The Forgotten Days

▬▬ 𝟎𝟕 ∙ 𝝩𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗯❙𝗲

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 07 ∙ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎

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"CORY, WHERE were you?" Finnick asks, seeing me come out. I almost sigh in relief to see a familiar face. "I saw you come out of the hallway, you look dazed. Is everything okay?" I can feel the words about to spill over like a waterfall and I want to tell Finnick everything, from when he left me to dance with the invasive Capitol boy to the meeting with the president. But I can't speak for some reason, still shell-shocked. Only one word comes out at first. 

"Snow," I utter, filled with trepidation. I recollect my thoughts. "He told me he made my first appointment already."

Finnick's face falls and his eyes turn stony. "It's happening, isn't it?" 

"The week after I turn sixteen." I feel myself breaking down again. 

"That's six months from now."

"Finn, I don't want to do this," I cry, sounding like a little girl, but I couldn't care in the slightest. 

"It's okay. It's going to be okay." 

"If this is life as a victor, then I don't want to be a victor anymore. I'd rather be dead than have to sell my body to crazy strangers I don't know. I'd rather have died in the arena than have to live a life of nightmares and prostitution." 

"But think of your mom. She won't be able to live with two losses in her life. And Annie, and me! You're our best friend, Cory. I'll get you through it, I promise." 

"I don't know if I'll be able to bear it when it happens." 

"You're strong, Cory." 

"No, I'm not." Tears form. "I won, but what? I'm still only fifteen." I try to compose myself and unravel my jumbled thoughts. "I'm not ready for this. Not now, and not in six months. How am I going to do this?" 

"You have to. Or else he'll kill your mother or Annie." 

"I don't want to think about this anymore." There's so much I wish I could just forget. "What time is it?" 

"Almost midnight, we have to be back soon. Moxie will be coming to find us in a few minutes." 

"Finnick!" someone calls from across the room. The two of us look over to see a pair of siblings, the girl dragging the boy along. 

"Cashmere! What are you doing here?" 

She sighs loudly, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder, which has fallen over her face. "First of all, help me with him. He's too drunk to even stand still now." We get him seated at a nearby chair, where he slumps over and falls off. "Ah, just leave him. Second, we're here on Capitol business." Finnick raises his eyebrows but nods as if he knows what she means. 

"Umm, hi," I say from behind Finnick. She looks to where I'm standing, and a little smile plays on her lips. 

"Cordelia, is it? I watch your games. You took out my brother's tribute," she informs me, but it's not in an angry way. It's like we're engaging in a simple conversation, discussing who killed who.

 "I'm Cashmere, from District 1. And that over there is Gloss, my brother. He's much nicer when he's not passed out and intoxicated." 

"Cashmere won the games before mine, and Gloss won the 63rd. They're the... desirable ones too." I just nod cautiously and stay by Finnick's side. I feel as if she can tell I'm slightly wary of her when she warmly smiles.