Chapter 1

Surprised

I silently enter the Cresta residence, not bothering to knock-I'd rather surprise Annie.

I smile as I see Annie working in the kitchen. I watch her for a few moments, simply taking in her easy movements as she cooks. I can't quite decide what she's making so I sneak up behind her, though, as always, she knows I'm there.

"Guess who?" I challenge putting my hands over her eyes.

She laughs the short trilling giggle that I love to hear. "Well… it's either my sister, or Finnick, and this voice sounds distinctly male, so…. Finnick!" I smile when she guesses right.

"Yes," I chuckle. "Thankfully I sound nothing like Sapphira, so… yes, by process of elimination it's me."

"Finnick!" She smiles widely, twisting around in my arms to hug me. "You're back!"

"Yes, I am." I smile at her.

"How was your trip?" She asks, smiling at me, her green eyes gleaming.

"Very boring. I missed you." I tell her honestly.

"I can't see why. How can I be more interesting than the Capitol?" She's turned back to her cooking and I walk to the other side of the counter and plop down at a chair. She works and I sit at the counter facing her.

"Well, for one, you make me smile."

"Yeah. I am good at that aren't I?" She says, tossing a bit of flour at me causing me to smile.

"Yes, you are. But, secondly, you are just really sweet. You have no idea how refreshing it is for me to be around someone like you," I'm on the edge of saying something too serious.

"You mean someone so 'small-minded' right?" She sounds slightly offended at my implication.

"No, silly, I mean someone so caring and concerned with everyone else's feelings not their own. You are a special girl Annie Cresta."

This makes her smile, "You are something. The 'Famous Finnick Odair' who won the Hunger Games at age fourteen just called me special-swoon!" She pretends to fan her face and 'fall' into my arms.

"I do have that effect on the women," I play along with her.

"You'd think, after two and a half years they'd be bored with you." She chuckles at her own joke.

"Yeah, I wish. That's the fourth time I've been to the Capitol in the last two months. I can't stand being so far from the ocean!" And my two favorite women, I think silently referring to Annie, of course, and her sister Sapphira.

"I know. It's lonely here without you Fin. It's just me and Sapphira in this house all day and we just sit around thinking, 'where is that annoying eighteen year old victor when you need him?'"

I chuckle at her comment, though I suspect that it's true-at least partway, most likely the part about it being boring around here. After Annie and Sapphira's mom and dad died they haven't had much activity-except for me.

"Ah, yes. And of course I happen to appear at the worst times, am I right. For instance, when you are working on…" I trail off, eyeing her project meaningfully.

"Some cookies." She admits to me. "I'm giving them away at the beach later. There's supposed to be big waves later and you know all the kids come running. They love cookies, and most of them don't have extra money from a Victor to let them have cookies… so…"

"See, that's my point. You are so nice."

She looks at me, deviously. "Well, there's that. And it gives me an excuse to go to the beach."

"Well, could you finish this up? I'm dragging you with me to that island we found."

"You mean the island I found, and you later followed me to." She corrects me, scolding me lightly.

"Well, if that's how you want to remember it…" Her eyes flash up to my face and she slaps my arm with a wooden spoon.

"That's what happened. That island is where I use to go for peace, until a certain boy discovered it. Ever since he's been crashing my party…"

"Well, fine. If you don't want to go-" She cuts me off quickly.

"I didn't say that. I'll go, but only if Sapphira will take these cookies to the beach for me."

"Hmm. I suppose I could allow that." I pretend to consider her proposal.

"Excuse me Odair, but you don't have a say in my daily routine." I smile at her stubbornness.

"That's why I love you. You're so normal with me. Not to be conceited, but everyone else acts like I'm too good for them or something. I can't even walk outside without people moving out of my way, or getting really quiet around me. I know they want to show respect, but I'm eighteen and it's really weird."

Annie laughs lightly, and her white teeth gleam in the sunlight streaming in the windows.

"You are intimidating." She acquiesces me, one eyebrow arched suggestively.

"But I'm still the same Finnick I've been for years." My voice almost cracks, showing her how much the district citizen's behavior impacts me.

She comes around the counter to sit beside me on a barstool. She takes my hands in her small ones and looks me in the eye, "I know that Fin. That's why we're such good friends."

