Chapter 2

How We Met

She pulls away quickly, her green eyes on the sand, not my face, and she's blushing wildly.

I sit there, momentarily paralyzed in shock. This is not what I expected from Annie. I'm not sure how I feel about this turn of events.

Suddenly her sister's easy teasing takes on a new meaning; maybe she knows something I don't. Or I didn't-past tense.

"Sorry," Annie mumbles. It's obvious that she didn't expect that. Me either.

"It's ok." What else can I say? Not a whole lot.

"I uh…" She's got nothing. Me neither.

"Um…" I seriously can't form a coherent thought at the moment. I'm in shock.

"I just… uh. I really have no idea what to tell you. That kind of just… happened." Well, I suppose that's one way of putting things.

"Yeah..." Once again I have nothing to say.

"I suppose that was one way of me showing you that sometimes I can be selfish." I'm confused by her explanation.

Apparently my expression mirrors my confusion.

"I just mean that I may have more than one reason for wanting to be around you all the time. I monopolize your time, and you let me."

"I don't really have many other people to hang out with. There's you, Annie, and Mags. That's where the list stops."

"Well, even before the games, I felt bad. You were always with me and… I uh… I kind of started to like you." She smiles a little. "I know it's stupid but, I just-I don't know. And then, after your games I couldn't exactly be like 'yeah lets get together.' Obviously Finnick Odair the ladies man couldn't just have a girlfriend. So… I never told you."

"Oh," I'm seriously confused now, and even worse, I'm not sure how I feel about Annie-that way.

"Yeah… listen I didn't mean to make this like, super awkward." I have to laugh at this, because that's exactly what she's done. "It was kind of like my head disconnected from my body. So… I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You just surprised me." That's an understatement. Nothing has ever been romantic between us, so I never would have expected this.

"You and me both. Anyways, I don't want you to avoid me now, or anything. I know we're just friends… so yeah." Leave it to Annie to dispel a strange situation in her 'Annie-like' manner.

"I couldn't avoid you Annie, you're my only real friend."

"That's not true, you have Mags."

I chuckle at her statement, "Well, she's more like a grandmother to me. She's too wise to be a friend. She wouldn't let me do half the stupid things you let me get away with."

Annie giggles, and turns to me. "I don't let you do stupid things."

"Excuse me," I protest easily, "Yes you do."

"Yeah? Name one." It's a challenge that's easily met.

"You're the one who said it would be a good idea to play a prank on your sister." I shudder at the memory-revenge is a powerful thing especially when Sapphira is the one behind it.

"In my defense I didn't know how evil my little sister was. She seems innocent enough."

"But she's not. And, so, I rest my case: you let me do stupid things."

"Fine, fine. But you can't really say that letting you do stupid things makes me your friend."

"Letting me do stupid things is what makes you fun. A non-Annie would force me to use my head. That wouldn't be fun at all."

"Of course, what would life be without you causing trouble in the district?"

"My thoughts exactly." I echo her statement-though she meant it as a joke.

"Life would really be boring without you around Fin."

"It's my job to entertain people."

"Well, you manage to do that." She smiles at me warmly.

We drop off into an easy silence, both of us thinking about different things. Or maybe the same things. I'm trying to sort out my feeling for Annie. She's my best friend-that's certain, but could I think of her like that? Do I thi1nk of her like that?

She's definitely pretty, with her long hair and green eyes, and we know each other as well as we know ourselves, but… Unfortunately I can't think of a 'but' to add to that sentence. I could imagine being with her that way, and I could see myself being really happy. The only problem with that plan would be the Capitol. Whatever relationship we would have-in theory-would have to be a closely guarded secret.

So, I suppose my conclusion is that I do like Annie. Really like her. It's odd that she was the one who had to notice it first. Now it seems so obvious. We're a perfect couple really, if you overlook the fact that I'm nowhere near good enough for her. I've murdered innocent (and some non-innocent) children, and she's so perfect.

I remember when I first got back to 4 after my games. She didn't treat me differently at all. She acted as if everything was the same as always. That's part of the reason I love her. She gave me a big hug and said 'welcome home Fin,' with a huge smile on her face. I remember standing there, wondering how she could stand to be near me-knowing what I'd done in that arena.

I decide to ask her, because why not? Apparently I'm trying to make this as awkward as possible today.

