So... I actually finished this chapter early because apparently people want it to come faster :P I'll try to update much more often from now on, but no promises. Don't forget to review :) Enjoy!
"Annie."
I hear the voice. Small and distant.
"Annie."
I hear it again. But all I see is blackness.
"Annie? Are you there?"
The voice becomes clearer. I open my eyes to see Finnick's blurred face.
At first I feel relief, because I don't know where I am or what's happening, but the sight of him makes me feel safe.
Then I remember.
"No. Just go away," I wave him off.
"Annie, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't have a choice. I told you, but then I decided it was best for you not to know. I lied because I love you, Annie."
His guilty, hopeful, sorry blue eyes freeze me where I am. For a moment I want to just forgive him. To just say, "It's okay" and then hug him. But I can't. This is just too much for me.
"No, Finnick. Just get out. I don't want to-"
"Wait! You should know why they're here. Don't you wa-"
"NO FINNICK! Don't you get it? I don't want to have anything to do with them!" He catches my hand and holds it. I pull my hand back and sigh. Now he's looking at me. His face is etched with frustration, regret, and sorrow. His face is etched with frustrationI take a step back and turn so he doesn't see my face. A teardrop rolls down my face.
"Just go."
I hear the door click. I immediately start crying and I sink to the ground. Why did this have to happen? I lay there on the floor, crying and wishing I'm back home instead. Wishing I'm back to the time before I got reaped. Before Finnick got reaped. Before any of this nonsense happened. But of course, it's nothing like that.
Instead, I lay there as the soft, velvety carpet swallows me. Now I'm falling, and all around me there's nothing but darkness. Now I don't know whether I'm still falling or not. I've lost all sense of direction. Then I hear it. The waves crashing down on the sand. Finnick laughing and calling my name. I need to get there. But how?
I look around. And then below me, I see a tiny dot of blue. I dive towards it. It gets bigger and bigger and I'm finally through. I'm lying down on the sand. I see Finnick in the distance.
"Finnick!" I run to him.
I call him again. "Finnick!"
But he's not turning around. He's too busy laughing with someone. Who can it be? As I get nearer, I realize it's a girl back from District 4. It's Cassie. I look at both of them, expecting one of them to at least acknowledge my presence. But they're still talking and Finnick suddenly leans down and kisses her forehead. I stare in horror as he plops down next to her and starts stroking her hair. What is this?
I scream at him.
"FINNICK! What- why would you do this to me?"
But he just looks through me. I don't even exist in his eyes.
I run with tears streaming down my face. I run and run, not caring where I go.
Then I hit into something. It's a big block of stone in the middle of a park.
I look at it and I fall back in horror.
"Rest In Peace
Annie Cresta
Daughter and beloved friend"
I lie down on my side and close my ears and my eyes. I whisper to myself.
"No. No. No. No." Over and over again.
Someone's patting me now. I slowly open my eyes to find Finnick back in my room. It was just a dream. I cry out in relief and hug him tightly.
"I'm sorry, Annie. I'm sorry for lying." He pulls back so he can look into my eyes. "Will you forgive me?"
I fall back into his arms and say, "Of course, Finnick. But please, please, please don't lie to me again. You don't know how much it hurts me."
"I'm sorry."
After some silence we break away and sit on the carpeted floor.
"So... What was happening? You were kicking and mumbling and crying. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Okay." I tell him the whole story, but when I get to the part where he's with Cassie, I stop.
"What?" he asks.
"Well... You were too busy talking to... Cassie. Then you kissed her forehead and you did all the things you always did with me and... and..." Tears well up in my eyes so I look away. I think he senses that I'm upset because he takes both of my hands in his and says, "Annie, you know I would never, ever, ever do that, right? Why would you even think about it?"
I look at him because I sense something in voice. I look deep into his eyes and realize that I've hurt him. I've hurt him by thinking that he would ever do such a thing. I try to fix it by quickly continuing the story.
"Finnick, after that happened, I ran and ran and ran as far as possible. But I hit into something. It was a tombstone. My tombstone."
I wait for him to understand all this. His face takes on a serious expression and I can tell he's terrified by this idea.
"Annie. You have to know one thing. I will not let you die. Okay? Annie, I swear on my life that you will get through this."
I break down in tears. Not because I'm afraid of dying, but because I'm afraid of Finnick dying. Of a world where he doesn't exist. Where I won't hear his voice ever again. Where he won't spend countless hours trying to get me out of my flashbacks.
He hugs me tight. "Annie, it's okay. I told you, I won't let you die."
"It's not that, Finnick. I'm fine with the idea of dying. But I don't want you to die. I don't want you to go and never come back.
He softly says, "It's okay, Annie. I'm here. I'll always be here."
I close my eyes and say two barely audible words. But I'm sure he hears it.
"I know."
