L O C K E D- Finnick Odair

SIX

《'°•~Chapter Six~•°'》
Promise

FLASHBACK

"WHERE WERE YOU?" my father asks as I enter our house. He and my brother, August, sit at the small circular table. August has a pitiful look on his face and refuses to look at me. "Were you with that boy again?"

"No, dad -"

"Don't lie to me, Emmeline," his voice grows angrier. "I saw you with him."

August speaks. "It's fine, dad, they-"

My father stands up. "What did you say to me, boy?" he shouts as August.

"I said it's fine!" August stands up, the table moving with his force. My father backhands him across the face so hard, he stumbles.

August grabs a picture frame off the table, and as he brings his arm back to throw it, I go in between them. "Stop!" My ignorance does nothing but block the picture frame from hitting my father, and it hits me in the instead.

My father has no care in the world that his daughter is hurt and leaves to go to the bedroom. August rushes to me as I cry, blood trickling down from my forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Em. It was an accident, I promise," he whispers, trying to comfort me. He gets a towel wet from the faucet and dabs it on my face. "Let's get you cleaned up."

He tried his best to clean the cut, but it's still very visible, along with a bruise under my eye. "I'm not mad at you, August." I finally speak.

He smiles in relief. "I think you're old enough to wear mom's dress."

My eyes widen in excitement as I follow him to the closet. He pulls out a yellow dress with little daisies on it. I pull it on, and he helps button it in the back. "It's a little big, but you look pretty."

August wears the same button-up shirt and dress pants he's worn for his past seven reapings. This is his last and my first. Our father finally comes out of the bedroom once we're ready to go. "You guys look nice."

We walk to the Square, right outside the Justice Building. Peacekeepers sit at a table, pricking each persons finger for a sample of blood. When I make it to the front of the line, I flinch as the female peacekeeper takes my sample.

August sends me to go stand with the other twelve year olds, and he goes to a few of his school friends. I end up standing by our neighbor, a girl a year above me.

I look around for Finnick, but as more people fill in, it becomes harder to find him. Once everyone is there, our escort, Valentina Mackenden, begins.

"Welcome! We will now begin the drawings of our male and female tributes for the sixty-eighth annual Hunger Games!" She cheers. I bite my nails. "And of course, ladies first."

She walks to the bowl with the female tribute names. It's so quiet, I'm positive everyone in the Square can hear my heartbeat. Valentina sticks her hand in the bowl and pulls out a single slip of paper.

Not me. Not me. Not me.

"Elaeis Barlowe." A young girl slowly makes her journey to the stage. She doesn't even cry. "And now for the boys."

She reaches in and grabs one of the many names. She clicks her tongue in the microphone. "Finnick Odair."

No!

He exits the crowd, and I finally see him. It's not until he stands on the stage that he notices me. His chin quivers, but no tears escape.

"Let's give a round of applause for District's Four's tributes!" Nobody claps. We all just stare empatheticly, but we are also happy that it wasn't us.

"Finnick!"

The peacekeepers finally let me into the Justice Building, where Finnick gets to say his goodbyes. We immediately hug. "You have to win, okay?" I shake him by the shoulders. "You have to!"

"What happened to your eye?" He ignorantly asks.

"I hit my head on the coffee table," I lie to him.

"I don't believe you," he mutters.

A tear falls down my cheek. "Please, win Finnick."

He brushes the tear away his thumb. "If I win, I'll let you move in with me, in Victor's Village."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The peacekeepers reenter, the room to tell us our time is up. I kiss Finnick briefly on the lips, and I'm pulled away.

PRESENT DAY

I awake in the dark, covered in a cold sweat as I gasp for air. I hated reliving that day more than anything, and the more time I spent with Finnick, the more time I spent remembering it.

But if one thing stops me, it isn't fear.

I climb out of bed and quietly walk down the hall. When I get to Finnick's room, I open the door slowly to see him sleeping, facing the other way. "Finnick?"

He rolls over immediately. "Are you okay?"

"Do you think I could sleep in here, with you?" I ask hesitantly.

He pulls back the comforter to make a spot for me. "Of course." I crawl in next to him, my head resting on his shoulder. He moves a piece of hair off of my forehead. "We're going to be okay tomorrow."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise," he says. For some reason, I don't believe him.

Stay alive. Protect Katniss and Peeta. This time, I'd like to add my own.

Don't trust Finnick Odiar again.

Chaper 6- 906 words

'°•~~•°'
-Olivia