A/N: Hey everyone! So I deleted my old story Lighthouse so I could redo it. Welcome to my official story, Lighthouse! I'm so excited and I've got big plans for this story. I'm making it a series, so it may go kind of slow, just to let you know. This is my first legit fanfic, so please help me out by telling me what I should work on/what you like/what you don't like in a review. No flames, but I adore constructive criticism. Dropping a review gives me such inspiration to write, seriously. It's most likely all gonna be Annie POV, and I'll put the ages of Annie and Finn at the top so there's never confusion there. So, without further ado, welcome to Lighthouse, I hope you stick with it! :)

I'm only gonna do the disclaimer once, just because I'm a forgetful person.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games or anything associated with it. I don't own any songs I use in the titles of my chapters.

Fall is here, hear the yell
Back to school, ring the bell
Brand new shoes, walking blues
Climb the fence, books and pens
I can tell that we are going to be friends

We're Going To Be Friends ~ Jack Johnson

Annie: 5 Finnick: 6

"Momma, I don't wanna go! Can't I stay home and go fishing with Daddy?" I had been begging my mom all morning to let me stay home, to no avail.

"Annalise, please. Don't you want to go to your first day of school?" She looks at me with pleading eyes, hoping I would somehow be swayed.

"No, Momma, I don't know anyone!" I knew that this fight was a lost cause, but I'm stubborn.

"Annie, you can go make some new friends. Hurry now, you don't want to be late. Daddy and the fishes will be here when you get home." She hurries me over to the door, where my older brother and sister are standing, waiting for me patiently. My older brother, Aaron, holds his hand out for me, and I clutch onto it tightly. He's six years older than me, and my sister Liesel is two years his minor. Liesel opens the door, and we all make our way out.

"Goodbye kids! Have a good first day of school!" My mother calls from the door, and I turn around to wave once more, as do Liesel and Aaron.

We walk in silence for a few blocks until Liesel finally breaks the quiet by saying, "Excited for your first day of kindergarten Ann?"

"No Liesel, I'm scared! What if no one likes me?" I ask, tears pricking my eyes and my lip trembling.

"They'll love you Annie Bananie!" Aaron says, grinning. He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder, while I giggle hysterically the whole time. He carries me like this until we finally arrive at the school. The building is large and rather plain. It's tan, nothing really special like I had always imagined.

Aaron puts me down, and kneels to look me in the eyes. Liesel bends down as well, pushing my dark wavy hair out of my eyes, as it always falls in my face.

"Have fun Ann! I'll see you after school, okay?" Liesel says in a soft voice, kissing me on the cheek before heading off to join a group of her friends who are calling her name. I turn my full attention to Aaron, who grabs both of my hands and swings them back and forth.

"I have to go now Annie. I'll meet you right here when school ends, and we can go fishing with Dad later, okay?" He looks worried, but has a huge grin on his face, as he usually does. I smile back at him before throwing my arms around his neck and giving him a huge hug. He returns the embrace, wrapping his arms around my small torso easily.

"You always give the greatest hugs Annie Bananie!" He lets go of me, and is gone. I walk into the large building, and follow the directions Aaron had made me memorize weeks in advance.

Turn right, walk straight, last door on the right. I repeat it to myself over and over, afraid I'll somehow forget.

When I arrive at the designated door, I open it as quietly as possible and tiptoe in. I put my backpack in a cubby, and sit down in an empty desk. The day is boring, and by recess time, I want to go home.

"Class, we're going to go outside for recess. Come along." My teacher, Mrs. Laskins instructs, as she shows us the way to the playground.

I hadn't talked much all day, so I didn't really make any friends. I am very shy and quiet, so I decide I will play by myself. I decide I want to draw with chalk, and soon enough I find a whole container of various colors of it. I reached out to grab a blue piece when a voice catches my attention.

"Hey, that's mine!"

Confused, I look around. I see a boy around my age staring at me, blue green eyes wide, bronze hair all messed up. I looked around to see if he is looking at anyone else, but find I am the only possible person he could be referring to. I point to myself with the chalk, and ask, "Are you talking to me?"

He frowns, obviously annoyed. "Who else would I be talking to?"

I feel dumb for asking such a silly question. My cheeks heat up, and I shrug. "I don't know."

"That's my chalk." He says, crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

"No it's not." I say, frustrated. "It's for everyone."

"I found it first!" He says, clearly upset.

"Can't we share?" I ask, picking up the container, and offering it to him, as a sign of peace.

His face softens, and he nods. "I guess."

I smile at him, and he smiles back. He, like me, is missing two of his front teeth. I examine him more closely, noticing his skin is tanned, and his eyes are the exact color of the ocean.

"I'm Annie Cresta." I say, extending my hand out to him.

"Finnick Odair." He replies, returning the gesture, and shaking my hand.

We draw pictures of our families, the ocean, each other. My green jumper soon has chalk dust all over, as does Finnick's black pants. We don't care though, we're too busy coloring and laughing and talking. Too soon, the bell rings.

"Wanna be friends Annie?" He says, realizing our time together is over.

"How about best friends forever?" I say, grinning from ear to ear.

"Forever?" He seems shocked by the concept, but excited, with wide eyes gleaming.

"Yup!" I chirp back, excited I found a new friend.

He nods, and I tell him there was only one way to seal the deal. I spit on my hand, and extend it to him. He looks at my hand, disgusted.

"Finnick, it's the only way! Don't be a baby!" I tease him. Immediately, the repulsion of my saliva covered hand disappears and his own spit is mixing with mine as we shake hands.

We go our separate ways, me to my kindergarten room and him to his first grade classroom, and suddenly the school day goes much faster. I'm excited after meeting Finnick, and can't wait to tell my siblings I have made a new friend.

Finally, the last bell rings, and I run to meet my brother and sister. Aaron is already waiting for me in the front of the school, and Liesel soon joins us. I babble on and on about Finnick Odair, chalk, and spit shaking on our friendship all the way home.

A/N: SOOOO? YES? NO? Review please lovelies! :)

XOXO,

make-each-day-count