, i see him with cecily. ughh.

"lilibet, i saw you talking to the president! i am genuinely so happy for you." she says, trying to sound nice. i fight the urge to roll my eyes at her; she is just so unnecessarily fake. if she doesn't like me she should just tell me.

"yeah, i was. i think he likes me." i give her the most ironic smile humanly possible.

asher always used to ask me why i didn't like cecily, and i never really had a good answer for him. i mean, she never really did anything horrible to me, except maybe beating me in a spelling bee in fourth grade. and i didn't take that serious anyway. oh yeah and i almost forgot. she literally bullied me at the beginning of our time at the academy. so it is totally understandable that i don't like her.

"that is really great. do you think he will keep an eye out for your career? you know, to hire you for a more important role later on?"

"i sure hope so, can't imagine what i would do if i can't pursue politics further."

the thought really is terrible. all of my life i've been so focused on chasing my dreams of being president, i didn't have any time to develop any other big interests. i wouldn't know what to do with myself if i failed. i would be lost.

but that's the thing: i won't fail. not under any circumstances. i just can't. it would kill me.

"you don't have to; i am absolutely sure you will make it lilibet! if not you, then who would?" that is a surprisingly nice thing for cecily to say. it doesn't even sound super fake, like all her other words of encouragement.