Sugarcubes // Finnick Odair - Hunger Games Fanfic

VI.

"Hi," I say, smiling at my district partner as I step onto our wooden old century style chariot. He's dressed in a suit the same color as my skirt, with an inner shirt the same pattern as my top. My makeup is light, with a little green eye shadow on top of my eyelids to compliment the dress. My hair is pinned back into a messy bun with a few strands left down to frame my face and the veil pinned into my bun.

"Hi," he replies, holding out his hand to assist me getting on, although his face is stone cold at the sight of me. By the time both of us are settled on the chariot, the district one chariot is already in motion. I look at him with a simple smile, trying to ignore his cold demeanor, that contradicts the usual frown he's used to seeing on my face.

"Ready?"

"Does it really matter?" He asks in response to my question with venom in his voice that he later tries to cover up with a nervous chuckle.

"No. Not really," I answer, slightly put off. Our chariot wheels around and we're faced by the blinding spotlights of being on camera. At the end of the drive is the place we'll be staying for the rest of the time, with a small stop in front of President Snow's mansion.

The crowd cheers loudly as the chariot picks up pace. My veil floats behind me, glimmering in the air as we speed along. I wave and throw kisses, occasionally catching a rose. I feel elated, lifted up by my amazing dress. I raise both my hands in the air, quite the contrary to Austin who looks like he's trying to avoid all eyes. I smile and laugh, because if these hunger games can't take something away from me, it will be my humanity. I will always be Kendria Parstons. They will kill me before I give that up. I raise the roses up in one hand, and clutch my locket in the other, smiling and laughing all the way, only putting down my hands when it comes time for President Snows address.

President Snows address is utter bullshit. It's almost the same every year as though trying to at least prepare a new speech to keep the people engaged will kill him. I zone out totally as he talks about the honor and the valor of the games, finding a little bile making its way into my throat as the nerves catch up to me once again. I'm finding it hard to stand as Snow finishes his address and it's all I can do to keep myself from puking. What happened to me so fast? Not sure. I just know that nerves caught up to me. The good thing is that the cameras aren't focused on me or my glimmering veil anymore. They are focused on snow and his blood red lips and his white emotionless face matching the rose in his suit pocket. We are slowly wheeled away to the training center where we will all sleep and eat and train for the next few days before the games, getting off the chariots in the basement where mentors rush, or stumble, in Blights case, to meet us.

I'm helped off the carriage by Alex as he twirls me around in the air.

"You were amazing! Brilliant! You caught everyone's eyes!" He says, setting me down and steadying me from falling.

"Maybe you weren't completely joking about charm being your strength. You were a natural out there." Blight spoke, apparently sober enough to give his honest opinion on my performance. Eero is talking in a hushed voice to Austin, apparently too above puny people like myself to offer me her opinion.

Blights statement, however doesn't have the desired affect of uplifting me. I know that it was all a show. A desperate attempt to put on a mask for the audience, although a little bit of myself will always show through - and to make them like me because of that. Claiming that I was a natural at putting on a show for an audience I hate? Not exactly the most comforting thought. I smiled at his statement either way, unable to bring myself to frown in this beautiful dress. We make our way up the glass elevator to the floor designated to our district – 7. I find myself taking more care of the dress than myself, bumping into corners and photo frames, so careful in preserving the dress I'm wearing. We reach our apartment in no time, and Austin rushes to his room and slams the door before Rosaline has any chance to speak about how lucky we are to be receiving these first class Capitol facilities.