Finnick POV
Annie's interview went… amazingly. She was…. Terrifying. Her cold answers about her training score suddenly made her seem fit to be a Career, and her brutal smirk matched that of the District 2 boy. My gaze never left hers.. her outfit was certainly.. something. I saw male tributes eyeing her in lust and female tributes eyeing her in jealously. The Career girls are beautiful and deadly, the Career boys are strong and blood-thirsty. Thankfully, the rest seem like… bloodbaths. Nervous, hoping for the impossible, but knowing deep down it will never come true. Dorien manages to act adorable and sweet, and he's not entirely forgettable. It only takes so much to gain a handful of piteous sponsors. I ignored the comments of other victors about Annie – it's somewhat of a victor tradition to critique each tribute - at interviews, chariots, during the Games themselves. Female comments ranged from slight jealousy to pity, as some remembered their own horrible interview costumes; male comments were mainly obscenities or simple boredom, not caring. My staring didn't go un-noticed, I had to restrain myself as I heard the comments:
"Ahh, congrats, Finnick, you've already done 'er..? What's it for, extra sponsor points?"
"He does that every year, doesn't he? Poor tributes. Thinking someone actually cares about them."
As I walk away from the interviews, I ignore press. They yell questions, most of which I chose not to hear. It's unlike my charming, willing, demeanor, but that's the last thing on my mind right now.
By this time tomorrow, Annie will be in the arena. She might be dead. She's my world, and she was the person I was planning to spend the rest of my life with. She helped ease some of my pain as a victor. She didn't encourage me to forget what happened, or what I did, but to slowly heal. She understood me. She was the only person I could tell everything to. What we have isn't fake, or forged. Capitol women like me because I'm manly, attractive and a victor. A few district women like me because I'm a victor, someone that could bring them fame and fortune. I could easily land any girl I wanted, but most of them wouldn't care about me – who I really am, what my fears and dreams are. If I ever found another girl, it'd never be real. She'd try too hard to impress me, she'd be artificial. I will never get over Annie. She has held my heart for too long, we know every detail of each other's existence. If I chose to live the rest of my life, it would be empty. She would always be on my mind, and the moments we had would haunt me. It may seem like I have a lot to live for, but she is my rock. She's the only reason I've stayed alive. The life of a victor is a lonely, cold one. We're tortured by images of the Games, the memories of those poor children we killed. Those other 23 that died so that we could come home. Most of us find ways to cope. Morphling. Hobbies. A lucky few fall in love like me. If that's also ripped from us, like our innocence was in the Games, all of us couldn't survive. Suicide may be dramatic. But when she dies, it'll be the only way to drown the pain. Though it's sick of me, I'm content. If she dies, we'll both be free to rest eternally together, wherever we may go. No more of this cruel, unjust world. No more people that kill children simply for entertainment. No more hurt, no more pain.
The 23 dead tributes each Game almost get the better deal. Their soul is free of the arena. But when you're a victor…. Some part of you always lingers there.
I push away my thoughts as I head back and arrive at the District 4 floor. Dorien and Annie are already there, both in slacks and simple cotton shirts. They're watching recaps of the interviews, and I join them. The camera captures my lasting glances, and I breathe a sigh of relief that from the television set it simply looks like I'm checking out all of the female tributes. Not like I'm focusing on Annie. Besides Snow, Mags, and Annie's mother, I doubt anyone knows about us. I'm a notorious 'womanizer', so me paying extra-close attention to a tribute isn't any cause for talk. As Dorien stands up, he shoots us both a knowing look and goes to his room. Mags and our escort are asleep. We embrace and silent tears begin to spill from her eyes as she buries her head in my shoulder. We kiss, a long kiss filled with sorrow and longing. After that, we curl up together in my room, and talk. We talk about the life we could've, and would've, had together. We name our children, laugh and argue about what flowers we would've planted in the Victor's Village Garden, gush about what an amazing grandmother Mags' would've made. We plan a wedding on the beach, imagine weekends spent swimming in our 'spot' together. We wistfully imagine a world without the Hunger Games, a world where everyone has freedom and no child has to worry about dying before they're 18.
