Ooh, two chapters in one day! I thought I'd throw in a little background in here!
The air was full of smoke, small flakes of embers flying into the air like fireflies until they burnt out before they became invisible. Finnick's eyes reflected this, the orange lighting up his green eyes before his eyes went to his friends. Happy faces surrounded him, as usual, Marvel and Cato had cans of some type of drink in hand, with Clove sat besides Cato and stealing sips of his drink. She looked somewhat out-of-it, giddy as she leant against the blonde, laughing and joining into a conversation he was having. Oh how he missed being with someone, calling that one person special and loving them with all your heart. That used to be him and Katniss, until Peeta came along and wormed himself into the scene. It was Thresh who noticed Finnick first, a wide smile lighting up his face as he shuffled up on the log he was sitting on.
"Finnick, my friend. You finally arrived, not like you to be last. You're usually first to these things, not the eager beaver who you used to be?" He asked with a kind chuckle, his eyes then went to the girl behind him. He saw the nervousness in her stance, at how she held her phone tightly in her clenched hand and at how she remained close to Finnick's side. "Found yourself a new girl, there?" At this, it was Katniss who raised her head. Her hair was in its usual plait, her grey eyes meeting Finnick's for a moment, becoming long enough for it to become awkward before she returned her attention back to Peeta who had his arm casually wrapped around her waist. And she's moved on already.
"No, no, I haven't." He replied with a small smile, "This is Annie Cresta. Thought I'd invite her along."
She smiled shyly, "Hi… It's um- nice to meet you."
Thresh laughed to himself, never really knowing someone so polite. His usual group usually called each other all the names under the sun as a greeting, not this. Yet he got a punch in the arm from his twin at this, or who Annie assumed was his twin as they shared the same characteristics. "Don't be mean, Thresh! She's only being nice." Rue then stood, going over to the pair of them, "Ignore him, he's being his usual self. And Annie, right? I'm Rue. And that great… thing over there…" She indicated to her brother who faked being hurt at the name, "Is Thresh. He doesn't share the same manners as you, which he should do by the way!" she emphasised the last bit, saying it overly loud so he could overhear them.
"Rue. Finnick was telling me about you, weren't you?" She said, glancing to Finnick who nodded his head with a sheepish grin before going over to Cato and Marvel and leaving her with Rue.
"It had better of not been anything bad…" She scowled mockingly at Finnick, who only shrugged in response, picking up a can of whatever the other two had and sitting down besides them.
"When would I ever say a bad word about you, sweetheart?" He grinned.
"When do you ever say a good word about me, huh?" Rue laughed before returning her attention back to Annie, "Well, come on, don't stand there like a bean, come and join us." She then took her hand, leading her over to where she was sitting and making her sit. "Drink?"
Annie paused on the question, a bean? Since when do people call each other beans? Maybe it was juts a city thing. But soon her eyes focused back onto the shorter girl, she hadn't told her family she was going to be drinking, especially when she had classes the next day. She wanted to fit in though, so nodded. "Please." This was when Rue grinned.
"Good choice. Cay! Throw me one of those, will ya?" She called across the fire, Cato then lifting his head up, nodding and putting his hand into the cooler he had brought with him, pulling out a can of what seemed to be cider and tossing it across the fire and to Rue. "It'll make you less nervous, anyway." She smirked.
"Er- thank you," Annie smiled, "I don't think I saw you today, did I?" She asked as she opened the can and took a sip - it tasted similar to strawberries, she wasn't the biggest of drinkers, only having really drunk once and that not being a lot - having got tipsy off one and impressing Jasmine and Isobel dearly.
"I doubt it, I wasn't there." She chuckled, "I was in my own mystery land of fun! Or home, as you call it. Homeschooled, you see, more interesting I suppose, downside is that I don't see these lot of idiots everyday."
"Hey! I heard that!" Clove yelled, but ended up giggling as she tried to stand.
"Woah, woah… Last time you did that you nearly fell into the fire-" Cato put his hands onto her hips and pulled her down into his lap, "You're not going anywhere." He purred into her ear, Clove then quickly pecking his lips before joining into the conversation once more.
Annie could only raise a brow, but assumed it was normal for them so quickly finished her drink, as did Rue, who, by the looks of it, wasn't really affected by drink. The group of them, but Clove who looked too tipsy for her own good, seemed like casual drinkers, the drink not really affecting them, apart from Katniss and Peeta who were sitting aside, speaking to one another in soft voices so nobody could over hear them. Finnick's eyes were focused on Katniss, anger in his expression. Was it really that easy for her? They had been together for two years and it seemed that she was already over him, the same not being said for him. His heart ached for her, and Cato eventually saw this, nudging Finnick's shoulder.
