1
" Finnik?” I say. “Maybe some pants?”
He looks down at his legs as if noticing them for the first time. Then he whips of his hospital gown, leaving him in just is underwear. “Why? Do you find this”-he strikes a ridiculously proactive pose-“distracting?”
I can’t help laughing because it’s funny, and it’s extra funny because Boggs looks so uncomfortable, and I’m happy because Finnik actually sounds like the guy I met at the Quarter Quell.
“I’m only human, Odair.” I get in before the elevator doors close. “Sorry,” I say to Boggs.
“Don’t be. I thought you… handled that well,” He says. “Better than my having to arrest him, anyway.”
Fulvia Cardew hustles over an makes a sound of frustration when she sees my clean face. “All that hard work, down the drain. I’m not blaming you, Katniss. It’s just that very few people are born with camera-ready faces. Like him.” She snags Gale, who’s in a conversation with Plutarch, and spins him towards us. “Isn’t he handsome?”
Gale does look stricking in the uniform, I guess. But the question just embarrasses us both Given our history. I’m trying to think of a witty comeback when Boggs says brusquely, “Well don’t expect us to be too impressed. We just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear. "
― Suzanne Collins , Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
4
" Only once in your life, I trulybelieve, you find someone whocan completely turn your worldaround. You tell them things thatyou’ve never shared with anothersoul and they absorb everythingyou say and actually want to hearmore. You share hopes for thefuture, dreams that will nevercome true, goals that were neverachieved and the manydisappointments life has thrownat you. When somethingwonderful happens, you can’twait to tell them about it, knowingthey will share in yourexcitement. They are notembarrassed to cry with youwhen you are hurting or laughwith you when you make a fool ofyourself. Never do they hurt yourfeelings or make you feel like youare not good enough, but ratherthey build you up and show youthe things about yourself thatmake you special and evenbeautiful. There is never anypressure, jealousy or competitionbut only a quiet calmness whenthey are around. You can beyourself and not worry aboutwhat they will think of youbecause they love you for who youare. The things that seeminsignificant to most people suchas a note, song or walk becomeinvaluable treasures kept safe inyour heart to cherish forever.Memories of your childhood comeback and are so clear and vividit’s like being young again.Colours seem brighter and morebrilliant. Laughter seems part ofdaily life where before it wasinfrequent or didn’t exist at all. Aphone call or two during the dayhelps to get you through a longday’s work and always brings asmile to your face. In theirpresence, there’s no need forcontinuous conversation, but youfind you’re quite content in justhaving them nearby. Things thatnever interested you beforebecome fascinating because youknow they are important to thisperson who is so special to you.You think of this person on everyoccasion and in everything youdo. Simple things bring them tomind like a pale blue sky, gentlewind or even a storm cloud on thehorizon. You open your heartknowing that there’s a chance itmay be broken one day and inopening your heart, youexperience a love and joy that younever dreamed possible. You findthat being vulnerable is the onlyway to allow your heart to feeltrue pleasure that’s so real itscares you. You find strength inknowing you have a true friendand possibly a soul mate who willremain loyal to the end. Lifeseems completely different,exciting and worthwhile. Youronly hope and security is inknowing that they are a part ofyour life. "
11
" We got lots of secrets, Will. You Apollo guys can't have all the fun. Our campers have been excavating the tunnel system under Cabin Nine for almost a century. We still haven't found the end. Anyway, Leo, if you don't mind sleeping in a dead man's bed, it's yours-Jake Suddenly Leo didn't feel like kicking back. He sat up, careful not to touch any of the buttons. The counselor who died-this was his bed-Leo Yeah. Charles Beckendorf-Jake Leo imagined saw blades coming through the mattress, or maybe a grenade sewn inside the pillows. He didn't, like, die IN this bed, did he-LeoNo. In the Titan War, last summer-JakeThe Titan War, which has NOTHING to do with this very fine bed-Leo" The Titans," Will said, like Leo was an idiot. The big powerful guys that ruled the world before the gods. They tried to make a comeback last summer. Their leader, Kronos, built a new palace on top of Mount Tam in California. Their armies came to New York and almost destoyed Mount Olympus. A lot of demigods died trying to stop them-WillI'm guessing this wasn't on the news-LeoIt seemed like a fair question, but Will shook his head in disbelief. You didn't hear about Mount St. Helens erupting, or the freak storms across the country, or that building collapsing in St Louis-WillLeo shrugged. Last summer, he'd been on the run from another foster home. Then a truancy officer caught him in New Mexico, and the court sentenced him to the nearest correction facility-the Wilderness School. Guess I was busy-LeoDoesn't matter. You were lucky to miss it. The thing is, Beckendorf was one of the first casualties, and ever since then-JakeYour cabin's been cursed-Leo "
12
" We got lots of secrets, Will. You Apollo guys can't have all the fun. Our campers have been excavating the tunnel system under Cabin Nine for almost a century. We still haven't found the end. Anyway, Leo, if you don't mind sleeping in a dead man's bed, it's yours-Jake Suddenly Leo didn't feel like kicking back. He sat u, careful not to touch any of the buttons. The counselor who died-this was his bed-Leo Yeah. Charles Beckendorf-Jake Leo imagined saw blades coming through the mattress, or maybe a grenade sewn inside the pillows. He didn't, like, die IN this bed, did he-LeoNo. In the Titan War, last summer-JakeThe Titan War, which has NOTHING to do with this very fine bed-Leo" The Titans," Will said, like Leo was an idiot. The big powerful guys that ruled the world before the gods. They tried to make a comeback last summer. Their leader, Kronos, built a new palace on top of Mount Tam in California. Their armies came to New York and almost destoyed Mount Olympus. A lot of demigods died trying to stop them-WillI'm guessing this wasn't on the news-LeoIt seemed like a fair question, but Will shook his head in disbelief. You didn't hear about Mount St. Helens erupting, or the freak storms across the country, or that building collapsing in St Louis-WillLeo shrugged. Last summer, he'd been on the run from another foster home. Then a truancy officer caught him in New Mexico, and the court sentenced him to the nearest correction facility-the Wilderness School. Guess I was busy-LeoDoesn't matter. You were lucky to miss it. The thing is, Beckendorf was one of the first casualties, and ever since then-JakeYour cabin's been cursed-Leo "
