ODDS

ᴘʀᴏᴘᴀɢᴀɴᴅᴀ

Finnick

"𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 to eat something, man. Anything, alright?"

I didn't even look at him, my love's cousin. Sure, he'd become a friend over the years, especially since he helped keep Alana sane. I couldn't have been more grateful for him, really.

But when I didn't feel like eating, I didn't feel like eating. And that was that.

I knew he was trying to help.

To be honest, Alana would have been doing the same thing as her cousin, coaxing me to at least keep myself alive. Then again, if she had been there, I wouldn't have been in the predicament I was in. I would've eaten gladly, as Alana sat by my side.

I nodded slowly, raking my fork against a pile of rice. At least, I thought that's what it was. I couldn't have been sure.

I popped a small bite into my mouth, chewing before swallowing. "Happy?"

Caspian rolled his eyes. His fiance smacked his arm, giving him a scolding look.

I knew I'd always liked Tora.

She reminded me a bit of Sander, who had taken care of everyone he could, which included Alana, up until his death. Between her and Annie, I felt like I had sisters, who could stand up for me just as much as I could defend them.

"Finnick." Her voice was light, like Alana's had been before her first games. My mind took me back to the night I'd gotten back from a 'meeting' with a client. A restless Alana had caught me red-handed. I remembered her words, which had set me on edge. There was no way innocence like that would last in the Capitol. That night, I took my anger out on her, even if she wasn't who or what I was upset about.

"Would you want-"

She was cut off by a message from the Capitol, which shone across each television screen in the cafeteria. Everyone became quiet, some still eating, and others putting their utensils down to focus their full attention on the screens.

"Good afternoon, Panem. I'm Caesar Flickerman."

As if no one knew who he was.

"After last night's alarming and insightful discussion with District Twelve and Panem's very own Peeta Mellark, many questions have been raised, along with those still unanswered. In a time of such unrest-"

Unrest. That's what Snow was calling it. I'd lived through unrest my entire life. This wasn't unrest.

"-it is important to stay hopeful, as well as up-to-date on the wrongdoings of the Rebels."

Wrongdoings.

I rolled my eyes, turning back to my food.

"Now, last night's guest from District Twelve shed some light on the truth of what happened in the arena during the country's Quarter Quell. Tonight, we have another, equally as special, guest. Please welcome Miss Alana Knight."

My blood ran cold as I felt the stares of everyone at the table.

I turned slowly, just in time to catch a first glimpse of her.

She looked healthy enough, maybe a little skinnier than usual. Her skin was clear and freshly clean, cheeks plump.

But her attire was all too familiar.

From what I'd heard about the night before, Peeta had looked like he was choking over his collar, which had been pulled up to the middle of his neck and clipped tight.

Like a prison.

It was the same for Alana.

But her prison reflected her years in the Capitol.