ROOFTOP - finnick odair

chapter ten

"all through the night
i'll be awake
and i'll be with you."

~

Caterina's POV:

"Cat? It's only five in the morning," Finnick says from next to me, his voice raspy and low.

"I can't sleep. Just go back to bed," I say, and his eyes are fighting to stay open. There's an unbearable knot in my stomach that's twisted in every single direction. Today is the day that twenty four children are reaped into the games that will kill them. The day that twenty four families are torn apart. The day that my sister could be gone for good.

I run a hand through my hair and walk to the kitchen. I grab a glass and try to fill it with water but my hand is shaking too much so it slips, breaking on the cold kitchen tiles.

"Fuck," I mumble, crouching down to pick up the glass pieces, but one of them cuts my finger at the tip. I don't even have to squeeze it for any blood to come out - the deep, haunting red oozes out of the cut and makes my eyes sting. I try to calm myself down, taking deep breaths and backing away from the cup. Finnick walks out of my room, shirtless and gorgeous.

"Sorry," I say, rinsing off my finger. He bends down and scoops all the pieces into his hands and throws them in the garbage, then walks over to me.

"You worried about today?" He asks softly, his arms finding their way to around my waist. I look down and shut my eyes. I don't have to answer for him to know that I am.

"Your sister will be fine. She's strong, just like you are."

"What if she gets reaped?" My voice breaks a little.

"We'll deal with that if it happens, okay? Just get some rest and try not to think about it. Come on," he says, leading me back to my room. I crawl into bed, curling up into myself and trying hard not to cry. Finnick's arm is already around me, and he whispers comforting things in my ear before he starts to fall asleep.

Well, my life sucks, but at least he doesn't.

~

"I'll see you soon?" I ask as Finnick stands up and starts to head out the train.

He nods and gives me a quick kiss, then smiles. "Be strong for her, okay?"

I try to smile back. He gets off at District Four and I sit back in the empty train - empty, except for Winter, who is just amazing company.

"Are you excited to be a mentor?" She asks, fixing up her hair and makeup and press-on nails.

"No," I say.

She stops what she's doing to glare at me and sigh. I stare out the window as we pass through Four, and far out in the distance, I see the ocean. It sparkles in the sun, the water looking crystal clear and the soft waves kissing the shore. I almost smile.

We sit in silence until I finally recognize where we are, and just as the train comes to a stop. I nearly run out, going to my house as fast as I possibly can. I open the door, out of breath, running up to find Aria. As soon as I see her I nearly tackle her down, my arms around her so tight that she can't even choke out a word.

"Sorry," I gasp, releasing her. She laughs.

"I miss you," she says. "I wish we had more time to catch up."

I feel a hole in my heart, realizing that she's one year older now. I notice it now - she's almost my height now, her hair down to her stomach, her face much too mature for a fourteen year old.