I stand with my eyes closed breathing in the sea air. He should be here by now. He's never late. Why isn't he here? Calm down Annie, I tell myself. He'll come. I can't let myself become upset. Everything has been so good lately. I can't let those feelings come back and ruin everything.
Some time passes before I hear feet trudging through the sand. I open my eyes and spin around. "Finn! What took so long?" I ask smiling.
"Annie, Snow just came to my house…" Finnick began. My smile fades. Something is wrong, very wrong. The president doesn't just show at people's houses; not even victors.
"But, why?" I stammer.
"He wants me to- to work for the Capitol." Finnick says, voice shaking.
"Work?" I reply. "What more could you do?" Then it clicks. "NO. They can't!" I argue, tears streaming down my face. "They can't make you! They've already taken so much!"
He is fighting back tears now. "I know, but I don't have a choice. If I don't they'll take everyone I love. They'll take you." He retorts.
"Let them! Don't let them do this to you!" I cry.
"Annie, I love you. I don't want them to hurt you. Not again." He says, taking my hands. "Everything will be okay. Just let me protect you."
I break down sobbing. No no no. They can't take him away from me. Finnick is the only thing that keeps me together. When I'm with him all of those images go away. I hardly think about what happened in the arena. And now he's as good as gone.