The Capitol Games

Chapter 11- Lactose Intolerant

As we enter the small cafe, an extraordinarily delicious bust of coffee hits us. The cafe looks so welcoming. The windows are underlined with long baskets of bright flowers. The window panes are painted with bright colours, so that the whole cafe has a cheerful glow as the sunlight dances through. There are cakes and cookies in a display shelf which look so delicious remind me so much of the bakery that that dad used to own.

But I'm not really looking at them, as I peer around. I follow Sam, Addie and Finnick as they make their way to one of the tables. People haven't starting noticing us yet, but I'm sure they will.

As we look at the menu, my gaze cant help but drift around the store.

Where is he?

"Lian?" Sam asks "What do you want?"

"Hm?" I look at Sam. "Oh. Um, hazelnut coffee...." I say looking through the menu.

Sam nods as he glance at the menu too.

Addie is looking at the cakes and Finnick seems to have decided already as he looks out of the window at the flower store opposite. I follow his gaze, and just briefly catch his looking at some poem scrawled on the flower truck. I've seen it before, I think fleetingly, it's all around the Capitol.

I look back at the menu. "And um...."

"Hey." Someone says, and my stomach lifts.

Found him.

I look up to see those grey-green eyes and that heart-fluttering smile. He is smiling at me. My heart thuds in my chest and flutters explode in my stomach.

"What can I get you guys?" he says.

He doesn't have a name tag on like the other waiters, but heck. I don't need that. I set my menu down slowly.

Addie notices this, looks at me, and narrows her eyes.

Sam smiles and says. "Vanilla coffee, please."

Zeke notes that down. He turns to Finnick who tells him that he would like to have black coffee. "Can I have some sugar cubes with that?" Finnick asks

"Sure." Zeke says as he writes that down too.

Then he looks at Addie. She looks at him and then back to me, and repeats that once more. Then the confusion in her eyes clears. She grins broadly at me and Zeke. "I'll just have an espresso." she says.

Addie only saw Zeke from far, and with blue hair. I'm surprised she recognises him.

Zeke looks at his notepad to note down what Addie ordered, and then Addie turns to me and nods in approval. I roll my eyes, and hide my smile.

Then Zeke looks at me, "How about you?" he asks, his usual goofy smile playing on his lips.

"Hazelnut coffee. But I can't decide which cake." I tell him.

His grin widens ever so slightly. "Would you like me to show them to you? There are some special ones which I think you would like. Sounds good?"

I'm about to say yes, when I realise, Addie and Finnick have an untold tension between them and as their best friend, it's my responsibility is to make sure that they are okay, not disappear with someone who they don't even know.

I quickly look to Addie and in that one second I seem to love her even more. She smiles and nods at me, and that smile is filled with understanding and a sisterly affection.

Go , her look seems to say. I'll manage.

I shoot her a grateful look and turn to Zeke.