Uncharted Waters [1]

Chapter 7

Finnick never lost his cool. He was always so patient and composed, and not once did he show any other side of himself to anyone, except for that one time.

He was confused by his reaction to that despicable teenager and thought that if he were his usual self, he would laugh his moodiness off, make jokes about it, and be calm and unfazed. Instead, he had let the boy get to him and almost got them all in trouble. 

He thought about that naive girl who absentmindedly placed herself between him and Destan before anything bad could happen. He remembered how she looked at him with those beautiful blue eyes that twinkled like the ocean on a sunny day, how she placed her delicate hand on his chest to stop him from his impulsiveness. 

He almost got lost in her eyes again, until she had to hold his hand. 

At that thought, Finnick's jaw clenched for the nth time that day. His leaving clearly made him a bad mentor for going out before he could orient his tributes. But Adrian and the other mentors were there to fill in for this job, this duty in fact.

He needed to leave before he could do something that he would regret after. Being in the same place as that girl is not helping the situation, it made him feel things that he knew he shouldn't be feeling. Especially when that girl could possibly die in that arena, if they had met again in a different situation, then maybe things would be different. Maybe he wouldn't be afraid to let himself go. 

People thought he wasn't afraid of anything.

He was calm. 

He was charming. 

The capitol's darling.

He was Finnick Odair. 

That's what the people thought, and that's what he wanted the people to believe. 

Who would've thought that a girl he only met once in his life could have a huge impact on his life? 

Of course she would, she practically saved him in that arena. With those words and that kind smile, he knew he was a goner. 

He knew he had to see her again. 

And they did, but just in a completely different circumstance. 

The odds weren't really in his favor. What an irony.

Now he had two choices: stay away from her so that he wouldn't get too attached since her chances of winning were slim to none or unleash the inner storm he knew that was inside of her. 

Meanwhile, Thalassa returned from arranging the preparations for the tribute parade that would transpire tomorrow when the last district finally arrived. Having them live near the capitol and some other districts allowed them to arrive earlier than the others on the other side of Panem. 

Thalassa's heels clicked on the marble floors of their floor, a wide smile on her face. The smile on her face quickly left when she opened the lounge's big glass doors. She expected to see her lovely tributes with their mentors, sitting on the long glass table, discussing strategies and survival tips. But all she saw was Adrian, sitting on the couch watching the television alone with popcorn on his lap and a passed-out Eldoris on one of the lounge chairs. She grumbled and flounced to the two men, placing her hands on her hips. 

"Where are they, Adrian?" Without looking up, Adrian pointed towards the tributes' hall and bellowed in laughter caused by something he was watching on the screen. Thalassa groaned in displeasure knowing better than to confront the grumpy young boy alone. She could tell his hatred towards the Capitol, even his hatred to the world in general. So she carried herself to Mira's room and barged inside without knocking.