Author's note: Read and review, please!
I forced my stiff legs to move. To walk up to that stage, where my escort awaited me. He reaches his hand out for me, and I gently grab onto it. I need something to calm me down, even if it's the hand of a man who just sent me to my death. He asks for volunteers; none. It surprises me too. Most people are eager to go into the games in the career districts, but somehow, this year, no female girl is.
Then he crosses over to the other side of the stage, his deep green tuxedo, sending reflections when the light hits it. I look behind me, and the dozen victors. Finnick is closer to the boys ball, and some old lady is almost directly behind me. She looks at me, and gives me an encouraging smile, and I reply with a half-smile.
"Clay Jenio," he annouces, in a very soprano voice. I feel my heart skip a beat. I barley knew Clay, but he is one of the kindest boys in the district. He helped me in Algebra, and other things, a lot. We were friends, but it wasn't established. I look at him wistfully, as he approaches the stage, my mind is racing. The escort again, asks for volunteers, no one. We shake hands, then are whisked away, for final goodbyes. I am shoved into a bland room. It's beige in most areas, expect for the random splashes of pink, and red. Sitting down on a chair, and tap my finger on the wood, biting my lip, awaiting my first visitor. My mother comes in first.
"Mama," I breathe, standing up, and embracing her worry-struck face.
"You'll come home, I know you will," she says, as if she is pleading.
"Mama, I love you so much," I say, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"I love you, my Annie," she says, thumbing my tears off, then kissing my forehead, and nose. "I'll see you when you come home," she mumbles, and a peackeeper reminds her that her time is up.
"I love you mama! Goodbye!" I scream, as the doors shut. My father comes in next.
"Annie!" he exclaims, hugging me tightly.
"Papa," I say, the tears coming heavier now.
"Look, Annie, you'll survive this. You'll come home, won't you?" he asks.
"I'll try my best," I promise him. Then he cradles my head to his chest, and hums softly. When the peacekeeper returns to retrieve my father he kisses my forehead, and leaves, not another word spoken between us. I sit on the chair again, my legs feeling to weak to support myself any more, and sob into my hands.
We arrive at the train station, my tears long ago dried. I compose myself, and breathe deeply, not letting one camera having the satisfaction of making me nervous. I step onto the train, and I am lead to a cyan armchairs, and a small table, filled with foods I've never seen before. I take a seat farthest from the table of food, to avoid eating it all, and wait, as everyone else sits too. The old lady I saw at the reaping, sits next to me, as my mentor, and Finnick Odair sits across from me, next to Clay, who is currently stuffing his mouth with some sort of purple taffy. I scoff, and he sits back in his chair. The old lady begins talking first. I think she had a stroke, because it's so hard to understand her.
"I'm Mags," she gets out. I nod, and smile at her. She is beautiful. Not like most girls in my school, but a worn down sort of beautiful, she doesn't look young, but she still has a happy sort of look to her.
"Finnick Odair," Finnick says, before adding "But you probably already knew that," and he leans back into his chair.
"Sadly," I mutter, twirling a strand of hair around my fingers again.
"What was that?" Finnick countered.
"Nothing," I mutter, my eyes switching there attention to Mags. "Any advice?" I ask her, giving her another smile. She sets a hand on my wrist.
"Such a beautiful girl," she mutters, looking into my eyes. She smiles, and pats my hand. "First, you must wow sponsors at the tribute parade, make them love you. Then train with whatever you can, pick up new skills, avoid showing off your current skills," she says, still looking into my eyes. Then the escort comes in, he takes the seat next to Finnick.
"Finnick," he nods. Finnick nods back.
"So, Annabelle, and Clay," our escort says, nodding at us.
"Please, call me Annie," I say, smiling at him.
"Call me Torendo," he says smiling. "Anyway, we will be at the capital in three hours, were you will have your first view of sponsors. Smile at as many as you can, shake hands with anyone who you can reach. Make them love you, this is your first impression with them after all," Torendo says, I nod, so does Clay.
We spend the next three hours talking about how to wow sponsors.
When we arrive at the capital, I take a deep breath, and step off the train, followed by Clay. I smile, hugely. It's fake, of course, I don't want to be here. I shake hands with a pink haired lady, who looks shocked. I shake hands with many more people, meet the eyes of dozens, and manage to smile the whole time.
I feel safe, and stop smiling, as soon as we enter a tall building. The tribute's floors.
"That was great Annie," Mags says, patting my shoulder lightly.
"Thank you," I breathe. Then Mags guides me to my station, where I will be pampered for the games.
I don't pay much attention to my prep team, who wax me, fix my nails, and brush down my hair. It doesn't take to terribly long. Then I am handed off into another room, and wait for my stylist. A vibrant red-headed lady walks in.
"Hello, my name is Geicla," she says in a capital accent, reaching her hand out to shake mine. "Now, we want to make you look innocent, but pretty, and working with your freckles," she then starts muttering nonsense to herself. "I'll be right back," she promises, leaving the room. She comes back with a plastic bag.
"Close your eyes," she orders, I obey. The next thing I know, i am being pulled into something. "Open," she demands, and I do. I look down at my costume. I am wearing a blue bra, made out of overly large sea shells, underneath the shells, there is the same color blue fabric, going down to about, mid ribcage. Then I am wearing a very tight, scaly, green skirt, going to my ankles, followed green ankle boots. Then I realize, I am supposed to be a mermaid.
