Timelapse

f i v e • m e l t d o w n s

February 2008

Finnick stood on top of the blacktopped hill with his Gatorade bottle pressed to his lips, watching a small gray and black figure slowly walk across the field through the lashes of his dazed eyes.

More than half of his classmates had finished their eight laps around the field – Finnick being one of the first ones due to his long legs and speed; his ability to run long distance in track benefiting him during P.E period.

He was one of the few to finish less than ten minutes, usually finishing seven spots ahead of Millie, who normally ran two miles in less than fifteen. Today, Millie was in the back of the herd of runners, straggling to even run the width of the field. With her arms crossed over her chest and her hands dead locked on her wrists, Millie walked slowly around the fourth backstop; not bothering that her teacher Mr. White would hound her for going over her normal time.

Taking one last gulp of his drink, Finn rubbed the excess liquid dripping down the side of his chin with the side of his hand; then, capped the bottle and tossed it to the side of him on the grass before treading down the hill and jogging across the field to the fourth backstop.

"What's put a flat in your tire?" he mused, squeezing Millie's sides as he came up behind her. Millie jumped, flinching underneath his touch while slapping his hands away from her body. Finnick stopped his slow jog and stood in front of her, stopping her as he warily eyed her from head to toe. Her eyes were latched upon the dead grass underneath her sneakers while her jaw was clenched; her shoulders hunched over as her posture was flat.

Millie turning her head from one direction to another, looking at other students whom were laying upon the grass with their bottles of water and Gatorades; wanting to look anywhere but at Finnick. "Please move," she said.

"Not until you tell me what's up," he said. "Fine," she muttered and began walking, kicking her feet out in front of her towards Finn's body. Finn's eyes widened as he began to walk backwards with her following him. "Seriously Mill?" he breathed, looking over his shoulder every now and then to make sure he wouldn't lose his footing in a random gofer whole or patch of unleveled grass.

Millie's grip tightened around her wrist and her eyes winced. She willingly met Finnick's eyes and sighed, feeling guilty for the way Finn stared at her with concern.

"I'm just tired," she whispered, her third lie of their friendship, "didn't get enough sleep or breakfast." Fourth lie.

Finn nodded his head, "well come on, let's finish and I'll get you a PopTart during break." Reaching out towards Millie, Finn grabbed Millie's wrist and pulled it towards him, to get her to move faster.

Millie yelped and pulled her wrist out of his grasp, "don't touch me!" Finn stopped walking and looked at Millie stunned while she rubbed her sleeved covered wrist with her opposite hand; her eyes boring into her arm as if she could see through the cotton material.

"Millie, what's wrong?"

Millie froze and quickly dropped her hands to her side, her head slowly extending upward to meet Finn's gaze. His eyes were wide in concern while his lips parted, lifting as he forced himself to speak but nothing but soft sighs coming out instead of words.

Finn's eyes trailed from Millie's glossed eyes down to her wrist; his eyes searching her for sign.
"Mill," he breathed and she shook her head. "Nothing Finnick, nothing," she rushed, the fifth lie easily breezing through her teeth as dropping her hands to her sides and began to pump her legs; her shoulder hitting Finnick's as she ran past him as fast as she could.

"Millie!" he yelled, pumping his legs as he sprinted to catch up to her. Millie gasped as she inhaled and exhaled through her mouth, looking over her shoulder as Finnick began catching up to her. Her heart pounded underneath her chest, the sound of her heartbeat enveloping her ears, blocking out all sounds around her.

Something was wrong, that he knew; but it struck him to the bone that he couldn't figure out what it was. His chest began to ache, his insides turning in a whirl as the liquid he consumed swished in his stomach.

Clutching his lower abdomen with his left hand, Finn slowed his pace to a jog; the cramps in his stomach exceeding into sharp pains. Gasping for air, Finnick's jog slowed into a speed walk to normal pace until he couldn't take another step. He huffed for air and bent forward, placing his hands on his knees to hold himself up from toppling over.

Finn inhaled and exhaled while he counted to twenty in his head. He lifted his head and searched the field for Millie, who was now frozen in place near the end of the length, watching from afar. Her eyes flashed of guilt and fear but she shook it off and took advantage of Finn's immobile frame and took off towards the girls' locker room.

With a sigh Finn allowed his legs to give out on him; his body slowly collapsing onto the grass. Bringing his knees up, he rested his hands atop of his kneecaps as he watched Millie disappear into hiding.

Shaking his head he rummaged a hand through his hair then fell onto his back, peering up towards the clear sky above him. The weather was clear as a day, peaceful, but Finn was everything but.

The look upon Millie's face when he reached for her burned Finnick's mind; the way her eyes were mixed with emotions she desperately tried to hide – the feelings Finnick couldn't decipher no matter how hard he tried.

Finn closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, basking in the sunlight and slow breeze in the air before lifting himself up onto his feet. Millie couldn't hide in the girls room forever. Soon the bell would ring signaling next period and Finnick would be waiting right outside the doors, just as he always did.