When You Say Nothing At All

Chapter 1: Katniss

"Katniss," Finnick says nudging my arm.

"Leave me alone," I say rolling over and covering my head with my pillow.

"You're late for singing practice," he says.

"I don't care," I say. "It's my birthday. I can do what I want."

"You're being a spoiled brat Sweetheart," Haymitch says as he pinches my arm in his claw. I get up and throw him across the room.

"Alright, I'm up!" I say stretching and getting out of my bed. I stretch my fins and swim out of my room, Finnick following me close behind. I hear the music coming from the courtyard, which I don't understand because for it to be a yard you need grass, but anyway I come down to see all the other mermaids sitting on rocks, singing their hearts out. I sit towards the back until the instructor notices me.

"Oh look who's tardy," she says in her high pitched voice. "Triton's daughter herself, Princess Katniss. Would you like to give a reason for your tardiness?"

"I was tired," I say.

"Well maybe it will help you wake up if you came up here and sang your solo for us?" she asks.

"If that's what you want Effie," I say. "Who am I to stop you from getting what you want?" I get up and swim down to the front of the class.

I sit there, remembering the song I've written about the boy I saw all those nights ago. The one I still spy on whenever I can. The prince on the shores, Peeta Mellark.

I hear the music I wrote start and I smile slightly as I remember Peeta's smiling face. Then I begin to sing.

"It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Old Mr. Webster could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all"

I turn to Effie,"Was that good enough for you?"

"That was lovely Katniss," she says ignoring my snarky tone. "Just make sure your annunciation is a little more clear. Some words sound a little jumbled."

"So can I go now?" I ask her.

"If you feel you have to," she sighs. I smile and swim away to my secret cave. I love it here. My refuge away from all the craziness. My collection of human nicknacks littering the walls. The sun shining through the roof. I just want to go there. Have my hair dry for a whole day. Just lay on the sand and dig my toes into the ground. God, how much I would love to have actual legs. To be able to walk on land. Maybe even talk to Peeta.

I love him. I know it's foolish, but I do. He's such a kind person. I've admired him from afar for a very long time now. Since I was about eleven. I feel like I can't do anything about it though. He's up there, and I'm down here.

"What am I kidding?" I say throwing myself down on the wet sand, my tail flopping and stirring up the sand. "He's never going to love me. I'm just a fish! A stinky, smelly, slimy fish!"

"Hey!" Finnick says. "I'm not that smelly."

"Finnick, can't you leave me alone for ten minutes?" I ask him.

"No, not really," he says. "The other fish aren't near as interesting as you."

"Well, I'm the disobedient daughter who skips music lessons and dreams of being a human," I say. "I'm just not exactly happy down here."

"But you have me," he reminds me.

"But I'm not in love with you Finnick," I say. "I'm in love with him."

"I know," he says. "But it's not like- I stop as I hear something crash into the rocks nearby. I feel like I've been shot in the heart. Because I only know of one ship over these waters today.

Peeta's.