We talk well into the night, and by the time we're both yawning, I nervously pull something out of my back pocket. I stutter a bit as I hand it to Annie, and she gasps in shock. "I was planning this before you were reaped. I wanted to do this after I came back from the Capitol, I never even imagined I'd have to do it this way…," She starts to cry. "I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I already know you're the only girl I love and you're the only girl I'll ever love. The Hunger Games.. I didn't know they'd interfere." She holds a shimmering silver ring. A large ocean-blue stone with the occasional green swirl lays in the middle, and a specially carved, "I love you" is engraved in the side. I had been planning to propose to her after I came back from the Games. I knew we couldn't have an actual wedding nor could we make it public for the sake of our safety, and I doubted us being 'married' would change anything. It just made my love for her official. She clutches the ring and I gently take it and unclip her charm bracelet, before sliding it on. I slip the simpler silver, jewel-less one I had made for myself on my finger. "I had to make it so it was allowable for you to take your charm bracelet and the ring." I smile sadly, and the words I've been planning within the first month I met her leave my lips. "So .. will you marry me?" Both of us know there's no chance we can get married. Both of us know the Hunger Games are unforgiving. But, still… it'll give both of us hope. My words coax a slight smile to her lips and her eyes sparkle. "I think you know the answer to that." We kiss and melt into each other's arms.
It's hard for me to accept that this will be my last night – at least in this world – with the girl I love. But I know we couldn't have spent our time together better.
Annie POV
I want to keep on sleeping. My conscious knows that it's time for the Hunger Games, time for me to fight to the death, and it's not willing. But Finnick's voice allows me to slip out of my dreamy state, and the first thing I see when I get up are his bright green eyes. I put on a simple t-shirt and black pants, knowing I'll have to change before I go into the arena. I avoid the obvious, heart-wrenching moment, but it's time for Finnick and I to say good-bye. I hug him as tightly as I can and we share one last quick, loving kiss. "Finnick… thank you so much. Thank you for making my life.. amazing before I had to go." He wasn't expecting those words and his eyes start to water slightly. "Please… don't forget me. It's selfish of me to ask, but always have a little piece of me in the back of your head, okay?" I smile a bit, despite my grim situation. "No matter what you see in the arena.. just know that I tried my hardest, and I was…. Was.. thinking of you before I went." I hate to go on and on, but there's so much I want to say. "I hope you have a good life… enjoy it for me, okay?" His eyes widen and he pulls me to him. He whispers, barely audibly. "Annie.. when you die.. so do I. I love you, and I am not moving on. My life is nothing without yours. I will do everything to keep you alive, but if you go, so do I. We're spending forever together, and I'm not waiting a second longer than I have to, to make that happen. They need to understand that not all victors love the Capitol." My mouth forms into a wide 'o' and I grasp him. I want to protest, but I know he's telling the truth. I'm not sad because, I realize, if our situations were switched, I'd do the exact same thing. Finally, it's time to leave, to meet my stylist and head to the hover-craft that'll be transporting me to the Games. Finnick and I hold onto each other for dear life, and we exchange many "I love yous" before we head out of the room. Our escort shoots Finnick a disgusted look as she sees us come out of the same room, and we kiss freely, once more, in front of her. As I head away, I mouth an "I love you" to Finnick and he does the same. This can't… I … this is the last time I'll ever see him. We just stare at each other and before I know it, we're being transported to the Games.
Though I wish time would move slower, that I will never arrive at the Games, it happens. I'm given a paper cup of water and my stylist hands me an outfit. It's simple, a warm coat, durable pants, and running boots. Nothing to cause alarm, nor to provoke curiosity in me. I clutch the wedding ring Finnick gave me, and it comforts me to know that it can be the last thing I'll look at before I die. 5 minutes pass, and then I step on the metal plate. I tremble, in fear and anticipation as the plate rises it. I gasp as the arena comes into view. A beautiful mountain, covered in snow, streams running down it. A forest to my left. Ominous looking plains to my right. Dorien and I discussed my plan. He would run for dear life towards whatever protection there was, both of us hoping for a forest. I would nab what I could and join him. I'm taking a risk. The cornucopia is bountiful, and the Careers want bloodshed..
I'm overwhelmed. My life could be over in 10 minutes…
The 60 seconds seem to last forever, yet they're also gone too quickly for my liking.
10…
My heart pumps faster.
9…
I lean forward in anticipation, preparing myself to run.
8..
I spot a pile of knifes and a slim, but seemingly full backpack, that's what I need.
7..
All of Panem is watching me..
6…
Mags.
5…
My mother.
4…
My community..
3..
I don't want them to see me die..
2..
But most of all..
1..
Finnick.. I have to survive for him.