"Ignore him, man. If she can really get over you that quickly, then… well, you deserve better." He mumbled, watching the pair of them as well. "Don't worry about it. You'll find another girl soon enough, just not this one here." He pressed a kiss to Clove's head, who looked at him with large eyes.
"You're handsome, Cay, y'know? Even more than fish boy."
Cato rolled his eyes but grinned all the same. Clove never gave compliments and when she did, she was drunk. He was surprised that he had been compared to Finnick, however, admittedly, Finnick was one of the most attractive in the school. Everyone knew that and it was just a matter of fact that you had to accept. "And you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
Clove's cheeks flushed red, but she smiled, "Aren't you sweet." She giggled, running a finger down his chest. Her eyes were on them as they watched, Annie having already had about a can and a half feeling the forest spin around her, as if everything was in slow motion as her head became light.
"I doubt that." Finnick mumbled before having the rest of his. He was jealous, his eyes continuing to watch them before his mind wandered. Would he find anyone else? All of his female friends were either in couples of strictly off limits, such as Rue because of Thresh. There was always… his eyes averted to Annie. Annie Cresta. She was sweet, kind even and pretty, but she seemed too shy - he didn't want to almost jump on her with her not even being here a day.
"Ignore them-"
Finnick stood, raising to his feet and leaving his closest friends and going over to Katniss and Peeta. Their hands were holding each others, their fingers interlaced.
"Finnick?" Katniss asked when he stood before her, she hated seeing him like this, he always became too confident whenever he drank and had a tendency to speak his thoughts.
"How could you? For me?" He scowled at Peeta, "We were together for two years, two years! And you move on already for- for one of my best friends!" He snarled, his voice raised and drawing the attention of the group. Rue was first on her feet.
"Leave it, Finnick."
"No! She- she broke me. She fucking used me and she doesn't care that she did!"
"I did not use you! I loved you but…"
"But what? You got bored? You simply got tired of me and moved on?"
"That's not how it is.."
"Then why is it how I see it?"
Cato and Marvel had stood at this point, going behind their friend and putting a hand on each of his shoulders. "C'mom, over here." Marvel mumbled, looking to Peeta and indicating with his head for him to leave along with Katniss - he knew that the breakup had pretty much broken him, he cared for her dearly and cried for the whole day afterwards and Finnick never cried. Ever. At this simple gesture, Katniss and Peeta stood, leaving without word as Finnick lowered his head. He was breathing deeply, his hands made into fists by his side as he slowly calmed himself down, oh why did he drink if he knew he would get like this? It always happened, whenever he was upset and he drank afterwards, things usually went downhill and his friends knew that. But he eventually nodded, swallowing as he turned and went to sit back down.
Annie's eyes were wide at the outburst, terribly confused as she had attempted to get to grips of the situation. So Katniss had broken his heart? No wonder he had quickly skipped over her. But she felt the tensions in the air afterwards as everyone settled back down, watching as nobody knew what to say and the poor attempts to make conversation. This never happened between her and anyone she had known, they usually got along so well, and because she was so shy she remained out of drama like this - especially with guys, she had never had a serious boyfriend before, yes, she had had the odd one, such as when she was twelve and wanted to tell everyone that she was getting married that day in the playground but nothing this serious. Her eyes then drifted to Finnick, watching him as he stared off into the distance, as if focusing on something that wasn't really there. She could see the pain in his expression and the jealously - he had loved the girl, but now she had simply betrayed that. He seemed so happy and cheerful when she had been speaking to him, he had been the one trying to cheer up her. It showed that she really didn't know these people at all.
"I've wrecked this for Annie." Finnick eventually mumbled to Marvel, "This was meant to help her settle in, not… not this."
Marvel, who unusually was without Foxface or any other girl, "She'll be alright. I'm sure she saw drama back in wherever she came from."
"Four. She's from Four. She was telling me how great her friendship group was back there and now I've brought her to this."
"Look, she will understand. I'll go talk to her." Marvel said quietly before standing, almost sauntering across the camp. "Annie Cresta, what a pleasure it is to meet you." He greeted in is normal flirtatious tone, breaking her out of her train of thought.
"You too. Marvel, I'm assuming?
"Ahh, you know me already. It must be fate." He winked.
She smiled slightly, "It was a lucky guess."
So, there we go! Katniss was the one who broke Finnick's heart. And with them all slightly tipsy, I wonder what'll happen next! ;) I'll try to update in the next couple of days, I've got lots of time to kill with it being summer an' all. I plan for things to develop between Annie and Finnick eventually, but want it to be a natural progression, where they begin to realise their feelings for one another - which you can hopefully sorta grasp in here as Finnick's acknowledged her, and Annie's protective over him. I wonder what'll happen when one of her old friends visit soon, though ;) Thanks for reading! I appreciate reviews and ideas, so I thank doraviolet1 for the jealousy idea here. I'm gonna make him more so as we go on!