Chapter 10! Goodness guys! Look how far we are! This chapter is the darkest in the story so far. It is also the shortest, sorry. I hope y'all don't mind. Again, please leave a review telling me how I did. Please and thanks! Also, would you all like me to put together a little music video for "Fly Away" (the song I wrote last chapter) it might take some time but I'll do it if y'all want.
Addicted2-Your-Story: I love that show, but haven't had time to watch the past two episodes. The show inspired the name, but that's about it... Hope you like :)
MiaBelles: I was happy to finally get Johanna and Gale together :)
Addicted2-Your-Story: Aww thanks so much! I'm glad you liked it. You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that :3
TurtleThompson: Lol yeah! I love all of you who favorite/follow/review my story :3 I love my readers too
MewWinx96: I'm glad you don't have a problem with the religion. That helps me a lot. That will come up eventually. I don't know when though... Peeta likes hugs :) I love Finnick and Annie! I know they shouldn't! I have a sister who just turned 13 and I was imagining her and I was like... Lizzy- wait Prim- STOP! I may do a music video for it... I love Gale so much. It's weird how much I love him... I'm certainly giving him a different spin here than in the books... I'll make Katniss and Peeta happen as fast as I can. I actually have an idea for the next chapter or the chapter after. I don't think they are going to get together as fast as everyone else is though, simply because of how I have written Katniss. I chose Finnick and Annie as the people because it only gave me an option of four and Finnick and Annie are my favorites, but the characters are all equal. Thanks for the review :)
Addicted2-Your-Story:Thanks! It came to me really randomly... Like I was typing my other story in bed at my lake house and I had the idea come to me suddenly.
Addicted2-Your-Story:Thanks! I am able to write him, Annie and Jo the easiest. The other three are challenging...
Addicted2-Your-Story: Thanks! I loved developing the nicknames
TheWomanWhoCodesAndWrites: Aww thanks! I'm glad you liked it. I always thought of Gale as a moral person. That is why I was wondering if I contradicted myself in this chapter... Rory was fun... I was picturing my 13 year old sister as Prim and freaking out. Like, I was going LIZZY! STOP IT! and then remembered I was writing Prim, not Lizzy... The spin the bottle was a ton of fun. I loved it a lot. Camo cakes are going to be thing, I'm telling ya. I'm going to use all three of your ideas in this story, two of them in this chapter, actually. Thanks! They helped a lot.
ThaliaFairbain: Soon, but not yet. Trust me pet. Mother knows best! (Lol jk ;) ) Umm, soon though. I don't know how though because of how I wrote Katniss.
Y.O.L.O So do it right: Awesome! I appreciate it. I actually thought I was Katniss for part of this scene sonce I have a sister Prim's age. Glad you love it :3
Addicted2-Your-Story: I typically update every day or every other day, unless I tell y'all otherwise, so no update worries :)
TARDISRose: Fangirl it up girly! :) Glad you enjoyed :)
StarBright18: Yay! I'm glad you like! The romances are simply how I wish my love life was... I am kind of lacking a love life currently, so I have a lot of dreams. I'm glad you liked!
Alexandra Jackson rocks Hades: You, my friend, are even more so! I'm glad you like Jo. That makes me happy. She's fun to write as.
RiderArya103: Well I'm glad you made the mistake! I love seeing all of you loving this story :) I hope to read reviews from you more often. It's really nice to see it. Thanks a ton :D
MeaganOneDirection: I'm glad you liked it! I love pairing people. I wish I could do the same with my own life... Oh well :) I'm glad you like it!
Chapter 10- I Will Always Protect You
*This entire chapter is dedicated to TheWomanWhoCodesAndWrites for giving me the ideas for both sections of this story! Thanks so much!*
Gale
The week went by without anything eventful happening. Jo and I decided to keep our relationship on the down low, only the six of us knowing about it. I didn't want to give my brother the wrong idea since the day Johanna and I shared our eventful first kiss was also the day I walked in on him and Prim getting into an intense make-out session. I didn't want to betray Rory like that. Jo and I also wanted to make sure this was actually going to have a chance to work out, as well. We didn't want it to be because we got too caught in the moment. Unfortunately, that means I can't give her kisses, can't bring her a flower just because I want to, although she isn't the type of girl who seems too fond on gifts. I can't hug her too long when I see her, can't do anything to make anyone suspicious.
