Chapter 16:

Finnick's POV

I am more nervous than I thought I would be when I pull into Annie's driveway. I walk up to her front door and knock twice. I hear muffled voices behind the door and when it opens, I take in a sharp breath. Annie's hair is lightly curled and her eyes are delicately outlined with mascara and eyeliner. She is wearing a blue dress that stops at her mid-thigh and sand-colored wedges. Her mom is standing behind her, but I hardly notice her.

"You look gorgeous," I say.

Annie blushes and grabs a small bag before walking out of her house. I turn to her mother. "I'll have her back by about eight o'clock. At the latest eight-thirty. I know that seems kind of long but we have a bit of a drive to get to where I am taking her."

Mrs. Cresta nods and smiles at me. As I am turning to Annie, I see her mom give her a thumbs up out of the corner of my eye. I open the door to the car for Annie and shut it gently behind her before getting into the driver's seat.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

"It's a surprise."

"Can I have a hint?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it is a surprise," I say.

We don't say anything again until I pull onto the highway.

"I didn't tell anyone about this," She says it as it is. A simple fact.

"Neither did I," I respond because I didn't. And then we fall back into silence and I drive.

The drive only takes about half an hour, and when I pull into the parking lot, Annie has fallen asleep. I park and just watch her sleep for a minute. Her lips are parted just slightly and her face is so peaceful. I almost don't want to wake her up. Actually, this makes my surprise that much easier. I get out of the car, close the door gently, and then I open her door. I unbuckle her and gently pick her up and then lock my car. I barely manage to get the other doors unlocked without dropping Annie. I rush down a hallway, then another, and I easily navigate through the building I know like the back of my hand. When I finally reach my destination, I am so happy that I set up the blankets this morning. I gently sit down on the blankets and lay Annie down so half of her is resting on me.

"Annie," I whisper, shaking her should gently. "Annie, wake up."

Her eye open.

"Oh, I fell asleep, Finnick I-" She stops when she sees what is in front of us and all around us. "Oh my gosh."

We are surrounded by glass and water. We are in a shark tunnel. She turns to me with a gigantic smile on her face as a shark swims past us.

"This is amazing! How did you do this?"

"My parents own the aquarium," I say.

Annie stands up and traces her fingers across the glass as another shark swims past. She turns towards me and holds out her hand for me to join her. I get up and take it. She stands there in awe as she watches the sharks and other fish swim past us. It is almost like she has never been to an aquarium before. Then it hits me that maybe she hasn't.

"Is this your first time? At an aquarium I mean."

She blushes hard.

"Is it that obvious?"

"To most people, probably not. To me, yes." I say it softly but with strength behind it. So she knows that I mean it.

"Yeah. There were always just too many boys," She laughs a moment after she says it. "It sounds kind of stupid when I say it now."

"It isn't stupid."

She turns and leans against the glass and cocks her head.

"I can't figure you out."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"When you hang out with Glimmer you are like this popular, suave guy that all the girls fawn over, but when you are with me, I don't know, it's like your a completely different person."

I drop my gaze because as much as I hate to admit it, it's true. I hate myself for it. I wasn't always friends with Glimmer. In my freshman year, I was actually to be myself, but then Glimmer ran into me while I was going to a study group for my AP social studies class. After that, I was never able to quite escape her grasp. Over the past few years, I have become two different people, the shallow guy that Glimmer makes me out to be and the person that I actually am. The longer that it went on, the less I got to be me. And then when Annie came along, I was able to be me without being under Glimmer's thumb. I feel Annie's arms wrap around my neck and it snaps me out of my reverie.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be mean. I just wish that you could be you all the time."

"So do I," I say. "But I can't."

"Well, at least you can be yourself with me," She says with a smile. She leans in and kisses me gently. I pull her close to me and press her against the glass. We kiss for a while but eventually, we let each other go.

"I have food," I gesture to a basket on the ground.

"Good, I'm starving." Annie rushes over to the basket and unpacks the chocolate-covered strawberries, crackers, salami, and pepperoni and the two glass bottles of strawberry lemonade. We eat and talk and cuddle on the blanket for hours. When I look at my watch and see that it is almost seven-thirty I sigh.

"I should probably be getting you back," I say reluctantly.

"No," Annie whines, snuggling close to my sleepily.

"We have to." I kiss her head gently and we both get up aversely.

I barely manage to get Annie to the car without her falling asleep again. When we start driving I ask her a question.

"Why are you so tired?" I ask her.

"I was up most of last night. Nightmares."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You were in them."

"I was in your nightmares?" I ask concernedly.

"No, it's not like that. You were there protecting me."

I don't quite know how to answer that so I wait until we are off the highway and I pull over to the side of the road.

"What are you-" I cut Annie off when I lean over the middle console and I kiss her squarely on the lips. I finish kissing her and then I pull back onto the road. I turn on the radio and Annie sings along to the radio the entire way back to her house. I pull into the driveway at almost eight-fifteen. I am just about to get out of the car when Annie grabs my hand.

"Finnick," I turn to her. "Can we not tell anyone about...whatever this is? It's not that don't want anyone to know, I just-"

"You don't want to deal with everyone's opinions. I get it." I kiss her chastely. "I am more than happy being your secret."

I walk Annie to the door. When the door opens, her younger siblings are standing at the door. The girl, I think Annie said her name is Sarah, lets out a short whistle.

"Hey good looking," Her sister says, and Annie shoves her shoulder.

"Hands off," Annie jokes. Then she turns to me. "I'll see you Monday." I smile and we lean into a kiss. After a few seconds, Sarah is mocking us and her twin is telling us to break it up.

What did you guys think of Annie and Finnick's first date? I am really excited to continue to develop their relationship. Sorry I haven't done as much Everlark development as I want, so I am going to try to do that in the next few chapters. I am so astounded by how many people have read this. Please review what you think of the story, I definitely want to hear what you guys think. Don't be afraid to give me some criticism.

I hope you guys are all doing well wherever you are.

Stay happy, healthy, and safe,

-Jewel.