I undo the first top buttons of my blue shirt and sit on the edge of my bed, rubbing my throat. I swear that collar was going to strangle me. Though the color looked very District 4. I can't take my mind off how beautiful Ariel looked tonight, and on our anniversary, no less.

Confusion fills the moment she broke up with me. What went through her mind to make her think that would lessen the pain? Tomorrow we will be thrust into the arena. Arial will still be with the careers. I don't trust they will keep her for very long. My head is spinning. I can't think straight.

Suddenly, Ariel bursts through the door. I am surprised but all I can do is stare at her as she catches her breath. She is still in her dress, but she looks as if she has been running because her hair is messed up. Mascara runs down her face.

"Are you crying?" I ask. She bites her lip and nods shakily. I stand up and she walks forward, tripping once over her dress. She looks so small when she gazes up at me.

"I-I," she stutters," I'm so sorry."

She looks down and starts bawling. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around her and pull her in close, the way I did every time she was sad.

"I'm so sorry!" she cries. "I should never have pushed you away. I was so scared. I still am."

"Shh," I whisper, stroking her hair. "It's ok. Calm down."

"It's not ok," she says into my shirt.

"Ok then, I forgive you."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

I feel Ariel wrap her arms around me and press her ear to my chest, probably listening to my heartbeat.

"I love you too," she says quietly. I place my hand under her chin to tilt her face upward and kiss her. Her lips taste of salt from her tears, but that just makes me hold her tighter. I guess ever since the reaping, tension has just been building and building. These games have done nothing but tear us apart.

"I'm so scared," she whispers. "I want to go home."

"I know. It's hard. But, it will be ok," is all I can say. I can't say, "We'll make it," or," We will go home."

If I do then I would be lying. There is no "we" anymore. I know that we are doomed. It is so unreal, but right there in front of our faces. Ariel doesn't take this kind of harsh reality well. When the fishing accident happened, she couldn't stop crying for days. She had to be medicated just so she did not get sick from sleep deprivation.

I wish there is something I can do to comfort her more. Something to let her know I'll always be hers, no matter what happens in the arena.

The bracelet!

"It probably won't mean the traditional deal," I whisper into her hair. "But I might as well say it now."

Ariel looks down as I slip the bracelet onto her wrist, and then looks back up as I lower onto one knee. I never imagined I would be proposing in the middle of the Capitol, the day before we are thrust into the Hunger Games.

"Will yo-"

"Yes!" Ariel cries, falling to her knees and throwing her arms around my neck. I can't help but laugh softly. She buries her face into the crook of my neck and shoulder and hugs me tightly.

"It's not like we'll ever be married though," she says slowly. I pull away from her then I take her face in my hands.

"No matter what happens," I say, stroking her cheek with my thumb, "You will always be my wife to me."

Ariel places her hands on mine and closes her eyes, breathing in deeply.

"I have something to give you too," she says quietly. "I was going to give it to you on our anniversary too, but then we…fought…and I forgot about it. It's in my room."

"Get it later," I whisper and kiss her again. She laughs.

"What," I ask.

"If you kiss me again," she says, "we may end up consummating our 'marriage' right here."

I raise an eyebrow at her and then open my mouth to say something but she places a finger on my lips and smiles.

"I really want you to kiss me again."

Author's Note: Don't hurt me! I know this chapter was UBER short. That's a good thing. Because I'm going to update the next chapter (In which the Games will start) sooner than usual.