Umm, I did intend for this chapter to get us right up to the start of the Games or near enough anyway... but I got carried away.
This covers chapter 7 and 8 of 'Annie's Story' and I apologise, there's repetition of the lullaby scene towards the end of this, although obviously, it's Finnick's view of it all. Once Annie's in the Games, there'll be less repetition, but at the moment, I sort of need it. This is a companion story but I also want it to be able to stand alone too.
Anyways, enough babble and on with the story. Enjoy x
CHAPTER TWO - A LOT OF HEARTACHE
The next day, over breakfast, I give Annie and Ethan a few words of advice before they start their training.
"Work hard," I tell them. "Learn a few new skills but make sure the other tributes know what you can do."
Annie eyes me sceptically.
"Aren't we supposed to hide what we can do?"
I shake my head.
"Tributes only hide their skills when they want to be underestimated. You two both have the opportunity of being in the Career Pack, so you need to persuade them – especially the kids from 2 – that you're good enough to join their alliance."
Annie nods but doesn't speak again for the rest of breakfast. I get the feeling she doesn't think she has anything to offer the Careers.
When the clock reads 8.20am, Annie rises from the table without a word and heads around the corner towards the elevator. Ethan stands to follow, but I gesture for him to wait. He pauses, watching me expectantly, but I hold up a finger, listening for the little ping and the scrape of the elevator doors that signal Annie has left the apartment...
Only after she's gone do I speak.
"You and Annie are a package deal." I say. "Remember that."
He gives me one of his determined nods.
"I'll make sure the Careers want us both."
I smile at him, satisfied,
"Good." I say before gesturing dramatically towards the door. "Now be gone with you! Training starts in ten."
...
Whilst Ethan and Annie are training, Mags and I set about securing sponsors and drumming up support for our tributes. Whilst Mags tackles our regular sponsors, I head down to the betting stations, where I find Enobaria, Brutus and Cashmere already pressing the flesh.
In more ways than one, it seems. Cashmere, I notice, is wearing a particularly short and low cut dress, showing a fair amount of flawless creamy skin.
The men she's talking to are practically dribbling.
"Oh you are too funny!" She giggles to a particularly smitten looking man, before fluttering her eyelashes, her hand resting on his arm. "Now about that sponsorship..."
Huh. Well, two can play at that game.
I saunter over to a group of young women (well, I say young; the amount of surgery people have here makes it pretty hard to tell) and seat myself amongst them. A few I recognise from business.
"Hello ladies..." I give them my best charming rogue smirk. "Aren't you all the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on?"
They all titter like birds... and actually, they all sort of look like them too, what with their multi-coloured hair and make up and clothes and all those feathers. Feathers, I realise, must be the new thing.
"You're all talk, mister." One of them says with a roll of her eyes, although her cheeks are a little flushed.
"Yes," Another one – with pale pink hair and green lipstick – interjects. "Have you not seen your doll of a tribute?"
"Which one?" I quip and they all fall about laughing. Ugh.
"The girl." Green Lips Lady says, swatting me playfully. "What's her name?"
"Annie."
"Ah that's it. Annie."
The way she says her name makes me uncomfortable. I can't describe it, it's almost predatory. These women can't wait to see my tributes in the arena.
"Forget the girl." Another woman with purple eyes and blue feathers in her hair says dismissively. "It's the boy I'm interested in."
"Ethan?" I like to get my tributes' names out there. People are more likely to support kids they can put names to. (Plus it stops them from getting a really awful nickname amongst the sponsors.)
"Yes." The woman is practically purring. "He looked so powerful last night..."
"I wouldn't mind him winning." Another one adds and then they all cackle with laughter. Although I really should be used to it by now, I suddenly feel a bit ill.
"Ahem," I clear my throat awkwardly, pulling a bunch of sponsor forms from my pocket. "Do any of you want to sponsor my kids?"
"I'll sponsor Ethan!" Purple Eyes pounces on my sheets straight away.
"Me too."
"And me."
The women start to fight over the forms and I stand, shooting them a grin.
"I'll come back in a bit, eh?"
...
Despite my charms and persuasion, my day of searching for sponsors is not as fruitful as I had hoped, but then it's early days and people will be much more inclined to part with their cash once the training scores come out.
Or maybe not.
Annie and Ethan arrived back from training about half an hour ago and Annie hasn't said a word since. Over dinner, Ethan and Mags chat about the day and I half listen – eventually gathering that an alliance with the Careers has been formed.
"There's seven of us." Ethan says. "Reuben – that's the boy from 7," He adds for mine and Mags's benefit. "Has joined us too."
Seven. That's a big Career Pack. The biggest in ages, actually.
"What can he do?" Mags asks.
"Throw axes." Ethan tells her.
"And the others?" I interject.
"The kids from 2 are deadly." He replies and a flash of anxiety passes across his face. "Ash is good with his sword and Seela prefers a sabre."
