If we burn } Finnick Odair

Chapter 17 ~the nightmare before the wedding~

Twas the night before the wedding and all through thirteen...Oh forget it. It's chaos. Absolute chaos. It's not even nighttime yet. Finnick and I literally just walked into the cafeteria for breakfast. People walk through with decorations. It's making me anxious honestly.
But I'm okay. I know it's for an amazing cause.

"So Daphne, Finnick you two excited for your big day?" Effie asks us. We look at each other and snicker. "Look at their faces that's definitely a yes." Prim says. I know it's fake but I'm still so excited. I feel like a teenage girl again.

I notice myself staring at Finnick as he talks to the others. Every movement he makes. The expression behind his eyes. The way his chest rises and falls after every sentence. His smile. God I love his smile. The way his eyes light up. Small wrinkles in the crevices. His dimples shining through.  Every time he smiles blood rushes to my cheeks. It always makes him smile even more when he sees it. I want him to smile all the time.

"Can't get enough can you D?" Johanna laughs blowing my cover causing Finnick to look at me. This makes every ounce of blood in my body rush to my cheeks. Making him smile. My palms are sweating. You'd think after all this time I wouldn't be so giddy and childlike around him. He kisses my forehead. I think I'm melting. Get yourself together Daphne it's not like you're fifteen. You're twenty three for crying out loud. Oh my Snow I'm twenty three now.

Finnick's pov

I love her so much. I love being the one she loves. I love being the one who makes her blush. I love being the one who she trusts more than anything. I love being the one who can make her laugh harder than anybody else. I grab her hand in mine squeezing it lightly. A three squeeze 'I love you.' She squeezes it back. We're getting married tomorrow. Well, kind of married. I'm excited. She's excited. Even though we both know it isn't a real wedding it's still something we've always dreamed of.

Daphne's pov
Are pre-wedding jitters a thing? Because I think I have them. My stomachs doing summersaults. I don't know why I'm nervous I've been in front of cameras for years. It's just a pretend wedding. Finnick and I lay in bed that evening just living in the moment-enjoying each others company.

"I love you." He says out of the blue. I look at him and as soon as I open my mouth to say it back he starts talking again. "I know you're just as nervous as I am. I don't know why I'm nervous. I think I'm just excited. Thinking how we get to do this all over again soon." I smile and scoot closer to him wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms go around my waist. His face nuzzles into my hair as my fingers run through his hair.

"Just think. Just a few more hours." "Are we sure this wedding isn't for real? I think we've done such a good job acting we've convinced ourselves that we're actually getting married tomorrow." He laughs. "I mean technically we are." We both shrug. After a minute we get under the covers snuggling up to one another. He holds me in his arms completely stopping me to return the gesture. I feel myself relax in his arms. Is it possible for someone to be too perfect?

"Goodnight Pigeon. I love you." "Goodnight Finn. I love you...I love you." I feel him chuckle. "Why did you say it twice?" "Because I never got to respond the first time you said it." He laughs again squeezing me tighter.

War. The three letter word with one vowel and two consonants that can change a persons whole life. Everyone left. It's just Finnick and I. We were left behind. "I'm scared Finnick." The look on his face shows he is too. We hear vehicles from ahead. We look for a place to take cover and we get lucky. An abandoned building stands. We run to hide in there. As soon as our feet step into the barley standing building we're hit with the scent of blood. It's not like the president. The only thing in this building that works are the lights. We switch them on and I scream. All of them. All of them are here. Dariel, Slyvie, Ardin, Elias, and....and Owen. Their bodies here. Taking form of how they died. What catches my eye first is Elias. Hanging from the ceiling. This isn't..This isn't real is it? Did he actually end his own life life. I always assumed he did but this confirms it. I know it was partly because of me. Who am I kidding it was entirely because of me. He wasn't the best brother. At least to me. I know I caused their lives trouble since I was born he had every right to not like me. He did try sometimes. I walk around shakily. An arrow through my sisters heart. The first to die in the sixty ninth hunger games. That was also my fault. I was too angry at her to do so much as help her stay alive. Ardin and I were closer than Elias and I. Even though we weren't necessarily best friends we had our moments where we actually communicated like sisters. I still cherish those moments. I walk over to Dariel next. He lays on the ground still in his warm outfit. His face at peace as if he's just sleeping. A part of me wants to shake him a little. Just to see if he wakes up. But I don't. This wasn't fair to him. This wasn't fair to anyone. I look over at Sylvie and instantly feel sick. Dariel even though his killing was brutal and cruel his was a little prettier than Sylvie's. I remember how clever that little girl was. How she saved my life. She taught me how to be observant. She taught me how to read people. She was teaching me things and she was so young. She was so close to winning. I wonder if any kid her age in the history of the hunger games has ever made it to the top three. My heard turns to Owen. I don't feel sympathy or sad for him like I did the others. I don't think at least. Do you think maybe he did that to me to warn me how the capital life would be if I even won. I wonder if he really was trying to save me from going through that. Then I remember his hands on me. How scared I was. I was only fifteen. I was only fifteen.. I was so young. Was he trying to warn me? Was he trying to just torture me? I wish he could answer my question. His hair still remains out of shape from where I pulled it to pull his head back to slit his throat. I just shake my head. Snow put these people here. He knew I would be here. Wait. He knew...We would be here. I didn't come here alone. I whip my head around to see Camden Bridges. Camden Bridges with a knife to Finnick's throat. Finnick's eyes are real. They show nothing but fear. Tears fill them. I can't let him kill Finnick like he did Sylvie. I get up pulling a knife from my belt. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." His voice stops me. "Take that knife out and throw it or take one step closer he dies." "You're going to kill him regardless of what I do." I say back to him. He looks at Finnick then back to me. His eyes are completely dark as if evil has fully taken over him. Blood stains him like it did in the games. "I'm scared Daphne." Finnick chokes out. I look at Camden with hatred taking over my entire body. He keeps that same sinister smile before slitting Finnick's throat. Just as he did Sylvie's. When Finnick's body hits the ground I scream. I scream so loud my ears pop. I scream so hard the dirt and dust hanging from the ceiling of this place starts falling. I scream so loud I wake myself up. I'm not in that building anymore.

Finnick jolts up at my scream. "Daphne. Daphne it's okay I'm right here you're okay you're safe. I don't care about me I'm not the on who just got her throat slit.

My eyes fall to his neck. I run my fingers delicately across where Camden sliced. Nothings there. "Pigeon. What happened?" I don't answer. I don't even know how to answer.

My hands are sweaty. Or bloody. They might be bloody. I look down instantly to see. Clean. I look up into Finnick's concerned eyes as tears fall down my cheeks in waves. "You're alive right? Is that real? I'm not talking to myself and imagining you being here right?" "You're right that's real. I'm really here I'm really alive and I'm perfectly safe see?" He brings my bloo-sweaty hand to his chest where his heartbeat would be. Sure enough it beats. Strong and fast.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I start shaking again. Actually I don't think I ever stopped shaking. "For what?" "He killed you. He.. your throat. He held the knife against it. Your body dropped to the ground. And I just stood there watching it all happen." Somehow his eyes grow more soft. I think. They're hard to make out when mine are just all filled with tears. "I'm okay. None of it was real. Everything's okay I promise."

I should've known this was coming. I went nightmare free for too long. And of course it was the night before our wedding.

AN- another chapter down. this one's kind of sad. we dive into daphnes past a lot here which is a sad past. but i hope you all enjoy this chapter thank you for reading!