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𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚢 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚢.
- 𝚄𝚗𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚗
I wake up to the sound of beeping. I open my eyes and see bright lights. Where am I? Did I win? I feel someone holding my hand. My first reaction is to pull back.
I quickly sit back and jump away from this person. "Woah, there Dels. It's just me." It's Finn. Before he can get another word out I jump up from my sitting position and run to hug him.
He stumbles back a little from the force, but he catches me. I'm home. I can get back to 4. I'm going to go home and see my siblings again. "I got you Del." Finnick whispers in my ear. I pull back from the hug to look at his face.
He looks like he hasn't slept in days. He has bags under his eyes and his eyes are bloodshot. "Were you sleeping?" He shakes his head.
"No, I had to make sure you were okay and didn't need my help. When you were in the final battle I was so scared."
"You didn't think I could do it?" I ask looking down towards the floor.
He lifts up my chin. "Of course I thought you could do it, but seeing you in there was hard. I couldn't protect you."
I smile at him. "How long was I sleeping?"
"3 days. You were dehydrated and you lost a lot of blood." I nod. "You have to do an interview with Caesar first, then you can go home to Caspian and Maisy." I smile. I get to go back to them. "You will be staying in Victor's Village. You can either stay with me because trust me, it will be hard, or you can stay in your own house. You can decide with time."
We talk some more until he hears my stomach growling. He takes me back to our penthouse and gives me some food. I haven't had a proper meal in days, so I eat as much as I can.
As I finish up my plate I hear the door open. I flinch and Finnick notices. "You're fine. It's just Cody and Tigris." When he says that, a smile returns to my face and I quickly run to the door.
As soon as I see Cody I run to him. I jump into his arms and he stumbles back at the force. "Nice to see you too, kiddo." He pats my hair as I cling to him. Since I got picked for the games Cody has been like the missing puzzle piece to my family. He has been a father figure to me.
When I pull back he looks at my eyes and sees the tears forming in my eyes. "I know, Kiddo, I know." He pulls me back into his chest and I let the tears run down my face, most definitely getting Cody's shirt wet.
When I pull back again I sniff and he smiles at me. "It's not funny." I say with a frown. He sees it and starts laughing. I roll my eyes and walk over to Tigris.
"Thought I wouldn't see you again." I said to her
"I always knew you would come back." She says with a small smile. I go to hug her and she hugs me back. "We have to get you ready for the post-game interviews now. I will try not to put you in a lot of makeup."
I nod and say goodbye to Finnick and Cody. We walk out of the living room and walk into the dressing room. It's much more comfortable now. Instead of a cold table it's cozy. Sea blue curtains, green accents, ocean pictures, and white roses on the table.
I walked over to the table with the roses on it while Tigris had stopped in her steps. I see the roses have a note on them. I open the letter ripping the capitol seal along with it. It reeks of perfume. 'Congratulation on your victory Miss Benham. I am excited to meet you later today and we have lots to talk about. But, I must keep that for another occasion so you can get back to your siblings. They are such sweet kids. Your parents did good. I hope you are as sweet to the citizens as your siblings were towards me. -President Snow'
Reading his words sent chills down my back. He talked to my siblings? How did he get to my siblings? I didn't even notice when Tigris came up beside me. She rests a hand on my shoulder which I jerk away from.
"Sorry. Didn't know you were there." I say trying to smile.
"You're fine, sweetheart. What did it say?" She asks.
"Just something about meeting me later." I say smiling. I'm trying not to throw up from how nervous I am. And what did he mean by, 'I hope you are as sweet to the citizens as your siblings were towards me.' What is he implying? Am I going to have to do the same thing as Finnick?
"We have to get you ready." Tigris says. I nod and she leads me to a chair. I sit down and get ready to get makeup and hair done.
She starts with my makeup. She starts with a highlighter on the inner corner of my eyes. She then moves to a light sparkly pink and then a darker shade of pink. It's not a lot like the other times. She puts some false eyelashes on the outer corner of my eyes. She starts with my face and puts some tinted moisturizer. She says it will act like a foundation, but it's not as full coverage. She adds more freckles to my face and then adds a lot of highlighter and blush.
"I look like I'm glowing." I say.
"That's good. It makes you look like you just came out of the water."
"Why did you go with pink this time?" I ask
"It goes with your dress." She walks around my chair and grabs the hair supplies.
Tigris takes a curling iron and just touches up some of my naturally wavy hair. She takes the front two pieces of my hair and braids them. While she's braiding she adds in different charms. Most of them represent the ocean, but two specific ones stick out to me.
