p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It was a rainy, overcast day in August when Annie Cresta received the news that she was to marry a man she'd never met. Not a great day for the woman to say the least, but a day she'd known was coming all the less. The girl was almost eighteen, and she'd shown little interest in any boy who'd shown an interest in her. And one day her parents had gotten tired in their daughter's lazy search for a husband, and dutifully took up the task for them. Though honestly, the betrothed couple was probably lucky to have not known the other previously, because both had their own despicable qualities. She devoted her time to reading, music, and drawing, refusing to speak a word to anyone until she had finished, which wasn't exactly desirable in a fiancé. And he, being quite the social butterfly, flirted with every girl within a twenty foot radius, except of course, his new fiancé./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Just over a week later, the pair met for the first time, per arrangement of each one's parents. Annie Cresta was primped and polished in her sparkling green gown, matching perfectly her emerald eyes, and he, whom she discovered went by the name Thomas Trace, wore his most dashing suit, obviously dressed to impress. A polite smile from Annie served as a greeting to Thomas, who just smiled back and said a quick hello, introducing himself. They were in the large ballroom alone, something that would normally have hinted to the possibility of something scandalous happening, proved to just add to the air of mystery surrounding both of the teenagers./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" A minute passed, then two and three fell away, time ticking by agonizingly slowly in the painful silence. After the clocked swept over the mark indicating their fifth minute- Annie had been counting- Thomas blurted out in a nervous tone, the words obviously just slipping out./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""You look very pretty today, Ms. Cresta. I-I mean Annie. Can I call you that?" He paused, awaiting a response. Annie nodded curtly, and he continued. "Your parent's have told me a lot about you. I assume they've told you about me, yeah?"/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Annie bit her lip. They hadn't. Though she thought it might sound rude if she told them that until that morning, she didn't even know his name./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, yes." She lied with a slight smile, nodding before she went on. "They've told me loads about you, Thomas. But I do believe it'd be more interesting coming from you."/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" With a poor attempt at charming him and a way to now learn about this mystery man, Annie felt pleasantly satisfied with herself. And by the way his mouth was starting to part as if to speak, it seemed she'd done her job./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well, that's very sweet, Annie." He started, "But I'm afraid my story won't be as well spoken as your parents may have put it." Thomas warned with a slight laugh on his lips./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie just smiled, politely waiting as he told tales of everything from his family, which consisted of six younger brothers and his parents, to large fishing expeditions, where he'd caught a bit more than you'd expect. Some of the stories seemed a bit unrealistic, though entertaining nonetheless, so Annie never interrupted. She liked his voice, it was a smooth sound, one that rose and fell in pitch fluidly to match the tone he was trying to convey perfectly. A few times he'd accidentally let it slip that because he was nearing eighteen and had younger brothers who'd found someone they'd like to marry, the wedding between them wasn't on his agenda until recently, either. Though as he tried to strongly point out, she was "kind and ladylike—nothing like any other girl he'd talked to"./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" It was almost an hour later when he finished talking, and Annie had still not said a single word besides an occasional gasp of faux surprise or a laugh. In the course of that time, their conversation had moved from the middle of the spacious dance floor to the small bench at the piano, where they could sit comfortably, their bodies staying the modest few inches apart./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie's mother spoke next, entering the room just as Thomas asked for Annie's story; neither of the two realizing how much time had passed./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Children?" The mother asked, the sharp click-clack of her heels tapping across the room towards them. When she stopped, the mother was behind Annie, a gloved hand on her shoulder./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes?" The pair responded almost in unison, earning a quiet giggle from Annie at the timing./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It is time for Annie's piano lesson, Thomas. Your mother is waiting outside to take you home. I trust you had a good meeting?"/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, yes, Ma'am. This was lovely; might I be able to come speak with your daughter again some time?" Thomas asked politely, both him and Annie standing up from the bench. He faced her, taking her hand gently and pressing a kiss to the top of it./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie's mother nodded slowly, saying hesitantly. "Yes, may I escort you out?" He nodded. The mother looked to Annie. "Your usual tutor was sick today. A trusted friend of his will be coming instead, and he will be here any minute now, so make sure you're prepared."/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" And with that, she walked out of the room, Thomas walking a few paces behind her, as to not get lost. Annie's mother, Cornelia Cresta, was not a soft lady. She would always tell you her opinion, whether you liked it or not. And while her's and her daughter's personalities were near opposites, the two balanced each other out. Cornelia helped keep a more stable, organized life for Annie, and Annie helped Cornelia see the bits of life that she could afford to take lightly. /span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Just as her mother had promised, a replacement piano tutor came into the room just a minute later. He was tall and broad shouldered, with slicked back bronze hair, and the most beautiful eyes Annie could ever imagine she'd seen./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hello…" He greeted smoothly, the unnamed man with a warm smile on his lips, "My name is Finnick Odair, I assume you're Miss Annie Cresta?"