A/N: I just want to make you aware of a few things before you start reading this. First, I've rated this story as M just to be safe-let's be real the whole idea of the Hunger Games is horrifying, and a certain level of maturity is required to understand. This is not going to be an extremely graphic story, or one filled with smut. I tried to write with the same level of detail about these things as Suzanne Collins did. Second, this story is already finished-I waited until I had a complete product to start publishing, because I wanted this to be polished and I didn't want to leave anyone hanging. Finally, this story starts with the first time Annie and Finnick meet each other and skips around a bit after that-aka "the important moments." Perspective will alternate, but not with any sort of precise pattern. Hope you enjoy!
5,6
Emmett was holding her hand as they walked to school. Annie knew that he was reluctant to have anything to do with her, but their mother had begged, begged between ragged labor pains. Their father was more focused on their mother, but he too had encouraged Emmett to please, just walk your little sister to school. As they entered the schoolyard, she was shocked back into the present as Emmett dropped her hand and headed off towards his friends, the group of eight-year old boys that seemingly ruled the younger side of the school.
Annie looked around, weighing her own options. The girls in neat skirts still being fussed over by their mothers? Surely they wouldn't want to associate with someone like her-too sheltered. There were a few girls already lined up at the door to their classroom-too virtuous. A few girls were playing in the sand-too babyish. Finally, she spotted two girls who were talking to a group of boys probably only a year or two older than she. While the girls appeared to be holding their own, Annie could tell her presence was desperately needed to dissuade the boys. Smoothing her skirt and locking her jaw, Annie approached the group.
"Shouldn't you boys be hanging out with girls your own age?" she called out, with more bravado than she really felt. All four of the older boys whipped around to look at her, but she was only paying attention to the one who was clearly the ringleader. His face curved into a smile that was white and already far too confident of its charms. Annie stepped past him, never letting her eyes leave his own, and linked her arms with those of the girls she had claimed for friends.
"I suppose we should just let these girls be," the boy with the white teeth smiled, nodding towards his friends. The other three turned around immediately, but he took only one step backward before blowing a kiss.
"My name's Finnick. Finnick Odair."
Annie rolled her eyes and forcibly steered the two girls around, before tossing her own name over her shoulder. "Annie Cresta. Emmett is my brother."
She caught a glimpse of the surprised look that crossed Finnick's face as he looked between Emmett and her, finding the resemblance. With a smirk, he turned around and raced after his friends, leaving Annie to her own friends.