She must see me looking so she says, "This one is a siren to represent 'The Siren of the Capitol'" She says holding up a mermaid. "And this one is a songbird. I think they are called mockingjays." She says with a smirk.
"Aren't those a sign of rebellion?" I am confused.
"Yeah, but it would just be one good fuck you to Cor- Snow." She stuttered. I don't think I have ever heard someone in the capitol stutter before. She looks hurt, but her face changes quickly and she braids that in my hair. "Let me go get the dress." She says as she walks toward the door. When she leaves I get up from my chair and look around. I notice the flowers again. There is something in there. It looks like another envelope.
I walk over to the flowers and look into them. It is another envelope. I pick it up and look at the name to see who it's to. It's to Tigris. Just then Tigris walks into the room. I jump.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I have the dress." I turn around with the letter in my hand and she sees it. "Whose it for?"
"You." She quickly walked over to me and snatched it out of my hand. She stuffs it in her pocket.
"I'll read it later. Let's get you in this beautiful dress." She says walking over to the white bag. She unzips the bag and pulls out a beautiful sheer multi-colored dress. It's a two piece. It has a top that ends just below my breasts and the skirt flows out. The top has crystal straps that glow in the light. The top also has the same sheer fabric on the sides that flow out and make it look like I'm in this dress underwater.
She gives me some clear open toed heels that strap at the top. As always she pulls out a glitter spray. "Tigris, do you know how hard it is to get glitter off of your body and out of your hair?" She laughs.
"Yes, I do. It just looks so pretty on you. Every other tribute I tried to put it on said no."
I laugh. She walks up to me and adds some lip gloss. As she is putting the lip gloss on my lips she says, "I know it will be hard out there. They will have you rewatch the important parts in the games. That means the bloodbath, Piranhas, Adrian and Rose's death, John's death, and the final battle." I forgot about the part. She puts the lip gloss away. "That's why I didn't put mascara on you today. You can cry when you turn away. I just need you to try your hardest to be brave and show the people you aren't scared of them." I nod and in the same moment Finnick and Winnie walk in the room.
"Oh you are just so beautiful, sweetie." Winnie says in her always high pitched voice. She walks up to me and hugs me. I hugged her back. She isn't that bad to talk to. She's honestly really sweet and told me she hates the reapings.
"Hi Winnie." I say in her hair. She rubs her hand up and down my back signaling that I can just soak in this moment. This hug feels like a motherly hug. I never got one of them before.
She pulls away from the hug and looks at me. "You are beautiful." I smile and thank her. She turns away to talk to Tigris and I walk over to Finnick.
"You look beautiful, princess." He always finds a way to make me blush. "Let's get you to these interviews." I nod and he leads the way to the elevator.
"How are you doing?" Finn asks when we get in the elevator. We aren't in here alone though. Tigris and Winnie are across from us still talking about the latest fashion trends.
"I think I'm okay." I say.
"I can see you're not. You jump at every loud noise and when you smile your eyes don't show that you're happy." I turn to look at him.
"You can tell that?" He nods.
"Something you learn when you've been through it yourself." He says. "I need you to try and smile with your eyes during this interview." I nod. The elevator doors open and we walk out.
We entered the very familiar area where I had my first interview. "I'll be out in the crowd. When you get nervous just look at me." I nod and he walks away.
Winnie comes up to me and starts fixing my dress. "He loves you." I look at her confused as she stands up.
"Who? Finn? No he doesn't." I rushed out.
"My dear... I might not be the smartest person, but I know love when I see it and Finnick. He has it in his eyes when he looks at you. I saw it in the elevator and just now before he left. That boy loves you. Even if you doubt it. I know just by looking at him, looking at you that he loves you and that you love him." I look down. Do I love Finnick? I know I like him, but do I love him?
"Just think about it. Remember when you go up on stage you are always being watched. Smile, too. Only when your siblings are watching do they see the most beautiful smile in all of Panem." I smile at her. A genuine smile.
We hear Caesar's introduction song come on and I get ready to walk on the stage. "Hello and welcome back! Today we have a very special guest. Please welcome The Siren of the Capitol! Cordelia Benham!"
I walk up on stage and put on my best smile and wave at the crowd. I look around the crowd and try to look for Finnick.
I spot him in the crowd sitting next to Cody. When I look away from the crowd and turn toward Caesar I see him getting ready to give me a hug which I return.
"Hello Cordelia! How are you doing today?"
"Well I'm doing the best I can be." I say with a smile.