Jo and I walk to our fourth period just after lunch let out. She has her backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder and has her hair spiked up pretty much the exact same way it was spiked up when she woke up. She has a carefree and careless look and walk about her that I simply love. It makes Jo like herself: the prankster but still, almost motherly one, out of the six of us. If people knew this, then they wouldn't look at her the way they do in the hallways.
Girls look at me like I am the most beautiful person they have ever seen. I hate getting that kind of attention. Even when Jo calls me handsome, it is teasing and sarcastic and very Jo. I don't care coming from her, or any of the others at the house. Finnick will come up to me and call me handsome with a fake sexual wink and I will call him sexy right back. I mean, the best friend affection going on between us is nothing like his and Peeta's bromance. The two, when Annie isn't around, are inseparable. Still, I hate the hungry looks the girls in the halls give me.
A bleach blonde Cashemere with her sidekick, a sharp, pretty raven haired girl named Enobaria, come up to me. "Hey sexy. Want to come over tonight? Your little house can't be much fun considering the occupants that live in it." The smirk on Cashemere's face while she is saying all this stuff is making me very annoyed.
Enobaria decides she has to add to the torment. "Who lives there with you? The crazy girl, right? I heard she passed out in the middle of class not too long ago. The girl had some sort of fit, didn't she, Cashemere?"
I can feel my hands forming into knuckles and Johanna is becoming tense beside me. Cashmere lets out a laugh at Enobaria's statement. "Her boyfriend has got to be just as crazy. He is a ten on the hotness scale, like you are, Gale, but he is just too stupid to realize he could do so much better than a mentally unstable and probably retarded little girl. I'm betting she won't even give him the kind of fun he deserves."
Enobaria smiles and runs a narrow tongue over her narrow, red lips. "Still, even that can't compare to the walking tin can. I heard he scored a role as the tin man in the school musical last year. The guy is an idiot! What on earth could someone possibly do to make them lose a leg?"
My fists are shaking with fury. I want to punch them in the face. They have no idea what any of us have been through. "We have to get to class-"
"What about the mean one? She walks around with a scowl all day and doesn't say a word. I heard she hates everyone." Enobaria is just trying to make us angry; I keep attempting to remind myself. I keep failing.
"Of course let's not forget the lesbian-" As soon as she says that word about my girlfriend, my fist comes in contact with Cashmere's face.
I have never hit a girl before. I was raised not to. I was raised to be a gentleman towards women. Then I remind myself they aren't women. They are the spawn of the devil. "If either one of you talk to me or any of us who live in that house again for the rest of the school year I will give you both so much worse than a simple black eye. I also don't think you are going to be reporting this to your daddy any time soon because I'll just tell him you aren't a virgin. Wouldn't the church love to hear that as well? I'll even tell them I was the one who had sex with you; although you would be the last person on earth I would even consider getting intimate with. Just leave me, Annie, Finnick, Katniss, Peeta and my girlfriend alone."
I leave the girls in a shocked silence and lead Jo down the hallway. Neither of us says anything until we sit down at our juxtaposing desks. A few more moments pass in silence until she finally opens her mouth. "Thanks, for that. For- you know- standing up for me. Protecting me. I guess I just wanted-"
I lean in and kiss her in front of the class, and the few last minute stragglers. I don't care. I don't care if anyone knows. Everyone should know I am dating Johanna Mason. "Johanna, I will always, always, protect you."
She brings her left hand down and lets her fingers intertwine with mine. I let the spark going through me consume me. I am running out of bravado, but seeing her right by me makes me the happiest guy in the world. "I know you will, Handsome."
That is when we both feel a vibrate in our pockets. We pull out our phones out and look at them. The teacher doesn't care if we have our phones out in this class.
Finny: Red alert. Going to get called out. Parent let out of jail.
Johanna's fingers graze across the keyboard quickly and I let the words appear on the screen.
Girlfriend: Who's?
Finny: Annie's.
Annie
I was called down to the consoler's office, alone. I've gone to Cinna's office many times, but Finnick is usually allowed to accompany me. This time I was forced to come alone. The teachers all know I am… unstable… so they allow Finnick to accompany me but today, Principle Crane is substituting for our class and he wouldn't allow Finnick to come with me. Clove and Cato tried to make an argument in my favor, but he still refused, saying it was pointless. I'm going there to get help already, aren't I? That's why I'm walking there alone.
When I enter the office, with the black desk and black and gold furniture with the fish tank along the wall, I start to feel slightly better. I'm safe here, I remind myself. "Annie! Hey there."
