A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews and suggestions, they make my day! I hope you like this chapter and there is enough insight into Annie's situation. If not, Annie's perspective is coming up after this one!

Katniss' POV

Although Peeta and I were still the main point of conversation at school, especially to Cashmere who glared at me whenever I walked passed, two new topics had almost replaced us. The first, which was spreading quickly through the halls, was to do with the sudden transformation of Finnick Odair. In just one day he had gone from charming and full of life to someone who wandered around in a sad daze and had dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn't been sleeping. He also kept reknotting the string bracelet around his wrist as if scared he would loose it.

It had been two days since Finnick had told Peeta and I about Annie's suicide attempt, confiding in us the entire situation. It was awful, and I felt terrible for Annie. I hardly knew her, but she seemed so sweet and kind, and had definitely brought out a better side to Finnick. After seeing the cuts on Annie's arm I had the feeling that despite her smiles and friendly nature, there was darkness in her mind, and it made me so sad to think that Annie felt the way she did. From what Finnick had told us, she was barely hanging on as it was, and the situation with Finnick was just too much for her.

Finnick blamed himself entirely, and was not only hating himself for what he had done, but was also missing Annie terribly. As much as Finnick didn't want to make things about himself, it was clear to everyone that he wasn't coping at all. Peeta and I were the only ones who actually knew about Annie, and we decided that we had to help him out, even though Johanna didn't understand why I would ever want to spend any time with Finnick. So, after school on Wednesday we took him to Mellark Bakery where Peeta kept him constantly supplied with brownies as he sat in front of us in complete misery.

"She hates me." he said, taking a bite of his third slice of brownie for the afternoon.

"Have you tried talking to her?" Peeta suggested softly.

He nodded sadly. "I called her last night." he moaned. "Took me ages to convince her aunt to give me the phone number of her room."

"And what happened?"

"She hung up on me. Twice." he said mournfully. "Eventually she stayed on the line and I tried to explain. Tried to say sorry."

"What did she say?"

"That it didn't change anything." Finnick said, burying his head in his hands. "She said she saw me with that girl and that she never should have trusted me and that she was stupid for thinking that I would ever like her and ughhh it was horrible." He spoke in run on sentences as though it was too painful for him to relive the conversation, but needed to speak his thoughts all the same. "She was happy, for the first time since her parents died, and I ruined everything. I should never have asked her out, but I couldn't help it, you know? I really, really like her... But I was always going to mess things up. I'm no good for her and I hate myself for it."

Peeta gave me a concerned glance, and for the first time he wasn't sure what to say. Peeta was better at saying the right thing than I was, and besides, I barely knew Finnick while they had been best friends since kindergarten. So I stayed quiet while Peeta did the talking, and it was nice to see how much he cared about his friend. However, he seemed to want me to try and say something.

"Another brownie?" I asked hesitantly, holding the plate out to him.

He nodded sadly, taking another. "I don't know what to do."

"Do you think you could go and see her?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Family only." he sighed. "She wouldn't want to see me anyway. I don't want to make things worse."

"Finnick, these last couple of days, you've been a mess." I told him honestly. "You need to find a way to explain things properly, for yourself and for Annie."

For whatever reason, my bluntness seemed to get through to him. He looked at me for a moment, as though thinking it over in his mind, before shaking himself together and standing.

"You're right." he said slowly. "I need a plan first…" He was out of the door before I could say another word, leaving Peeta and I speechless in the bakery café.

"Do you think I did the right thing, encouraging him to not give up on Annie?" I asked Peeta eventually.

"From what Finnick told us, he was just as good for Annie as she was for him. I don't know what was going through her head when she...you know..." He trailed off for a moment. "But maybe it would help with her recovery if she saw that he really does still like her, and that she wasn't wrong to trust him."

"And if she choses to forgive him, then I guess that's her decision." I finished.

We sat in silence for a moment, thinking about the situation. All I could see in my mind was Annie, thinking that she wasn't good enough for anyone when that wasn't at all true, and Finnick, a total mess for being the breaking point for the girl he clearly loved. I really hoped things worked out for them, whatever Finnick's plan was.

