Ashes in the Snow

Twenty-Nine

The Wedding

2 months later....

It's June 15th. The date I set for me and Eric's wedding. It's finally here, the day I have been dreading. Girls don't usually dread their wedding day. It's usually the one day that every girl dreams of since she's a young girl. There was once a time when I was excited to marry Eric, but obviously things never panned out the way I expected. When I close my eyes and think of my wedding day, Coriolanus comes to mind. He's the man I want to marry. Am I making the right choice? This is the question I have been asking myself for the past few months.

I stare out the window in my wedding dress, looking outside. I wear my mothers wedding dress. It's a vintage dress, which is covered in lace. It really is quite beautiful. Apparently there are cameramen everywhere, recording for the capitol. They are currently recording me now. Allowing the capitol to see into my life...the big day. I guess this is there form of entertainment.

Everyone in the town will be at the wedding ceremony, which is by the stream like we had planned. The flowers look beautiful like Eric said they'd be. It's a perfect sunny day, but it's not too hot out. It's actually a little cold, which is good by how much I'm sweating.

A cameraman walks up to me. "We're heading over to the ceremony. We will have Stacy here with you, she'll record you when you're walking over."

I nod my head and they leave. The last cameraman, Stacey, she stays. However, she decides to look around the house, giving my me and my mother some privacy.

"This came for you, this morning." My mother hands me a letter. It doesn't say who it's from.

I open the letter and read it carefully.

Ashe,

I heard your wedding day is coming up. I can't stop thinking about you, how we left things. I am still confused, but I want you to be happy, even if that isn't with me. You are the only woman I've ever loved. You are the only woman I will ever love. I just want you to know how much I care about you, if it's not too late. If you love me as much as I love you, meet me at the penthouse by noon. In this envelope is a ticket. It'll take you on the fastest train out of there. If you no longer feel the same way I do, I wish you a happy life. I genuinely mean that...

-C.S.

My heart starts to race. I look up at the clock and notice the time. I won't make it in time.

"What is it?" My mother asks me.

I show her the letter and tears start to flood my eyes.

"You have to go." My mother says, surprising me.

"What?"

"Ashe, I know you don't want to go through with this wedding. Do you love this man? The one in the letter?"

"With my whole heart."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Mom, I don't know if I can live that kind of life."

"Is he worth it?"

I pause for a moment. Is Coriolanus worth it? Is he worth the sacrifice I would have to make? Can I live with it?

"Yes," I say surely. "I can't live without him."

"Then you have your answer. Now get going."

"What about that cameraman? Stacey?"

"I will distract her. But you're running out of time. You're already going to be late. Go!"

I lift my dress up, letter and ticket in one hand, so I can actually run without tripping over my dress. I run through the field between our house and the town. Trampling over the flowers, creating a path for my future. I continue to run through the town, which is empty. No one notices I'm running since they're all waiting at the ceremony. Waiting where I will never be. I picture Eric standing there alone, in his tucks. It makes me feel bad for him, but I know what I must do. What is the point of living if we're not going to be with those we love? I can't live without Coriolanus. I will pay the price for being with him, he's worth it.

I see some peacekeepers and hide behind one of the buildings. I see them all walk inside and I notice one of the their trucks, sitting there unattended. I seize the opportunity and run towards the back. I hop in the back and sit in the back corner where they won't see me. After sitting there for about five minutes, I hear one of them walking out and getting in the drivers side. The gates open and he drives us out of here. I look out the back, slowly watching district 12 becoming smaller. We arrive at the train station and I hurry and get out before he sees me. I run towards the train and am able to get inside, unnoticed. I wait there patiently, out of breath. The ticket collector comes through the isle and punches a hole in my ticket. When he hands me the ticket he stares at me, noticing my dirty feet and wedding dress. He decides to leave me alone, walking away.

The train leaves. I did it, I'm free. My heart is pounding and I grow more anxious the closer we get. After a couple of hours we arrive at the Capitol. I shoot out from my seat and instantly leave. I look up at the clock outside and see I'm two hours late. Panic jolts through my body and I take off, racing towards the penthouse we were suppose to be staying at together the night of the party. My feet hurt, but I keep going. I notice people from the Capitol staring at me on the streets, knowing who I am. I keep going, I need to see Coriolanus.

I look down the street and see the building where the penthouse is. I sprint even harder, hoping Coriolanus waited for me. Then that's when I see a boy with blond curls.

Coriolanus.

He walks down the stairs, face towards the ground. He turns to his right, walking away from me.

"Wait!" I yell.

He stops dead in his tracks and slowly turns around. We make eyes contact and I see the relief in his eyes. I run towards him and he runs towards me until we embrace into each others arms.