Annie's POV:
I sat on the blue plastic hospital chair, head in hands sobbing. Tarsi was dead and it was all my fault. If I hadn't left the box in the pancake house, he would still be alive. A tall thin middle aged doctor marched up to me, placing a warm hand on my back.
"I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm Dr Aurelius and if you want to, you are welcome to come to our grieving sessions. Losing someone can hurt a lot and I wanted to make sure you're okay." I cringed at his rehearsed speech and nodded. Maybe that's all his job consisted of; Just saying those three sentences to make sure people, who just experienced their friends getting crushed by cars, are okay.
"Thanks." I finally mumbled and then resumed my previous position, shaking and sobbing. I stopped crying when I heard a similar patten of footsteps. Finnick Odair. He walked in the automatic doors, linking arms with Mags. I heard a jingle of keys and Johanna appeared, jogging to catch up with my elderly adoptive mother and colour drained boyfriend.
"Annie." Finnick held his arms out and hugged me. I didn't even hug him back. I couldn't. His eyes looked confused but he put on a brave smile for me.
"You okay, dear?" Mags wearily sat down next to me and then rubbed her back. "Chairs a bit stiff, eh?" She patted my knee and crossed her legs.
"I couldn't even see Cleopatra on his shirt." I tried a sentence but it came out all wrong, I couldn't make sense of the jumbled up letters. Mags smiled and put an arm around me, pretending she knew what I was saying.
"I know." In a way it was comforting to have her pretend but then again it wasn't. Johanna awkwardly stood at the vending machine, picking the loose plastic from a chair. Finnick sat opposite me, just staring at my eyes.
"Do you want to go home?" Finnick knelt down in front of me and took my cold hands in his. I slowly and slightly nodded so he stood up and carried me, bridal style, out the robotic doors. I face inwards to his shirt and began to sob, sniffling like mad. He didnt look down so I could cry without being embarrassed. Johanna look Mags' arm and shuffled out into the summer sun. The light was blinding and it made everyone squint. We stood by Johanna's old black beetle for a few minuets. I was so scared of getting in the car that I found myself gripping Finn's damp shirt shaking. "Shhh... It's okay. Ill be with you the whole time and Mags and Johanna will be there too." He held me, looking deep into my eyes.
"Okay." I swallowed dryly and whispered just loud enough for Finnick to hear. "I'm scared."
"No, you're fine. We will be safe, I promise." He replied as Johanna opened the car door and pulled her seat back. Finn put me inside the car and held my hand as he also got in. He wrapped the seatbelt around himself then around me, laying my head in his lap. Johanna helped Mags into the car then sat inside herself. Finnick stroked my hair as we drove 6 minuets to my house and three of us got out. "Thanks, Johanna." He whispered as he pressed £10 into her hand for the lift.
"You're welcome. Look after her." Johanna whispered back and returned the money back to Finnick. We watched her pull her car away from our house and slowly roll down the street, taking a turn off to avoid the pancake house.
"My box." I suddenly panicked. "Where's my box?" I clung to Finn and begged for my present.
"Don't worry, it's inside." He smiled. Mags got her keys out and opened the front door stepping, cautiously of the mat, inside. Without eating or drinking, Finnick and I layed on the sofa, huddled up. Mags went to her bed and I could tell none of us were asleep. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't.