"I know that some of you have just tuned me out," Atala pointedly looks at Enobria, and she flashes Atala her signature pointed teeth smile, and Atala shakes her head.
"Go train." And with that, the District 2 Victors race to the knife section, District 3 goes over to the fire section, and District 12 splits off to different stations.
"Hey Annie, Finnick." Johanna comes up to us, nodding her welcome. I nod shakily towards her and she sighs, pulling me into a hug.
"It's tough on all of us." She whispers into my ear, her breath warming my cold ear.
I nod, tears starting to well up in my eyes and Johanna pulls back, ruffling my hair. She points to me, poking me in the chest. "You. Me. Wrestling station in half and hour."
I shake my head, and Finnick laughs. Johanna nods curtly, and twisted smile lighting up her face and she turns on her heels, storming off to the plants station.
Finnick pulls me close, whispering in my ear, "I'm going to go to the knife section, you coming?" I balk, shaking my head quickly, my breathing rapid.
"Sorry Annie." Finnick wipes a stray curl off my face, his eyes soft. "I'll see you later, okay?"
I nod as Finnick kisses me gently, letting go of my hand as he turns to meet the District 3 Victors at the station. Brutus nods roughly as he grabs two wickedly looking knifes from the rack as Finnick grabs a trident, pretending to spear Brutus, laughing loudly.
I shake my head, turning to walk over to Katniss, who's right now at the hook section.
I silently walk up to the table, numbly looking at the different things to spear a fish. Katniss's brow is in a furrowed line as she tries to get one of the hooks on the line.
"Here." I whisper, reaching around her nimble hands, effectively tying the hook to the line. Katniss is watching me intently, her gray eyes watching my gentle hands move effectively. Once I'm done, I hand it back to her sheepishly.
"Thanks." She mumbles, staring at the knot I did. She hands it back to the instructor, who's watching me intently. He grabs the little hook, nodding. "You could catch a walleye with this knot and hook." He looks at me again. "You from District 4?"
I shrug, turning my shoulder so he can see the little 4 stitched in the side of my arm, as I reach to grab a line and some things to catch a sunny. My hands move quickly, and I see out of the corner of my eye Katniss copying my technique.
I hand the instructor my hook, already grabbing another group of things for my hook.
I start to hum lightly to clear my head as I work. Katniss freezes next to me, and I stop, my face burning with shame as I mumble, "Do you want me to stop? 'Cause I'll-"
Katniss shakes her head quickly, "I recognize that song…is it the Valley song?"
I nod, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "My father always sang it to me after I came back from my games." I start to sing it, my father's voice mixing with mine.
I turn my attention back to my hook, grabbing the earring, twisting it a certain way to catch the fish, placing the paper clip against the line.
I smile, holding the hook up, and a golden hand reaches behind my shoulder to grab it.
Finnick examines the hook carefully, mockingly shaking his head. "You've made this all wrong Ms. Cresta."
I jump to grab the hook from Finnick outstretched hand, his smile bright. "Well Mr. Odair, I didn't ask for YOUR opinion, now did I?" The coolness from the earring hits my hand, and I snatch the hook from his hand, smiling proudly at him. I still have the smile on my face as I give the instructor my hook. He's trying to hide a smile as he nods, taking the hook.
I sigh, turning around as I notice that Katniss has moved away from Finnick to the snare section, Finnick right on her heels. I nod my head, a smile lighting my lips as I trudge over to where Peeta is trying, unsuccessfully, to make a fire.
"Hey Peeta." I muse, nodding to the instructor as I grab the tools to make a fire right next to Peeta.
A line of sweat covers his brow and lip as he nods numbly to me, not looking up from his pile of wood. He frowns even further as the wood does not set on fire as he rubs them together. I stare at him for a minute, and then turn to my own pile of sticks and other assortments. I frown as I look through what I have to work with. A pile of sticks, some long grass for tying, a match, some cloth, and other things.
I look back to Peeta, whose fire just started, his brow slanting in relief. He sees me looking at him and he smiles warmly. Then the fire goes out and he frowns. The instructor laughs and Peeta's face turns beet red, not looking at me.
Anger wells up in my chest. I stand up abruptly and storm over to the instructor. He stops laughing as he sees me storming over to him. I grab his white collar and press my face inches from his, snarling, "If you had just survived your first Hunger Games just LAST year, I'd think that you wouldn't remember how to make a fire! Or maybe he didn't do this station last year! Have you ever thought of that?!"
The instructor shakes his head quickly, his eyes wide. I let go of his collar and he backs away from me. I growl, "I probably wouldn't be able to make a fire right now. How about you try it without a match?" I shove a pile a things into his hands to make a fire and point for him to sit down. He nods, sitting down fast, setting his stuff down to make a fire.
I storm back over to Peeta, who's watching me with wide eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. I nod towards him, and he nods back, shaking his head and chuckling.
I sigh, grabbing my sticks to make a tepee of sticks as the structure of the fire. I take some grass to tie them together. I frown as I fall deep into concentration, looking hard at the fire pile.
