The Capitals Flower

Chapter 3

Training feels pointless. I already knew how to do most of the stuff they were teaching. A perk of being from district four, almost everyone was brought up to survive the games.

Devan taught me how to shoot an arrow. He put his arms around me as he aimed the arrow showing me the motions necessary to hit the target. After a day I was able to hit the target with half decent precision. Devan said I was the fastest learner he'd ever seen.

Devan had become a good friend. Many people in out district consider me a very trusting person so he has been trying to teach me to be more suspicious. He says my trust is going to get me killed.

Finnick seems to hate Devan more and more with each coming day. Which has started to bug me but not as much as him leaving every night for some unknown reason. I can't help but feel uneasy about it. But I trust him.

I sit in my room. Finnick seemed sad before he left tonight. I know I have my interview tomorrow morning but I need to make sure he is okay.

I am dressed in sweats and my hair is up in a braids. And as I sit on my bed I arrange a few flowers from the multiple tacky bouquets put out on my dresser. I even get a few chocolates that I stashed away from dinner.

I hum a tune to myself as I put them together. I hear footsteps in the hallway. I excitedly open the door with the chocolate and flowers.

Finnick is standing there. His hair is messed up, his shirt's buttons are mix matched and there is a lip stick stain on his neck.

My breath hitches. He couldn't be cheating on me. But yet here he is. He looks tired and drained. I know he can see how hurt I am because he scrambled to explain himself.

"Dahlia it's not what it looks li-"

I interrupt him by shaking my head and shoving the flowers and chocolates into his arms. He tries to explain but I close the door. I have never been the type to be this impulsive. I normally would listen to him.

But this kind of betrayal is not something I'm used to. And it's hard to believe the person I love most would do such horrible things knowing it would hurt me. I fall into my bed in tears, sobs shaking me body. Finnick rushes in after me.

"Go away." I say not bothering to look at him.

"Come on Dahlia. Just let me explain." He says sitting next to me. He sounds like he is about to cry too but I don't care. He deserves to cry for what he did.

I stare at the wall wiping my tears away. Avoiding his eyes, I can't imagine looking at him ever again. Those beautiful eyes that stole my heart only to break it so carelessly.

Finnick's Pov:

I can't stand myself as I stand there in front of the love of my life. Dahlia has tears running down her face as she sobs into her hands. I feel like my whole world is falling apart. I can't believe I hurt her like this.

I have only ever seen her cry once before this. It was after she was whipped by a peacekeeper for speaking up for a kid who was being thrown around. She had cried for hours before she finally fell asleep in my arms.

Now it was my fault that she was crying. I only went because Snow told me he would kill her if I didn't. And seeing anything happen to Dahlia would be worse then death.

For a moment I debate letting her continue to think I did this without reason. Then perhaps Snow would stop targeting her. And I could sleep soundly knowing she is okay. But I know a world without her by my side would not be a world in which I would want to live.

"Go away." She says looking up at the wall again.

She didn't even bother to look at me. I can tell I really broke her. She would normally allow me to explain myself. To tell her why, but she doesn't even look at me.

"Come on Dahlia. Just let me explain." I say sitting next to her.

She still refuses to look at me. She just stares at the wall. I think about hugging her trying to make her feel better. Her sadness hurts me more than anything I've ever experienced.

"Go ahead." She says calmly but I don't miss the chill in her voice.

"Earlier this year after my sixteenth birthday Snow decided to finally make some profit off of me. He sells me off for capital woman's pleasure. The only reason I agree to do it is because he says he'll hurt you if I don't." I say looking at her desperately.

Her eyes have soften back to their normal soft look instead of the harsh hurt that used to sit there only seconds ago.

"That is horrible. I'm so sorry." She says wrapping her arms around me.

There are still tears running down her face. But they are no longer for her, they are for me. I tilt her head up so she is looking at me.

"Don't worry. It's okay." I say wiping her tears.

"I hate the capital." She says her voice slightly muffled by my shirt the smells of the last capital girl still lingers.

But her sweet sent of citrus quickly over powers the faint smell. She stays there without moving for a few minutes. I don't mind.

Then I remember she has to do her interview tomorrow. She can't be tired for that.

"You have your interview tomorrow Dahlia. You should get some rest." I say.

She nods.

"Goodnight, I love you." I say shutting the lights off and the door behind me.

I can't believe in only a few days Dahlia will be alone. All she will have is herself and that stupid Devan kid.