Author's Note: Well I guess this story kind of happened because I am tired of too much angsty Annie x Finnick stories.
Enjoy!
Annie Cresta promised herself one thing: She would never venture out into California alone ever. The city being described as dangerous was an understatement. An hour after her arrival, some tourist tailed her outside the airport. They began walking side by side. Something was obviously wrong though when he almost grabbed her by the arm. Next thing she knew, she was running out into the streets hoping that he lost track of her. When she was sure he was out of sight, she looked up at her map only to find out she was in the middle of nowhere. It took her hours to get herself back on track. It might have been smarter to ask for directions but she was too paranoid to do so. Rule of the streets is: Trust no one.
So she walked for hours on end until she stumbled upon a neon sign. Annie squinted. Yup, this was it. The apartment her aunt had spent all her savings on. And it looked barely livable. Paint peeled off at the sides. The porch was covered in grime. And the windows, appeared to be holes because they were kind of, really broken or just nonexistent. According to her mother, her Aunt Effie used to be normal. Over the years, her sense of taste had upgraded. In short, it spiraled out of control. She hadn't witnessed it though since her aunt secluded herself for the last decade.
Annie knocked at the scratched door. Is that wolf marks? "Hello? Anybody home?"
"Who is it?" A man hissed.
"I'm Annie Cresta the new renter of an upstairs bedroom. I was told by my aunt, Effie Trinket that you had a vacant room. Is she there?"
"Effie!" He growled, "There's an Annie Cresta at the door! Says you're renting a room upstairs. What in blazes do you think you're doing? Where am I supposed to sleep?" Sounds of glass shattering permeated across the room.
"Don't you live on the basement now? We can barely survive with my salary alone. We're not going to make it to the end of the year! It also doesn't help that a certain drunkard is spending all my money on beer bottles!"
"We'd have more income if you stopped buying cosmetics. You're not even pretty."
"Don't you dare use that line on me mister. If you got a job we wouldn't be in this situation. If only you didn't quit, we could have had-" She lets out a long sigh, "I'm sorry. Forget I said that. Now where is Annie?"
"By the door" He says nonchalantly.
"What? You must have terrified the poor girl. Move aside, we must politely welcome our guest."
The door opened revealing a clown. Effie had too-much make-up her face was so white and her lips were too red. Her clothes however were pink and really frilly. It looked just like what her enemy; Cashmere would have worn, except they were nine. On Effie it looked like an oversized lavender tutu with too many ribbons. "Good evening sweetheart. I'm Effie Trinket. You're going to love it in here darling. We're going to have so much fun."
Annie blinked, "Oh. Hi. Wow." If Annie thought things couldn't get worse well It just did. The outside was nothing compared to the inside. The floorboards had holes that she wondered how Effie could walk in her heels and not fall off. Wallpapers were literally torn apart. Black gooey substances littered the sides of the wall. She even spotted a few roaches walking along in a straight line. When she walked in, a gust of unidentifiable stench attacked her nostrils. "Sorry this is rude of me to ask but, what is that stench?"
"Beer bottle smell mixed with grime." His back was to her while he stumbled to the basement. "Trust me sweetheart, you're going to regret staying here." He says before the door slammed shut behind him.
"Well we don't have much." Effie coughed, "But its better than staying out in the streets. Poor girl like you wouldn't last a night out there alone. Lucky for you, I'm here to the rescue."
"Thank you. I guess."
"Oh, how rude of me. You must be tired from carrying all that stuff. Hand them over I'll take them to your room." Effie yanked the suitcase from her hands. "Now come along dearie."
Annie made her way up the almost broken staircase to the second floor. The floor wasn't as messy as downstairs in fact it could pass up as a proper house. The floors were wet suggesting Effie might have just mopped the place. She let out a sigh of relief. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
"Are you married to that guy?"
"For goodness sakes of course not! Who would be married to that oaf?!" Effie balked, "His name's Haymitch. He's just a bit short-tempered and not so friendly. He'll be nice once you get to know him."
"What's up with him? Why is he such-" Annie fidgeted uncomfortably.
"An asshole?" Effie cut her off, "Well he came from a terrible divorce. It's really not so bad because his wife was a bitch. She told me that my sense of fashion was way out of line. 'Well at least I had clothes' was what I told her. I don't understand why some women get dressed in pieces of cloth. Must be stuck in poverty, the poor thing."
"I think it's a trend. Guys fall for the flirts more. It must feel really good to be flattered even if the compliments aren't true at all."
My sister, Lily was every man's type. She was smart, beautiful and sporty. I felt like an ugly duckling for half of my life because people kept asking me if I was adopted. She dated a senior athlete and everybody thought it was a happily ever after. Except for me, he would always be sucking her face once they were alone. He even tried to take a peek while she was showering. Something's really wrong in a relationship if there's too much lust. My sister never noticed it cause she was too much of a good girl. Meanwhile, I assume the worst in people- complete opposites.
"Something tells me we're going to get along really well Annie."
"I heard that!" Haymitch bellowed from below.
"Here we are." Effie said as she pushed open the door with her shoulder.
The bedroom had a feminine feeling to it. The walls were covered in fresh paint with a big window at the bedside. Her mattress was covered in a pink comforter. Shelves were covered in fashion magazines and a table with enough room for her laptop. If this used to be Haymitch's room then Effie must have worked like a zombie to get it to look like she owned the place.
"Well? Do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it. Thank you so much. You don't know how grateful I am for this. It's really nice of you to do all this."
"Make yourself feel at home. The bathroom is down the hall we don't have hot water though. I better get downstairs to prepare dinner," She dropped the suitcases to the bed. "Do you like pizza?"
