Hey everyone! This is my first Hunger Games fanfic. Here's my interpretation of Finnick and Annie's relationship surrounding their Hunger Games win and the bitter struggle against the Capitol. Please let me know what you think in a review! Thanks and enjoy!

I was bitter after I won the 65th Hunger Games. Being from a Career district, I received a surge of compliments and well wishes from people all around. I couldn't escape them since they knew where I lived.

Since I won the Games, my family and I live in the Victor's Village, a community of houses set for victors. The houses after all were not much different from the others in the district. To me, winning the Games for wealth was useless, since many people lived more than comfortably in District 4. The biggest difference was the arrogance that hung in the air, thanks to the victors. No matter how much time has passed, they loved to discuss how they won the Games and how the Capitol loved them oh so much. No matter to them that they had to kill their counterpart from their own district. They didn't discuss that.

In the days following the Games, I would escape to the sea. That was the only place I felt was still real. I went to the beach, where I saw boats scattered in the distance, hauling in fish. Before the Games, my father was one of those workers. I would stand at this exact spot and watch him. He would pull seemingly endless amounts of fish with nets from the ocean. Luckily he didn't have the unfortunate job of cleaning them out. After being cleaned, the fish were processed in factories then shipped to the Capitol and wealthy nearby districts like us. Victors or their families weren't required to work, but that didn't take away the fact that nearly everybody else was working. Out here, where I could see laborers firsthand yet the serenity of the blue water, I was able to think. How did others feel about working? Were they as bitter as me and just presented a façade to the Capitol and each other? Did they think that the Capitol's apparent fondness of our district just made it worse when we received the same treatment as the other districts?

One day I noticed a girl join me at my spot. She looked young, so she probably wasn't of age to work in the factories yet. I hesitated talking to her as I contemplated my bitter feelings and therefore wasn't in a sociable state. Like me, she just stood there for a while, looking out at the blue horizon. Then she did the most peculiar thing.

The girl ran to the water as a wave returned to its source. When her feet were submerged, she took another slow step toward an incoming wave. Before it could come close to reaching her she sprinted back and fell on the sand.

I walked up to the girl, now sprawled comfortably on the sand. "Afraid of the water?" Oops, that came out wrong.

"Yes," she said earnestly. "I told myself I would learn how to swim."

That was different. Most women and girls never bothered to learn, as they didn't have to work in the boats. When they did get near the water, it was to lay out a towel on the beach and tan while reading a glossy Capitol magazine.

I didn't want to mention this fact, as I already sounded rude with my first comment. I quickly added, "When did you want to start learning?"

"I've actually been out here a few days for about two weeks," she admitted. "You weren't here though, since you just got back from the Games."

I stared at her, confused, until I remembered. She saw the reaping, the interviews and the televised Games. She had seen the dazzling show I put on for the Capitol audience and all of my killings in the arena. I turned away from her, not wanting her to meet my eyes, whether she would commend me for my win or narrow her eyes with biting judgment.

What I didn't expect was her hand on my shoulder. She stared at me with not pity but understanding.

"I saw the look of regret every time you killed someone," she said. "The Capitol and everyone else may have ignored it, but just know someone saw it and you're not a bad person for making it out alive."

I didn't know how to respond, as my family just gave me glances of sheer disappointment, while other Victors and townspeople complimented me excitedly about my win. Her refreshing thought gave me a little comfort

"I...don't think we've met," I stuttered. "I'm Finnick Odair."

She laughed. "I know. I'm Annie. Annie Cresta."

I felt bad that I didn't know her, but she knew me and for a terrible reason. "Pleased to meet you Annie," I said, extending a hand.

She took it. Her arm was thin and pale, unlike many of the people in the district, who frequently tanned under the blazing coastal sun. I was about to mention it, but I held my tongue, disgusted with the careless attitude that I developed from living and talking in a superficial place.

Instead I said, "How about I teach you a bit? My father showed me a bit so I would be ready to become a fisherman." But I would never be one.

If she caught the guilt lingering in my eyes, she ignored it. She excitedly replied. "Yes! I would love that! We can meet here around this time every day," she stopped abruptly, glancing at me. "If that's ok with you."

I wouldn't have the time to contemplate my messed up existence and country. This could be a good thing, forgetting all the anger and hypocrisy and injustice with someone else. I smiled. "Of course. Let's start now."

That concludes Chapter 1. I hoped you all liked it! Unfortunately next time, things will take a downward turn with Finnick's win costing him more than he anticipated…