✮ ༄ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ༄✮
ACT II CHAPTER 14
( i knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs )

EVELYN RESTED HER HEAD ON FINNICK'S CHEST AS HE LIGHTLY TRACED STAR SHAPES ON HER FOREARM BEFORE TWIRLING STRANDS OF HER HAIR BETWEEN HIS FINGERS. She listened to his steady heartbeat, sending her a calming sensation instead of the worries blowing up inside her mind.

The pair stayed like that all night, barely getting any sleep due to the Games beginning very soon. Finnick was cuddling Evelyn, and that was all the comfort they needed.

The orange sun seeped through the thin curtains, letting the two know in just a few hours they'd be sent to their deaths again.

Evelyn didn't want to lose him. She can't. She's already lost someone to the Games before... her brother... Eve cannot deal with the love of her life's death if it comes down to that. She won't.

"Finnick?" She softly spoke, earning a hum in response, "Promise you'll stay with me in the arena?"

"I'll come looking for you in a heartbeat, I promise."

The blonde smiled at his words, feeling his grip tighten around her in assurance. But before they could make anymore conversation, or just listen to one another's breathing, Raven knocked on the door.

After a few minutes of separating, Evelyn changed into her arena suit. It was obvious to her by the thinness of the fabric that the arena will have something to do with tropical or hot weather.

The two District Four Tributes met again at the exit, bidding their goodbyes to Zane and Raven.

Evelyn and Raven hugged first before she moved onto a sober Zane who had water stinging his eyes. Both shared a sorrowful grin until he wrapped his arms around her.

For the past years, Evelyn has seen Zane as a father figure. He's a better one than her real dad in her eyes, and in everyone else's. And over the time, the oldest mentor saw Eve as a daughter to him. Besides getting drunk, it was the best feeling ever.

Zane finally pulled away and tried his best not to let the tears fall. Two people he's mentored... back in The Games again.

Evelyn and Finnick turned, now facing each other, and immediately engulfed in one another's embrace. His arms wrapped around her middle, holding her in a way of saying he never wanted to let go. And she didn't either.

"Eve, we'll be okay. Everything's going to be fine." Finnick whispered in her hair, getting a nod in response as the pair pulled away.

While they walked out their large apartment, they shared one more glance with smiles resting across their lips, then went different ways. Evelyn going with Ezra, and Finnick going with Angelina.

The elevator ride was quiet. Understandable, but silent. Evelyn assumed it's because her stylist will want to speak when Peacekeepers aren't listening in.

A small hiss was caused once the elevator door slid open. The rumbles coming from the hovercraft were loud enough for Evelyn to not understand the Peacekeepers welcoming her.

Walking into the flying vehicle and strapping herself in a seat, a man came up to them. Eve already knew what to do, even when he announced 'your tracker'. She held her arm out and a needle was stuck inside her right arm. There was a white highlight glowing in her veins before disappearing.

The needle against Evelyn felt like nothing compared to the injuries she's gotten before. Dropping her arm onto the arm rest, the hovercraft flew off.

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It took under ten minutes to arrive at the new centre, but if she was to walk it would've taken hours upon hours.

The room around them echoed after walking across a tunnel. This year, everyone's allowed one token... Evelyn is wearing three. Ezra slipped her blue bracelet around her wrist before adding another bracelet that she's never seen before.

Furrowing her brows, she asked, "What's that?" looking closely at the design. Gold waves were clashed against each other.

"That is Haymitch's, there were two made. One for you, one for Finnick." The stylist explained, "It's too show Katniss and Peeta you're allies... mainly Katniss because even though she wanted you as an ally, she won't trust you unless you have this." He pointed at the jewellery.

Evelyn grinned to herself at the thought of Katniss picking her out of the bunch. The coldness of her necklace pressed against her skin beneath her suit.

"Sixty seconds to launch." A man called out over the PA.

Evelyn dreaded ever hearing that voice again. The sound that began haunting her what-if's and nightmares. Her heart pounded inside her chest as she held back the shaky breaths needing to escape her mouth.

When Ezra noticed, he brought her in for one last hug. The blonde let out her sighs and treasured this moment, because it might be the last time she ever hugs him.

Even the Star of the Capitol has doubts about this rebellion.

After pulling away, the pair shared a teary smile, "Remember, find Finnick and everything will be okay. If you can't, find Johanna." He told. Evelyn nodded.

"Ten seconds to launch."

Ezra pressed a kiss against her forehead, as if saying goodbye, but not forever.

Evelyn eyed the glass before stepping in it. The claustrophobic feeling settling in once the container sealed shut.

He kissed his index finger and middle finger at the same time and pressed it against the glass. Evelyn did the same, until the tube began lifting.

Darkness consumed her eyesight as negative thoughts raced inside her mind. But when the brightness of the sky appeared, she took a deep breath, and looked around when the podium stopped.

Water flooded around the middle of the Cornucopia while a rainforest brimmed the edge of the ocean. The usual orange timer sat above the weapons place and rubbled walkways were placed between each Tribute.

Evelyn was placed between Gloss and Enobaria. Great, two Careers.

This arena was not only special, but insanely suitable for her. The blonde woman couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Eve can swim (thanks to the ocean in District Four) and can run incredibly fast.

Panic overcame the relief when she couldn't find Finnick. Luckily, she found Peeta who was on the other side of Gloss.

