THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

19 ~ the confession

Carolina woke up the next morning with the worst hangover of her life.

Her head was pounding, and it felt as though the room was spinning. After what felt like hours of staring up at the ceiling, Carolina slowly began to sit up with a groan and put her head in her hands.

Cyrus was asleep next to her. His hair was pushed down over his forehead, and his mouth was slightly open. Carolina couldn't help but think about how handsome he was, even while sleeping.

She ran a hand through his hair, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Morning, darling," Cyrus yawned.

The girl turned to the clock on the nightstand and laughed.

"Well, it's not morning anymore," Carolina giggled, kissing Cyrus on the forehead. "It's nearly noon."

Her words had Cyrus jolting out of bed. He paused for a moment from the sudden movement and groaned, putting a hand on his forehead when the headache finally kicked in.

"I'm having lunch with my grandfather today." Cyrus got out of bed and started picking up his clothes that were thrown across the room the night before. When he was ready, Carolina got out of bed and put on Cyrus's shirt and a pair of shorts. She walked with him to the door of the apartment. "My friend is having a party at his place tonight. My apartment building is only a couple blocks away from it, so we could just stay at mine tonight."

Carolina smiled up at him as he opened the door.

"Sounds fun."

Cyrus leaned down and kissed her, and Carolina smiled into it.

"I will pick you up at 9, then. I love you."

With that, Cyrus left the District 4 apartment, and Carolina sighed the second the door closed. She leaned her forehead against the door for a moment, before deciding to go back to bed.

But when she turned around to walk to her bedroom, she jumped.

"Oh my god, Finn!" Carolina ran a hand through her hair, distressed. "How long have you been there?"

"Technically, I was here first," Finnick said from the couch. He stood up and followed Carolina as she walked back to her room. "You didn't say 'I love you' back."

"How observant," Carolina rolled her eyes.

"Do you?" Finnick asked. "Love him, I mean."

Carolina paused with her hand on the door handle. Her grip tightened around it before she let go of it completely.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Lina, I just want to know if you're okay."

"You know I don't love him, but why does that matter?" Carolina sighed, turning to look at Finnick. "I don't have a choice."

"You should," Finnick said. "What Snow is doing to you is beyond just selling your body. He's selling your life. You deserve to be with someone you love."

"Maybe one day I'll love him," Carolina whispered. "He's handsome, sweet, and fun. I should love him."

"But you don't."

Carolina shook her head. When she looked up at him next, she sighed.

"Finnick, do you love someone?"

"Yes," the boy said almost immediately.

Carolina's heart tightened at his answer, but she ignored it.

"Then, why aren't you with her? Why are you with other women every night?"

"Snow."

"I hope that in another life," Carolina looked down at the ground. "We could be with someone we truly love with everything in our hearts."