SEVENTEEN

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"change your thoughts, and you change the world

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"change your thoughts, and you change the world." - norman vincent peale
___________

I was finally released from the hospital, but I couldn't wrap my head around the latest information. My whole life had been a lie; my name wasn't even my own. When I thought of home, I thought of waves hitting the rocks, and the beautiful sunsets I always saw. I thought of the nice ocean breeze, and going out on the boats. When I thought of home, I did not think of District Thirteen. Katniss, Gale, Johanna, and Prim sat at the table I walked towards with Finnick. I couldn't bring myself to sit down with my family, Mags, and Annie.

I guess Katniss saw how desperate I was, because she didn't question it.

"Primrose, I heard you've gotten a promotion?" Finnick asked, starting a conversation. The blonde smiled. "Yes, I'm officially a medic, now." She told them.

"That's wonderful!" Finnick smiled before eating more of his food.

"How's the gash on your chest?" She asked me. I outlined the scar over my clothing with my fingers. "It's healing nicely. Like you said, it's going to leave a scar, but it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Hey, Prim, why don't you go find mom? I'm sure she'd enjoy seeing you before you both have to get back to work." Katniss suggested, and the younger Everdeen nodded, walking away. Katniss waited until her sister was gone to ask Coralia what happened.

"Did something happen? You aren't sitting with your family." Katniss noticed.

"Yeah, and your dad is looking at you like a sad puppy." Johanna chuckled. Finnick started to interject, but I spoke before he could.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. My name is Harquinne Coin." I said, everyone at the table besides Finnick looked at me like I was insane.

"You still on a heavy dose of Morphling?" Johanna asked. Finnick looked at me, and I nodded.

"President Coin is Cora and Marina's mother. They were born here, not in Four. She just found out last night." Finnick explained. Katniss' lips parted in shock, and for the first time, Johanna didn't have a witty remark.

I lowered my voice. "I just need some time to process everything." I tell them. Johanna stands up, smiling.

"It's been great, but I have to go see my head doctor. Lia, you might want to forgive your old man before he sulks all the way into his wheelchair." She says, leaving just the four of us.

"Everdeen, Odair, Beetee had requested to see you." Boggs tells them. Finnick kisses my head, assuring me that he'd be back soon, but Katniss lingers for a second.

"Johanna's right. Even if he was lying to you, he was doing it to keep you safe. I would take that any day over him being...but it's not my decision to make." Her voice cracks when she thinks of her father. I nod, and look over to my father. He's talking to his brother. I could never hate him. He had done nothing but take care of me and Marina our whole lives. My father's the type of person to give you the clothes right off his back. Surely, he was only doing what he thought was right. As for my mother, I had no idea how to feel. I found it sickening that she would choose a position of leadership over her own family. She obviously didn't care about us too much. Still, I wanted to believe that she loved us.

The one place that I loved wasn't even my real home. My life was a lie.

"You know, sometimes home doesn't have to be a place." Gale says, breaking me out of my thoughts. Crap. I must've said it aloud.

"It can be a person, because at the end of the day, that's what makes it home, right?" He continues. I realize that I've never spoken to Gale besides when we had been rescued from the Capitol.

"I saw how you played in the Quell. He was there, so you made it into a home. Even under the worst circumstances. Do you get what I'm saying?" He asks, and I smile slightly. If there was one thing I was sure about, it was Finnick. He was my life. As long as I was with him, I felt safe.

"Finnick is my home."

***

"I want to marry you now. You are my home, you are the only person in life I need. I love you, Finnick." I tell him, and he smiles, showing his bright smile. He pulls me into a kiss, holding the back of my head. This man didn't care that I woke up every night screaming because of a nightmare. He loved all of my broken pieces.

"Coralia Odair. I think that just might be my favorite name." He says, talking as our lips are against each other's.

As he kisses my neck, I know that at least one thing will never fail to be right. Finnick would always be there.

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