The second piece of gossip in the school halls was centred around the upcoming Christmas Ball. From what Johanna had told me, the annual ball was pretty much the most important social event of the winter season for the students at The Capitol School, and every where we went we could hear girls discussing what they were going to wear and who was going to ask them to go.

"So I'm guessing you aren't going to make an appearance?" I asked Johanna.

"Hell no." she scoffed. "You're on your own."

"What?" I asked. "I'm not going either!"

"Oh yes you are." Johanna said. "You're with Peeta, and Peeta is one of them."

I sighed, she was right. Technically, Peeta was one of 'them' and no matter how much he didn't like it, it was practically a given that he would be there. As his girlfriend, I supposed I had to go as well. I knew he was going to talk to me about it as he asked me to walk with him during lunch. I stood up and Johanna gave me a knowing smirk as we walked away.

"You probably know what I'm going to ask you." Peeta laughed.

"I think I have a some idea." I replied.

"Look, around here, the Christmas Ball is a really big deal. I kind of have to go." He looked annoyed. "I know you probably hate me right now, but would you go with me?"

"I don't hate you!" I exclaimed. "Well, maybe I will once we get there."

"So that means you'll come?"

"Fine." I groaned. "But I'm not going to enjoy it."

"Trust me, neither will I." he said. "Unless we sneak off together half way through."

"Now you're talking." I said cheekily.

We said goodbye, and I left to find a quiet place in the library during my free period. I had only just opened my textbook to the right page when I was joined by a more lively version of Finnick than the day before. I didn't think I had ever seen him in the library before, and it seemed that he really had thought up a plan of how to make things up to Annie.

"Katniss, just the girl I wanted to see." Finnick said cheerfully, sitting down beside me.

"Oh no." I pretended to groan.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" he joked.

"What do you want, Finnick?" I smiled, despite myself.

"Which do you prefer?" Finnick handed me his phone and showed me photographs of two ball gowns- one green and silky and the other gold and flowing.

"I didn't know you were in to women's dresses." I joked.

"Not for me!" he said exasperated.

"I really don't think I'm the right person to be giving fashion advice." I told him honestly.

"Come on, which one do you like better?" he continued.

"Fine, the green one." I said.

"Me too!" he said. "It will match her eyes…"

"What?" I asked, not sure if I heard him right.

"What?" he asked back, trying to cover up what he had said.

I sighed, I was not in the mood for his games. "Goodbye, Finnick."

"You know, Katniss, I think I'm actually starting to like you." He smiled.

"Unfortunately, the feeling is mutual." I rolled my eyes.

Finnick walked away happily looking at the photo of the dress. If by some miracle Annie agreed to go to the ball with Finnick, I was pretty sure they would be the most good looking couple there.

I didn't end up getting much study done, I was too busy worrying about the ball and thinking about Annie. Sighing, I began packing up my books when I felt as though someone was standing behind me. I turned quickly, to come face to face with Cashmere. It was the first time I had ever seen her alone, without her loyal followers standing either side of her. She still had the same evil glint in her eye though.

"Katniss." she said coolly. "I saw Peeta buying tickets to the Christmas Ball during lunch. Is he taking you?"

"Yes." I said, of course he was taking me.

"Didn't really think it was your scene."

"It's important to Peeta."

"Oh well aren't you just the perfect girlfriend?" she sneered.

"I've got to get to class." I said, pushing passed her.

"You know, if I were you, I wouldn't go to the ball." she continued.

"And why is that?" I challenged.

"Remember our little chat when you first started here?"

I sighed. I was so sick of her glares and rude comments. Even though I hated that I let her get to me so much, I couldn't take it any longer. "Cashmere, please. Peeta and I are together and there is nothing you can do about it." I looked at her. "He doesn't want you, so get over it."

I walked away from her, pleased that I finally stood up to her. At the same time, however, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Making bitchy comments was Cashmere's thing, and what I had just said to her was exactly like the kind of thing the rest of the girls at school would say to each other. I started to panic when I realised that maybe I really was turning into one of those girls after all. However, when I caught up with Johanna on the way to class, she laughed at me when I told her what I was scared about.

