Promise Me | Saylor Odair

~18~

Saylor was trying to walk as fast as she could home. Her body ached everywhere but she couldn't wait to get home.

After her nightmare, she didn't get any sleep. Saylor was exhausted and wanted to lock herself in her room. She quickly opened the door. As soon as she walked in she saw Finnick laying on the couch.

"Saylor? Why are you home so early? I thought you still had two more days." He said surprised to see her, "There was an incident so they let me go home early..." She explained, "What type of incident? Are you ok? " He asked, knowing the few reasons why they let them go home early. "Yeah, I'm fine... I have to go back in a week." She explains then goes upstairs.

She didn't want to tell Finnick for two reasons. One she didn't want him to worry about her. And two because she didn't want to re-live it or even think about it. She felt like if she said it out loud that meant it actually happened. And right now she wanted to pretend it didn't happen.

As soon as she walked into her room she grabbed her stuff to shower. She got in the shower and scrubbed every inch of her body. It was still very painful to go over her bruises so she lightly went over them.
Saylor hated the way her body looked and what it was now was apart of. She felt used or like an object.
What I have become... momma would be so ashamed of me. Saylor took a deep breath and then shut the water off. Stop thinking like that. This isn't your fault... She stepped out of the shower and dried off.

Saylor was sitting on her bed playing with her dad's guitar. She didn't know much about her dad. He had died when Saylor was pretty young.
He and a few other guys from District 4 went on a fishing trip and that night a horrible storm picked up and sunk their boat.

Saylor remembers seeing peacekeepers at the door and then her mother collapsing to the ground sobbing. Saylor's only memories she had of him were him singing to her before bed.

Saylor spent the whole afternoon writing her feelings into lyrics. After hours of writing, she picked up her two notebooks and her guitar, and then headed downstairs. "I'll be back. " She tells Finnick not giving him time to respond. She walks out the door and then heads to the beach. She sat on the sand and started strumming her guitar

"And I try to be tough, but I wanna scream" She sang softly trying not to be too loud. Her eyes started to water as she thought about everything that had happened at the Capitol.

"How could anybody do the things you did so easily?" What type of person beat can someone then walk away with no remorse?

"And I say I don't care, I say that I'm fine
But I  know I can't let it go
I've tried, I've tried, I've tried for so long" Tears were flowing down her cheeks but she didn't care.

"And I try to understand why you would do this all to me
You must be insecure, you must be so unhappy
And I know in my heart hurt people hurt people-" Saylor hears someone behind her, so she quickly wipes, her tears. "Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt... " Coriolanus apologizes then sits next to her and takes off his helmet. "That was beautiful, did you write that?" Saylor nods "I didn't know you could sing... Well I guess I don't know anything about you." He said mostly to himself. "How did you learn to play?" He asked, "My dad played and one day I went through his stuff and found this."She handed him a leather cover notebook.

Coriolanus opened the notebook and found pages of notes and lyrics. He flipped a few pages and then gave the notebook back not wanting to invade her privacy too much. But it gave him an idea. "Saylor... are you ok singing in front of people?" Saylor thinks about it for a second. "I don't know. I have only ever sung in front of Finnick. Why?" She asked him. "Hm... Just wondering." That was weird

"Oh... I wanted to thank you for helping me at the Capitol." She told him. "There's no need to thank me... You shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place." He tells her. " I still want to thank you Coriolanus. You and Sejanus have been very kind to me and I am very grateful." She said while looking him in the eye. His eyes...
"That's Sejanus, for you" He in a joking tone. Coriolanus didn't see himself as kind. But he saw Sejanus as one of the kindest people he knows. Sometimes he admires him for it but other time he think that it's a weakness.

"You need to give yourself more credit Coriolanus. As my mother used to say, "Actions speak louder than words" She told him, Saylor believed that Coriolanus was just as kind as Sejanus. Coriolanus was the one who saved her twice. And has checked on her after her nightmares.

"Do you believe that? That actions speak louder than words." He asked her. "I do... words can often be empty promises or claims with no real meaning. But by taking action, you prove the truth of your words and intentions."She explained. He hummed in response.
"I should probably head home. Finnick's probably worried." Saylor said while grabbing her stuff. Coriolanus got up and put his helmet back on and followed her back.

Saylor walked in and was immediately bombarded with questions by Finnick. "Where have you been? Do you know how late it is?" He exclaimed, "I'm sorry, I just need to clear my head. I was at the beach." She explains. "Well, next time let me know ok?" He tells her. "OK, Dad." She teases and then heads upstairs. "Hey! I'm not done talking to you." He yelled then followed her upstairs.

"Are you ok? I know something bad had to happen if they sent you home. I get you don't want to talk about it but just know I am here for you. "He says softly. While leaning on her door frame. "Finnick, I really don't want to talk about it. Thank you though." She said hoping he would drop it. "Ok... Goodnight Sayy." He walks out and closes her door.

"Yes Egeria, it's important I need to speak with my grandfather, "Coriolanus spoke on the phone. "Please hold." She said. After a while, his voice was heard through the phone and suddenly Coriolanus got nervous. "Yes? Grandson. What was so important you had to interrupt my schedule." Coriolanus took a  deep breath and then explained. " I have an idea about the girl..."
"Go on."
"The girl can sing. My idea is to have her sing at these parties instead of entertain. That will bring a new crowd of people to the parties and we can have them pay for certain songs." He explained.
"Hm... How do we get these people to the party." President. Snow asked Coriolanus. "We can have her interview with Caesar like normal and have her perform."
"And why do you care so much if this girl entertains or not? " President Snow asks him with suspicion.

"I care that we bring as much profit and money to the Capitol. people are losing interest in the parties. Tigris told me money is going down and not all entertainers aren't getting used every night. If we bring a new spark to the entertainment maybe it will boost." Coriolanus explained not missing a beat.
"Very well then. I'll tell Caesar to interview her this week. But, If the Capitol isn't interested then neither am I."

———————————————————————————