𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣, 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 | 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐎𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫 [Hunger Games]

Namesakes & Presidents

↳ TWO ↵

ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴏʟᴅ

"All the flowers

Would have very extra special powers

They would sit and talk to me for hours

When I'm lonely in a world of my own..."

Briar always believed that singing to the roses helped them grow healthier. Music always brought joy to people, so it must bring joy to plants as well.

The roses were in full blossom, this time of year. The sea salt mixing with the exquisite smell of the flowers always brought a smile on her face.

The light breeze from the ocean only seemed to make the atmosphere brighter. Carefully tending to the precious roots of the plant, the brunette packed the compost over the already moist soil.

Briar turned back to her ladybug garden bag and reached out to grab her cutters before gingerly snipping off the dead flowers as well as a few healthy ones. After throwing the dead ones into her compost bin, the young girl grabbed the healthy roses and walked over to the house next door, after informing Mags she would be at Finny's.

Finnick was always the first to get her best flowers of the season. He would be sure to place them in a pretty vase in the foyer of his home so that everyone would see them as they walked in. Although Mags and Briar were the only ones who really came over.

Briar walked the same path that she always did. It had become a routine for her to go to the Odair house after she had finished her homework. Briar used to bring her homework over to his house, but after the first week, the girl learned that Finnick was not a good tutor. Briar was teaching Finnick most of the things she had learned that day rather than him helping her so they both agreed it would be better for Briar to simply do her work alone.

As Briar hopped over the three white stairs that led to his front door, she heard two voices murmuring something incoherent. The brown haired girl was about to lean closer to the door but, the turn of the knob stopped Briar in her tracks.

Brair gasped as she was greeted by the face of President Snow, her eyes widened, and my mouth opened, making her face mold into the shape of a fish's. He was the last person Briar would expect to come out of Finnick's house.

President Snow smiled at the innocent girl, his eyes shining with power, leaning down to look directly in her light blue eyes, "You must be the young girl Mr. Odair here has been telling me about," as his breath blew across Briar's face causing her to wrinkle my nose the sharp, chemical smell. Finnick watched Snow like a hawk, not trusting the man around the girl for a second, especially after their conversation.

"Y-yes, sir," Briar nodded her head, turning to look at Finnick. His jaw is tense as he glares daggers behind Snow's back, his eyes flickering to look at Briar worriedly.

Briar shook off the fear nagging in the back of my head and smiled up at Snow, raising the bundle of roses in her hands towards him, "These are for you. They just bloomed yesterday." The young girl believed that flowers could solve anything.

Snow looks at the flowers in disgust before taking them from me with a fake smile, "Thank you, Miss Flanagan." He did not see why so many people were enamored with the dead things. 

The girl who was named after the flower she just handed to the President, was beyond happy that he enjoyed her gift. She smiled up at Finnick who gave her a weak smile, not wanting to ruin her bubbly mood before she said, "Are you joining us for tea?"

Snow turned to Finnick noticing his glare, and giving him a knowing look before nodding his head, "I believe I have made my point clear, and I must leave." He gave a final nod at the young girl that he couldn't deny was as charming as the boy she stood near. Her charm was different from Finnick's though, Snow noted, her's was more natural like she wasn't even aware that she had it.

Finnick's face darkened, and he bitterly smiled at Snow, "I think that would be best."

Snow looked at the naive girl one last time before walking past her and towards the huge limo that sat, alone, in the streets of the village. Finnick's arm immediately draped over Briar's shoulder's as he pulled her behind him defensively, not trusting the snake of a president they had. 

Finnick had indeed just made a deal to ensure her safety, to preserve her innocence which he couldn't help but envy. Yet, the tall teenager would not be surprised if the old man found a loophole and hurt the one girl he has given up his freedom to protect. However, he had a year to be concerned about such things as Briar wasn't yet of age to fall prey to the Capitol's sick games. 

Briar tried to move around him to look at the President, but he refused to let her go.

Although it wasn't part of the deal, Finnick thought it would be best if he stayed away from his friend so she would not be used against him any more than she already was. He would not be able to live with himself if she were hurt because of his actions.

Briar finally managed to look between the blonde Victor's arm as she watched Snow stop halfway on the long sidewalk giving me a small wink, "She really is adorable, Mr. Odair, but I would keep an eye out for her. Her generosity might get her in a lot of trouble," he threatened in a heavy voice.

Briar watched as Snow entered his car, not understanding what he meant. 

It wasn't until later on that week that Briar saw the true meaning behind his words. Because later on that day Mrs. Odair, who was a kind woman who would always bake Briar fresh cookies when she came to visit, would die coming home from a trip to the beach. She was said to have dropped her beach towel in the water, and when she tried to grab it, she was pulled under by a shark. But the thing was, they never have shark attacks.