"Katniss, seriously. You are not turning into Cashmere just because you put her in her place for once in her life." she reassured me. "If anything, I think I might be rubbing off on you."

That made me feel better, especially when she asked me to describe to her again the exact look on Cashmere's face.

"Johanna can you please come to the ball?" I begged, "I'm not going to survive if you don't come."

"Oh I'm sure you'll be fine with Peeta." Johanna winked at me.

"Well can you at least help me find a dress- I don't have anything to wear!"

Johanna reluctantly agreed, and in the end, I managed to get a group together to go dress shopping on Saturday. After begging for nearly two days, I finally gave in and let Prim join Johanna, Madge, Delly and I in Greenwich Village, looking for dresses that didn't cost thousands of dollars. I had been working extra shifts at the pizza place to make some more money to put towards Christmas, and I supposed this ball fell under that category. Plus, all the work I had been doing was a good excuse to avoid Gale, who hadn't exactly been my biggest fan following Thanksgiving. We had hardly spoken, and to be honest I didn't know what to say to him.

As much as I hated to admit it, dress shopping turned out to be a lot of fun. Johanna of course made it her mission to pick out the ugliest dresses possible, and made us all try them on at least once. Her comments, such as "This would make you look like a tree!" did not go unnoticed by the unimpressed shop assistants. Delly and Madge also had a wonderful time dressing Prim up in glamorous gowns that were way too big for her, and it was nice to see my sister so happy. However, I was beginning to think that my friends liked Prim more than they liked me, but who wouldn't, Prim was like a little ray of sunshine.

We had entered the final shop of our trip and I was yet to find a dress. Suddenly Prim squealed and rushed over to me, holding a dress that was practically perfect. It was red and flowing, with a ruffled sleeve over one shoulder that was dotted with sparkles. It was even in my price range, which I couldn't believe.

"Wow Katniss- you look hot!" Johanna remarked when I left the dressing room in the gown. "You are on fire, girl."

"Thanks, Johanna?" I said, laughing.

"Cashmere is going to loose it when she sees you in that dress." Madge said gleefully.

"Spin around, Katniss, spin around!" Prim chanted.

I spun around a few times, the bottom of the dress fanning out perfectly. I got a little dizzy though, and stumbled as I tried to slow down. "I have no idea how I'm going to walk in this dress." I moaned.

"Just wait until you put heels on!" Delly laughed.

I groaned again. If this was what it was like to live on the Upper East Side, then I was sure once and for all that I wanted nothing to do with it.

Prim and I arrived home happy but tired as the sun was beginning to set. As we turned the corner into our street I found Gale once again sitting on the curb. Prim looked at me hesitantly, and I motioned for her to go inside. I knew that I needed to talk to Gale eventually, and I think he realised that too.

"Hey, Gale." I said, sitting down next to him.

"Have a nice day shopping with your new friends?" Gale asked coldly. "Buy a pretty dress to go to the ball in?"

"Why are you being like this?" I asked him.

"Why are you being like this?" Gale shot back. "All the parties and dresses and dates on the Upper East Side- that isn't you, Katniss!"

"And how would you know?"

"Because I know you better than anyone." Gale looked at me. "Better than Peeta." he added. I sighed, so that was what this really was about.

"If you keep dating him, he's going to change you into one of his type. I don't want that for you Katniss. I don't want you to change, I like you how you are." Gale continued.

"Going to a ball doesn't change who I am, Gale."

"It does Katniss, don't you see?" Gale said sadly. "Six months ago you would have hated the very idea of going to some stupid ball and now here you are acting exactly like you were born and raised in that world."

"I don't want to go to the ball, neither does Peeta. We just have to, okay? That's how things work."

"That's how things work?" Gale repeated incredulously. "Don't let them control you, Katniss."

"I'm not!" I sighed angrily. "You just don't get it."

"Well I guess I don't." Gale replied. "Maybe I was wrong- I don't know you at all anymore."

He got up and left me alone in the street. I stayed outside until it got too cold, but even inside I couldn't shake the iciness inside of me as I replayed the fight I had just had with Gale.