Sea Salt and Roses | | Finnick Odair

Chapter 6

I walked into the Training Centre. Cashmere and Gloss were already there training. Gloss raised a hand to say hi. Cashmere waved. I smiled and waved back. They approached me and Gloss said, "Hello Hillary." I smiled once again and replied, "Hello Cashmere and Gloss. How can I help you?" They smiled at each other and said, "Well, seeing that you're from District 4 and you've got the charms to earn lots of sponsors so we were thinking that we can be allies in the arena?" I thought about it for a short moment and replied, "I'll follow Finnick but I'll definitely think about it. Thank you for thinking of me." They nodded as we shook hands. I walked to the fishing hook station and saw Katniss there already. She was struggling greatly. I saw that she was looping it in the wrong place. I stretched my hand and helped her. She looked up at me and mumbled, "Thanks."
I replied, "No problem." I started to work on my hook. I knew how to do one at the back of my hand but I stalled myself to talk to Katniss. It was quite obvious that Finnick's attempt was a flop. I said, "Did Finnick annoy you yesterday?" She chuckled and said, "He offered me a sugar cube and wanted to know my secrets." I groaned and said, "He used the sugar cube one? Are you kidding me? That's one of the worst." She laughed and nodded. I finished mine with a final tug. I put mine down and turned to face her. She looked up to me and I said, "I saw what you did for Rue in your games. I'm sorry. She was a lovely and sweet child." Katniss froze but nodded stiffly. I then asked her, "Do you think that you can teach me how to shoot an arrow if I teach you how to wield a sword or throw a knife?" She nodded and threw her unfinished fish hook. I laughed. She said, "I need to go see Peeta first though." I smiled and said, "Take your time." She smiled a small smile and walked towards Peeta, who had just walked in. I walked over to the hologram session and stretched slightly. The trainer nodded at me and I flashed him a smile.
I programmed it to hard and I grinned. I stepped on the platform and waited. A hologram man came running at me but I somersaulted and kicked him. I swung my sword and stabbed him. He exploded into a bunch of cubes. I turned around and threw a knife without looking and hearing the thud, I knew that my knife had found its target. I rolled and knocked the hologram man off his feet and stabbed him. I slid between another guy's feet and flipped him over. I leaped over another man and mid somersault, stabbed him in the back. I landed gracefully and rolled my shoulders. I looked towards the glass and saw that half the tributes were watching me. Finnick was smirking at me. Peeta and Katniss gaping at me. Johanna was clapping. I walked out of the room and flashed them a jaw-dropping smile. I could've swore that even Gloss twitched under my smile. I smiled and thought, Good job. Another day done and gone. I could feel a pair of eyes following my every movement. Finnick. I sighed and went back to throwing knives at targets. Hitting Bulls eyes each time.
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I was walking back to my room, just back from dinner when Haymitch, walked up to me with Plutarch, new game maker. They smiled at me and I nodded my head slightly.
"Um, Hillary? Can we speak to you privately?"
I nodded my head.
"Look, it's complicated. But we'll say it quick. There's an uprising as you may know. Katniss Everdeen is the symbol of the rebellion. Our priority is to save Katniss Everdeen and protect Peeta Mellark. Finnick is on it. Will you join us?"
My eyebrows raised as I crossed my arms. "So you're saying that in the arena, I need to save Katniss and Peeta at all costs, even if I have to give up my life." They nodded. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. I nodded. They smiled and thanked me. I opened my door and collapsed on my bed, not bothering to change. I fell into a deep sleep.