1.5 years later
"Left!" Finnick yelled as she blocked his attack. "Right," he yelled again and she blocked his attack from the other side with a grunt.
"Easy!" she growled.
"Duck!"
"Duck?" she asked confused. "Ow!" she exclaimed as he boxed her over the ears lightly. "What the hell Finnick?" she groaned as she rubbed her ear. "I wasn't expecting that, you're not playing fair."
"If you're in the Hunger Games people won't be yelling out their attacks before they swing Taiya. You have to be prepared."
"You didn't have to hit me though," she grumbled.
Finnick sighed and looked at her, "I know. I'm sorry, that was too far. But you need the practise Taiya. I won't apologise for trying to help you."
"You want to help me? Why don't you talk to Theo?" Taiya suggested as she sat down on the edge of Finnick's private dock. "Why are you two even fighting? You've barely spoken to each other in a year."
"It's complicated."
"Well explain it to me," Taiya pleaded.
"You wouldn't understand," Finnick said, blowing her off.
"That's rubbish Finn and you know it."
"Are you coming tomorrow night?" Finnick asked, changing the subject. "My mom wants to know how many to cook for."
"Yeah, of course, I'm coming. It's not every day my best friend turns 16," she smiled as she nudged him. "Who else is coming?"
"It's just my mom, dad, you and Mags. Do you want to invite your parents?" he asked.
"No I don't think so," Taiya said looking back out at the water. "My mom's not doing well."
"She'll come around Tay," Finnick promised as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I just wish I could've known her before her sister died. I wish I could've known the real her. Dad says she'll improve when there's no chance of me being reaped. I'm not so sure," Taiya sighed. "And besides, I guess by then it'll be too late to even have a proper relationship with her."
"You'll always have me though," Finnick smiled as he swung his arm around her.
"Ew," she laughed, "get off me, you're sweaty," she joked shoving his arm off.
"So are you!" Finnick smirked.
Taiya's mouth fell open, "you didn't!"
"I did," he smiled.
"You ass. You're going in," she laughed as she shoved him into the water. Finnick fell off the dock and straight into the water.
After a few seconds he came back up laughing, "right, that's it. You're so going to get it."
"Don't you dare, don't you dare," she warned, but it was too late, Finnick had grabbed her legs and hauled her into the water with him.
"That'll teach you to mess with me," Finnick smiled as she came back up to the surface.
"Oh it's on Odair," Taiya smiled as she lunged at him, trying to push him under as they both laughed.
*********************
"Where have you been!" Taiya's mother demanded as she walked into her house. "You're soaking wet."
"We live in District 4 mom, we're right next to the beach."
"Were you with Finnick?" Azalea asked.
"Yes I was mom."
"I don't want you hanging around that brat Taiya and that's final."
That was the final straw for Taiya, she saw red and turned back to her mother. "Why mom!" Taiya yelled. "You've hated him ever since he won his games. It's not his fault he won and your sister didn't."
"Alright," Caspian said running into the entrance of the home. "Everyone cool down."
"No dad. Finnick's a great guy, he's sweet and he's caring, and just because he did what he had to in order to survive mom hates him! It's not his fault Tayla died."
"Go to your room," Azalea whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She got upset whenever she heard her sisters name.
"Happily," Taiya snapped and stomped her way upstairs to her room.
*********************
"Can you believe she said that to me?" Taiya asked Theo the next day as they walked through the town. "I mean ever since Finnick's got back she's hated him just because he won his games. It's so unfair. She's hardly been a good mother so it's not like she should get any say in who I hang out with. Dad likes him and that's all that matters."
"Maybe you were a bit harsh bringing up your aunt though," Theo said trying to calm her down. "You know how funny your mom gets about the Hunger Games."
"Ok, fine, maybe I shouldn't have said Tayla's name, but I've been pretty tolerant of mom's moods for years. It's time I stand up for myself."
"I agree, but you need to work on standing up for yourself without losing your head. Start screaming at her and you lose a lot of credibility," he smiled as he threw his arm around her and kissed her head.
