CHAPTER SIX

ANNIE ON HIS MIND

FIN IN HER HEAD

FINNICK'S POV

I walk along the shore letting the gentle waves brush my feet occasionally. I've been walking on the beach for hours towards nothing and now heading back towards my home. I know deep down that my parents are right. My mom saying I am an idiot for letting Annie get away. My dad saying I am scared to let her in.

I'm scared to let her in because I'm afraid just like my father said. Scared to go after her because I'm afraid of rejection. Nobody has really ever rejected me. I'm not prepared for it and I hate that. I hate being unprepared.

I know Annie's not like most girls I've met. She doesn't want a one night stand or a make out session. She wants a companion. Someone to love her that she can love back. That probably doesn't include guys who if they don't live up to the stereo type of lady's man will be killed or have those he loves put in danger.

She's not going to love someone who puts her in danger and flirts with girls constantly.

Wait. Why do I keep using the term "love?" Love? I don't love girls. I love to make out with them. To have sex with them. I hate the idea of a monogamist relationship.

Unless, maybe this connection I feel with Annie is...love at first sight.

Okay don't be ridiculous. This is Annie Cresta. The little girl who bossed kids around in grade school and insisted on being referred to as Queen of the Nets. The girl who deboned slimy fish all her life. The girl who walked around with ropes tied around her waist in case she wanted to weave...for fun. The girl who makes awkward jokes and is sort of demanding...and funny...and sweet...and charming...with a heartwarming smile...and uninhibited laugh...and pearly glowing skin covered in flecks of gold...and turquoise eyes that sparkled constantly.

Wow. I like her... And if I don't love her now... If I spend any more time with her... I will...

ANNIE'S

I sit in my window seat in my bedroom just above our shop. My knees up to my chest and my head resting on them as I gaze out at the ocean where the moon gleams off the surface magically. I don't have this beautiful sight on my mind. I have Finnick on the brain. I'm angry with myself. So angry.

Really, Annie? Really? Finnick Odair? Hunger Games Victor. No way. Oh, hell no. Why in the hell would he be in love with the net maker's daughter.

Love? Love? Oh, whoa. Hold up.

I've known Finnick on a personal level for like, two days and I'm already talking about love?

Ridiculous.

And yet, I also wonder why he didnt chase after me tonight? I had such a feeling he was gonna come after me and...well...maybe kiss me. It's a lot to assume...

Or is it?

He was sad he wouldn't be able to see me for a year. That's enough reason to want to kiss me tonight, right? Or maybe not.

Three soft knocks come from my door.

"Come in," I call.

The door opens and my dad enters.

"Annie?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?" He asks.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I reply with a laugh.

"Because you look awfully sad about something..."

I force a smile and raise my brows at him.

"Dad, honestly, I'm just tired. Go to bed! We have to get up early tomorrow. It's the Reaping," I say.

"Is that what's got you worried?" He asks slowly approaching me.

I decide to say yes. It's not a lie. The Reaping is bothering me. But that's only forty percent of my concern. Sixty percent is that I can't quit thinking about Finnick and that is wrong.

"Yeah, I'll admit it..." I sigh.

"Annie, I told you not to take that extra tesserae. I told you that we didnt need it."

I nod. There's a moment of silence before my dad speaks again.

"But... you didn't start being this quiet until you ate with the Odairs..." He adds sitting at the foot of my window seat.

I slowly turn my eyes to him. He smirks.

"I hate that all of the sudden I'm pining after him. I've never really wanted to be with someone and now I can't get him out of my head..." I groan.

"Maybe...that's not such a bad thing, Ann."

I look up at him. It's very rare for him to call me 'Ann.'

"I've seen you make friends and hang out with them and spend time with me and sit on the beach alone...but I've never seen you love someone. Finnick, he has to be something special for you to be interested..."

I smile at my dad a little.

"I thought you'd be angry if I told you."

He cocks a brow at me.

"Why would I be angry?"

"Because Finnick is not the most...gentlemanly guy... He's not exactly a one woman guy."

He chuckles.

"Yeah, he is a bit of a man whore."

