Snow Falls || F. Odair

Chapter 14:

Unedited*

It had been a few months since Rosewyn and Finnick had started their arrangement and the pair had only grown closer. They continued to play games quietly laughing with each other in hopes that no one would hear them. Finnick had never been treated so kindly by anyone in the capital before and he wasn't sure how long it would last. He had grown fond of Rosewyn, her bedroom strangely becoming a comfort for him. They had never spoken about anything relating to the games or the districts, the pair sharing a need to forget the responsibilities that consumed them in the outside world.

Today they were sitting by the window with plush pillows beneath them as they stared out at the sky. Rosewyns eyes had wandered from the window to the boy sitting across from her, his blonde hair turning a copper color at the loss of sun. She couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. Finnick was the first real friend she'd ever had. He was the first person she'd interacted with in years that did not expect anything from her and it was refreshing.

Her eyes dragged down to his sharpened jaw and the way it would clench at the smallest noise. His eyes almost seemed vacant and he continued to stare, his shoulders tense. Rosewyn knew the feeling well. The apprehension and impending doom feeling like it might swallow you whole. They had not spoken about anything personal during his previous visits to the mansion but she couldn't help but feel the need to distract him from whatever thoughts were whirling through his mind.

"What's district four like?" She breathes out face heating up when the boy's eyes snap to her surprised by the break in the comfortable silence.

"You want to know about the districts?" Finnick asked, shock written clearly upon his tan skin. Rosewyn couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her at the boy's reaction.

"Well I've never been there" She teased, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as a blush creeped upon her pale cheeks, "What's it like?" She prompted once again when the boy remained silent.

"It's beautiful" He breathed out turning towards the window once more as he began to describe the home he missed, "I used to fish daily with my father and there was nothing better then the view of the ocean and the smell of salt in the air." He smiled fondly of the memory, his fingers beginning to know the chord of rope he kept in his pocket.

"What's the ocean like?" Rosewyn asked excitedly, leaning towards the boy.

"It's beautiful and powerful but dangerous," He explains turning his body towards the girl and letting his smile widen, "There's no better feeling the tide sweeping over your feet while you walk over the sand"

"I wish I could go" She sighed leaning back into the wall behind her.

"Why can't you?" Finnick questioned the future leader of Panem causing her to let out a bitter laugh.

"I'm barely allowed out into the capitol and you think they'll let me out into the districts?" She retorts, rolling her eyes at her own imprisonment.

"I'm sorry I didn't know" Finnick replies, his eyes dropping back to the rope in his hands.

"It's just how things are" She shrugs, scooting over so she could get a closer look at his fidgeting, "Do you think you could teach me how to do that?" Finnick couldn't help but smile.

"Of course" He replied, moving so they could sit shoulder to shoulder. Finnick carefully explained how to successfully create different knots laughing whenever Rosewyn would make a mistake. Rosewyn didn't know what the feeling she was experiencing was; her stomach fluttered as the boy would glance over at her. She had never been this close with someone before and she barely knew anything about him. Finnick was her best friend and he didn't even know her real name.

...

A week had passed and once again Rosewyn found herself with Finnick. This time they were in the library as President Snow was away on business. Rosewyn didnt care what the servants might think of her, they were avoxes anyway so it wasn't as if they would be whispering lewd rumors to the Capitol Gazette.

Finnick was spread across one of the red velvet, a small content smile on his lips as he watched Rosewyn look through the books trying to find one that interested her.

"Have you ever read the fight for peace by Casca Highbottom?" She pondered as she pulled the worn book from the shelf. It was a rather gruesome read detailing the ideas behind the games and the importance of the revolution. She had read it dozens of times as a child during her studies and for her own personal enjoyment but as of late she found the idealizations rather dark.

"No," Finnick responded shortly. They hadn't spoken about the divide between the districts and the capital but Finnick had a feeling that it wouldn't go well.

"I used to read it all the time when I was little" Rosewyn stated, lost in her own memories of when she'd first arrived at the mansion. Finnick got up taking the cloth bound book in her hand and flicking through the pages.

"What a great bedtime story" He retorted, snapping the book shut and shoving it back onto the shelf. Rosewyn flinched slightly at his abrupt actions not knowing what to expect. Finnick threw himself back down on the lounge, a frustrated huff escaping him.

"I used to love it" She muttered staring at the book now back on the shelf. Finnick couldn't help the bubbles of contempt brewing within him at the girl's statement. The book held everything he was against, it was the epitome of capital superiority.

"Really" He spat out causing the girl to turn towards him.

"That was before" She breathed out, shaking her head slightly at her own foolishness as a child.

"Before what?" Finnick responded, not sure what to make of the girl's comment.

"Before I realized what was really happening" Rosewyn wringed her hands together unable to stop herself in this uncomfortable situation.

"I think that book was pretty clear on what was happening" The boy retorted unsure how the girl could have ever agreed or enjoyed that piece of literature.

"I knew in theory but it's different to actually witness and experience" She replies defensively. She had wanted Finnicks opinion so that she could clear the muddied thoughts within her mind. She still wasn't sure how to navigate this new world she'd stepped into.

"Experience" Finnicks voice begins to raise as their argument continues.

"I trusted President Snow" Her hands raising in defense as she spoke, "I didn't think I'd ever have a reason not to but I realize I was wrong now" Finnick nodded slowly not understanding how anyone could trust that snake of a man. Especially after the rumors he'd heard.

"What do you think now?" Finnick asked, voice softening as his eyes bore into the girl.

"I don't know what to think anymore" Rosewyn conceded, not able to look into the eyes of the boy she'd seen suffer through so much at the capitols hand. 

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