I nod, remembering that Enobaria mentioned that.
"And the 1s?"
"Jasmine is quick. I swear she could overpower and slit someone's throat in about three seconds."
My eyebrows raise at that, remembering the small blonde girl with the pretty violet eyes and perky smile.
"Really?"
"Yeah, but Preese – that's the boy from 1 by the way – he's not really good at much. I mean, he can use a knife but, against any of the other Careers, he's got no chance."
I nod, my brow furrowed in concentration as I file away all the information Ethan is giving me. It pays to know as much as you can about the other tributes.
"Annie learnt how to use a spear today." Ethan continues.
"You did?" I turn my attention to her and she lifts her head, confused.
"Hm?"
"Ethan said you learnt how to use a spear."
"Oh. Yeah." She says, chewing on the corner of her lip.
She's worried about something specific I can tell. Maybe spending the day training and watching the other tributes has panicked her. I shoot her a questioning look but she just ducks her head again, suddenly very interested in her meal and I decide to talk to her later alone.
"Are you alright?" Mags asks her kindly and she nods again.
"I'm fine." She hesitates. "Though if you don't mind, I'd like to go and have a shower." She offers us a half smile. "I feel a bit grubby."
Her eyes meet mine and I know straight away she's lying.
"No that's fine, dear." Mags nods and although she's pretending to be oblivious, I can tell she's realised something is up too. Annie shoots her a grateful smile and then she's up and out of the room moving quicker than I've ever seen her.
Again, I wait till I know she's completely out of earshot before turning to Ethan.
"Anything happen in training I should know about?"
Ethan gives me a blank look.
"Not as far as I know."
"Did you see her talking to anyone? Any of the other tributes?"
"Yeah, the girl from 12 and the little one from 11, I think."
Of course.
I should have known Annie would be a girl to get attached. I've seen it before... tributes spend a little too much time together and form friendships and it just makes it harder when they all have to turn on each other in the end. Three years ago, our girl tribute – Merida, I think her name was – thought she'd fallen in love with a boy from district 1. They'd made it to the final two and then he'd turned on her. I don't know what she expected (double suicide perhaps?) but the betrayal and hurt in her eyes before she died was horrific.
Ever since, I've advocated alliances, not friendships. Cold and convenient relationships that can end in the blink of an eye. But I should have guessed Annie would be the sentimental type. I'd looked up Seeder's girl and she was right: Belle is small, underfed and despite being nearly fifteen, barely looks twelve. I'll bet she's exactly the kind of girl Annie would feel protective towards.
I let out a little groan of irritation.
Now I really have to talk to her.
...
"Can't sleep?"
It's nearly one o'clock in the morning and I'd suddenly heard movement from the main room. Guessing it was probably Cresta and remembering my resolve to talk to her, I'd rolled out of bed and gone to find her.
Annie jumps about a foot in the air when she hears my voice, her head whipping around towards me. Her face shifts into a kind of 'oh, it's you' look.
"Guess I've got a lot on my mind." She says, turning back round and tucking her dressing gown even tighter around her.
I go and sit by her, slouching back against the cushion and eyeing her interestedly. Aware of my eyes on her, her cheeks redden. She gets uncomfortable when I watch her, I quickly realise. But although I'm obviously very anxious for her about the arena and the Games and I should be acting considerately towards her, making her blush is just too much fun.
"How was training?" I ask. She frowns at me and I explain. "Ethan told us what he'd been getting up to, but you didn't say a word."
She pauses for a second, considering.
"Good, I think. I've learnt the basics with a spear, although I can't throw it very far. The girl from 12 showed me how to light a fire and I've learnt a bit about plant life from Belle."
Belle.
I hide the frustration in my tone and attempt to speak lightly.
"Belle?"
"District 11." She tells me, apparently not realising I'm a smidge irritated with her. "Which reminds me," She continues. "That boy from 11? He can throw knives better than anyone I've ever seen."
That distracts me.
Huh. She and Mags were right after all.
When I admit that out loud, I try to ignore the flicker of smugness across her mouth and decide to tackle the subject I'd come to find her about.
"Annie," I say seriously, looking her in the eyes. "Don't get too friendly with the other tributes."
"I'm not." She says, her eyebrows creasing.
"Learn from the trainers, not them." I say. "Believe me, being on first names basis with kids you have to kill makes it a million times harder."
Her answer is instantaneous.
"I'm not going to kill them."
Brilliant. Just brilliant. Another flipping Merida on my hands...
"No?" I smirk at her, trying not to let my irritating show. "And how do you expect to win?"
She is silent, then, turning away and staring across the room.
Ha, I think... that got her.
But then she speaks again and her voice is so small I have to lean close to hear her.
"I'm not going to win."
I frown, a little baffled at her response.
"You might."
She lets out a disbelieving snort and turns on me.