I laugh and shake my head.

"But that's not his fault. It's Capitol making him play a part. He's a good boy. Always has been. You'd be an idiot not to take advantage of the fact that he is attracted to you..."

"He's not."

"He is."

"He's not."

"Oh, he is."

"He's not!" I exclaim.

My dad smirks at me again.

"I've seen the way he looks at you. The way he was eager to see you when he came to ask you to eat with him AND his parents. He likes you, Ann... As more than a friend..."

I accept it. He does. But why won't he go after me?

"But I don't want to be with someone who could die at any moment! Someone whose getting with other girls constantly!"

"Ann, he's a good guy. He really is."

"Then why won't he go after me?"

"Because he knows that you are afraid to be with him. Finnick is afraid of rejection, just like any other guy. Except Finnick doesn't think you'll say no because he doesn't look good or isn't charming. He knows you might say no, because you're scared to be with him."

My dad makes a good point and I laugh softly.

"How do you know all these things?"

"It's not that complicated, Annie. It's not."

We sit in silence and I look back out the window. He sighs and kisses the top of my head.

"Goodnight, Annie," he says standing.

"Night."

"Annie?" He says, pausing in the doorway.

I look at him.

"Mmhm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He nods once before shutting the door.

I slowly look out the window and up at the stars. I'm suddenly comforted by them. All the thoughts that crowded my head fading away.

Eventually I slide off the window seat and climb into bed.

-I stand on a pedastool in the middle of a ruined city. To my left and right are more people my age. A clock counts down. I'm in the games. My heart thrums in my ears as the clock continues counting down. A voice overhead speaking the final numbers.

"3...2..."

I begin panting frantically. I can't kill! I can't.

"1."

People run off the pedastool towards a cornicopia of weapons. I turn the opposite way towards a set of ruined buildings. I dash off panting. Tears streaming down my face.

The thought that I can't kill haunts me. It repeats and repeats in my brain.

I gasp as a spear comes flying through the air above me and sticks into the ground with a thunk.

I stop dead in front of it. Eyes wide. I swallow then hear rapid footsteps behind. My head whips around over my shoulder. A tribute is running towards me. They let out a terrifying roar of ferocity. I scream and dash off towards the buildings again.

The footsteps stop and I know the tribute is about to try for me again. I try and push myself to run harder. I frantically stumble towards the buildings looking for a place to hide...before tripping and falling to the ground. I tumble forward and roll a few times before coming to a halt.

I look up to see the spear soaring towards me. My eyes widen in terror. The tribute stops watching it sail towards me. I close my eyes bracing myself for death.

Then...nothing. I open my eyes to see Finnick Odair standing in front of me. The spear tight in his grasp. He wears shorts. That's it. Nothing else. His bronze hair disheveled. The tribute gasps in horror at the victor before him and sprints away. With a ferocious cry Finnick throws the spear. It hits the tribute in the back and goes through him. He falls to the ground.

I pant trying to grasp everything that happened. I tremble.

Finnick faces me and offers a hand. I take it and he helps me up.

"Okay?" He asks.

I nod slowly. He smiles and brushes a lock of hair behind my ear. His eyes widen and he gasps, then sinks to his knees. I slowly look down at him. An arrow pierces his chest. He falls back.

The tribute aims an arrow at me. I look in my hand. A spear has appeared. I look at the tribute and with a grunt I throw the spear at the tribute and drop to the ground as they release the arrow. It grazes the top of my head. I look up swiftly. The tribute collapses to the ground, a spear in his chest.

I look down at Finnick slowly. He coughs and bit of blood comes out of his mouth. I let out a soft sob and put his head in my lap.

His eyes meet mine.

"Hey," he chokes out.

"Hey," I reply trying not to cry.

He coughs and more blood comes out of his mouth. I tilt his head to the side and blood pours gently from his lips. I close my eyes and stroke some hair away from his face.

"You're..." He chokes.

I open my eyes and look at him sadly.

"You're..."

I raise my brows and nod slowly, prompting him to continue.

"You're the..."

He chokes up more blood.

"Shhh..." I croon, shaking my head.