At last I wrap some cloth around the sticks, taking two extra rocks and slam them together, creating sparks. I place the rocks over the sticks, creating a fire. I look up in joy, and then frown.
Peeta and I are the only two still in the training center.
"Peeta?" I whisper, tapping his arm, breaking him from his concentration. He looks up, startled. I gesture around to the empty room, and he looks around, his face softening. Then he starts to laugh.
"What's funny?" I tilt my head to the side. He has a nice laugh.
He shakes his head, some of his blonde hair falling over his soft blue eyes.
"Guess we are the most hardest working Victors here." He muses, looking around again.
I laugh too, and then stop, frowning. When was the last time I laughed? At least before I came here.
My stomach growls and my face turns bright red. Peeta laughs again, standing up with difficulty. I catch a glare of metal from under his pant leg. I remember that he lost his leg from last year and my heart falls.
Peeta stands up and holds a hand out to me. "Care to join me m'lady?" His British accent caught me so off guard that I laugh again, grabbing his hand, standing.
"Of course!" I say back, grinning. Peeta laughs again and brings me to lunch.
When Peeta and I get into the lunchroom, everyone is almost done and going for seconds.
"Annie!" Johanna calls. I detach my arm from Peeta's and walk over to the crazy lady, who's sitting next to Finnick. I notice that all the tables are all connected. I raise my eyebrow in question. Johanna shrugs and whispers, "Is there something between you and Bread boy?"
I feel my face turning red, but I'm startled out of my stupor when I hear a tremendous CRASH.
Johanna, Finnick and I turn around, startled. Katniss's face is hard and set, and there's gravy all over the front of her shirt, and Peeta's as well. Katniss storms over to Chaff and slams her tray right beside him. There's only one more open spot that's right next to Katniss and I sigh, going to sit over by her. Then I stop, remembering to grab something to eat.
I go up to counter and grab a red tray, fork and spoon. I veer away from the gravy-splattered station and go up to the salad bar. I grab a bun, butter, and some lettuce, tomatoes, and some ranch before heading over to my spot.
Gloss and Cashmere are trying to smother their giggles as I sit down next to Katniss. I look at them quizzically, and they shake their heads, evil smiles lighting up their face. I look over at Finnick and Johanna, but my heart falls. They're in deep conversation, not paying attention to me.
I sigh, grabbing my fork to mix my salad around. Katniss is watching me. I pause, my mouth open, about to eat the salad off of my fork. I slowly put my fork down, looking at Katniss slowly. "Is there something you wanted?"
Katniss turns deep red and shakes her head. "You're Annie right?"
I nod slowly, my face betraying my question.
Katniss shakes her head. "Finnick just talked a lot about you at the station. I was just wondering-"
"OW!" I cry, grabbing my cheek, throwing my bun to the floor. Gloss and Cashmere start to laugh hysterically, falling to the ground. Tears spring up in my eyes as everyone watches me quizzically. Understanding floods Katniss's gray eyes and she looks down at the bun on the floor. She picks it up, looking at it closely. Finally she finds what she was looking for and pulls it out.
A needle.
"Gloss and Cashmere placed this in Annie's bread, cutting her." Katniss explains. I nod, tears falling down my face. Katniss gently pulls my hand away from my cheek, wincing at the cut.
The needle had cut all the way through my cheek, draining blood off the side. Blood dripped freely onto my pant leg, running slowly but surely down the side of my cheek.
Peacekeepers rush into the room, three in all. The first one comes up to Katniss and I, Katniss gently dabbing the cut from the needle. The Peacekeeper taps Katniss's shoulder and she jumps, her eyes wide. She slowly turns around and the man rumbles. "There's a problem?"
Katniss nods, her face flooding with relief. She points towards Gloss and Cashmere who are back in their seats, looking at me worriedly. I know it's an act, as does everyone else in the room except the Peacekeepers.
"Those two put this needle," she holds up the needle that's red from my blood. "In her bread, which she ate and cut her cheek." Katniss points gently to my cheek that was bleeding even harder now.
The Peacekeeper takes my face in his hand, turning it right and left, examining it. Finally he nods to the other Peacekeepers in the room. The Peacekeepers walk up to Gloss and Cashmere, grabbing their arms.
"NO!" Gloss shouts, snarling at me. "She put it in her own bread to frame us!"
The Peacekeeper holding him says, "Really? Because it didn't look that way in the security tapes."
Gloss's face drains of color as he and Cashmere are dragged out of the room.
"Ms. Cresta." The Peacekeeper examining my face grabs my arm gently, pulling me up to face him.
"We must take you to the doctor's office to get this stitched up."
I inhale sharply, looking frantically towards Finnick and Johanna who are listening without drawing attention to them.
They both look up, as if just realizing that we were standing right next to them and Finnick's eyes go wide as he sees my cut.
Are you okay? He mouths, his eyes staring at the cut worriedly. Johanna looks like she's about to puke from the blood.
