Chapter 21
Annie
My heart stopped when I heard my name. All these years and I had never trained or even dreamed I would be chosen for this death match. I looked up at Finnick but he was staring stonily ahead making a good face for the cameras like he didn't care that I was chosen. I saw in his eyes though that he was drowning in misery as was I. I was so shocked that I couldn't move but I didn't have to because a peace keeper roughly jerked my arm and pulled me to the stage and then jerked me into place forcing me to stand in front of a crowd with an expression of a deer caught in headlights. This could not be happening to me. My heart was racing and tears rushed into my eyes threatening to spill over. But I would not cry, and I would not look at Finnick or else I would lose it. I should have listened to him all those times he tried to teach me things instead of conning him into kissing or going to swim instead. Now I was going to die because I had believed I would beat the odds. To make things worse, when Pippy got around to calling the male tribute she called Marcel Denver who seemed to be perfectly calm and collected. I however was freaking out because he had been Finnick and Tridan's best friend for years until they had eventually drifted apart. Marcel was my first kiss when I was in the third grade even, no way could he be coming with me to the arena. I felt like I was going to pass out when Pippy made us shake hands but instead of just shaking my hand, Marcel pulled me into a hug quickly whispering to me in hushed tones.
"Don't go down without a fight." Was all he said and it confused me even more to think he might actually want me to win. I was lost in my thoughts so when Pippy said my name I was shocked back into reality. "Looks like little Annie has a lover this year." She teased to the cameras causing me to blush and look guilty. In my peripheral vision I saw Finnick's jaw snap shut and a part of me felt smug about it, I always had to watch him with other girls why shouldn't he watch me as well? Marcel played along good naturedly and then we were hustled off to the justice buildings to say our good-byes.
The deja'vu was so strong when I walked into the room that I collapsed immediately into the couch whimpering to myself like a beaten puppy. Tridan came in first, crying for the first time in his life. He gave me life skills and made me promise I would stop at nothing to get home to him and Finnick. My parents were my second visitors and they looked like they had seen death. They didn't cry because they were never the ones to do so but my mom was in pain, I could tell. It had to be hard not being able to have any more children and your only daughter is being sent to fight for her life. Of course, a part of me hated that she got to stay home while I went into the arena. It was silly but I needed something to do other than feel scared. Fear was not good in the eyes of my opponets, this much was sure. They would be expecting fighters and the weak ones would be the first to go. But I wasn't like Finnick or Mags, I wasn't a fighter and everybody knew it. I was Annie from the poorer part of the district that was always smiling and happy or trying to keep up with the boys. Little Annie Cresta and now I had to be vicious Annie Cresta. Worse, the love of my life was deemed to be the one to mentor me to my death even though in the end I'd only let him down and just die. I should just save him the trouble and go at the beginning so he doesn't have to worry. Not that he'd let me, I knew he had pull in the capitol that obviously wanted me dead. He'd keep me alive as long as humanly possible. Which only made the outcome more bleak for the both of us.
My final visitor was Jessica Odair. I curled up into her arms and we didn't say anything just listened to the others breathing and held onto each other like sisters which we were in a way. I sniffled and cried gently and she stroked my hair and kissed my forehead. Before her time was up, she pulled back and held out a small rope bracelet that was dyed blue. "It isn't much but I would very much like this to be your token." She told me and I nodded with my heart constricting at the simple beauty and sentimental value of the gift. I kissed her cheek holding back tears when the peace keepers came and took her away before taking me away a few minutes later to the train that would take us to the capitol.