Three years later...
Our family had settled on the land where our district once stood long before the fall of what was known as North America. We'd learnt about the land, where to fish, where to hunt, how to survive all before the Dark Days that brought us the districts. District Four had rightfully been allocated fishing and when my Great Grandfather had heard this, he jumped at the chance to go into the industry of oysters, mussels and clams.
While this concept may seem confusing for some, it's best to know about an important scientific fact that I learned from my grandfather before he died. When an irritant such as a parasite enters the shell of an oyster, mussel or clam- the shellfish's defence mechanism is more often than not to coat the irritant is a substance called nacre, this stuff builds up in layers over time and then violà, there appears a pearl.
The irritant can be artificially injected or produced naturally but the results are fairly similar, taking about three years to form. We'd been smart enough to have ongoing shipments of pearls throughout the year- but it's a long, exhausting process. Worth it at the end of the day.
Pearls have always been popular in the Capitol, that paired with the expensive shellfish they come from and the industry has earned my family a bucketload of money. We're fortunate enough to have our pearls favoured by the Capitol people, sometimes we get trainloads of tourists desiring to see how they're made. The oddly dressed people are so humorously clueless about the process, my siblings and I like to laugh at their confused comments.
Often, my father required our help around the pearl farm. The work is tedious but it's often better than going to school where the History of Panem is shoved down our throats. We're constantly manipulated into believing that Snow is the saviour of our people, that the Capitol has just reasons for sending their less fortunate citizens in to get slaughtered by the two-dozen.
It's all a load of kelp.
From such a young age we are raised like pigs for the slaughter, most of us are barely given the scraps to survive and then the hand grenade cherry on the landmine of a cake is that More than One thousand, five hundred of us are dead. In a span of sixty-seven years, The Capitol has killed so many of us for little more than entertainment value. They made me sick, they all made me sick.
My thoughts were soon interrupted by the looming figure behind me that grabbed my shoulders, shaking violently and causing me to fly off my stool in fright. After hastily brushing the matted hair from my eyes, I looked into the face of my attacker who just so happened to be my childish best friend. "Can you please find the self-control to not sneak up on me every time you visit!" I scold him, regrouping myself at the confused stares of all the workers inside the building.
"You know I can't help myself." Finnick leant his arm on my head and used it as a headrest, I smacked him on the bicep causing him to pout. Finnick had changed a lot since we were fourteen, losing the boyish charm he once had a replacing it with a confident self-assured man. He was a lot taller than me now, which he took to his advantage at any given moment. He was the talk of all of Panem with his good looks, enticing charisma and his wealthy victor status. Even from the tender age of fourteen, he had managed to capture the hearts of the Capitol audiences, even managing to be gifted with the most expensive sponsor in Hunger Games history. He was the youngest victor and arguably, the most attractive in the eyes of the people.
He may have been upgraded to celebrity status but he had made it clear that I was still his best friend. When he returned from the Capitol I leapt into his arms, refusing to leave his sight. If anything, the time apart had made us closer than ever, even with the Capitol following his every move. They thought they knew him as I did. They thought they knew his every insecurity, his every fear, pet peeve and desire.
They seem to forget that I was the one he grew up with. I was the one that learned to fight by his side, I was the one he spent so many hours at the Cove with. I was the one that woke up to the sound of his rapping on my window.
Finnick still gets nightmares about his games.
As the memories of the arena plagued his mind into the late night, as he felt himself lose sight of who he truly was, all the times he had woken up screaming, I was the one that was there for him. Not the Capitol, me. Every so often I'll wake up in the middle of the night to hear tapping at my bedroom window. He stands in the dark, tears streaming down his face as he whispered a vulnerable "Can I come in?"
I never said no. He often stayed the night, curled into my side as I played with his hair, he said he sleeps better with me by his side. That was the first time I ever blushed at something he had said, it wasn't the last. I hated when he made me blush, I hated feeling the need for his approval, I hated the way it gave me hope that there would be something between us.
But we were just best friends.
That's all we'll ever be.
But I digress.
I stood in front of him with my arms folded over my chest, an eyebrow raised as Finnick continued to play off the 'I'm innocent' trope. "Is there a reason for you bothering me? Some of us are trying to work."
He waved a hand dismissively at my comment, "Work Shmerk," He scoffed, "What's work when you can spend time with your super awesome, devilishly handsome best friend?" He asked, giving me a wink.
"I bailed to hang out with you yesterday." I rolled my eyes; I still couldn't say no to him.
"Come on Rory, you're breaking my heart here!" He whined, grabbing my hand to stop me from going back to work. I groaned, knowing he was going to get his way whether I liked it or not.
"No." I continued to play along, sitting back on the stool.
