CHAPTER FOUR

WALK ON, SLEEP ON, DREAM ON…

After dinner, Annie stacks her silverware and other dishes on top of her plate, then places a napkin over it all. She stands swiftly and pushes her chair in. I look up at her, dabbing the corners of my mouth with a napkin.

"Going somewhere?" I ask.

"I should probably head home," she replies.

I stand swiftly and push in my chair.

"What are you doing?" she asks me.

"Walking you home…"

Her eyes widen. My lip twitches into a smirk. Why is she so surprised?

"You want to walk me home?" asks Annie.

I grin.

"Why wouldn't I?"

She snorts back laughter and shrugs.

"Because you're the famous Finnick Odair and I'm Annie Cresta, the net maker's daughter."

"You're wrong. I'm the famous Finnick Odair and you're Annie Cresta, Queen of the Nets…" I reply.

She laughs softly and heads for the door. I walk beside her. We exit the Hall of Justice. The streets of District Four are lit dimly by lamps. I can't help but stare at Annie. Her big eyes gaze up at the sky.

"What are you looking at?" I ask.

"The stars."

"Trying to make out constellations?"

She shakes her head. I raise a brow, perplexed. She turns her gaze to me and grins.

"They're beautiful without being in indecipherable shapes."

I shrug at her observation. She has a point.

"Plus, I don't know how to pick out constellations," she snorts.

I laugh. Annie is pretty funny. It's hard to find pretty girls who are funny these days. I decide to tell her this.

"You're really something. I can't find any pretty AND funny girls these days," I remark.

She laughs softly.

"I'm one of a kind."

We are silent the rest of the walk. Out of choice. Not imposed awkwardness. With her observation about the stars, I can't help but also stare up at them. They are quite beautiful. She's right. There doesn't have to be a picture or special formation for them to be beautiful. They just are. In their imperfect shapes and varying sizes, there is an imperfect beauty about them. Maybe it's because they seem unattainable. Maybe it's because they are all different but the same as one another. They remind me of something. Or someone rather. I can't place it though. I'm too stunned by their beauty.

Finally, we arrive at Annie's house/shop.

"Well, again, I'm sorry about me making Vendica quit," she says with a wry smile.

"Well, again, she's was on the verge of quitting before she met you. Plus, you can't help that you're amazingly intelligent," I remark.

Annie laughs and we stop before her front steps. She removes a key from her pocket and twists it in her fingers. We stare at each other. I'm used to being stared at it…but it's apparent that Annie isn't. What makes it apparent is that she doesn't seem to notice I'm staring. She hasn't even noticed she's staring. Annie's completely absorbed in something bigger than my looks. I like that feeling. The feeling I am getting just by standing in front of her.

"Well, goodnight…" she smiles.

I shake myself out of the trance she's put me in and nod.

"Yeah, goodnight."

She gives me one more warm smile before turning and heading up the steps.

"I'll see you at the Reaping," I call.

She turns on the top step and gives me a small grin.

"Well, let's hope not."

I laugh. She's right if I do see her, it means she's been reaped…which means…this might be the last time I see Annie for a year. I feel my grin fade. Annie's brows furrow.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I just realized that this might be the last time I see you for a while…" I remark, rubbing the back of my neck.

Annie shrugs with a small smile.

"Maybe. I had a good time though."

"But I WILL be back," I say.

Annie smiles again, her hand resting on the stair railing gracefully.

"And I'll be here," she replies softly.

She slowly turns on her heel and walks up the front steps then enters her home. I walk off into the night towards the Hall of Justice. I knew that I would not be able to wait to see Annie Cresta until the next Reaping. I would have to see her at least once more. Something about her compelled me. Not romantically, but in a bigger way.

ANNIE'S POINT OF VIEW

I guide my father to his room from the den where he had fallen asleep reading and then head to my bedroom. After changing into my button up pajama top, I get into bed. Forty minutes pass and I realize that I won't be falling asleep soon. Not with Finnick Odair's handsome face flashing in my mind. What was wrong with me? I was turning into one of those fan girls. One of the ones that fall all over him.

'The only difference is, that he wants to be around me…' I think.

I slide out of bed and slid on some shorts. I quietly go outside to the beach and sit, watching the waves crash. This usually puts me right to sleep. I lay back in the sand and close my eyes. Pleasant ocean breeze wafts over me and in no time at all, I'm asleep.

"So, Annie, tell us how it feels to have snagged Panem's most eligible bachelor?" asks Caesar Flickerman.

I sit in a red armchair wearing a shimmering silver dress. In the chair beside me is Finnick in a suit.

"Amazing. I still can't believe he chose me," I say.

Caesar Flickerman smiles and turns his gaze to Finnick.

"Was it love at first sight, Finnick? When you and Annie first met?"

Finnick takes my hand and looks at Caesar.

"We met when we were children so…no…Annie kind of crept up on me…" he smiles.

The audience 'aw's at us. Finnick and I hold hands still. Caesar smiles at us.

"How sweet. What about you, Annie? Did you love Finnick at first sight?"

I look over at Finnick and don't take my eyes off of him.

"Almost at first sight. It took me a while to admit it to myself."

Caesar nods and turns his gaze back to Finnick with a devilish smile.

"Now, Finnick… is there a wedding in the cards? Hm? I think we all hear wedding bells, don't we, folks?" chuckles Caesar.

I don't dare look at Finnick. This is far too embarrassing.

"Yeah, you do, Caesar. It took some convincing but Annie said yes. She worries about losing me what with all my Hunger Games obligations but she's accepted that's a risk she'll have to take now."

My heart sinks. I said yes? When? I'm too young! Did I really say yes when Finnick basically announced his impending death to me? That doesn't sound like me.

