Hey there! Sorry this one took a while. I've been really really busy lately. Exams are also coming up so Chapter 6 might not come that soon :/ Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter :)


I wake up and immediately try to kick free. I feel someone's arms wrapping around me. I fight and try to break free from those strong arms.

"Annie! Annie, calm down."

I stop short at the voice. It's strong and fierce yet calming. It's Finnick's voice. My eyes open and his face is there, staring at me with concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I reply hoarsely.

"What happened this time?"

He hesitates. "Uhh... Well, you see... It's just that... Umm..."

If Finnick's not telling me, I guess I'll have to try to remember. Okay. So there was Harold, nightmares, looking for Finnick, then... then...

I jump to my feet fast and immediately look around. I remember what happened. Where were those people now? I turn back to Finnick, who's looking at me with sad, tired eyes.

"Who jumped at me?"

He sighs. "Haymitch."

A warning bell goes off in my head and I'm wondering who he is. I think he's a mentor. That's it. He's the District 12 mentor. The drunk one who's al-

Wait. 12? Drunk?

"Why is he here? And who were the other 2 people?"

"Annie, I've told you too much already."

I feel myself burning up in anger.

"Finnick Odair! Tell me who they are!"

He laughs at my outburst. But his sad eyes show something else now. Pity. I guess a deranged girl who he can lift with one hand doesn't really look menacing.

"I don't have any choice, do I?"

I shake my head roughly and glare at him. He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Alright, ma'am. They were..." He hesitates a bit. "Plutarch Heavensbee and Beetee. You remember Beetee?"

I nod absentmindedly. I remember Beetee. But the other name... It gives me a bad feeling.

"Who's Plutarch?"

He looks down.

"Finnick, who is he?"

He finally whispers something so softly I barely hear the words.

"Annie, he's- he's the Head Gamemaker."

My head spins as I try to make sense of it all. Head Gamemaker? That can't be good. Have I done something bad already? Is he going to capture Finnick? What's going to happen?

I feel my head hit something hard but soft. It must be the carpet. My head's throbbing again. But my mind is so occupied I don't even bother to scream or cry out in pain.

I open my eyes and I'm back in my room. I stare at the ceiling for a few moments, but then I hear someone's breathing. I slowly sit up and see Finnick lying down on the floor, curled up in a ball. I rush to his side.

"Finnick. Finnick, are you alright?" I whisper urgently to him.

For a moment nothing happens, and a kind of fear grips me and I'm clutching my chest because I can't breathe. What if someone drugged him? What if Plutarch poisoned him? A million things rush through my mind. I start to panic not only because Finnick's not waking up, but also because of that pain and fear that's preventing me from breathing. I'm about to let out a scream when Finnick moves. I move in closer.

"Finnick, are you alright?" This time my voice is quite loud.

His eyes flutter open and he jumps a bit when he sees the proximity of my face to his. I sigh in relief and rest my head on his chest.

"What's wrong? Did I fall asleep?"

I almost laugh. He was just asleep. I let out another sigh and close my eyes.

"Why are you here?" I say, in a surprisingly calm voice.

"I was watching over you."

"Oh, then where's Haymitch and Beetee and…" I take a gulp and hold back anger and tears. "…Plutarch?"

His breathing quickens a bit. "Haymitch is probably getting drunk somewhere, Beetee might be inventing something new and Plutarch… How on earth am I supposed to know where he is?" He chuckles.

"I thought you'd know, since you guys hang out now."
"Huh? What?"
"The four of you were talking in the dining room. Haymitch jumped at me. Remember?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Okay. That's weird. Now I'm confused. I lift my head up so I can look at Finnick straight in the eyes.

"Really? Oh, it must've been a dream."

Well, what else could it have been? I'm so confused with differentiating what's real and not now. Everything could be a dream. Or everything could be real. Today has just been so exhausting because I keep blacking out and I don't know which part of the day was real or not and-

I get up and stomp back to the bed in frustration. I throw myself at the bed and bury my face in the soft material. Why is everything so hard? Why can't I just be like any other normal person? I start to cry in frustration.

"Annie?" I feel his hand rubbing my back, trying to sooth me. But this just adds to my anger. Everyone feels sorry for me because I'm the poor, mad girl from District 4. So I just sob even harder and grip the bed sheets in my fists.

"Annie, do you want to have dinner? It's quite late now."

After some silent moments where only my sobs could be heard, Finnick talks to me again.

"Annie, just tell me what's wrong. I'll help you." He pries my finger loose and pulls my limp body away from the bed. He cradles my in his arms, rocking me gently.

"I just- I just can't do this anymore," I say in between sobs, "I don't know what's real and what's not. I can't, Finnick."

He puts his cheek against the top of my head and starts stroking it. He found out I liked this during our walks at the beach. It would always calm me down.

"Shh… It's okay. You can just ask me whenever you're confused and I'll tell you whether it's real or not."

I consider this idea.

"Really?"
He smiles at me. "Of course, Annie."