"I'd love it. Thank you. I'd like to offer my help though seeing as exchange for all this."
"Nonsense, take your time and rest. It must have been a long day if this is your first time in California. The city is overwhelming."
Annie sat down on the bed and scanned the room. She pulled out her tablet and went online to find information about Stanford's new swimming program. She loved swimming, everyone knew that. Competing professionally had helped her buy MAC laptop. Her parents couldn't afford any gadget. Heck, they couldn't afford internet connection or landline until she was in 7th grade.
They weren't that poor but her parents always had to save up for Lily's ice skating career. Having a figure skating sister with a skyrocketing career isn't always what people would expect. She had to adjust to her sister's diet while moving schools all the time. It got so demanding that in 3rd grade she started homeschooling thus ending her social life. It wasn't all that bad. Her sister was amazing. It was worth it seeing her dazzle thousands of people. But Lily's needs were always on the top agenda so Annie wasn't used to anyone putting her first.
She had no opportunity for a life for herself until she got a scholarship from Stanford. Books became her companion while she traveled around the country. Extracurricular weren't a problem either. Competing competitively as an independent in all high school swimming gigs helped her get the recognition she wanted. It could get pretty sad though. No friend was permanent in her life. For once, she wanted a normal life where she stayed long enough for people to know her. Or to find out she exists. She wanted to get drunk, go to parties and live a life. So she begged her parents to let her go, and they did. They had to check up on her every day as a condition. This was what she hoped to accomplish as she went online in Skype.
"Honey, you've been gone for a day and I'm missing you already. How is California? Is it as glamorous as you imagined? Was the travel okay? I hope you didn't encounter anyone dangerous. I always told you not to talk to strangers. How are your tenants? I hope they're nice."
"It was really dangerous. I met a burglar and he pointed a gun at me. I got away safely but I think he followed me so he might murder me tonight. My tenants are really nice. Your sister, Effie's actually a clown being abused by this drunkard called Haymitch. We're really close. In fact, Haymitch invited me to a pub tonight. I have to go because he can get pretty abusive when he doesn't get what he wants." I say dryly.
"I'm getting a plane right now. You are going to go back home right now young lady."
"Don't! I was joking. That was a joke." Well some of it.
"Well it's not a good joke." She said bitterly. "We are really, really worried about you, honey. I don't understand why you would go as far as the United States to go to college when you're from Europe. Your sister even volunteered to pay for your college fees now that she's got sponsors."
"I don't want her money Mom." Annie sighed. "I got a scholarship on one of the most prestigious universities. Can't you be a little bit happier for me?"
"What about the house is it okay? Is your room alright? Did they set you up with a roommate?"
"The house is…. decent. That doesn't even begin to cover it." I laughed sarcastically, "But my room's alright. It's pretty girly. I don't have roommates so its pretty awesome."
"Are you sure? Your sister can get someone over there if living alone is too much. I even know a nice hotel in California-"
"Mom, just drop it. Seriously I'm okay. Besides it'll be dangerous if people start finding out I'm related to Lily Cresta, the Olympic figure skating favorite."
"That's not a problem. You're sister's a sweetheart."
"Exactly, tons of guys would flirt with me to get to her. They might be really hot so I won't be able to resist them. They'll get in my pants and I wouldn't be able to do anything cause they're too hot. My young life will be nothing but a cycle of getting laid with guys that have apparently no interest in me." I say dramatically.
"That's not funny either. I'm your mom. We really miss you Annie. Lily wants to talk to you."
"Hey Annie! How's California? Heard they have the best outfits there. Could you get a stylist for yourself? You're mandatory attendance to my party requires a great outfit."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny. I'm saying yes to the party but not to the stylist. California's not so glamorous. Some burglar almost stole my bag but I'm okay right now. My rooms really girly. The people living here are really weird though. Our Aunt Effie just upgraded her sense of style while the other's a drunk. I don't think I can trust them."
"I think you'll be okay. Just give them a second chance they might not be as scary as you think."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you have a sixth sense that tells you whether to trust people or not. It's always right. And apparently it told you to trust them a little bit because you're in their house." She said knowingly, "You were right about Brad."
"Your boyfriend?"
"Ex-boyfriend." She corrected. "I caught him making out with a girl in his car. It was really, really traumatizing."
"She must be really desperate. Brad uses his van as a bin for his pizza boxes and sodas. I imagine she was covered in mold once they finished whatever it is that they started. Told you that guy's too good for you. You should go get someone I approve of."
The problem with Lily was that she was too much of a hopeless romantic. When she falls in love, she has it bad. Even if the guy was a complete jackass she would never notice because of her utter devotion for him. One time Brad ended up in a pub full of cheerleaders. He got away by telling Lily he imagined it was her he was making out with. Pathetic.
She tried to imagine what he was doing right now. Probably he'd drinking in the middle of the streets. He'd be hitting on anything wearing a skirt. Not that a girl would stay long enough to be with him. Or would want to be with him. It wouldn't be long until he'd get kicked out of university. Brad could barely stay up to finish reading a book chapter. He was such an airhead that Annie wondered what anybody her sister could see in him.
"I'm flattered that you admit I'm right. But my sixth sense isn't always right 100% of the time."
"When wasn't it right?"
"It wasn't right when I trusted him." I said bitterly.
"I'm not so sure about that." She coughed, "Anyway mom sent someone to check up on you. You'll meet her pretty soon. I'm not allowed to tell you who it is except that it's a family friend."
My eyes turned into saucers. If my parents found out how insane her aunt's house was her college life would be over. "Is she coming over here?"
"I don't think so. You'll meet her at school so she has no business on where your living whatsoever. At least, I hope she doesn't have any interest."
"That's reassuring."