The Capitals Flower

Chapter 1

Finnick Odair sits on the dock late at night. It is after his games. The fourteen year old boy just stares at the waves letting what he did to the other kids in the games sink in for what feels like the millionth time.

He hears a little voice behind him. Her voice is clear and sweet as it says, "Are you okay?"

The voice belongs to a girl no older then him. She has her chestnut brown hair in two french braids that reach her waist. She is stunning.

"Yeah" he says his eyes still on the girls beautiful appearance.

"I'm Dahlia. If you want to talk about whatever is bothering you I'm here." She says turning around to leave.

"Well Dahlia, I'm Finnick, Finnick Odair." He says making her turn around.

"Weren't you the victor this year?" She asks curiously sitting down next to him.

"Yeah" He says looking down at the water expecting an unwanted congratulations from the girl.

"I'm sorry." She says

He looks up confused at her words. No one has ever seen winning the games as anything less then a glory filled win except for the past victors who know it is so much worse.

"It's fine. In fact it just got a little bit better." He says flirting a bit.

She chuckled and she slips her hand in his. His heart flutters at her touch. He smiles at her as she stares at the water. Finnick had just met this girl and he already got butterflies just looking at her.

They sit in a comfortable silence until Dahlia starts pointing out constalations. Finnick listens to every word she says like it is the most important thing he had heard.

"Look there's Orian's belt!" She says excitedly leaning out on the dock pointing to the constalation.

Finnick leans out to try and see the constalation. He slips a little bit and falls in. Dahlia bursts out laughing. It echoed through the trees, the perfect melody. Finnick knows he would give all his money just to hear it again.

He rolls his eyes with a smug smile on his face. He pulls her in the water. She shrieks but when her head comes out of the water she is laughing.

They smile at each other well treading water. She pulls herself back on the dock with ease. Finnick follows quickly after.

For the rest of the night she points out stars and tells stories effortlessly keeping Finnick's mind away from the horrors of the arena. Memories he hasn't been able to push from his head, until her.

They watch the sunrise hand in hand. Her crystal blue eyes watching the sky change.

"I better leave. School starts soon." She says getting up.

"Wait, why don't we meet up here tomorrow night?" He asks

"Okay." She says walking away.

Finnick couldn't get her out of his mind. Her smile, her hair, her voice, her touch, her obsession with the stars and of course, her laugh.

How had he not noticed her at the school. District four was large but such a beautiful girl go unnoticed, impossible. She must've been a few years younger, in a different class maybe.

He stayed at the dock all day waiting for her. Sure enough she came.

They met up there daily, right after school. This became a routine. They both looked forward to it throughout the day. Everytime they met up it only got more hard to leave each other's side.

One day Finnick decided to confess his love to Daliah. He bought some lilies for her, seeing they were her favorite flower, and sat at the dock waiting for her to come.

She eventually came with a small cake in her hands. It is barely big enough for one person. She smiles when she sees him.

"Hello!" She says smiling showing him the cake.

"What's the cake for?" He asks.

"Well I thought that one years ago today I saw you here all upset. And it is the one year anniversary of that. I couldn't afford anything big or fancy but I was able to get this with the money I had saved up." She says smiling.

"Dahlia you didn't have to." He says looking at the girl whose kindness has always blinded her from most terrors.

"But I wanted to." She says

"Well I wanted to tell you something." He says sounding calm and collected trying to hide his nerves and ignore the butterflies in his stomach.

"Go ahead." She says carefully taking out two forks and setting up a little dinner scene. Finnick knew he couldn't go on another day without her knowing, but he couldn't handle it if she didn't feel the same way.

"Come on, look at me." He says drawing her attention from the cake's set up. Her blue eyes meet his, he knew he'd do anything for those eyes.

"Well I've known you since we were fourteen. And I mean I guess you probably knew this would happen. I mean how could it not happen with that beautiful smile and your laugh, oh God your laugh." He rambles

Dahlia cheeks turning a bright red.

"Well I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you. I have loved you, since I met you I think." He says

She tilts her head slightly, looking at him with her doe eyes. She got up and walked over to him. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she traced his jawline lightly with her fingers.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." She says kissing him lightly on the lips.

After that the two became inseparable. Dahlia came over to spend the night often at Finnick's house. When he had a nightmare she would take him outside and tell him all her favorite stories about the stars that littered the sky.

It was perfect. But perfect could only last so long.