When We Burn~Finnick Odair {Book 2}

Chapter Eleven

•••

Neither Autumn nor Finnick slept much that night. After all, it was the night before the Games. They mostly talked, kissed, and enjoyed each other's company.

Autumn asked if what Finnick said at the interviews was real. He replied by saying every word of it was real.

The truth is, Haymitch thought it'd be a good idea for Finnick to propose to Autumn at the interviews. Finnick has wanted to propose to Autumn for a while, so that wasn't a problem.
The problem was, that Finnick didn't want their love and their engagement to be a part of the Games.

Finnick didn't want that special moment to be broadcasted all over Panem. He wanted to propose to Autumn when the time was right. When they were alone together and they weren't about to be thrown back into an arena to fight to the death.

They both got a couple hours of sleep eventually, letting exhaustion take them. But they woke up early in the morning. Neither of them got out of bed, though, as they laid in each other's arms.

Autumn had her head in Finnick's bare chest, one of her hands intertwined with his. Finnick laid under Autumn, his free hand running her back or playing with her hair.

Eventually, Autumn forced herself to get up and get ready as she knew an avox would be there soon to take her and Finnick away.

They both got up and ate a large meal, putting as much food in their stomachs as they could muster as this was their last meal before the Games.

Everlee came up in the elevator for Autumn. Finnick and Autumn knew that this would be the last time they saw each other before flying to the arena. And they wouldn't be allowed to talk at all.

Autumn turned to look at Finnick, trying desperately to hold herself together as the reality of the Games hit her.

Finnick pulled Autumn into a hug, holding onto her as tightly as he could. When they broke apart, Finnick cupped Autumn's cheek with one hand.

"I'll see you in the arena," he spoke before laying a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you."

Autumn pressed her forehead to his. "I love you too," she whispered.

•••

After putting on the outfit for the arena, Autumn knew what landscape it would be right away. She was given a wet suit, meaning that the arena will definitely have water. That was okay with Autumn because she was a great swimmer, but she worried that the second she hit the water, the images of the flood in the seventieth Games would come back.

She reminded herself that she had to be strong. She could no longer be the weak victor of District Four. She was brave. She was strong. She was deadly.

Autumn walked into the hovercraft to see all of the rest of the tributes there, wearing identified attire to her own. Autumn took her place sitting next to Finnick as the doctors came around and stuck the trackers in their arms.

They soon took off and it seemed to be only a matter of minutes until they arrived outside of the arena. They were all ushered in a building and Finnick and Autumn were quickly split up once again.

Autumn sat in her small room for a while, expecting nobody to come. That is until Everlee opened the door and walked in.

Autumn jumped up and hugged him, glad to see a friendly face before she went in the arena.

Everlee smiled at her, tucking her necklace with Annie's ring on it under the collar of her suit.

"Be brave," Everlee spoke, his hands on Autumn's shoulders. "Protect the Mockingjay."

Autumn knew that was Katniss's symbol, but she had never heard someone speak of her as her symbol so seriously.

"Autumn, when you're in there-" Everlee began, taking in a breath. "Remember who the real enemy is. It's not District One or Two, it is Snow."

Autumn nodded, understanding what Everlee meant. A voice came over the speakers in the room, beginning the count down.

Autumn walked into the glass tube, letting it shut behind her. She turned and faced Everlee who gave her a small smile and a nod. Autumn nodded back, letting the tube bring her up into the arena.