"You're the one..." He says softly.

Then he dies.

And I wake up.

I pant. My heart beats outside my chest. I'm not sitting upright in my bed. I'm lying down. Flat on my back.

Slowly I sit up and look out my window at the sunrise. A second later there's a knock on my door. My dad enters. He sees me sitting up and his brows furrow.

"Annie? Baby?" He frowns.

I look at him and offer him my best smile.

"You don't have to smile," my dad says softly.

With a quiet moan, I slide out of bed and walk to my dad. My arms slip around his large waist and my face leans on his barrel chest.

"Frowning won't stop the Reaping."

"Neither will smiling," he adds.

I look up at him and raise my brows.

"Neither will smiling? That's you trying to comfort me? Wow, thanks..." I snort going to make my bed.

"Want me to run you a bath, Annie?"

I look up at him and shake my head.

"I'll use the water, if you don't mind."

He smiles slightly and nods once.

"Thought so..."

Ever since I was old enough to start being reaped I took baths in the water outside before the Reaping. There was no risk of anyone seeing since it was in my backyard and everyone typically stayed indoors on Reaping Day. Plus, in District Four it wasn't uncommon for people to bathe in the water in their backyard.

I grab a towel from the bathroom and head downstairs. My dad sits at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. He offers me a wry smile. I nod at him once as I head for the backdoor. As I walk down the back deck steps into the sand I squint at the bright sun that glints off the water. It warms my skin and makes me feel somewhat more optimistic about today. I slowly peel off my pajamas till I wear nothing and walk into the water until it comes above my breasts. I dip my head back into the water and submerge myself. My eyes open at everything beneath me. The small fish. The big fish. The seaweed. I realize this might be my last time to see them if I am reaped.

FINNICK'S POV

I walk along the deserted streets of District Four. No one is outside. My heart sinks. I remember just a day or two ago when I was with Annie roaming the streets of District Four.

It's not until I see her house ahead of me that I realize I've been walking to it this whole time. I know I shouldn't interrupt her family time on the day of the Reaping. This time they have before then is precious. Not a time they want to spend with me.

And yet I can't quit walking towards the house. It's like I'm being magnetized to the Cresta home.

Slowly, I end up at the alley between Cresta Bate and Tackle and Marit Surf and Grub. I start walking towards the back of the Cresta place assuming Annie must be back there swimming.

I freeze in my tracks. There she is. Stripping off her clothes. The creamy flesh of her bare back hypnotizing me. I can only blink as she makes her way into the shallows and dips her hair back to wash it. The sunlight still reflects off the redness of her wavy locks even when wet. Her curvy figure hypnotizing me.

Slowly she begins to turn and head back to shore. Annie freezes. She's seen me. I bolt off.

As I run back to the Hall of Justice to prepare for The Reaping, I can't help but feel slightly pleased. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing Annie Cresta nude. Well, what I did get to see. Now my only worries were that Annie Cresta would be reaped...and that she saw me gawking at her beautiful, naked body.

ANNIE'S POV

As I dry off I can't help but wonder if my eyes had seen correctly. Had Finnick Odair been staring at me naked? No. No way. He was Finnick Odair. I was nothing special. Why would he stare at me? Why?

I wrap my towel around me firmly and gather my clothes as I head inside.

"I laid out something for you to wear," my dad grunts from the table.

I pause and look over at him.

"Thank you," I say.

Our forced smiles have faded as reality sets in. There is no denying The Reaping is today. There is no doubt my name is in there more than a couple of times. There's no doubt that there is a good chance my name will be drawn. There's no denying or doubting anything. Not right now at least.

I trudge up to my room. On my perfectly made bed is a sea foam green dress. I recognize it. It was my mother's.

My hand touches the smooth, soft fabric and I sigh. I can't help but feel depressingly nostalgic. I blink away the tears. Not right now. I didnt need to cry now. It wouldn't help anything.

I slide on the dress and pull my slightly damp, wavy hair back at the sides. I slide on some beige flats and make my way downstairs for breakfast. For some reason, I expect Finnick to be there but he is not.

