Waves Breaking Over Rocks Part 2

Chapter 22

Finnick

Three (very happy) weeks later...

"We don't know what to do anymore. We can win the war, I'm sure, but the citizens of 13 need motivation. Happiness, to put it one way. They are tired and they need hope and we just don't know what to do anymore." Heavensbee explains. I have not been able to forgive him for not saving Annie yet, but I know I need to be on his good side if I want to sneak off to the war.

"I don't know what you want me to do." I say.

"I was thinking maybe you would have some ideas. We need something, please Finnick, I'm begging you. Something that shows the people that they can be happy." He explains.

I wreck my brain, thinking of happy things. Soon, I find that all of the things I think of include Annie. Every single one.

And then it hits me.

"I have just the thing!" I whisper my idea to him and run off, feeling giddier at every step. In time, I reach my room. Annie has gone off to get some tests done.

Heavensbee assured me that he would get everything I could need to accomplish it. Everything but one. Luckily, I have what I need. I bought it years ago with the hope that someday I would get to use it with Annie. I open the little box where it's stored to make sure it looks good. Hopefully I would get to give it to her by the end of the day.

I decide to surprise her by picking her up from the Hospital Wing. Taking her out for a walk might also be nice, even though we would only be able to walk underground. But, for an occasion like this, I would have to deal with it.

I spend the fifteen-minute walk to the Hospital Wing thinking everything out. Is it too soon? Too sudden? No, it can't be.

I realize I'm feeling something new; something unknown to me. I am nervous.

In fact, I'm so busy worrying that I don't notice Annie running up to greet me. She isn't very fast with her slightly bigger belly, but her eyes shine.

"Hey, love." I greet her, scooping her up in my arms and kissing her. I hope that hides my nerves. I need to make today count.

"Hi."

"Want to go for a walk? I can show you some parts of the District." I suggest.

"Uh... I don't know... I'm kind of rather tired. Mind if we go get some rest instead?"

My heart sinks. She must have seen it in my eyes because she suggests:

"Fine, we can take a small walk. But I will warn you; I'm very tired." My hopes go up a little, but there is still an awful feeling in my stomach. I'd never understood the meaning of 'butterflies in my stomach' but I understand it now. It feels like there are dozens of those little butterflies, crowding my tummy.

"Are you alright, Finnick?" She asks.

"Y-yes. Fine." I curse my stuttering voice. I've never felt nervous before; why did I have to start now?

I feel for the little box in my pocket, although it does little to reassure me. What if something goes wrong?

I lace my arm through hers and start walking. Really, I have no idea where I'm going to take her, but I just keep walking. I keep quiet throughout the walk, trying to reassure myself.

Annie looks at me out of the corner of her eye once in a while, although I don't give her the satisfaction of knowing what I'm going to do by looking back at her. She loves you, I keep telling myself. But what if the Capitol changed that? What if she starts to doubt? I'm about to chicken out and go back to our room when she says:

"Alright, Finnick Odair. You're going to tell me what's wrong and you're going to do it now."

My hands shake as I take hers in mine. I look into her gorgeous aqua-green eyes and try to keep it together. The box feels heavy in my pocket as I choke out the words I want.

"Annie Cresta... I want to ask you this because you're the first person I want to look at in the morning, and the only one I want to kiss goodnight, because the first time that I saw your hands, I couldn't imagine not being able to hold them, but mainly, when you love someone as much as I love you, doing this is the only thing left to do... So, um, will you marry me?" I get on one knee, pulling out the little box and opening it the show the little ring it contained.

Annie's eyes light up like the Sun's reflection on the sea. Her smile is immediate and the blush of her cheeks is so obvious I could have spotted it from a mile down. Her eyes well up and I start to wonder if she can hear the beating of my heart, which roars in my own ears.

"Yes." Yes... yes... yes... It takes my mind a while to process that, but it doesn't matter. I'm on my feet, my body reacting immediately. I pick her up, spinning her around in my arms and plating a kiss on her rosy lips. We kiss for what seems like forever, neither of us willing to pull away. When we finally let go for air, my eyes are full of tears. I look down at the ring on her finger, which fits perfectly on her slender finger.

We walk back to our room in a sort of trance, and once there, our clothes are on the floor before we even realize it.

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