I apologize for not updating this for a while, but I just finished school and am less busy now! This is Chapter 2, and I hope it was worth the wait!
Meeting with Annie at the beach every afternoon became routine. I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a long time. Annie worked hard at learning how to swim for hours on end. But our muscles grew sore and the sun descended over the water. We both eventually lost our concentration and started goofing off.
I loved running into the water holding her hand and screaming as cold waves crashed on us. I loved spending hours in the ocean doing this. I loved dropping onto the sand with her by my side. I loved not having to talk about anything at all like everyone else expected from me.
We were just two kids trying to grasp any sliver of childhood we could in a world of children doing hard labor and fighting to the death on television. I wished every moment of the day could be like this and every girl could be like Annie. Girls that didn't grow up too quickly, obsessing over their looks and the latest male victors – God help me. She was young and unaffected by what the others around her did. I finally discovered someone that I could escape with to just have fun.
Ok, I imagined her as more than a friend. I couldn't ignore the glow of her skin on a sunny day or the sparkle of her blue eyes reflecting the sea. These feelings intensified with each day. I tried to cast them off, but they raced through my head every time I saw her. She was way too young, so I kept my thoughts to myself.
One day she broke the routine. I was running into the surf as usual when I noticed she wasn't following. She stood on the sand staring at me. My heart lurched as I wondered what was wrong. I didn't know much about her, so what could I do?
"What is it Annie?" I cautiously asked, moving toward her.
She didn't answer at first, tracing lines in the sane with her toes.
"Why do you spend so much time with me anyways?" she finally said meeting my eyes.
I looked away. Could she see right through me? No, impossible. I could maneuver around my little secret.
"I liked spending time with you. It's nice having a friend," I replied earnestly.
"You could have many friends you know. You're a victor."
I laughed. "Making friends really isn't as easy as it looks for me. I feel pretty used when people want to be friends with me just because I won the Games. I'm pretty intent on keeping only real friends."
She didn't say anything to that, but the corners of her mouth curved up into a slight smile.
"Go ahead. I like when you smile," I said. "Don't doubt our friendship."
"Is this friendship Finnick?" Annie bit her lip took a step back, increasing the gap between us. "I shouldn't have said that." She backed away faster.
My mouth went dry. So she did notice something between us. Why was she questioning it? "Please wait Annie! I want to hear what you have to say!" I called. But she was running, not looking back. Within a few seconds, she was gone.
Annie wouldn't leave my thoughts even at home. I stared at the fish my mother had prepared for dinner. It still had eyes and it was delicately dressed like a Capital crony. I somehow felt it watching me. I couldn't look away. Take away the scales and dressings, I could only see Annie looking back at me with fearful eyes. Did she really feel like I did? Was she scared? I was scared too, but if she felt the same way, I wouldn't let the guilt eat away at me anymore. But did she care what the others would think?
My mother broke my train of thought, turning around from the stove and giving me that disappointed look.
"Finnick, you don't have to hang around here all the time. Go meet some people. Other mothers in town are always telling me what a handsome, charming man you are growing to be. I know the kids feel the same way. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself. The whole district, not to mention the Capitol, adores you."
"Mother, please. I don't want friends for the sake of friends. I don't want the attention."
She laughed nervously. "Nonsense. You were such a sociable child, always with a friend on either side of you. How could that have changed?"
"Don't make me point out the obvious."
She tried to keep a smile plastered on her face. "Honey, don't try starting any problems." She lowered her voice. "They're watching us closely. Closer than any of the other families in the district. You're supposed to be the model for other kids. I don't know how much longer you can steer clear of the public eye."
"I didn't ask for this," I said, leaving the room and heading outside. I couldn't have cared less about the other kids, because all they wanted was the "Capitol darling." I only cared what my family, my meager friends and Annie thought of me. I knew underneath the cheerful, everything-is-fine act, my parents really did support me.
Now I wasn't so sure about Annie. I really wanted her support. I could talk to her about this, the constant struggle to keep my old self. After just weeks of keeping our thoughts silent, she showed a bit of hope. She took the first step. I needed to find her and explain my feelings for her.
I found myself back at the beach, wishing our thoughts matched and we would both be here. But she wasn't.
Even for the next couple of days at our normal time, there was no sign of Annie. I had no idea where she lived, I hated to admit, so I would have to meet her by chance around town or here. Since she wasn't here, I decided to go into town. She couldn't hide among the nuisance of the townspeople forever.