"Why didn't you ever treat me differently?" I blurt out-obviously I've forgotten to use transitions.

"Umm… you mean after your Games?"

I just nod.

"Why would I? What was I supposed to say, 'I'm sorry you're back'? I wasn't, I was so happy you were back, in one piece, and looking as good as ever."

"I killed people. On live television. Didn't that bother you at all?"

"No." I can tell by the tone of her voice that she's not joking.

"Why not?"

"Because that wasn't you Finnick. That was who the Capitol wanted you to be. That wasn't my best friend Finnick. The person that came back to 4, that was my friend Finnick. I didn't like what happened in the arena, but that didn't mean I was going to abandon my friend. I was there for you, just like you would have been there for me had our situations been reversed.

You wouldn't have abandoned me. You would have welcomed me back with your easy going nature and your brightest smile. Not to mention your humor. You wouldn't have treated me any differently; I knew that, so the least I could do to help you heal was to treat you the same way as always."

"Thank you." Her words have actually made me understand her better. "Annie?"

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you made a decision based on what was best for you?"

She blushes and looks at the sand-not meeting my gaze. "I don't know what you mean."

"You do what's best for everyone else, when do you do things that are the best for you?" Her eyebrows pull together in confusion.

"I don't. At least, not when the choice affects anyone other than me." She smiles sadly. "Besides when my family members, or friends," She adds smirking at me. "Are happy, I'm happy."

I sit quietly for a moment, just thinking. I don't know how someone as intensely good as Annie ended up hanging out with me. And, suddenly, I have another question for Annie.

"Annie, do you remember when we met? I mean, exactly what was said?"

"Yes, why? Don't you?"

"I know we met at the beach, but I don't remember what we talked about. Tell me about it."

"Hmmm… well, I guess we didn't really meet until you 'accidentally' ran into me when I was collecting seashells like the innocent eleven year old that I was."

"Why, 'accidentally'?" I add emphasis to the word, because I don't remember running into her.

"I'm pretty sure it was on purpose." Annie shrugs. "Anyways, you knocked me over, and mumbled something that sounded like 'sorry' and you turned back to your friends-I can't remember who they were.

"I turned to you and said, 'You could watch where you're going you know.' That made you laugh, and turn around. Then you said, 'I actually am sorry. I'm Finnick," And you waved at me in your goofy eleven year old Finnick way."

"That fast huh?" I question her skeptically.

"Lets face it Fin-you never were shy."

"I'll give you that," I allow graciously.

"Anyways, I said, 'I'm Annie, nice to meet you.' And I waved back. Then I turned to go swimming-I didn't want to collect shells anymore-and you followed me."

"I do remember that. I said, 'So, Annie, can you swim?'"

"And I looked at you like you were an idiot."

"But then you said, 'I hope so, otherwise getting into this ocean must make me suicidal. Please don't tell my parents.' You had the most believable expression on your face, and I swear I believed you for a second."

"Yes, but then you laughed. And I remember you saying-I'm one hundred percent positive this is what you said, 'I'll keep your secret Annie.'" She finishes the story with so much conviction that I can't doubt her. "And that, Finnick Odair, is the exact story of how we met." She gives me a soft smile.

"I remember that, now." I tell her, because the story reminded me of that day.

We became fast friends, and after an afternoon at the beach together Annie said she was going somewhere, and that she'd see me 'later'. Then she swam from the beach, to her island, with me following her-in secret of course.

When she saw me in the water she turned from the beach on her island and said, "Finnick-! Wait, what's your last name."

"Odair." I told her with a smile.

"Finnick Odair! You were not supposed to follow me here! This is my spot!" She looked a little too happy for me to take her seriously. Looking back, I know she's always been a people person, so it's not surprising that she'd wanted a friend on her island.

But at the time I just told her, "Don't worry, I'll keep this secret too."

And just like that, we were best friends.

Hey! How was that chapter? What did you think, please let me know either by review or PM. The more feedback I get the more I write... anyways, I have some big plans for these two. They are just too cute to leave alone. Give me suggestions too if you have them, because I would try my hardest to work them in somewhere. If you want to suggest something I ask you send me a PM so it's still a sort of surprise for readers-even if they read the reviews. Anyways... thanks for reading :)

R&R