"I have to go." Johanna mutters, placing a hand on her stomach and running off. Finnick jumps up, his hand outstretched for her arm, his face pale. He turns back and I squeak as the Peacekeeper starts to drag me towards the office. I reach out for Finnick, my breathing labored. I turn back towards the Peacekeepers face and say breathlessly, "Can he come with too? I'm squeamish around needles." I gesture helplessly towards Finnick who nods overenthusiastically.
The Peacekeeper looks between the two of us, his eyes narrowed as he tries to see what's going on.
I gasp, stumbling slightly as stars blur across vision. He catches me, picking me up against his crisp, clean suit.
"Annie? Are you okay?" Finnick's voice sounds like it's a mile away. I turn my head sluggishly towards his face and his green eyes shine brightly in my line of vision.
I sigh, then my stomach heaves and I vomit all over the Peacekeepers clean white suit.
He sighs, shifting me as he starts to run down towards the doctors, Finnick hot on his heels.
I moan, the lights starting to turn so bright. And sharp.
My headache starts to grow even deeper as I look towards the man's white suit. The white starts to turn even brighter and I squirm in his arms. He yelps and Finnick catches me. I groan, clutching my stomach.
"Annie." Finnick presses his cool lips against my burning forehead, whispering, "Just close your eyes, you're losing a lot of blood."
I nod numbly and close my eyes. The pounding of my own heartbeat and Finnick's thumping feet make my head spin.
I gag and vomit all over Finnick's training outfit. Finnick inhales sharply as he turns a corner.
The smell of antispectant hits my heated face, and suddenly I'm being laid down on a crinkly table. The coolness cools my heated body. Something pricks my cheeks and I jump, my eyes flying open.
Finnick's face swims into my view and his cool hand wipes away some sweat sticky hair from my forehead. A doctor's face also swims into my view and my cheek starts to feel numb.
"Ms. Cresta, how do you feel?" The doctor's voice is muffled by his mask as he starts to thread a string through a needle. My stomach lurches and Finnick presses his lips against my forehead, trying to calm my nerves.
"Ms. Cresta?" The doctor turns back, his eyes watching me. I nod, clearing my throat so I don't sound terrible as I mumble, "My head's aching and my stomach's churning. Oh the lights!" I moan and turn away from the lights; the light's burning my eyes.
"Annie." Finnick's breath hits my ear as he whispers; "You need to turn the cheek towards the doctor so he can fix it." I don't move and Finnick sighs, placing his cool hand gently under my cheek and turns my head towards the doctor. A sharp pain shoots through my cheek, and then falls away. Finnick inhales sharply, his hand clenching tightly on mine. I moan and Finnick unclenches his hand from mine, whispering soothing things into my ear.
A while later, the doctor moves back and sighs. "Alright Ms. Cresta, you're good to go. Just be careful for the stitches."
I open my eyes and sit up slowly, Finnick's hand on the small of my back, helping me sit up. I nod gaily at the doctor, a wry smile on my face.
"Thanks doc." I mumble, my body falling. Finnick catches me and picks me up bridal style.
"When can she go back?" Finnick was asking the doctor. I was staring at his hair; I'd never noticed that his hair was so wavy and golden.
"She can go back tomorrow, but I must warn you, she might be a little different from the novacane." He gestures towards me and I giggle, smiling like a little girl.
Finnick nods, "Thanks doc."
The doctor sees us to the door and Finnick maneuvers my limp body through the door. I laugh and wave clumsily towards the doctor and he disappears.
"Annie, how are you feeling?" Finnick looks down at me as he brings us towards the elevators.
"Great, just fiddly-diddly!" I laugh, throwing my head back. Finnick's brow creases as he nods towards the Avox to take us up to our rooms. The elevator chimes and I mimic it, giggling. Finnick brings us into the elevator and the Avox's face that brought us down here swims into my view.
"Hunter." I pat his arm, not noticing his eyes going wide, his breathing harder. Finnick stiffens before whispering, "Annie, stop it."
I look up at him, struggling to take in one of the three Finnick's there are. "Stop what?"
Finnick rolls his eyes. "Annie, don't talk to him." He gestures with his shoulder towards the Avox who's nodding frantically.
"Who, Hunter?" I sigh, struggling to get out of Finnick's grip. His grip tightens as his shoves his face a mere inch from mine.
"Stop. It." Finnick grounds out, his eyes burning with anger.
"Why Finnick? I haven't seen him since his funeral, I think I can talk to him." I struggle again to free myself from Finnick's grip. Finnick grabs my hair, not lightly, making me look at him in the eyes. His eyes are furious. "Cut the act Annie! You know that Hunter and Adam were killed in that freak storm and he…" He gestures towards the Avox who is huddled in the corner, staring at us with wide eyes. "CAN'T be HUNTER so STOP IT!"
The elevator dings and the doors open silently. I shove my elbow into Finnick's chest, resulting in Finnick groaning and him dropping me. I land on my feet, swaying slightly, tears running down my face.
"Thanks for reminding me." I whisper, my heart aching. Finnick's eyes go wide as he starts to open his mouth to say something but I turn clumsily and start to teeter back to my room, sobbing silently.
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