I knew what I was getting into by coming out of the shadows. People were probably wondering why I wasn't parading around with an air of confidence and trading stories with other victors.
Walking to the main plaza, I managed to cast off most eager mothers and giggling teenagers and awestruck young men with a smile. I heard rounds of "Great job in the Games," and "Where have you been Finnick?" and "When are you going on TV again?" Not much of "How are you getting along after the Games?" They were just like the paparazzi, asking all of the intrusive questions but avoiding the real questions. I had nothing to say to these people.
I remembered how I loved wandering around town before the Games. I could have decent conversations with people, about our work, our families, our friends. I loved visiting the Merces' outdoor market, the Nilou's seafood stand, the Blaisen's thift store…wait. That was it. Annie probably saw my fake relationship with Naomi Blaisen, one of my oldest friends from childhood.
Naomi supported me up until the last minute before the Games, following me to the Capitol. Of course the ever gossipy Caesar Flickman caught sight of my friendship with Naomi and blew it up out of proportion. In the audience, she caught my eye and gave me an amused smirk. I decided to play along. Why not anyway? It could have been my last chance to enjoy myself and poke fun at the gullible Capitol audience. Since then, I completely forgot, as I tried to clear my mind when I returned home.
Naomi could help me out. She always was there from tying a loose shoelace to teaching me to put on a real tie for the school dances.
Within minutes, I stood in front of the thrift store. She usually worked here a few times a week. Stepping inside, my eyes were overwhelmed with the blinding assortment of colors on the racks. The store received the "out" clothing from the Capitol. After all, they could only wear something once, right? I spotted Naomi at the counter, wearing her usual faded plaid flannel. It was relieving that she could sell this hideous stuff but avoid wearing it.
She was helping a customer at the counter, a big man who I hid behind so I could surprise her. As the man moved away, Naomi's expression changed from boredom to shock.
"Finnick!" she shrieked, causing some customers to look up. "Dude! About time you showed up! I've been looking for you for weeks but you've never been around!"
"Shush!" I said, timidly, trying not to catch the eye of anyone watching me. I didn't want to further those pre-Games rumors. I turned to Naomi. "Can we talk somewhere private?"
"I've got to watch the counter. This will have to do, unless it can wait."
I lowered my voice. "Are people still circulating the rumors about you and me?"
She whispered too. "After you won, people came here in a frenzy asking me all kinds of questions. They mostly cleared out though, since I had nothing good to tell them. I wasn't still supposed to play along, was I?"
What a great friend she was. I haven't seen her in weeks, but she could basically read my mind. "No, you weren't. That's actually what I'm here about."
She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Is this about something that happened in the Games?"
Of course she watched every single minute of the Games intently. She was the first to bring that up, but I didn't want to resurface more memories.
"It's actually what happened after." I took a deep breath. I was ready to release this secret. "I met this girl."
Naomi reacted instantly, punching me playfully in the gut. "Hey, finally! I mean, go on. No more interruptions."
I continued, "Her name's Annie. I met her on the beach and I've spent time with her there every day since. She's wonderful, like you, Naomi, but it feels different. You and me grew up together, and it would seem natural that we would date, like the Capitol assumes, but that isn't us. As for Annie, she is young, probably too young to be corrupted by an older guy like me. I don't care. I want to share everything with her. I want more time with her. I wasn't sure until she blurted out her feelings for me, became insecure and took off. I just…want to know her, be with her, but I don't know how."
She smiled weakly. Oh no, what did that mean? "Finnick, I love that you've found someone. This is definitely long overdue, especially with all you had to endure lately."
"But?" I questioned suspiciously.
"There's something you have to know. Something that would break your dear Annie's heart." She stared at me solemnly and continued, "I'm not sure if you know what happened to the other victors, but it doesn't end with their Games." She stopped, looking panicked.
"Go on," I urged.
"The Capitol…the people often want the victors there." Her voice was a soft whisper now. "For their own personal use. Like prostitutes."
I felt my knees giving out, so I grasped the counter for support.
"I can't be sure it will happen to you," Naomi said. "But you better be ready if it does."
And there's a plot twist! I really enjoyed writing this chapter and spent a lot of time on it. Things will get even more intense as the chapters go on! Look for Chapter 3 soon!
