𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫

THREE

iii. The Quarter Quell

Aurora and Finnick sat on the edge of the pier, staring off into the sunset. The warmth of the sun bubbled up a giddy feeling inside Aurora she hadn't felt in so long. The waves crashed against the legs of the pier, the water splashing onto their legs. It felt like heaven. This was what Aurora had envisioned whenever she imagined life after death if such a thing even existed. She imagined feeling so complete, so joyful that she couldn't contain a smile on her face. That was the only difference between her dream and reality. Those feelings weren't there.

Since Finnick had come back, Aurora had spent almost every single day with him. She couldn't leave his side, no matter how much she wanted to. To be fair, she didn't want to. Whether they spent the day fishing, working, spending time with Annie and Mags, or even just sitting in silence, as long as they were in each other's presence, they were content. After her games, the only time she'd feel that feeling of contentment was when she was with him. However, she was unaware of it.

"The Quarter Quell's going to be announced tomorrow-" Aurora turned to face Finnick's golden face, as he began to speak. "-and then in a few months, it's to the Capitol for the both of us." Aurora sighed at the thought of returning to the colorful city.

"The only thing I'm looking forward to is seeing Johanna again. I haven't seen her in so long. Anything changed while I was here?" Her head turned back to look at the ocean.

"Johanna misses you too, Always asking about you." Aurora smiled. She'd always loved Johanna since she'd won her games. Her fierceness, her spitfire, her bravery, Aurora admired everything about her. "It's all the same, the fashion, the voices, the gossip," Finnick replied.

Aurora felt a pang in her heart at the realization that Finnick had spent almost the entire last two years stuck in the Capitol. That felt unimaginable to her. He hadn't been home, settled in a long time. His house was covered in dust from the vacancy. He loved District Four, maybe even more than her, yet he was always gone. Snow as well as the Capitol seemed to have no shortage of his presence, yet was dry to the bone with her own.

"I wonder what this Quell's twist is gonna be," Finnick muttered, just loud enough to reach Aurora's ear.

"I just pray it's not as brutal as the last one. I don't think I could handle watching it." Aurora shook her head at the thought of 48 children being put into the arena. She wondered how Haymitch did it.

"After last years games, Snow's definitely gonna make this one memorable. He could make all the tributes be from District Twelve if he wanted, just to spite the Girl on Fire." Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark had done something no other tribute or victor would dare to do, humiliate the gamemakers, and Snow.

"Haymitch really did good with those two didn't he?" Finnick nodded in agreement, a smile on his face. "That stunt they pulled with the nightlock berries, they made Snow and the rest of them look like idiots. They controlled the games for once, they got two victors." Aurora had wished she had the guts the do that earlier, maybe her brother would've been there with her if she had.