Setting her cold glare in front, Evelyn was ready. She never thought she'd be, but she was. Although the knifes were distant, Eve managed to catch view of them as the objects glimmered from the sun-light shooting down at it.

"Let the seventy-fifth Hunger Games begin. May the odds be ever in your favour." Claudius' voice boomed above everyone.

Evelyn always knew that sentence meant crap, but maybe... maybe this time the odds are in her favour. Unless it's just luck. Then those words mean nothing.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

BOOM.

As soon as she heard the cannon fire, Evelyn dived head first into the water and swam as fast as she could, making sure she'd save some energy for running as well.

Once she reached a stone wall, she stopped swimming and climbed up it. Evelyn barley had chance to look at her fellow Tributes while darting down the walkway, but everyone around her stopped for merely a second by seeing how fast she ran.

Reaching the Cornucopia and securing a belt of knifes around her waist, wet padded footsteps were jogging up behind her as a Victor from District Eight yelled.

Evelyn spun around, immediately gripping onto a knife and stuck the blade in the person's throat. Scarlet drops splattered across her face as she pulled the weapon out and the man Tribute dropped to the ground.

BOOM.

All of a sudden, someone grasped Evelyn's arm. With a fearful expression, she turned around and held the knife towards the person's throat.

"Calm down, it's just me sweetheart." Finnick told and leant his head back so the blade wouldn't connect with his neck.

Eve instantly lowered her weapon, eyes widened slightly, "Sorry." she apologetically spoke. Finnick nodded and was about to say something, but stopped when shouts left her mouth.

"Finnick, move!"

Just as she instructed, he moved out the way, and Evelyn threw a knife into a Tribute's chest. But the human had already let go of his spear which was twirling in the air. The blonde woman barely dodged it, getting sliced across her arm.

Hissing in pain, her hand held the wound and examine the amount of blood sinking into her palm. It wasn't a lot thank goodness. The spear only grazed her.

Finnick's eyes widened in terror, quickly going to her aid and gently holding her hurt arm. "I'm okay, I'm okay." Evelyn assured, "We need to find Katniss before she disappears." Finnick nodded in agreement.

The Tribute gurgled his last breath then dropped to the ground. Evelyn retrieved her knife and firmly held it as the booming sound of death fired.

The pair from District Four rushed to the other side of the Cornucopia and stopped in their tracks at the sight of Katniss firing an arrow in a Tribute's leg, making him dive into the water for safety.

Katniss felt two presence's behind her. She whizzed around, lacing an arrow in her bow and pointed it between Evelyn and Finnick.

The duo held up their wrists and flexed the gold charms off. The girl readjusted her grip on the bow as confusion set in.

"Good thing we're allies, right?" Finnick smirked.

"Where did you get that?" Katniss frowned, looking back and fourth at Evelyn and Finnick. Eve sent her a light grin and wiggled her fingers as a wave.

"Where do you think?" He shot back. Both District Four members saw a Tribute sneaking up on Katniss. Since her arm was aching slightly, Evelyn decided to let Finnick deal with it. "Duck."

The Girl on Fire crouched down when Finnick threw his trident into the human's stomach. Evelyn heard Katniss gasp while the man grunted in pain, and dropped dead.

BOOM.

"Don't trust one and two. Me and Finnick will take this side, you can hold them off here." Evelyn said, "I'll go search for lover boy."

Evelyn and Finnick ran side by side, avoiding or killing Tributes that got in their way. Then, her attention was gained towards Peeta and the male from District Six fighting in the water.

"Go get Katniss!" She shouted Finnick's way. He nodded and went off.

Evelyn dived into the water, her body barley noticeable to Finnick and Katniss who arrived where she originally was.

Peeta and the other Tribute were squirming and thrashing about so Eve didn't haven't the best chance of not trying to hurt the District Twelve boy. So, she revealed herself.

As Peeta began climbing up the podium - slipping off every time by the wetness - Evelyn placed her hands on the other boy's shoulders and spun him around. She punched him in the face so he would lower his guard. But before she could draw out a knife, he hit her back and sunk them both underneath the ocean.

Evelyn managed to escape his grasp and stabbed him multiple times, blooding pooling out of his body and mixing with the water. She could barley hear the muffled cannon sounding and Finnick's worried yells.

Before Finnick could jump in, Evelyn gasped loudly after no longer holding her breath under water. He let out a sigh of relief at seeing her alive.

Eve brought Peeta to the surface and helped him up the pathway. After her turn, arms instantly engulfed around her body.

"Don't you ever do that again." Finnick softly spoke, worry etched in his tone, "Are you okay?" He pulled away and began searching for any injuries.

"Finn, I'm fine." Evelyn let out a short chuckle, "He hit me, you believe that shit?" she jokingly put. The blonde watched as the Careers were talking from a distance and surprisingly not trying to kill them. Odd.

Johanna, Beetee and Wiress were know where to be found. Evelyn just hoped none of them were dead.

What brought her eyes to look back at Finnick's was his thumb brushing over the place where she was punched. Although Evelyn's in an arena where she could die at any given moment and is supposed to be frightened, butterflies fluttered around her stomach, washing over any bad emotion.

"Good thing you killed him, right?" He smirked and lowered his arm.

Evelyn sarcastically rolled her eyes, "Right, weirdo." she faced a heavy breathing Peeta and Katniss who were either collecting their breath back, or watching the pair in awe. "Come on, let's get the hell off this island."

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fourteen complete !!