/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Just over a week later, the pair met for the first time, per arrangement of each one's parents. Annie Cresta was primped and polished in her sparkling green gown, matching perfectly her emerald eyes, and he, whom she discovered went by the name Thomas Trace, wore his most dashing suit, obviously dressed to impress. A polite smile from Annie served as a greeting to Thomas, who just smiled back and said a quick hello, introducing himself. They were in the large ballroom alone, something that would normally have hinted to the possibility of something scandalous happening, proved to just add to the air of mystery surrounding both of the teenagers./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" A minute passed, then two and three fell away, time ticking by agonizingly slowly in the painful silence. After the clocked swept over the mark indicating their fifth minute- Annie had been counting- Thomas blurted out in a nervous tone, the words obviously just slipping out./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""You look very pretty today, Ms. Cresta. I-I mean Annie. Can I call you that?" He paused, awaiting a response. Annie nodded curtly, and he continued. "Your parent's have told me a lot about you. I assume they've told you about me, yeah?"/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Annie bit her lip. They hadn't. Though she thought it might sound rude if she told them that until that morning, she didn't even know his name./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, yes." She lied with a slight smile, nodding before she went on. "They've told me loads about you, Thomas. But I do believe it'd be more interesting coming from you."/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" With a poor attempt at charming him and a way to now learn about this mystery man, Annie felt pleasantly satisfied with herself. And by the way his mouth was starting to part as if to speak, it seemed she'd done her job./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well, that's very sweet, Annie." He started, "But I'm afraid my story won't be as well spoken as your parents may have put it." Thomas warned with a slight laugh on his lips./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie just smiled, politely waiting as he told tales of everything from his family, which consisted of six younger brothers and his parents, to large fishing expeditions, where he'd caught a bit more than you'd expect. Some of the stories seemed a bit unrealistic, though entertaining nonetheless, so Annie never interrupted. She liked his voice, it was a smooth sound, one that rose and fell in pitch fluidly to match the tone he was trying to convey perfectly. A few times he'd accidentally let it slip that because he was nearing eighteen and had younger brothers who'd found someone they'd like to marry, the wedding between them wasn't on his agenda until recently, either. Though as he tried to strongly point out, she was "kind and ladylike—nothing like any other girl he'd talked to"./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" It was almost an hour later when he finished talking, and Annie had still not said a single word besides an occasional gasp of faux surprise or a laugh. In the course of that time, their conversation had moved from the middle of the spacious dance floor to the small bench at the piano, where they could sit comfortably, their bodies staying the modest few inches apart./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie's mother spoke next, entering the room just as Thomas asked for Annie's story; neither of the two realizing how much time had passed./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Children?" The mother asked, the sharp click-clack of her heels tapping across the room towards them. When she stopped, the mother was behind Annie, a gloved hand on her shoulder./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Yes?" The pair responded almost in unison, earning a quiet giggle from Annie at the timing./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""It is time for Annie's piano lesson, Thomas. Your mother is waiting outside to take you home. I trust you had a good meeting?"/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Oh, yes, Ma'am. This was lovely; might I be able to come speak with your daughter again some time?" Thomas asked politely, both him and Annie standing up from the bench. He faced her, taking her hand gently and pressing a kiss to the top of it./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Annie's mother nodded slowly, saying hesitantly. "Yes, may I escort you out?" He nodded. The mother looked to Annie. "Your usual tutor was sick today. A trusted friend of his will be coming instead, and he will be here any minute now, so make sure you're prepared."/span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" And with that, she walked out of the room, Thomas walking a few paces behind her, as to not get lost. Annie's mother, Cornelia Cresta, was not a soft lady. She would always tell you her opinion, whether you liked it or not. And while her's and her daughter's personalities were near opposites, the two balanced each other out. Cornelia helped keep a more stable, organized life for Annie, and Annie helped Cornelia see the bits of life that she could afford to take lightly. /span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);" Just as her mother had promised, a replacement piano tutor came into the room just a minute later. He was tall and broad shouldered, with slicked back bronze hair, and the most beautiful eyes Annie could ever imagine she'd seen./span/p
p style="width: 500px; margin: 20px 20px 0px 0px;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Hello…" He greeted smoothly, the unnamed man with a warm smile on his lips, "My name is Finnick Odair, I assume you're Miss Annie Cresta?"/span/p