Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games series, nor characters portrayed in it, all credit goes to Suzanne Collins.

Chapter 21: Parents

(Annie P.O.V.)

Though it was morning, our curtains were drawn shut, as usual. The television light was the only light to illuminate the room. My father and I sit next to one another on the couch in silence. Before the games, my father had bet a lot of money, to some other men in town, that Finnick would die in the bloodbath on day one, Finnick was now in the final six. You can imagine how mad he must be about all his bettings lost.

I watched the television as it cut to the careers. They were talking about Finn and the boy from district ten who were the only non careers now. They scolded themselves for not looking for Those two sooner and taking them out.

The girl from district one wanted the boy from district seven killed for killing her district partner. The other careers disagreed and said they wanted to keep him for a while, but once they killed Finnick, and the boy from district ten, he was all hers.

That earned the cameras an evil smirk from her, that I know will haunt my dreams when I sleep tonight. Later into the night, the girl from district two had a disagreement with the boy with the ax, he killed her when he lost his temper, and that was it for him. I watched as the victim's district partner ran after the guy with the ax like a cheetah. He was rather muscular. More like a bull than a cheetah. I wondered of Finnick's was the one running, if he could outrun him. Finnick's was really fit, but he was a lot shorter than him. Who knows what would happen.

I almost felt bad for the girl from district two's death. When she died, her body was thrown and caught by her district partner. He got her blood all over him. I was always a bit squeamish with blood. I'm not sure how well I would do if I were him, in that situation, then again, he seemed to have no problems with killing thus far.

They're running and the television cuts to finnick's reaction to them running past his tree. I let out a sigh of relief that they hadn't seen him.

My father was watching the games, seemed a little too into it... He wasn't drunk for once, but he was pretty hungover. I kind of wished he was passed out though, so I could watch the games without someone watching me, or criticizing Finn. My father grunts when the camera is on the two boys running again. I look over at him.

"What?" I ask him, curious. Perhaps he was glad Finnick's wasn't spotted. Perhaps he did like him just a little after all. My father rubs his forehead, still looking at the television.

"I had hoped your friend woulda been spotted." I stare at him for a long time, then clear my throat before replying.

"You don't want Finnick to actually die, do you?" I ask, with a disturbed look on my face. I know he had betted on his life before, but I had guessed that was because Finn was so young, not because he actually wanted him dead. My father just shrugged in reply.

"Well. I don't see why not. He's a waste of life. He's just living off his parents fishing business. He always hangs around you. Like you're HIS property. You're MY daughter, damn it! If he dies, then I don't have to see his smug face around here anymore. He's too young to win anyways. Fourteen yearolds NEVER win." he grumbles again, continuing to watch. That's when I hear a loud smack, my jaw drops in horror when I see my hand shaking in front of me, and his cheek red.

I slapped him. I hadn't even realized what I had done, until it was too late to take back. My hand stung like I had been stung by a jellyfish. I watch as my father opens his mouth to speak, I book it up the stairs to my room before he could get up to punish me.

I move my vanity filled with my mothers belongings in front of my door,hoping it would stall him for at least a moment longer, and head to the window. In minutes my father is banging on the door. "ANNIE. YOU OPEN THIS DOOR. RIGHT NOW!" his yells were more like roars from a horrible beast.

"NO!" I scream back, and He's still yelling my name and throwing around curse each bang on the door, My nerves are on end. I grab the one thing in my room I needed, Finn's jacket, and climb out the window. If I fell down, I'd break my arm for sure. I hadn't climbed down this window before, I tried to be as careful as I could. I was barefooted too. I look down at my feet, from the window I can hear my father almost breaking down the door. I jump and grab onto the tree, and carefully climb down it. My arms and legs are shaking in panic. Once I make it down the tree, my foot slips and I fall, skinning my knee on the harsh bark of the tree. I'm inspecting my knee when I hear the wood of my bedroom door crack and his stomping in my room. I get up quickly, not even bothering to brush the leaves off me, I run as far from my house as I can. I can still hear my father shouting My name from my bedroom window.

The only place I could think of to go, is town square, because I want to watch the games, well, I don't WANT to, but I have to. Not only is it required by law to watch, but also, I needed to know Finnick's was okay. Every moment I took my eyes off a screen, something could happen to him. I'm standing in town square, and put up Finnick's hood on my head.

I hope and pray, with all my soul, that my father doesn't come to find me in town to drag me back home.

Suddenly, as I'm watching the games, I feel a hand on my shoulder, a desperate grip to it, my heart starts racing again, He's found me... I turn around quickly, ready to run from my father, when instead I see Finnick's father standing before me, instead of my own.

"Oh…" I sigh and relax a bit, but not much. "Hello, Mister Odair." I say, and he looks at me, a bit shocked to see me.

"Oh…" he says as well. He clears his throat. "Sorry...I...recognized the jacket, for a moment there, I thought you were Finnick." He explains. Which is probably why he gripped my shoulder son tightly before.

He knew Finnick's was in the game, but thought he saw him. I feel awful. I see Finnick's in everything too. He expected to see his son here in this jacket, just like when I knocked on their door the other day, I expected to see Finn too. I swallow before I talk. My throat felt dry.

"Oh...sorry." I take off the jacket quickly and hand it to him. I was shaking. Not from the cold, but still a bit jumbled from my fight with my father. Mr. Odair stares at me for a while, not taking the jacket I am trying to hand him. I probably look crazy. Skinned knee, leaves in my hair, my whole body shaking, My feet bare.

"No, you keep it. Finn would have wanted it that way." He says still looking at me. I slip it back on as he speaks again.

"You're shaking. Would you like to come over to watch the games? Sit by the fire and warm up?" He asks and I nod and follow him to the Odair household.

I was glad to be someplace my father wouldn't look. He would probably assume if Finn is not here, I wouldn't be in his house either. Not to mention, he cares very much about what others think of him, he wouldn't want to drag me out of the Odair's house by my hair, I don't think Finnick's parents would approve of him doing so either.

Finn's mother was glad as always to see me, as always. We were all happy to see that Finnick hadn't got into anymore trouble in the games, and got to live another day. Mrs. Odair gave me some warm socks to wear, and some tea. The tea did wonders in soothing my throat, and making me instantly warm, as well as the fire crackling in the fireplace. I thanked both her profoundly and her husband's kindness. The Odair's let me sleep on the couch, They knew a bit about what my father was like, hearing from Finnick, I suppose...But I didn't ask how much Finnick had told them.

Maybe I was just comfortable for once, maybe it was simply being closer to Finn's parents made me feel closer to Finn, or maybe my body just gave out finally from exhaustion. All I know is, That was perhaps the only night I had gotten more than a few hours sleep since the day Finnick was reaped.

Author's note: How did you guys like this chapter? I eventually need to go back and fix all my typos in the story, haha. leave me a review and let me know what you think! And I'll start positing full chapters from now on, instead of splitting them in half! Thank you Guest, Coolerthancool99, and Weesie pie for the reviews! I really appreciate them and they motivate me! Thanks for reading you guys!