𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙡, 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙊𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙧

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 13: 𝒲𝑒𝓁𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒶 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐻𝑒𝓁𝓁

She wakes up and sees all white around her. Am I dead? That's no fun. 

        Raven slowly tries to sit up, but finds that her joints reject any quick movements, likely because she's been in the hospital for about three days now. Her still developing, young body wasn't prepared for minimal energy in the arena combined with fighting tributes stronger and older than her. She has scars along her ribs and waist from the knife and trident, and she has multiple bruises on her back and legs. Raven doesn't even notice the pain from one of her broken ribs, as she is numbed with morphing. That explains her grogginess. 

        In a sudden fit, she finds herself coughing up blood on the plain white sheets. Her back is hunched over like a shrimp. She brings her forearm up, wiping away the blood from her mouth. A hand meets her back, and still in arena mode, Raven flinches, straightening her back and gripping the person's hand in a death hold. 

         "Ouch," he genuinely expresses, as Raven releases her grip. He hands her a towel, which she reluctantly accepts, cleaning her face with it. "You alright there Rae?" Raven looks up at Finnick in disbelief, and gives a snarky smile. 

        "I'm tasting my own blood again. Why wouldn't I be alright?" She wipes it again while Finnick tries his best to be reassuring, patting her back. 

        "I knew you'd beat my record," he states proudly. 

        Raven scoffs, laying back down. "You're not upset Misty died?" She questions. 

        He shrugs, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I was rooting for you, it was like seeing myself in that arena again," he quietly admits. 

        Raven almost laughs. He has emotions? "I almost wish I didn't. I died the moment Sapphire did," she says without even thinking about what she just admitted to. 

        Finnick nods, understanding every single word. "That's how I felt. I was gone when they took me out. I put on a face for the Capitol at the interview and that was it. Then I came back as a mentor for the first time this year and it all feels different somehow, as if I have a purpose now. "It's insane how you haven't fallen apart yet," he chuckles. "You're so young." 

        If only she can reveal how much she is crumbling on the inside. 

        "Where's Opal?" She asks. 

        "Sedated. She lost it after you were pierced by the trident and knife, and they had to stop her before she knocked out another District 2 mentor," he jokes. 

        Somehow, Raven isn't surprised at Opal knocking them out in a fit of panic and rage. "I thought Misty and Sapphire would kill me. I don't understand how I got out." 

        "Maybe you really are a raven," he attempts a joke. Raven turns her head to him in confusion. "You have the attributes. It played in your favor." 

        Raven has so many questions to ask, but decides to just ask one. "What now?" She hopelessly asks. 

        "You'll put on a face for the final interview, and prepare for a tiring life," he spits out the ugly truth. 

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·..·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·..·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.

Raven doesn't want to leave Opal's embrace. She wants to stay as long as possible. "Where's my mom?" She whispers. 

        "I don't know," she mutters in her head. She pulls away from the hug and pats her shoulder reassuringly. "Go put on a show," she instructs. "You look gorgeous."