BOMBSHELL - Finnick Odair

3

Ember

The message was clear. The white roses. This was Snow's doing, not Finnick's. Which meant he would be watching this interaction very closely.

So I plastered that familiar fake smile and hugged the roses close to my chest. I tilted my head down and tried not to gag as I took in their scent.

"You shouldn't have." I smiled cheekily over the roses.

He smiled as he held his hand out for mine to take. "I wanted to make a good impression for Panem's newest victor."

I placed my hand in his tan one and he tugged me in closer by it. I tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach and remind myself that this wasn't real. But it was easy to forget when his eyes did look as dreamy as they said.

Finnick reached down and placed a delicate kiss to the back of my hand. My smile in the footage I watched back was real here.

Within thirty minutes of our interaction, the video was plastered on every screen in the country, but what it didn't include was what happened afterwards.

He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me ahead of everyone else. It was silent for a moment before he glanced behind us and decided we were at enough distance.

His lips brushed against my ear as he whispered, "Snow wants to use us as a distraction, so I need you to play along and act like I said something funny."

I let a giggle slip past my lips and gave him the biggest smile I could manage. We locked eyes as I did and that same fluttering feeling returned.

But that feeling was only one-sided.

Because as soon as we were behind closed doors where no cameras lingered, he practically pushed me away from him.

I stared at his retreating figure in...disappointment? Confusion? I wasn't exactly sure at the moment.

"Ember!" Aero squealed from his spot behind me at the entrance.

Before I could turn around he had already grabbed both of my arms and spun me to meet his excited face.

His words on the train from before about Finnick echoed in my mind. I know the Capitol thrives from gossip, but could there be some truth to it?

Felix harshly pulled me from Aero's grasp before he could start with his squealing again.

"She has a speech to give," he said sternly.

Aero scoffed. "Since when were you the voice of reason?"

He rolled his eyes and walked me over to the Mayor who was to escort me on the stage. "Good luck, kid."

And was it ever so needed. It never got easier staring at the fallens' families and their projected faces.

I gave my, or should I say Aero's, speech as quickly and thoroughly as possible. My hands trembled every time and I would have to clench the notecard in my hands to cover it up. Which is why every time I would return it to my escort he would scowl at the crinkles.

"Really, Ember?" Aero asked annoyed at the crumbled up wad of parchment paper I returned to him.

My hands shook at the loss of the notecard, so I laced my fingers together and took a deep breath to calm myself.