~"dumbfucks. did you at least make it hurt?"~
Velvet starts off the night by predictably being presented as sexy, and then Silk goes up and portrays himself as a beat. It's a miracle I didn't burst out in laughter.
Kaia, Bellamy's district partner, goes up and was witty. Bellamy does sort of the same, but he is also very charming. Nobody is doubting his physical power.
After the boy from Three presents as smart, which we all know already, and returns to his seat, I'm called up.
"She's the sister of Finnick Odair! She's your highest scoring tribute! SHE IS...CALLYN ODAIR!" Ceasar Flickerman calls out amid the deafening applause.
I stand and walk over to Caesar, smiling out at the crowd. Caesar and I shake hands before sitting down. Both his hair and eyelids are colored dark green.
"So. Callyn..." Caesar says. "You've got a twelve in training!"
I spin my hair around my pinky and smile just slightly. "I do."
"You seem like a pretty serious contender in these Games, Callyn. What are your strengths?" Caesar asks.
"Oh...we don't have enough time for that," I say.
The crowd bursts into laughter along with Caesar. "How about your biggest one?" Caesar asks.
I bite my lip as I pretend to think. "Oh, that's hard...I know exactly how these Games work. I know exactly how to play them. It's not all about your ability to pick up heavy things."
"I think I can agree with you there," Caesar says as I spin my hair around my finger again. "You would know a lot about the Games, wouldn't you? With such a legend for a brother. Do you two get along?"
I glance to where I've found Finnick in the crowds. He tilts his head forward just slightly, almost unnoticeably.
"Yes." I pause. "Well, most of the time." Caesar and the audience all laugh.
"Oh, I know what you mean," Caesar says. "I actually have an older brother, too."
"Thankfully, he's not that bad, but he's still pretty annoying," I say.
Another big laugh. The cameras cut to Finnick, who rolls his eyes humorously.
"So, you're the same age your brother was when he became victor seven years ago. Do you think you'll be joining him on District Four's list of victors?" Caesar asks me seriously.
"Is there really any question about it?" I say confidently. Much more confident than I truly feel.
"What do you say to people who say that you're too young? You are the youngest tribute this year," Caesar says.
"I'd tell them to rethink that. Last time I checked, I wouldn't be the first one to do it. And the first person just happens to be my brother."
The buzzer goes off just as I finish my sentence.
"Unfortunately, we seem to have run out of time. Let's hear it for Callyn ODAIR, our legacy tribute from District Four!" Caesar says.
I return to my seat amongst more applause, extremely glad that it's over. I think I did well, at least. I look to Finnick as Reed walks over to Caesar. Finnick signs to me carefully, his hands hard to make out. Keep it up. You're doing well.
Well, okay then.
I turn my attention to Reed's interview.
"So, Reed, I think we all are wondering about a certain relationship between you and a certain young lady," Caesar says.
I find Finnick in the crowd again, shocked that Caesar would bring this up. Finnick's eyes are glued to Reed, his fist clenched.
Reed, who originally looked taken aback, recovers quickly. "Sorry to disappoint, but no. She's my little brother's friend."
Arion. He's going to hate me if I come back instead of his brother.
"You have a brother?" Reed nods. "Tell us about him," Caesar prompts.
"His name is Arion and he's a year older than Callyn." Reed says.
"Do you have any other siblings?" Caesar asks.
"I have an older sister. Kayla. She's twenty," Reed says.
"Well, enough about siblings. I must congratulate you on your training score. Ten. Very impressive. Tell me, do you consider yourself a good fighter?"
"I know about a hundred ways to kill you with a sword," Reed says with a scoff. "I could spear you straight through from the other end of the stage. I could knock you out, break your neck, or choke you to death. So yes. I think I can fight."
Well, he's not wrong. He is an exceptional fighter.
I mostly tune out the rest of the interviews. Once the District Twelve boy's interview ends, the anthem plays, and we all go offstage. We're all directed to out into the lobby to go back to our district floors.
Reed and I go into an elevator with Bellamy, who we met up with once we got offstage. The doors to the elevator are closing when an arm sticks into the door. The doors retract and Silk and Velvet come in.
I sigh and let my head hit the back of the elevator.
"Hey, little Odair," Silk says. "How's brother dearest?"
"Bro, just shut up," Bellamy says, rolling his eyes.
"Why? Are you her boyfriend or something?" Silk says, looking me up and down in a way that makes me want to throw up.
Silk is conveniently standing in front of the buttons that control the elevator. Great.
"No. I'm the person who's going to break your fucking neck if you don't get the hell out, you freak," Bellamy says.
"Ooh, are you touchy about this? Do you have a pathetic little crush on her?" Silk says, tilting his head to the side in a way that makes him look insane.
Bellamy steps forward, but I grab his arm and give him a look.
"See? Now she's going to protect you," Velvet speaks up.
I keep my eyes on Bellamy. He has a short fuse, and he's always quick to fight, since it's always worked out for him. But it won't here.
"Well, since she's not your girlfriend," Silk says and grabs me by my throat and touch me once before I throw him off me and into a wall. Normally, he wouldn't have even gotten that far, but my eyes were on Bellamy. Me doing this sets everyone off except for Reed, and Velvet lunges for me at the same time as Silk, who smashes my head against the wall, helped by Velvet. A wave of dizziness crashes over me as Bellamy bodily throws him and begins beating on him.
I'm still a little dazed from the hit, so when Velvet goes at me and kicks me in the face with her metal-spiked high heel, I'm not quick enough to manage to dodge it, and it slices a cut across my brow.
Vaguely, I realize that Reed has opened the elevator door, and all the prep teams, stylists, mentors, and tributes who are still waiting for an elevator can now see us.
I'm doing my best not to do anything in retaliation, because I know fighting is against the rules and I don't know how they enforce this and if it's a punishment, like a disadvantage in the Games.
Everyone seems to be staring at us in shock as I dodge another one of Velvet's attacks. Finally, they snap out of it when Bellamy and Silk tumble through the elevator doors. Mentors converge on them and pull them apart, and I get sick of waiting for someone to stop Miss Fabric, so I finally just catch her wrist when she tries to punch me and twist her around, arm behind her back. I bring her to the floor, and keep her down.
Finally, Cashmere, who's probably her mentor, rushes in, but is pulled back and shoved out by Finnick. Finnick had gone up in an elevator but come down once he realized Reed and I were missing.
He puts a hand on my shoulder, and I let Velvet up. Velvet actually tries to launch herself at me again. This idiot! Finnick catches her and I'm not exaggerating when I say he threw her at Cashmere.
"Get your dumbass tribute out of here," Finnick says to Cashmere. "If I see her anywhere near my sister again..." He lets the threat trail off.
Cashmere glares at him but pulls Velvet away.
Reed, who has just been standing in the elevator watching this all go down, is looking very awkward. Finnick gets Bellamy from some guards, talking his way out of it, and takes him back to the elevator. Once Finnick's in, he angrily pushes the buttons for 2 and 4.
We all stay quiet for the elevator ride.
As we get off, Finnick mutters, "Dumbfucks. Did you at least make it hurt?"
I crack a smile at that. "Yeah. Smashed her chin to the ground."
Finnick gives me his proud brother smile.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
hey loves!
callyns not mean for hitting velvets chin, shes just being realistic.
anyway, lmk whatcha think!!
pov: velvet
xx
maddie