UNDERDOG | FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 2

"Good night, Cordelia!" Finnick called out.

I stood in disbelief. How did he know my first name. The name no one else knew besides my family. "What did you call me?" I called back, jogging to catch up with him.

"Cordelia, it was in your file I got during the games two years ago. Cordelia Beck Delmare. You sure have a big name for such a little person." He teased, knowing just how to annoy me.

"I am not a little person! I'm practically 5'6. That's above average for a Woman in District four." I protested. "Yeah but mentally I'd say your brain is a little smaller than a walnut." He said, tapping his temple with his pointer finger.

"You'd say? You act like you've seen my brain!" I pointed out, the playful banter left a smile on both of our faces.

"Also in the file." He explained. I rolled my eyes.

"Well your brain is full of seaweed. I don't need files to know that." I said grinning up at his tall figure. He stood there looking down at the little lion before chuckling. "You're crazy."

"We're all a little crazy. Maybe me more than others, but I wouldn't have survived those games if I wasn't." I trailed off, looking at the sun that sank behind all of the little houses and cabins, behind my Nona's two room home that had been the house I was raised in.

"Hey," Finnick said turning me towards him by my shoulders. "You didn't kill Alon. You might have given him more time than he would have had on his own. Its been a year, you've gotta stop blaming yourself." He looking at me with the same eyes that women in the capitol fainted over.

In year eight, I had started to develop a small liking to the bronze haired boy. He was beautiful, charming, kind, and although I knew Annie liked him and he was off limits, I couldn't help but crush on him. That feeling had grown over the years as his looks had improved and he continued to be compassionate and funny.

I never made a move because well I'm me. But also because he was reaped for the games before I worked up the courage. I planned to confess everything but a year later he was left orphaned. His parents and his sisters were all killed by a mysterious animal attack.

I of  course didn't want to tell him my biggest secret while he was still grieving so I held off. Finnick moved in with Mags and her husband, Hudson, because Finn was only fifteen and Mags had offered.

But it seems I've gotten off track. What I mean to say it that I like this boy a lot but it'll never happen so I've been repressing my feeling for the past five years.

I closed my eyes and listened to the wind whistle, "What about those kids tomorrow?" I asked, opening my eyes. Finnick sighed and stood there a moment. "Give them the advice you wish you had gotten. Tell them how it's going to be, but try not to scare them. Goodnight Delia." He patted my shoulder and walked away towards his house in Victors village.

The one next to the house I was supposed to live in. I had decided not to, to continue living in the two room house her grandmother, who I called Nona, raised me in. Besides, it was easier on my mom this way. No changes.

When I was born, my father was already dead. He and my mother, Lana, had gotten married months before the 52nd reaping. They were young, barely 20, and it had been a rash decision but they were happy.

Until my father, Byron, and a family friend went fishing for the day and got caught in a storm. The old boat couldn't take the waves and my father went down with his ship, leaving my mother widowed and pregnant.

My fathers mother, my Nona took me in and raised me because my mom had gone crazy after Dad's death and being alone.

Mom's heart was fragile. One wrong word and she blew up like a bomb. I had only heard my father's name a few times. My mother would shake and scream if someone so much as mentioned her husband. She was crazy and everyone knew it.

I was the only person besides my grandma who was able to take care of my mother but my Nona died when she was 15, leaving me feeling helpless. Sometimes Annie or Mrs. Azurine from the next house over would sit with her for a while while I have some time to myself.

They would knit or bake with her, not saying much of anything so they wouldn't set her off.

The person who could work real magic with her was Mags. Because of the stroke she had years ago, Mags was left without much ability to form coherent sentences. She learned to communicate with out things that could set mom off, like pointing or facial expressions.

Mags was great and was with mom almost the entire 69th Hunger Games while I was away. Mags was able to retire from mentoring the year of her stroke because the doctors deemed it unsafe for her to travel long distances or be in any stressful situations. Which was practically the Hunger Games summed up. One big stressful situation.

I walked in the old, white washed house where my mother sat on her rocking chair, rocking back and forth and clicking two knitting needles together. "Hey mom, ready to go to bed?" Mom nodded and stood up. She pointed to me. "Are you leaving tomorrow?" Mom asked. "Yes, but Mags and Mrs. Azurine will sit with you while I'm gone. I'll only be gone a little while."

Mom nodded,"You will be a good girl while your are in the capitol?" Lana asked, "Of course." Mom nodded once before walking in to the next room where our beds were.

"Goodnight mom."