Finnick's lips brushed over my ear softly causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach, "I'll cause a scene." He whispered huskily, I brought my head down onto the table and let out a disgruntled noise. Knowing I wasn't going to give in, Finnick threw himself dramatically into the floor, flopping around like a fish and letting out a pained wailing noise like a wounded dog.
"Finnick get off the floor," I scolded him, my best friend ignored me, fake-crying louder until he had gained the attention of every worker in the warehouse.
"Just leave me to die of a broken heart!" He sobbed dramatically, rolling over to his stomach and lying flat on the ground, letting out fake crying noises.
I smirked in amusement as my father appeared from around the corner at the sound of the commotion, he gave me an annoyed look to which I responded with an innocent shrug. "Mr Odair, why are you on the floor?" He asked, causing Finnick to stop crying abruptly.
"Oh, hey Mr Hartley, I didn't see you there." Finnick moves onto his back and flashes my father an award-winning smile. Dad tries not to showing his amusement as he raises an eyebrow at the childish behaviour. "Do you mind if I borrow your lovely daughter for the rest of the day, we have shenanigans to get up to?"
"Aurora had shenanigans of her own to get up to at work." My father grumbled as my best friend pulled himself up from the ground. Finnick pulled a disappointed face as my father continued, "She'll be off in an hour, if you would be so kind as to drop Addy, Asher and Andante at school then perhaps I could let her off in half an hour." Dad bargained.
Finnick's face lit up like a Christmas tree, "I'll do that, where are the terrifying trio?"
As if on cue, my three siblings toppled into the room one after the other, we were all very similar with our Father's brown eyes and brown hair. I was the oldest of the clan at seventeen, this year was my second last reaping, soon the anxiety of getting picked was tradition. Addison was next in line, fifteen. She and I were very similar in appearance although has always been the most anxious when it came to the reaping- even before the accident. Next followed the fourteen-year-old twins, Asher and Andante, Asher was well known in the district for her musical ability, no doubt the entire district would be in an uproar if she was ever chosen. Andante was the youngest, the only boy in our family and the only child that wanted to be a part of the Hunger Games.
We had tried to get Finnick through to him, but he was determined, he assured me that he only needed another year of training and then he would be ready. I refused to come to terms with the fact that another person I loved was almost assured a spot in the arena.
Finnick gave me a subtle wink goodbye as he led the rest of my siblings out of the warehouse, sending me back into the work in front of me.
***
Half an hour later, I found myself linked arms with Finnick as we roamed the streets in search of something for lunch. I had changed from my boring work clothes into one of my trademark flowy dresses with brown sandals. The pair of us waved politely to the people in the streets, most of them whispering about the handsome heartthrob that Finnick Odair had become after his time in the games.
After finding something to eat, the pair of us began the walk down the beaches until we reached the rocks. Scouring the cliffs was muscle memory to us, we had done it so many times. We clambered up to the top of the cliff where we decided to stop. The view was something of a dream, the sunlight reflected off the ocean causing it to shimmer and dance, the breeze rustled through the tropical trees that sat around the edge of the Cove. From the top of the cliff, the drop straight down was clear, any rocks in the water had been lost to erosion. Leaving a crystal-clear landing to free fall into.
The Cove was still a haven for both of us, it was so hidden from the rest of the world that it felt entirely our own, our own little world that only we got to enjoy. I could always find Finnick here if he were ever upset, when he first came back, after his victory tour, when his parent's ship went down.
The incident regarding his parents was something that Finnick didn't like to talk about, except for when they were alone. When we were alone in the Cove and the winds drowned out his talk of conspiracy and Capitol coverups.
I shook my head from the thoughts and pulled a linen towel from my pack and lay it on the rocky surface, the pair of us setting out our food and digging into it straight away. Finnick, with his mouth stuffed full of food, gave me a close-mouthed smile causing me to let out a short giggle. After we ate, Finnick stretched out on the rocks, allowing his bare chest to warm in the sunlight.
"How does it feel to be free from the games," I asked him, keeping my focus on the view in front of me.
"I'll never be free from the games." He responded solemnly, "If anything I feel like a have more to lose."
I finally turned to face the boy, who had now sat up, hugging his knees, "How so?" I asked, laying my head on his shoulder.
"I know what it's like to be in there and I know I won't be able to do anything about it if someone I love gets thrown into the games." He explained, "I can't lose anyone else, especially not you, Rory." He gripped my hand in his.
"You won't lose me, Finn," I whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. We sat in comfortable silence for a while longer before I stood up, taking off my dress to reveal a bathing suit below, Finnick took my hand in his and made a running start, catapulting off the cliff and into the water below together.
Together.
a/n
This is getting tedious, I'll try to get to the murdering quicker.
I'm stuck in a bit of a Hozier wormhole at the moment, it's getting unhealthy but it's fine lol. I've done nothing productive today but getting this chapter done has given me a slight sense of accomplishment lol.
Lots of love
May
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