Yeah, right." She snaps. "Even you and Mags know Ethan is your best bet." I open my mouth to negate her but she's not finished. "Jasmine – the girl from 1 – asked me today what my weapon of choice is, and I nearly said hiding! Yes, I can use a spear now, yes I could probably hurt someone pretty badly, but I don't want to, Finnick, I don't want to kill anybody."
Tears spring up in her eyes and I am suddenly reminded of myself, fourteen and terrified and in exactly the same position as she is in now. I never wanted to kill anybody, but I did. I had to or else I wouldn't be here now.
But still, I was a snivelling wreck before I went into the arena and that's something I seem to forget when I'm dealing with my tributes.
The Hunger Games have made you hard, I tell myself severely.
"I don't want to die, Finnick," Annie continues miserably. "But I don't think I could live with myself if I've killed someone. I... I'm just not that kind of person."
"The Games change you, Annie." I tell her my voice suddenly very weary. "You do what you have to do."
I see her swallow back the tears and can't help but feel a surge of... of something I can't really explain towards her. I don't know what it is. Pride? Guilt? Affection?
"I don't want to change." She says once she's managed to steady her voice. "I like being me."
"I like you being you, as well." I tell her unable to stop the teasing smile from spreading across my face. "Even if you do scowl too much."
She glares at me but her cheeks are pink and I chuckle.
"There you go again."
"I only scowl at you." She growls at although I can tell she's not really mad. "And that's just because you're always laughing at me."
I smirk again.
"I guess that's true."
"It is." She purses her lips and then the tears are suddenly back again and her voice is all wobbly. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to do! What am I supposed to feel?"
I stop smirking immediately, horrified. I'd been trying to make her blush, not burst into tears!
"I'm sorry." I say gently, wincing slightly as the tears make tracks across her face. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
She sniffs, flushing again and wiping a hand fiercely across her eyes.
"No, it's alright. I don't know why I'm crying anyway. I'm just overtired."
I suddenly decide she needs to be in bed.
"It is rather late. And you'll have to get up early tomorrow for training. Maybe you should try and get some sleep."
"I can't." She sniffs again. "I can't sleep."
I consider it for a minute and then let out a little sigh.
"Close your eyes."
Her eyes shift suspiciously in my direction.
"What?"
"Close your eyes." I say again, flapping my hand in her direction, and with one last confused glance at me, she obeys. Right, here goes nothing... "Imagine you're back home, Annie." I put on my best soothing voice, my words sounding like velvet. "In your house, with Ava..." She tenses but I reach out and gently stroke her arm, inching across the sofa towards her. "You can hear the sea," I continue, watching as she visibly relaxes under my touch. "And the seagulls, and the occasional cry of the night fisherman..."
As I speak, creating an image of District 4, my own heart begins to ache and suddenly, I can't talk anymore because I'm scared my voice will crack.
And so I start humming instead. I see her eyelashes flutter as she recognises a well known lullaby from 4 but then she relaxes again. There's still a little crease between her eyebrows and I want to reach out and smooth it away, because she's far too pretty for her face to be ruined by anxiety... But I don't, and then, without even thinking about it, I start singing the words to the lullaby.
I see her head begin to droop and then as I finish the song, her breathing slows down and she's asleep.
I watch her for a few minutes, the ache in my chest only getting worse as I realise she'll probably be dead in a few days time. I don't know which would be worse to watch... her dying in the first five minutes of the Games or hanging on right to the end, only to be taken down by another Career.
Because she won't win. Not up against such stiff competition. Because she's right. Ethan is our best bet at a victor and in all probability, she's going to die. Ethan seems to think she'll be pretty good with a spear by the end of training, but I'm not convinced that it'll be enough to save her in the arena.
As I watch, she lets out a little snuffle and shifts position, resting her head against the arm of the sofa, all curled up like a hedgehog. I feel a sudden rush of something that can only be described as affection and but shake it off.
I will not befriend my tributes. I will not care about them.
And above all, I will not allow myself to grow fond of the pretty girl asleep next to me.
Because in the world I live in, everything and everyone you care about ends up being taken away from you. Caring is only another weapon the Capitol can use against you, both in the arena and out here in the real world. The power Snow holds over me by threatening the lives of my remaining family members is indicative enough of that.
And so I stand and start tiredly back towards my room... leaving Annie Cresta fast asleep on the sofa behind me.
...
Yeah, hope you enjoyed it ;)
Just a note... Finnick ain't falling for Annie yet, he's just beginning to care about her. After seeing (let me just work it out...) 8 kids die over the past four years since he was victor (plus the other tribute in his own Games) he's realised that you can't care about your tributes because it only makes it all worse. So he tries not to care about his kids but Annie and Ethan are just so awesome they're getting under his skin!
Ahh gotta love a bit of angsty Odair.
As always, thanks for reading, pace will pick up once we're in the Games and then we'll have a lot more mentor action which I know is pretty much the best part of this fic... so yeah, stick around.
PEACE OUT