Emerald Eyes (The Hunger Games - Annie Cresta)On Hold/Being Edited

Chapter 3

Finnick comes in to see me next. We don't say anything there'll be time for that on the train, I just sit curled up on his lap, listening to the sound of his beating heart as my head rest on his chest. Thinking about the conversation we had this morning about seeing each other in a few weeks. That might not even happen now; I might not come out the arena. No. I can't think like that. I can't let my Dad down, I said I was going to win this and win it is exactly what I'm going to do.

I get taken to the train with Kieren, never letting go of Finnick's hand. The train hovers and according to Lavina we should be in the capitol by tomorrow afternoon. Inside is just gorgeous, crystal chandeliers, mahogany furniture, we all have our own room with and on suite bathroom. Just like the capitol, showers the baths have a range of settings to choose from. The bedrooms are magnificent, a double bed with soft sheets and pillows of down. The bed sheets are white with sea green stripes on. The decoration revolves around sea creatures. It all links into District Four and its speciality of fishing. It's making me home sick, so I leave and go to the dining room. Finnick is already there, excellent. However so are Kieren and Georgie Kaleburn, not so excellent. Georgie was the winner from the 64th Hunger Games, when she was 18 years old; she stepped in as tribute for 12 year old Ashleigh Fall.

I go sit next to Finnick on the plush green velvet settee. I can see the theme carries on in here. Just as I sit down, they start play the recap of the reaping. I evaluate my opponents. A 17 years old girl from District 1, she looks quite strong, she seems quite confident. I don't like the look of the boy though he's just got a shifty expression, and a stupid name too, I can't remember what it was but it was stupid. Nothing really stands out again until District 7, lumber, a very muscular guy that goes by the name of Harrison, I think. He might be useful in the arena as an ally. But I need to see him in action first.

"So much for seeing you in a few weeks. More like a few hours." I whisper

"Annie, I feel like this is my entire fault."

"Tell me Finnick how this could possibly your fault?"

"Last time I had to go to the Capitol, I refused; well I actually asked them if I could stay here, with you, because it was your birthday."

"And I'm guessing they said yes, seeing as you were there for my birthday."

"They did, and I didn't think any more about it. However, I forgot that when you ask for a favour from the Capitol, there is an unspoken catch. They come up with something to punish you. And as it appears, the famous Finnick Odair is no exception."

"Okay, but how does this make it your fault?"

"Well they know I love you and you the only thing they can use against me at the moment. They set this up.

"Yeah I suppose, but they wouldn't go to all that trouble just because you asked to stay in District 4 for one day."

"Hmm, I suppose so, but still, I could be part of the reason you were picked."

"Yeah but you weren't, even if you were I'd still love you"

"There is no way anybody couldn't help fancying Finnick Odair"

"I didn't say fancy, I said love, there's no way I could ever stop loving you."

I lean in and kiss him; he a bit surprised to start with but soon relaxes. We are in a world of our own, one without the Hunger Games, one where there isn't peacekeepers storming around all over the place just me and Finnick in. One where I could happily grow old in and have kids with Finnick, maybe grand-kids. And just spend the rest of my life with him. I hear a cough next to me and snap back into reality.

"Go get a room before I hurl! And Finnick you're not supposed to snog the tributes" Georgie says quite coldly.

"Whatever, come Annie lets go to my room, finish this conversation in private."

"Yes I'm sure that's all you'll be doing in there..." Georgie says

He gets up to leave and I follow.

"She never did like me, from the moment I was chosen she hated me, and when I won and became the youngest person to do so."

"I think she hates me too, so you're not alone on this one, can we go grab a drink?"

"Sure."

We head to the bar cart and get two hot chocolates sprinkled with cinnamon, and head to Finnick's room. We have to go through lots of security before we can finally enter all of which includes, hair samples, eyes scan, finger print and a hand print. I'm a little surprised to see this all in place, maybe a tribute tried to kill their mentor, I don't know. Well it's not as if they don't know how to protect themselves, they survived the Hunger Games for crying out loud. Finnick places his thumb on a little pad next to the door it gives a little beep and the door slides open. We go in and he puts the drinks on the little table next to the bed and falls onto his bed backwards with his arms spread out either side of him. His room is just breath taking, you can tell this his room whenever he is needed in the Capitol, because there's all little pieces of home in here, a picture of us on the wall, one of his parents on the window sill, his little twin sisters by his bed and one of his whole family above the head board. He sees me looking.

"Ahh I see you have noticed the pictures and the pieces of back home?'" I nod "Well you've got have a bit of luxury in your life and something to remind you of where you come from no matter where you go"

"Yeah I suppose you do," I climb onto the bed and lay down next to him, my head resting on his outsreatched arm. Moving onto his side he brings his other arm to rest between us, that's when I notice his bracelet "I forgot my token"

"Luckily I didn't" he sits up pulling his arms from underneath me and leans over opening the draw on the little table and pulls out a little gold chain, he put it in my hand and I see it's a locket. "I found it on the reef, while swimming the other day; I cleaned it up and put some pictures in it for you."

I move so I am now sat crossed legged, I fiddle with the clasp on the pendent for a moment before it pops open to reveal the contents; there's a picture of my mum and dad when they got married and one of Finnick laying on the pearly white sand of our special beach, wearing just his shorts, showing off him gorgeously toned abs. I remember taking this not long ago. How did he know they were my favourite pictures of all time?

"I love it! Can you put it on for me?"

"Sure" I turn around and hold up my hair while he fastens the clasp at the back of my neck "just a little piece of home, we don't want you forgetting us while you're in the arena now, do we?"

"I supposed not" I answer with a smile but I feela twinge in my stomach. My odds to win are pretty high but there is still thepossibility that I am nearing the end of my life are and I will be the one whois forgotten. 6