"Well, Finnick and Annie, we can't wait to see the wedding!"

I gasp and my eyes shoot open. The sun is shining. It was only a dream…but a good dream…or was it?

FINNICK'S POINT OF VIEW

Vendica doesn't approach me. She locks herself away in her the rest of the night. I'm not surprised. Annie pretty much owned her at dinner.

Oh, Annie. That hilarious little ball of fire. The girl who didn't know anything about fancy Capitol food and swam in her clothes. A peculiar but beautiful girl.

I climb into bed, Annie still swimming through my thoughts. It's hard to sleep with her on the brain. She's quite compelling. I can't wait to tell m father and mother about her when I visit them tomorrow.

But why? Since when do I care what my parents think? Especially about the girls I am with. I've certainly been with enough.

My heart sinks. Why do I care about Annie Cresta at all? Her and I together is definitely not in the cards? No way. I'm a famous ladies' man and she's a net-maker's daughter. She knew this too. It's as simple as that. Game over.

I lay back. If it's as simple as game over, then why do I care so much? Why not have a short fling with Annie Cresta? I had flings everywhere. Surely some girl from District Four wouldn't be a big deal. Right?

Why was I so worried about this? I never concerned myself with girls' feelings. Never. It was too complicated. Too difficult. Feelings were nothing to ever get tangled up in. Yuck!

And with that thought, I close my eyes and immediately fall asleep. As usual, the screams of tributes I killed ring in my ears.

I have until eight before Vendica and I review our Reaping schedule. Everything from the video to the drawing to me greeting the tributes. Ah, good times.

Until then, I have decided to see my dad and then maybe introduce him to Annie.

I knock on the door of my parent's new home in Victor's Village. They lived in a bigger shack in District Four. However, I told them they should take my house in Victor's Village since I was almost always on tour.

"Who's there?" my mom's voice calls.

"The President!" I reply.

The door swings open to reveal my mother wearing a perplexed expression. Her light brows raised in confusion. She sees it is me and her jaw drops. Her tiny arms rope around my neck and she screams. My mom is a small woman.

"Leila, who is it?" calls my dad.

"Reese! You won't believe this!" she squeals.

I follow my mom into the hall where my dad walks out of the kitchen. He smiles widely at me. His hair is bronze and slightly graying, he wears glasses perched on his erect nose. Some people say I look like him when he was younger. As vain as I can be, I don't compare my looks to my father's often. My father embraces me firmly.

"I saw the Capitol Hovercraft yesterday and hoped that would be you," he smiles.

For some reason, I can't speak. All I can do is smile. My heart is swelling. I feel like I've just had a blanket wrapped around me when I was outside all day.

"Wanna go for a walk, son? Mom's making lunch. You can stick around," my dad offers.

I nod and my mom gives me a kiss on the cheek before returning to the kitchen. My dad and I walk outside to the deck and then down onto the sandy shore. There's a body of water that separates Victor's Village from District Four's main village out back. Then, a walk down you look across the body of water and see nothing but water and the sun.

"So your mom may not have been able to tell, but you got something on your mind. Or someone," my dad remarks.

"Dad, I have a lot of someones on my mind. If you haven't heard, your son isn't a one girl at a time guy," I snort.

My dad shakes his head and chuckles.

"Like I believe that for a second, Fin… I didn't raise you that way…"

"I'm no saint, dad," I sigh.

He looks over at me with a frown.

"So, I'm wrong. You ARE with different girls everyday?"

I'm not. But I AM a flirt. I have to keep up this rep though and I don't want my dad standing up for his son's honor and ruining my cred.

"That's what I thought. Don't worry, I won't rat you out," he says softly.

"Let's not talk about this," I murmur.

"Fair enough. But tell me, how's the tour? This is your third tour."

"Long. Full of screaming. Full of photos and interviews. Can't wait for tomorrow," I groan sarcastically.

My dad pats my back as we near the opening where the water spreads into infinity and sun.

"It's not your fault, son," he says.

"Either I train someone to kill other kids, or I do nothing and let them die. I know their parents blame me when their kid dies-"

"Finnick, nobody blames you. They blame Capitol."

I sigh as we stare out towards the villages homes. Kids splash in the water and remind me of a simpler time. Back before I was reaped ever. I try to think of happy things and immediately…Annie comes to mind.

"Ah, I know that face. Who are you thinking about, Fin?" my dad laughs.

I can't help but smile. I have to tell him about Annie. My new best friend.

"You know the bate, net and tackle shop that we used to go to?" I asked.

"The Cresta place?"

"Yeah-"

"I bet you met Annie…" he laughs.

I look over at him quickly. He smiles.

"Beautiful young woman. Spitting image of her mother…"

"Oh, yeah? Who's her mother?" I ask.

His brows furrow and he stares at me confused.

"Who is her mother? Fin…Annie's mother died a long time ago."

"Annie's mother died?"

"Yeah, Damon lost his wife a long time ago…"

It made sense now. Annie Cresta had such a strong opinion last night about death because her mother had died. It made sense.

"Invite her over for dinner, Finnick. Hell, invite Damon too."

I nod and sigh. I feel like a jerk. I never asked about her mom. I had heard things about her mother. Mainly that she wasn't around but I assumed they meant she had run away or left town. But dead? Annie didn't act like someone who had lost a parent. Girls who lost their mothers act moody and angry. Not Annie.

"Well? Are you going to invite her?" my dad asks again.

"Yeah, I'll invite them after lunch."

If I was being at all honest, I was really anxious to see Annie again. That was new. I was never excited to see girls especially since I was a coveted bachelor. Annie however, she was changing a lot about me.