Soon, my prep team comes in, and fixes my hair, and make up. My nails turn out to look like waves, my hair is gelled, to make it look wet, and going down my back, and my freckles are darker, I have the slightest bit of blush on, and my lips are lightly glossed a bright shade of pink. I look, beautiful.
"It's so... pretty," I mutter, as my prep teams and Geicla watch me admire myself. I am next, rushed down to where the parade will take place.
"Annie, you're so pretty," Mags breathes as soon as she catches sight of me.
"Thank you," I say, leaning up, and kissing her cheek. She helps me onto the carriage, where Clay soon joins me, in a net, with cropped shorts. He gets in without anyone's help. I giggle slightly, as he takes in my outfit, and complains about having to be half naked, when I'm the complete opposite. All to soon, our carriage begins to move, and I feel lightheaded. The crowd goes silent for a brief second, then begins to cheer. I giggle, blow kisses, wave, and manage to catch a rose someone threw, and tuck it into my hair, which earns a round of louder cheers. I blow more kisses, and wave, until the very second our carriage stops. Then we listen to President Snow, as he talks about the dark days, but I don't pay much attention to him.
Our carriage begins to move again, but stops shortly after, when we arrive back into the tribute building.
I attempt to get off, but fall. Into Finnick Odair's arms. He sets me onto my feet, I thank him, and make my way over to the elevator. When the elevator stops at the fourth floor, I get off, to find I am the only home here for now.
Inside my room, I strip of the costume, and instantly get into the shower. After feverishly rubbing every trace of make-up, hair gel, or anything else they managed to slap onto me, I put on a a pair of pyjamas. The bottoms are purple, and the top, is the same color, beside for a few spikes of color here and there, and the whole outfit is fuzzy, and soft. After slipping on some soft, purple slippers, I head into the dinning room to eat, and re-watch the parade.
I take a seat next to Clay, who is also in night clothes, and Mags is across from me. Finnick beside her.
"Evening" I greet them, and grab a dinner roll. I take a small bite, while everyone else begins to eat.
"I think Annie has found a lot of sponsors," Mags comments, and I give her a smile.
"Especially with that rose," Finnick says, taking a bite of something else.
"Yea," Clay trails off. I wish Finnick would praise him the way Mags did.
We ate the rest of the meal in a comfortable silence. Afterwards, we sat down in the living room, to watch the parade. Mags takes the seat next to me, but unfortunately, Finnick sits on the other side of me, with Clay next to him, and Torendo waltz in, and sits in the single chair. The parade wasn't as exciting as I thought. Some districts just had colors slopped onto them, others, like 12, were nude. Which makes me, one of the only people, who had a creative outfit adorned to their district. Soon, the parade is finished, and everyone is congratulating me and Clay. Mostly me, because I was the happiest, and most interacted with the crowd a lot more than Clay. I smiled at Clay, before heading into my room.
Three sleepless hours. Thats how long I stayed in my room, before giving up on sleep, and heading out into the living rooom. I grab a muffin from the display, which keeps it from going stale, sit down by the window, and look out. It's pretty quiet, the occasional light flickering on or off, the peacekeepers patrolling the streets. I close my eyes, and breathe, trying to imagine I am home, on my deck. I feel a slight movement next to me, and the person sits down. Opening my eyes, I jump, to see Finnick Odair sitting next to me.
"Why do you hate me?" he sighs. I'm surprised by the question.
"Do you want to know the truth, or was that a rhetorical question?" I ask.
"I really want to know, Annie, it just feels weird having someone hate you, if you don't even know them," he sighs. I rub my neck before speaking.
"I just feel that you're stuck up, and you don't care about anyone else, but yourself," I mumble, looking out into the night sky. He grabs my hand and I glare at him.
"Annie, it's not like that," he mumbles, searching my eyes.
"Finnick, don't," I mutter, pulling my hand away from his. He snickers.
"Oh, Annie, only you could resist me," he chuckles.
"Trust me, it's quite easy, considering your ignorance," I say, standing up. "Now goodnight, I'm going to try to sleep," I add, before heading towards my room. I'm stopped dead in my tracks by Finnick Odair, who pulls my face towards his own, and kisses me, crushing his lips against my own. He hands go up to my hair, and then he breaks away. As shocked as I was, I break from his grasp, and run into my room, lock the door, and sink down against it. I pull my knees up to my chest, and bury my face in my hands. I can't think straight. What the fuck was that?
Finnick Odair just kissed me! Me of all people! The one person who can manage hating him!
I hear a light tapping at my door, followed by Finnick's voice. "Annie! Annie please, talk to me!" He pleads in a harsh whisper.
"No," I say, with a shaky voice.
"Annie, please," he pleads. I give up, find my way to my feet, and open the door.
"What?" I demand softly.
"I shouldn't have done that," he says, hanging his head.
"Why did you do it?" I ask softly, my voice staying firm.
"Because, there's something about you, and I can't quite put my finger on it, but I like it," he whispers, looking dead into my eyes.
"I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same," I say, before slowly closing the door, and flinging myself into my bed again.
Why me?