"Throw the bouquet, Kat!"
130Please respect copyright.PENANAlJeZud3M6B
Seventeen-year-old Primrose Everdeen pulled at her older sister's hand, blonde ringlets bobbing against her shoulders and flowery giggles blossoming from her painted lips. The freshly married Katniss Mellark gave a soft laugh, standing from her seat, shooting a wink at her husband, and latching her slender fingers around the beautifully arranged bouquet.
130Please respect copyright.PENANABADqEyM8oZ
"I suppose..."
130Please respect copyright.PENANAA6mQgvSUjG
Prim gave a squeal of excitement and clapped her hands, trailing behind her sister to the center of the crowded room, soon joined by Rue, whose face shimmered with the same childlike thrill as Prim's did, Madge, Glimmer, Finch, and Johanna, who claimed she was only joining the others to supervise the situation, to which Katniss scoffed, and Clove rolled her eyes from her spot across the room, where she sat beside Cato, piece of half-finished red velvet cake left upon the china plate before her. She'd kicked off her strappy heels beneath the table thirty minutes before, leaving her tiny feet bare, much to Glimmer's obvious disdain, though Clove couldn't care less the thought others had about her, much less those of her tactless best friend.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAgRWm0DHxOP
Her boyfriend's warm fingers stopped the lazy circles they'd been tracing against the bare of her back, his palm pressing to her skin as he tilted over, breath hot against her earlobe.
130Please respect copyright.PENANA9y1iFmD8ZC
"You should probably go join the others before Sergeant Johanna 'I don't do love' Mason comes over here and drags you by your hair."
130Please respect copyright.PENANA5VpiWvUyQh
Clove groaned, getting to her feet and shaking her head in her boyfriend's overall direction. Her bare feet lugged her forward, the lavender trim of her bridesmaid dress grazing her toes as her eyes narrowed in on the bouncing form of the youngest Everdeen sister, who turned to seize her wrist and yank her forward, depositing her between Madge and Glimmer.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAgpXPdhcvVJ
"This is dumb," Clove moaned, propping her hands on her hips, watching as Katniss adjusted her full tulle skirt, lifting her head to pin her with a playful glare.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAMkx2e3xccg
"Dumb or not, it's my wedding; therefore, as a member of my wedding party, you have to listen to what I say," she gave a smirk, adjusting the clutch of flowers in her hands. "Alright, is everyone over here who wants to be?"
130Please respect copyright.PENANAgh4BTxRCpe
A few girls nodded assent from the multitude of dresses and hairsprayed hair as Katniss turned her back to her group of friends.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAU0NXj2K4wa
"Ok, I'll count backward from three." Katniss lifted the flowers above her head. "Three, two, one..."
130Please respect copyright.PENANAjxVzOnEqe4
Instead of tossing it into the mob of girls, she twisted on the ball of her foot, taking three steps forward and shoving it into the unprepared hands of the barefoot bridesmaid behind her.
130Please respect copyright.PENANA4hTKMTtCgm
Clove's nose scrunched in confusion, her eyes raising to Katniss's as the bride smirked, nodding her head behind the perplexed brunette before her.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAoa7MGKVy0o
Clove's eyes widened, the pieces connecting within her head as she pivoted on her heel, gaze landing on her boyfriend, who had at some point during her utter confusion dropped down to one knee, black box balanced within his hands.
130Please respect copyright.PENANARiWjfDcYRe
No words left his smirking mouth, no time for him to utter even a syllable, for Clove had concealed her face in her hands and turned from him, taking maybe a step before she sank to the floor, one hand leaving her face to prop against the floor, the other dropping to cover her mouth, displaying the tears springing up in her wide hazel eyes.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAYrIcEcaEeL
Cato opened his mouth but again was left in silence as Clove's face twisted in a sob, her entire dress-clad body trembling.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAJYKg5VIqBY
"Clover," Cato started, letting out a slight laugh at her crumpled form. "Will you marry me?"
130Please respect copyright.PENANAENDuVfQJ9C
Clove's lower lip trembled, and she hardly gave a tiny nod before springing forward on her knees, flinging herself into Cato's arms, her own locking around his neck as he lowered himself completely to the floor.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAvu51MVyDTh
"O-oh, I lo-love you..." Her voice slipped her lips as a whimper, muffled against the collar of his crisp white button-up as his hand ran up her back.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAKg7sQGXQS8
"I love you too, baby," he pressed his lips to the side of her head, his fingers sliding along the seams of her lavender dress.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAfeS9crSvqr
Clove extracted her face from the crook of his neck, tears glistening along her flushed cheeks, her baby-pink lips spreading into a grin as her boyfriend-turned-fiance refocused his attention to the box in his hand, his fingers latching around the silver band and withdrawing it from its plush home.
130Please respect copyright.PENANA8qU6l3EINF
His fingers found her left hand, drawing it up and sliding the ring over her ring finger, fixing the small diamond over her milky skin.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAWVwvbTqnFb
Clove stared at it for hardly a moment before she turned to him again, lips stretching wider and countering the tears upon her cheeks as she settled her hands on the sides of her new fiance's face and tilted forward, instilling a firm kiss upon his lips.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAqM0v5kAaoZ
When she drew back, fingers still settled over the golden stubble of his jaw, he grinned at her.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAhiGgb9gLjb
"Still dumb now?" Clove turned her head, her dark tear-filled eyes meeting Katniss Everdeen's mischievous gray ones.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAOQSS76fUTB
"All of you assholes knew about this?" Clove raised her fingers to her cheek, swiping at the damp trails and fixing the bride with a playful eye roll.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAxngDfN8cYu
"All of us assholes helped plan your engagement...you're welcome, by the way," Johanna sneered, propping her fists on her hips, head cocked to the side.
130Please respect copyright.PENANACV0upeXHQF
Clove rolled her eyes yet again, though her lips remained in a perfect grin.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAc0a0kH53Km
"Thank you, I suppose,"
130Please respect copyright.PENANAn6C0DhsoWG
"You're welcome, I suppose, Clove Hadley,"
130Please respect copyright.PENANA7d9etYhIr3
Clove shook her head but tightened her arms around the neck of the chuckling blonde, her mind lost in thoughts about the ring on her finger, the multicolored bouquet at her side, and the boy holding her in his lap, whose last name and life she'd take forever.
130Please respect copyright.PENANAsV6WYceLo2
As dumb as she thought the bouquet toss was, she had to admit she was pretty damn glad she had agreed to take part in this one.
ns 172.69.214.82da2