**IMPORTANT** PLEASE READ:
Aha! I tricked you.. Well, or perhaps it was more of whether you actually paid attention to my author's note last chapter.. I said, "Now, I could be extremely evil..." and the key word here is could. But I'm not extremely evil. So, the previous chapter wasn't the final chapter, for those of you who think that it was. And, did I list the story as "complete"? No! There's still more! Horrah! Cookies for everyone!
However, I am not going to end it with Finnick's death, because that would just be way too depressing. Where will it actually end, you ask? You'll have to read on and find out! ;)
(Another little thing that's been bothering me from a few reviews: What Finnick said in the last chapter wasn't directed to Annie. It was more of a talking-to-himself type. Cheesy? Possibly. But I wanted it to somehow tie in to the story's title, which is Finnick's Charm.
On that happy note, I will now stop my rambling, and let you read on!
Dr. Hyde speaks to me every day, constantly bugging me to relax and not to worry about anything. He sometimes asks me questions, and they're usually so personal—though some are very off-topic and bizarre—that I keep my mouth shut and refuse to answer (for example, "What was your relationship with Davis?", or "How do you feel about winning?" or even, "What does one plus one equal?") It annoys me to no end, because I'm already relaxed and I don't need anyone to tell me what to do and what not to do. He's treating me like a baby, and I hate it when people see me as a helpless little girl.
Why couldn't he have died in Davis's place?
I have a private bedroom where I'm asked to stay whenever I'm not with Dr. Hyde. No one comes to visit me, except for a couple of Avoxes who come and bring me food or drinks or other necessities. I even try conversing with one of the female Avoxes, and she only gives me a look of terror before she escapes from my room.
Am I really that terrifying?
After that incident, I went to my bathroom to check on my appearance, and I see a hollow, pale-faced girl staring back at me. The built of the girl in the mirror is thin—too thin—and her expression is empty but with a tint of sadness.
Almost like a ghost.
Is that really me...?
As I study the girl in the mirror, there is a gentle knock on my bedroom door. "Annie?"
Him again.
I scowl and ignore the voice.
"Annie, I know you're in there," Finnick says desperately. "I-I'm only knocking because I'm trying to be polite, but to tell you the truth, I have a spare key with me. So if you're not going to invite me, I'll invite myself in. Just consider it a friendly warning."
Giving up, I yank the door open for him, making a huge fuss over it as I did so. He shakes his head as he walks in, pretending that I hadn't ruffled him at all. The jerk. "What do you want?" I ask coolly. "If you're here to have another conversation with me about our relationship-that-didn't-happen, then you might as well just leave."
He winces at my harsh tone. "I'll just be blunt about it then, Annie. Your...your mother is dead."
"Did you kill her, too?" I say through gritted teeth. I haven't seen my mother in so long. What did she think about the Games? Did she like me winning? Did she even care about me winning? Now I'll never know, because she's gone, too, like everyone else I've ever known.
"No, Annie," he says. "The Peacekeepers killed her, or so I heard. Only then did...Snow agree to postpone your interview."
No! No, this can't be happening! Why? Why did he have to kill my mother? "And who asked to postpone the interview in the first place, huh, Odair? Not me! It was you! I told you I'm fine! Why can't you listen to me for once? I won't have any more of this nonsense, you hear? Tell Flickerman—or Snow—or whoever's responsible for this thing that I'll do the interview today! I can't have anyone else dying for my sake!" I take a deep breath, and Finnick watches me with sadness in his eyes.
With my legs feeling weak, I sink onto the ground. "Oh, why does everyone I love have to die?" I wail.
"I'm still here," Finnick says quietly.
"Not for long," I mutter, and, realizing what I was saying, add quickly, "Not that I love you! Now, you go and find my prep team and tell them to come here! I'm fine now! What, it's already been four days! I've suffered enough with that stupid doctor!"
I begin pushing him out of my room. "Look, Annie, you can't just tell them to have the interview and expect it to be ready," Finnick points out. "They need time to get ready!"
Like I care about that! "Go!" I snap, and slam the door in his face.
I pace my room, no longer in the mood to stare at the mirror all day, and don't stop until Sandra appears with a sea-green flowy strapless dress. The rest of my prep team hurriedly—and silently—washes me, does my hair and make up, and Sandra tells me to put the dress on. Finally, she holds up something in her hand, and I see that it's a pearl strung onto a chord. Simple and delicate. "This was your token, remember?" she says softly. "Mr. Odair, no, Finnick, gave it to you. Here, let me help you put it on."
I open my mouth to protest, but Sandra wasn't accepting no as an answer. I grudgingly let her tie it around my neck, and as she did so, my memories of my times spent with Finnick come pouring back into me.
Finnick and I, on the beach...
Finnick and I, on the train, with him in his underwear...no, with him calming me down after my first nightmare...
Finnick and I on the roof...with him telling me his past...how he was forced into prostitution, and how he wanted to spare his brother from the pain...
A single tear rolls down my cheeks. How could I have forgotten them? It was as if the pearl necklace was what triggered the memories of Finnick that I so desperately wanted to hide. I knew I just wanted to blame someone for what I've gone through, but, was Finnick really the one to blame? All he did was act as my mentor, right? It's not like he wanted anything to do with the Games, either.
He was precious to me before the Games, and he should be, now, if I really did love him.
Did I?
Or had I...fallen in love with Davis?
I don't know anymore. It's all too much for me, and I had to focus on the interview at hand.
"Do you think you can...?" Sandra asks with genuine concern in her eyes. "If not, I can inform President Snow to push the interview back again..."
"I'm fine," I insist. "I'm feeling better than ever, in fact. Let's get this interview over with!"
I follow her out of my bedroom, and I see Finnick leaning against the wall, waiting for us. For a moment, our eyes meet, and then I see him mouth "Thank you!" to Sandra. She replies with a curt nod.
"Annie!" Finnick grabs my wrist and pulls me to him in a hug. I try to push back, but his arms are ridiculously strong. "I don't care how long it takes," he whispers into my ear, "but I'll wait for you, Annie."
His voice sends shivers down my spine.
And, still with his promise fresh in my thoughts, I step onto the stage and greet the citizens of Panem.
Disclaimer: The Hunger Games doesn't belong to me!