"I know you're right," Taiya sighed as she wrapped her arm around him. "I hate that you're always right. I just want to be able to say I told you so once," she smiled up at him.
"Hey if I was wrong I'd lose my charm, you'd have no need to keep me around," he said with a smirk, making her laugh. "Alright," he said pulling away. "What are you getting for Finnick?" he asked as he played with a sea glass necklace.
"This is nice," Taiya said as she looked at a necklace. It was an open spiral shell attached to a long piece of twine.
"You think that will fit over his big head?" Theo asked and Taiya rolled her eyes at him. "I'm joking," Theo laughed, throwing his hands up. "He'll like it, I reckon you should get it."
Taiya nodded and she paid for the necklace before setting back off with Theo. "I swear if he ties knots in this like he does to the piece of rope I gave him I'll kill him."
"He still has that does he?"
"Well I've tried to give him a new one but he won't take it. Says he likes the first one more. It's gross it's all worn out and frayed."
"He probably likes it because it's been in your hair Tay."
"Aren't you hysterical," Taiya laughed.
"I wasn't joking," he grumbled quietly. "Want to come over for dinner? We're having that fish pasta you love."
"Theo," Taiya said stopping to smile at him and he smiled back.
"I know, I know, sorry, Odair has you tonight," he gave her a small smile.
"You could come you know? I'm sure Finnick would like that."
"I'm not sure he would," Theo smiled sadly.
"Gah," Taiya groaned and threw her arms around his neck as they walked again. "You boys are so frustrating."
*********************
"Happy Birthday!" Taiya cheered as Finnick opened the door for her.
"Taiya!" Finnick smiled pulling her in for a hug.
"Your present, kind sir," Taiya joked as she handed him a small box.
"Why thank you, my lovely lady," Finnick said taking the present and letting her in.
"There you are sweetie," Finnick's mom greeted her as she came up and hugged her. "Finnick wouldn't stop staring at the door waiting for you to get here."
"Mom," Finnick groaned.
"No need to worry. The life of the party is here," Taiya smiled at him as she watched his face turn red. "Anything you need help with Mrs Odair?" she offered.
"No of course not dear, go and sit down, dinner will be ready soon."
"Thank you," Taiya smiled and Mrs Odair pinched her cheeks before walking off. "Open it," Taiya said turning back to Finnick. "If you don't like it I could always swap it for something else.
"I'm sure I'll love it," Finnick smiled, taking a seat on the couch. Taiya walked over and sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder as he worked the ribbon off of the present. "You put a lot of ribbon on this," he laughed.
"I had to make it a bit of a challenge," she laughed, "would've been too easy otherwise."
"Wow," Finnick gasped as he finally got it open.
"Do you like it? Do you hate it?"
"It's amazing!" he said as he lifted the necklace out of it's box. "It's a shell but it's in the shape of a shark tooth!"
"Right!" Taiya smiled, lifting her head and bouncing up onto her knees. "How cool! Put it on," she encouraged. Finnick then lifted the necklace over his head stared down at it. "See! I knew it would fit over your big head," she laughed.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said shaking her head. "Where's Mags?" she asked looking around the corner into the dining room.
"She was with my dad on the pier looking at his new fishing rod," Finnick smiled before he looked into her eyes, making her freeze. "Thank you for my necklace, I really love it."
"You're... you're welcome," Taiya gulped. Finnick started to lean in when the doorbell rang, and he quickly whipped his head around.
"Finnick! Could you get the door please!" his mother called out from the kitchen.
"Who else are we expecting?" Taiya asked.
"No one," he replied confused as he shook his head. He quickly stood up and walked over to the door while Taiya watched. "Can I help you?" he asked whoever was at the door.
Peacekeepers then walked into the house, "President Snow for you Mr Odair," they declared and then stepped to the side to let the president in. Taiya saw his white hair enter the house and her eyes widened. President Snow was really here.