"Hey." I am looking down at my toes, trying to get a sense of comfort.
He comes over and gives me a hug. "How was your summer, kiddo?"
I shrug. "It was pretty good. Haymitch took Finnick, Johanna, Peeta, Katniss and I to Disney World. Effie did the same thing with the younger kids, but we got to stay at a different hotel and got to do different stuff. I got to meet Belle. That was a lot of fun."
Cinna smiles. "Glad to hear it. I heard you went on a trip to Colorado with your church, without Peeta or Finnick there."
I nod and smile. "Yeah. We have two trips, a Girls Trip and a Guys Trip. Effie insisted on all of us going and I had a lot of fun."
He smiles and pats me on the back. "That is good to hear." He looks around and pauses. "Where is Finnick?"
"Mr. Crane was subbing our class and wouldn't let him come."
Cinna smiles and picks up the phone that is connected to every classroom. "Could you send Finnick Odair down to my office please?"
I can hear Mr. Crane on the other end of the phone. "Why do you need Mr. Odair down there? I'm in the middle of a lecture."
Cinna takes a breath. He doesn't look flustered at all. "Please send Mr. Odair down. Tell him to bring his stuff, as well as Miss Cresta's. They both need to be down here for this."
I hear a grunt from the other end and Cinna hangs up. "What do we both need to be down here for, Cinna?"
Cinna doesn't answer my question. Instead he looks for a new topic. "I heard you and Finnick were dating. Is this true?" I can feel the blush coming across my face and I nod, unable to stop the smile on my face. "Good. You two are a good match."
When Finnick arrives, he sits on the chair next to me. "Listen, both of you. Effie is going to come pick you two, as well as the other four of you in the house up. Haymitch is dropping her off then heading to the airport in the van he is using. You are going to take home the van you came in."
Finnick and I look at him confused. "What for, Cinna?" Finn asks, his hand reaching for mine. I take it. The grim look on Cinna's face tells me something is wrong.
"Annie, your mother was released out of prison on parole earlier this week. She is coming down here to come and get you." I'm not crying. My eyes are stinging and feel like they want to cry, but nothing is falling. I'm too stunned. I can feel the memories pushing themselves toward the front of my mind, but Finnick takes me in his arms.
"Annie, it's not real. Annie, I'm here. Annie, you're safe." I let myself melt into him before an episode can take over me. I am looking at the back of my eyelids, my face pushed into Finnick's chest, but I can still hear him and Cinna talk. "Annie doesn't have to go with her mother, does she?"
I can tell from the way Finnick holds me tighter, that Cinna nodded yes. I can hear his next words. "If the court deems her mother recovered and safe for Annie to be around, then yes, Annie will have to go with her."
I look up and can feel the tears coming down my face. "Don't I get a say in this?" My voice is quiet, but I can feel it steadily becoming louder. "I don't want to go with that woman. To this day she still haunts me! She still haunts me. As a ten year old girl, I was not good enough for her. I was too ugly. Too much like my father. Too much of him. Everything that was him in me had to go. Now, I don't like my father either. He raped my mother and left her to die. I assume that's what happened at least. She never told me. She never talked about him. It's the only reason she can hate me so much, because I ruined her life. She would want to get every part of my father out of me because he ruined her life. I don't want to go with her and leave Graceland. It's the only place I'm safe. I've been there for seven years. That is a year and a half short of half my life. I don't want to be taken from there and leave everyone behind so I can live being tortured again! I don't want that! Please Cinna! Please! Please!"
I am on the ground crying when I can hear the clicking of Effie's heels come down the hall. Finnick is hugging me the best he can, willing to protect me from the dark forces.
Special thanks to: MeaganOneDirection, MiaBelles, Mikey Jacquez, Natura Nature, SecretsandSugarCubes, SibunaChika1227, StarBright18, StayAlways, axes tridents and snares, Anarchy Girl, Catching Fireflies, TARDISRose, Alexandra Jackson rocks Hades, Kyranoel, Fire Kitty 12, MewWinx96, babymcflurry, .krause, cutegirlems, Y.O.L.O So do it right, lole12312, Cinna's Bird, MahoganyMagic12, Random person in wonderland, RiderArya103, SparksFly'SkyHigh, Addicted2-Your-Story, AnotherDawnLikeOurFlag, TurtleThompson, messygreenroom, PerfectionIsFlawed, come burn with me, hyllia14 and Lizzie6410 for favoriting. All of you make me smile like this :D
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-Juliet