↠ Tidal Wave ↠ Finnick Odair ↞

↠ typical ↞

~ [chapter one] ~

She said no.
Typical.
She doesn't believe in him.
Typical.
Why can't he just have that one chance?

Fourteen years. Fourteen games. Annually, the televisions flip on each year like clockwork. District Four full of eager careers like bloodthirsty sharks in the ocean. His dream; to be one of those sharks.

But no one will let him. No one believes in his ability, because four years of training clearly isn't long enough. Well, it's been four years physically training. But Finnick has been training for these games his whole life and will not accept no as an answer any longer. He knows he was born a victor. Not just a tribute. A gosh darn victor.

Today, all attention was on the upcoming reaping. For most people, this was just another year. For all those older and ready, it could be their chance to volunteer. Something exciting. For Finnick, it was the year to prove himself. So many people have said he's not ready.

Maybe he isn't, but Finnick isn't one of those types to let other people tell him what he can or can't do. It's hard for him to be on his own side, though. The odds; not so great. Considering the statistics; not his forte. Would it prove helpful? Oh yes. Was he going to do it? Definitely not.                                      

"You still planning on volunteering?"                  "Cassia, we've discussed this." Finnick set down his trident. "You aren't going to be able to convince me not to go." A snarky grin crossed Cassia's face and he knew he was in for it. Cassia has somehow been able to manipulate him for years. Another reason he wants to take home the crown and show her she can't change her. But that never seems to work out for him.                         

"Fine. This is my last time trying," she said, crossing her arms. "What if there isn't a trident in that arena?" Finnick's heart sank. Of course this is where she went. The one thing he had never really thought about.
                                   
"Why would that make a difference?" He asked, picking up his trident again and catapulting it into a dummy's chest on the other side of the room. "I'm a career- I can use any weapon." Cassia's attitude changed from serious to hysterical in seconds and her laugh filled the whole room.  
                              
"Then clearly you've never watched yourself train with any other weapon. You're kind of helpless without your trident, you know that right?" Finnick strove to deny the fact that Cassia was right, but he knew he couldn't. Of all things, his weakness was that of any other weapon.

Avoiding Cassia's ultimate question, he said with a cocky gesture, "what about my charm?" Cassia's expression remained unchanged.
"What about your charm?" Finnick's hype died down and he lowered his arms in defeat.
"Fine. I guess you're right. I should wait a little longer."

"Thank you," said Cassia. "One day, we'll both be victors, and it will be great." Finnick knew Cassia's biggest fear was being reaped for the games. She's always wanted to volunteer, but going into the games without her control has always been something that's frightened her. It's always been different for Finnick. He doesn't care; he just wants to prove himself. But he knows, among other things, Cassia couldn't be more accurate about his phony performance without a trident.

The lack of pressure seemed to leak off Finnick as a sense of relief washed over him. Leave it up to his best friend to completely twist him up and leave him like that.

Cassia came back with his trident in her hand and a set of knives. The look in her eyes was mischievous and told a terrifying story, a haunting plan displayed across her lips. Finnick grabbed a knife from the set, and attempting to copy Cassia's swift movements, Finnick's knife is released from his grip and falls to the ground, a mockery state compared to the perfect bloody center created by Cassia's knife. She laughed again.

"Okay, you're right. I'm absolutely helpless without a trident." He attempted another smug smile and retrieved his trident from the end of the room.

"You'll be a pure victor in four years, Finnick. Just be patient, and the odds will be in your favor."

In District Four, the last day of training before the reaping was a sort of celebration. Those who had been training long enough to volunteer lay tangled in knots, determined to be the one that year. Their cocky cheers of excitement gave Finnick another wave of dissatisfaction. Disappointment. Why should he be surprised? He's lived his life in a shadow, life throwing curve balls at him that have completely ruined him. Why expect anything other than disappointment?

The walk home was always Finnick's favorite part of the day. The soft, gentle breeze. The delicate saltiness of the ocean wafting in the air. His home was more like a beach than a city, and that's a lot better than he could ask for. Under his bare feet, the sand tickled his toes as the water blanketed his ankles. His favorite place to relax; the beach. But for Finnick, without Cassia there the beach represented all of his failures. So if Cassia wasn't there, his favorite place to relax was his bed.

After a while, the bright sun dimmed to an ugly grey, and fading into an ombre of colors, the sky popping with shades of orange and red. And the words come out of his mouth a little to quickly for his liking, catching Cassia off guard.
"You know, I would easily kill anyone in that room if it meant becoming victor." Cassia just shook her head.

"Would you?"

"Yes. I mean, if it means winning and glory and living, then I wouldn't hesitate for a second." Both of them, shocked by this side of Finnick. Despite always being like that, Cassia had always seen him as the innocent five year old that tackled him that first day on the beach. But clearly, something has changed him. Maybe for the better, maybe to make a statement.

Sooner than Finnick would have preferred, the colors of the sky faded into sparkling stars, and Cassia left. As beautiful as the stars were, they just weren't the same as the sunset. The black wallpaper obscuring his view of things five feet away wasn't as relaxing, even with the sloppy crayon scratches in the sky that gave little light.  He missed the colors.

Slowly, Finnick made his way home. Maybe he would be more excited if he knew tomorrow was the day he'd volunteer. But instead, he would wake up tomorrow and sit back and watch as another year passed.

No matter how much farther he got from the ocean, the salty, sweet perfume of the air still clung to his clothes and travelled throughout the air. The thing he loved the most about home.

i'm so excited to write more!! thank you for reading this first bit and please don't forget to vote, comment, and follow. and add this to your library so you get updates when i publish. i don't know how often i'll update, so keep and eye out!
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❤️,
grace