"Finnick my boy, look at you all grown up," he smiled.
"I'm only 16," Finnick replied nervously.
"Old enough I say, is there somewhere you and I could have a little chat?" he asked.
Finnick nodded, "the office is right over here," he said holding his arm out to show President Snow the way.
"Lead the way," Snow smiled back.
"Ok," Finnick said nervously, quickly looking over at Taiya before making his way into the study. President Snow took a moment before following to look over at Taiya as well. He gave her a small nod of the head before following Finnick into the study. As soon as the door closed, Taiya took off running into the kitchen.
"Who was that Taiya dear?" Mrs Odair asked.
"President Snow!"
"What?" she asked, dropping the oven mitts that were in her hand.
"I know!" Taiya nodded. "It was President Snow. He's talking with Finnick in the office."
"Do you know what he wants?"
"No idea," Taiya said shaking her head as she and Mrs Odair both poked their heads out to see peacekeepers standing outside the door to the office.
"President Snow in my house," Mrs Odair gasped. "I need to sit down."
*********************
"Are you sure you're ok Mags?" Taiya asked again, the poor old woman had been silently crying the entire 15 minutes Finnick had been in the room with President Snow.
Mags nodded and wiped her tears. "I wonder what they're talking about," Mr Odair wondered aloud as they all sat around the dining table waiting.
The door to the office then opened and everyone stood up and walked forward so they were all lined up near the entrance. "I hope, Finnick, you'll consider my offer more carefully," President Snow said before he exited the room with a wide smile on his face. Finnick followed him out, his face ghostly pale and his posture rigid. Taiya's gaze immediately fell away from the President and to him. The only thing stopping her from going to him was her fear of offending the President. "Is this your family?" President Snow asked.
"Yes," Finnick answered quietly.
President Snow's gaze then fixated on Taiya and Mrs Odair gently nudged her and she turned her stare back to the President. "Miss Taiya Ambersnow," he smirked and her eyebrows raised in shock that he knew who she was. He then started to walk towards her.
Finnick's eyes widened and he ran forward to stand in front of her, cutting the President off from going near her. "She's not that important," he said urgently and Taiya looked up at the back of his head hurt.
"Finnick," Mrs Odair hissed.
"I beg to differ Mr Odair," Snow said in a cold tone and Finnick slowly stepped to the side, just enough so that President Snow could see her.
"I apologise for that Miss Ambersnow," he said holding out his hand. "Very nice to finally meet you."
Taiya hesitantly took her hand "it's lovely to meet you President Snow," she smiled nervously.
"What wonderful manners you have," he smiled. "No doubt your father taught you that? Being mayor is a very important role," Snow said and Finnick tensed up even further.
"Yes, my dad's big on manners," Taiya replied with a small smile.
"You my child would be a Capitol favourite indeed," he smirked and Finnick quickly ripped Taiya's hand out of Snow's grasp and held it in his own.
"You should learn from Miss Ambersnow, Mr Odair. Manners are important," he warned before turning to Finnick's family. "You must be Mr and Mrs Odair," he said quickly shaking their hands. "Mrs Flanagan," he said nodding at Mags. "Enjoy your evening," he smirked before turning and leaving the house.
"Finnick," Mags said gently laying a hand on Finnick's arm, but he quickly shrugged it off.
"Dinner's off," Finnick said shortly.
"Finnick," Mrs Odair said reaching for him.
"Don't touch me mom!" he shouted.
"Finnick," Taiya winced. "Your grip is tight," she said and he quickly released her hand.
"Dinner's over," he repeated.
"What did President Snow say to you?" his mom asked.
"It doesn't matter!" Finnick yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm walking Taiya home," he said laying his hand on the small of her back and quickly leading her out of the house.
"Finnick..." Taiya went to say but he cut her off.
"Please Tay, I can't talk right now," he said, his voice cracking.
Taiya nodded and reached her hand out and weaved her fingers through his, giving his hand a little squeeze as he walked her home in silence.