This gets me to smile, and she continues. "Besides, who else would put up with this?" She gestures towards me, a playful expression on her face.

"Not many people." I agree with her. "And there's even fewer people that actually like having to see me every day." This makes her smile widely at me.

"I happen to be on that list too."

"I know. Now, bake your cookies."

She turns back to her task and we don't speak for a while I just watch her work quietly.

Some time later, as the cookies bake, Sapphira comes into the house.

"Ann! I'm back!" Annie sighs heavily at the nickname she hates.

"No one lives here by that name!" I yell at Sapphira, making Annie and I burst into laughter.

"Finnick!" Sapphira yells in surprise. She comes into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. "Where've you been stranger?"

"Around." I reply secretively.

"Not around here evidently. Well, no matter, welcome back Odair." Now she's slipped into habit, not calling me by my first name.

"Thanks Sapph!" I smile at her. At fifteen she has an incredible talent for either making people feel at ease or extremely uncomfortable.

"Hey," Annie says to her sister, "Can you take these down to the beach later? Hand them out for me?"

"Sure, no problem. Where are you lovebirds off to anyways?"

"Sapphira!" Annie scolds her sister quickly. She shoots her a look that says 'we are friends, that' all'. She's blushing from embarrassment and surprisingly that makes her green eyes stand out even more.

"What?" Sapphira exclaims, exasperated. Annie just glares at her until she retreats up the stairs.

"Sorry about her," She mumbles to me, looking down at her cookies. "She's desperate for gossip."

"Yeah. It bothers you more than it bothers me. Anyways, I will be back around three to get you. We will have to sneak out of here, but we'll get to our island one way or another."

"Sounds like a plan." She confirms as I head to the door.

A few hours later I go to the Cresta's to meet Annie. I wait in the kitchen until she comes bouncing down the stairs. She's wearing a thin bathing suit cover-up and I can see the halter strap of her simple blue bathing suit around her neck, because the cover-up is strapless. Her hair is pulled into a loose ponytail, and strands of her hair fly all around her face.

She looks like she's ready to have some fun.

"Hey Fin!" She calls to me brightly.

"Hey Annie. You ready?"

"Whenever you are. You're the one who has to brave the masses."

"You got that right." It's a pain being a Victor, really.

We manage to sneak out of her house, and down the beach without being spotted. We walk side by side until I look out into the ocean and see the huge black rocks protruding out of the water in deadly spires.

"Ready?" She asks me, her green eyes dancing with anticipation.

"Of course." I would imagine my expression is similar to hers: excitement.

She slips the cover-up off, leaving it on the sand and dives into the water. I toss my shirt onto her cover-up and follow her lead, diving into the water.

The waves are large, but we manage them easily, making good time in the water. The ocean is cool, refreshing, but not cold enough to do us any harm if we stay in too long. Besides, right now the sun is shining brightly.

When we reach the first rock we're hundreds of feet from shore. Logically we should have been in deep-very deep-water, but we could both still touch here. We take a right at the first rock, and I follow her careful lead as she navigates us to her hidden paradise.

Overall, the swim is only five blissful minutes, but the island is so peaceful that I'm just as content on the land as I am in the water-for once.

"Ahh…" Annie sighs, as she stretches her limbs out on the soft sand of the hidden island.

"This is nice." I comment, settling beside her. "Away from everything."

"Everyone." She chimes in.

"Yes. Well, except you. But I can tolerate you. After all, you have given me access to this paradise."

"Yeah. Besides I'm your best friend, you have to tolerate me."

I prop myself up on my elbow so I'm facing her. "It's not hard to tolerate you. You know that right? I really do love being around you. Sometimes, you are almost too understanding."

"Well… I'm not sure if that's possible."

"I think it suits you perfectly. Annie Cresta you are, simply put, the best friend I could ever have asked for."

And then, all too quickly, Annie leans forward pressing her soft lips to mine.

Hey! I'm thinking this may turn into a full story, but I'm not 100% sure yet. Let me know what you think. This is just my take on how Annie 'crept up' on Finnick. (the beginning anyways) :)

Hope you liked it,

R&R