ROOFTOP - finnick odair

chapter eight

"i found myself dreaming
in silver and gold
like a scene from a movie that
every broken heart knows
we were walking on moonlight
and you pulled me close."

~

Caterina's POV:

I wake up and I already regret it. I wish some nights lasted forever. I miss the cool, night air whispering against my skin, the pulse in my fingertips, his lips on my neck. I miss the moon and the stars and the soreness in my feet. Instead, I'm hit with the bright sun and the agitating warmth of my bed, and my personal favourite, the sound of Winter fussing about everything and anything. But the fire in my heart and the butterflies that are swarming in my stomach overpowers my usual bad attitude.

"I think I might love you," he said. "Actually, scratch that. I definitely love you."

I feel my stomach doing flips, over and over again each time I repeat his words in my head.

Someone knocks on my door and invites themselves in. Winter steps in and almost has a heart attack.

"You're up before noon?!"

I think about pretending to be asleep, but she's already hovering over me.

"I had to pee," I lie. Although, I'm not even sure why I'm up this early. Is this what happens when you like someone? You lose sleep over them? Because if that's the case, I'm going back to being in a serious relationship with my bed.

"Well, I suppose you can take your time getting up. The President wants to see you today."

I feel my stomach twist into a knot. Flashes of fear and horror strike me all at once and it almost hurts. I shut my eyes. Seeing his face again will just remind me of what he's done to me, and to Finnick, and to who knows who else.

"Cat? If you can't handle it, I can ask him to tell me instead," Winter says. I shake my head.

"There's nothing I can't handle. I'll go."

I can't afford someone else getting hurt for me again. Even if it's just the woman with the wig who I'm mostly annoyed at. I'm not sure if I'll be okay, but that doesn't matter. I can deal with it.

I get up and head straight into the shower, avoiding the mirror across from it. There's hot water as soon as I turn the knob, rose petals on the ledge, and soap wrapped up in a shiny packaging. This luxury makes me feel even worse.

I close my eyes and let the hot water take over my body, breathing in warm air. I look down and almost scream at the sight of blood, and I realize that I've been scrubbing at my arm too much. Irritated, I finish up quickly and get out, changing and tying my hair in a bun so I don't have to fully dry it.

"You're going like that?" Ivory asks as I pass by her in the kitchen, grabbing a cup of a pink-coloured smoothie and drinking it. I shrug and put the glass down, putting on my shoes.

"I guess I am," I say, then I step out the door and start walking. I think about stopping and telling Finnick, but that would've been completely useless. So I keep walking.

I know my way by now. It's only a ten minute walk to get to where he is. But as I walk up the stairs into the building, two peacekeepers draw their guns at me.