I sit across from my father at the table and eat my breakfast in silence. After all, what more can I do?

FINNICK'S POV

"Vendica, just tell me who the girl is! Everyone knows its rigged! What's the harm in you telling me?"

Vendica's high heels clack loudly as she desperately tries to storm away from my long stride.

"Vendica, just tell me...is it Annie Cresta?"

Vendica's pace doesn't slow. I manage to keep up fine.

"Vendica, please... Is it going to be Annie?"

She continues to walk away at a determined speed. I run in front of her and block her. She sighs and walks around me.

"VENDICA, IS IT ANNIE?" I roar in frustration.

She turns on her heel quickly.

"NO!" she screeches.

Her chest heaves in exasperation as she fumes at me. Other than being so persistent I can't understand why she is so upset I asked. If Capitol finds out she told me the most they'll do is fire her and she's quitting anyway, so what is the big deal?

Suddenly, Vendica's lips crush against mine. She pushes away after a few seconds and glares at me.

"I don't see why a stupid net maker's daughter is so important to begin with! She hasn't been by your side from the beginning! She doesn't know all about the act you have to put on to survive! I know you!" She cries, tears falling down her face.

I never knew Vendica felt this way about me. So strongly. So romantically. Since when?

Vendica's fuming expression softens and she sighs. Her eyes turn down to her feet and she shakes her head.

"If I was to lose you to anyone though...I'm glad it was her..." She whispers.

I reach to touch her shoulder and she yanks away.

"Don't... Don't..." breathes Vendica turning from me.

She storms away, sniffling, shoulders sunk. I've broken another heart.

"The time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman..."

Her voice fades out as I stare at the crowd. Faces of young men and women all too young to die. My heart breaks for them all. I look to the section where the older girls stand. My eyes scan for Annie. Where is she?

"Ladies first," Vendica smiles.

Where is Annie?

ANNIE'S POV

They draw some blood and I swallow the prick of pain that surges through my fingertip. The machine beeps.

"Annie Cresta, proceed," says the Reaping Receptionist.

I follow the rest of the girls to the back section of the crowd.

In no time at all the introductory video begins. Talking about the war and the rebellion and how merciful the Capitol is to give us the Hunger Games and bathe us in riches for being forced to kill innocent girls and boys, one of which we've grown up with.

"Ladies first..."

My eyes have been downcast for the whole presentation and as much as I want to keep looking down, I have to look up. I have to see this. It's like watching someone skin an animal for you. It's gruesome but you can't help but watch. Not only do you feel obligated to watch because they're doing it for you but it's also sort of compelling...

I see Finnick stare at the crowd. I get a sudden hunch he is looking for me. I flip my red hair to call his attention and his eyes snap in my direction. He looks at me and smiles wryly.

Vendica dips her hand in the bowl and swishes it around before snapping up a piece of paper. She shows it to us. The fear and panic is tangible. It exudes from every man, woman and child. Sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, mothers, fathers, friends, godparents. Everyone is sweating bullets.

"Talia Crispin!" says Vendica, a forced smile on her bright pink lips.

The jumbo-tron projects the image of a plump teenage girl with long blond hair and tan skin beside a teary blue eyed redhead. It takes me a moment to realize that I'm the girl beside her.

"Talia, my darling?" calls Vendica.

I turn my eyes from the jumbo tron to the girl beside me. Talia. We were swim teachers to the smaller children one summer.

I want to embrace her as I see her jaw drop in surprise. I'm really not surprised. No one is. When your name is in there over twenty times, it isn't a surprise when your name is drawn.

Talia scoots through the rows of girls her age and enters the aisle. Slowly she walks towards the stage, all eyes on her. She steps on the stage and Vendica takes her hand.

"Talia Crispin!" she exclaims, raising their hands.

Soft applause echoes throughout the crowd. Talia's eyes water and her breathing hitches.

Like I said, you're never prepared for the Reaping, much less to be reaped.

Sitting on the beach, I watch the train speed off towards the Capitol. Finnick is in there. I'm strangely angry I didn't get more time with him. It's okay, I'll see him a year from now. How do I even wait?