"And why is that?" He asks
"Because I came out of that arena and John and Adrian didn't." The crowd awe's at my answer.
"So sweet. I think we all cried at their deaths. Didn't we?" He says turning toward the crowd. "Let's give a recap of these games shall we?"
I smile and turn to the TV behind us. I try to keep the smile on my face, but when I see the arena my vision starts to blur. I never wanted to relive this again.
We start off by looking at the countdown. There is a close up of me and when the buzzer goes off there is a close up of me running to the cornucopia.
We get to the part where the girl from 9, Hazel, attacks me. When we get to the part where I decapitate her everyone cheers. My eyes widened. Why are people cheering at me decapitating someone? I look out to the crowd and see Finnick giving me a supportive smile.
"I think that was the most brutal death I have ever seen in the games." Caesar says.
We go back to the screen where it shows me running to John and killing the two tribute from 10. It skips to the next day where we find Adrian and find the lake.
The next scene is of me and John jumping in the water and me washing the blood off my body. The next second there were piranhas.
"The ideas of the piranhas in the lake were a very good idea." Caesar says. Yeah maybe for entertainment, but for me, that hurt like a bitch. They skip to Rose helping me. My smile fades as I see her. Her dark skin and her dark brown hair that is in two french braids. It hurts to see Adrian and Rose alive again knowing that at the next skip they will be dying.
They skip to me and Rose lying on the ground talking about the people who we liked. "Now, Cordelia, mind telling us who that lucky man is?"
I smile at him. "I can't go saying who I like now, can I, Caesar." He laughs and I try to laugh with him.
"I'm sure a lot of the men in the Capitol would love for it to be them."
"Maybe it is." I say winking at the crowd.
"You hear that men. It could be one of you."
We turn back to the TV and we get to the part I'm dreading. I see the boy from 8 turning Rose around and stabbing her. I can't look away. I can't be weak. My eyes fill with tears.
Then we get to the part where Adrian gets stabbed. I should have known. I saw it go across his stomach. I should have killed her when I got the chance. A tear drops from my eye as I watch myself give Rose a peaceful death. Then John calls me over and I have to watch someone's little brother die in my arms. I had to watch people's siblings die. They didn't even get to say goodbye before they died.
They move on to when I give Adrian the one thing he always wanted, but never could get, a katniss root. I want to yell through the screen. Tell ourselves to grab the bag with the medicine in it.
They skip to the next day. I don't want to see this. I don't know how John didn't run away from me because I looked like a mess. My hair was all over the place and my face was all red from the sun.
I see John going to get food. I see him get stabbed and I see him lying there with the careers standing around him. They show me running to him and crying and screaming. They must have cut out the part where I called the capitol a monster.
When I stood up I looked like a psychopath. I looked like I could kill the entirety of Panem. They showed me killing Selena and Opal. They showed the smile on my face as I did it. When we got to the final showdown I cringed when I got cut in the side. I still have the mark, but it's not that bad. I also have the scar on my forearm that is way more prominent because John tried to fix it.
They show me pushing Silver in the lake and when I turn to Pluto I looked psycho. My hair was all messed up and I had a smirk on my face as I heard Silver's scream. They show me killing Pluto after Silver died and then me passing out.
"Great games this year!" Caesar says. "One last question before we let you go to your crowning. Who are you most excited to see when you get home?" I smile knowing exactly who.
"My siblings." I smile.
"Wonderful! Enjoy your ride home and we will see you in 6 months!" Caesar grabs my hand and lifts it in the air. "Cordelia Benham everyone! The Capitol's Siren!" I smile and give Caesar a hug. I walk off stage and Finnick comes and hugs me.
"You did great, but if you want to get out of here we should get going to the crowning." I nod and we leave.
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I'm sitting in front of all of Panem right now. I hear trumpets go off which signals the president coming out. I stand up and President Snow grabs the crown on the stand in front of me and stands in my face.
He reeks of rose perfume. He places the crown on my head. "I hope you read my letter." He says.
"I did."
"We will be meeting very soon to talk." He looks at my hair. "What a lovely charm. What is it?" He says pointing to the mockingjay charm. Shit. I knew he would see it.
"It's a mockingjay. My stylist put it there." I say.
"It's pretty." He says and then he walks away.
That was weird. We continue through the ceremony and when it's finally finished I rush down the stairs and run to Finnick. I give him a hug. "Let's go home." He says in my hair.
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𝐎𝐌𝐆! 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫!! 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬!! 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬! 𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟑𝟏𝟕𝟎 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