𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒕𝒖𝒔; 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒊𝒓

𝑰𝒇 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚

The pair have been standing in silence for what feels like ages. The longer Finnick goes without saying anything, the faster her heart beats.

"Who did that to you?" Finnick finally breaks the silence. His voice is soft, but very angry.

"It was a long time ago-"

He cuts her off, "What happened?"

"It happened when I was training to be a Career. The trainers aren't exactly gentle with their students." Lilith sighs, feeling vulnerable.

"How old were you?" Finnick quietly asks.

"I was ten. I hadn't corrected my form quick enough, so I was taught a lesson." She responds in the same quiet voice.

"Aren't there good doctors in your District that could've-"

"I wasn't taken to a doctor!" Lilith snaps, interrupting Finnick. "I got no sympathy from my parents. They made me take care of it myself."

The silence starts up again. Lilith wishes Finnick ignored the scar so she wouldn't be in this situation. It's embarrassing to her.

"Thought we were here to swim?" Lilith changes the subject, and breaks the silence.

"Lilith..." Finnick trails off.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Lilith furrows her eyebrows. "What are you sorry for?"

"I don't know, everything." Finnick stands there for a moment before sucking in a breath, "Let's get you swimming."

There is obvious tension between the pair, but both of them ignore it. Finnick teaches Lilith the basics: how to tread water, how to swim above and below water, and how to float on her back. Floating on her back is her favorite part.

Lilith floats in the pool with her eyes closed. The water surrounding her ears muffles her hearing, causing her to imagine herself in another place. A place where there are no Games. Where everyone is happy. Where she isn't haunted by things she can't control.

Suddenly, Lilith is flipped over. Her eyes open for a moment before she is plunged under water. She flails around before getting control and swimming to the surface.

"What the hell!" She yells, while coughing up water.

"Just needed to make sure you learned something," Finnick nonchalantly says. Lilith glares at him. "Relax, you survived."

"That wasn't funny." Lilith swims to the edge of the pool. She hoists herself out of the water and sits on the ledge. Her legs still dangle in the water.

"Oh, come on. It was a joke." Finnick follows her to the edge of the pool.

"Like I said, it wasn't funny," Lilith snaps, wiping water off of her face.

Finnick sighs, looking up at her. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks away from him.

After a moment, Lilith stands up and walks over to her pile of clothes. She pulls the dry clothes over her wet skin, ignoring how they stick to her body.

"Where are you going?" Finnick calls after her.

"It's late, I should get going." She begins walking towards the door.

She hears sloshing water and then footsteps running up behind her. She turns around and is met with Finnick's wet body.

"At least let me walk you," Finnick says. Lilith raises her eyebrows at him. "Please?"

Lilith rolls her eyes, "Fine." Finnick runs and gets his clothes, quickly throwing them on.

The pair quietly walk through the halls. When they reach Lilith's door, Finnick stops her from walking in.

"What now?" She groans.

"I'm sorry for tipping you over."

Lilith can tell that he means it, so she nods and gives him a tight-lipped smile. She enters her apartment and closes the door behind her.

As Lilith readies herself for bed, she can't stop thinking about Finnick. She hates it. She hates how she exposed herself to him. He probably thinks she's weak and vulnerable now. Oh, how the mighty Victor falls.

If only things were different. If only Lilith wasn't so stubborn. If only this were a world where there were no Games. Maybe things would be better for everyone. But, in this world, everything sucks. Well, almost everything. Lilith actually had a nice night with Finnick, until he completely ruined it.

She tries to sleep, but with the Quarter Quell being announced tomorrow and the night she had, it is hard to do so.