That next morning they all woke up in their homes - some of them suffering more than others and all thankful that they only had classes in the afternoon that day. The only exception to this was Finnick. He woke up, laying across an unfamiliar sofa with his arm dangling down by his side; sleepily awakening with a yawn and a stretch before panic settled in. Where was he? His eyes scanned the room, the fireplace empty of wood before him, his gaze drifting upwards and meeting the unmoving eyes of photographs He saw her, along with another, younger boy - confused at who he was but decided not to press for answers or even ask, maybe he was a cousin or something. But on seeing them he realised where he was, sitting up slowly and moving the muscles in his back by pulling his shoulders forwards in a stretch. Annie's. Remembering what happened the night before, he could remember setting off from the woods at around 'two-ish', eventually reaching her home around three in which her mother had been waiting up for her, panicked stricken after phoning her daughter countless times without answer. She had insisted that he stayed, it was too late to be driving and he was exhausted, sober enough to drive but with exhaustion obviously tugging on his eyelids she had refused to let him travel home. So here he was, under the roof of the Cresta's. He was certain that Annie was oblivious to his presence, she had been out of it completely, having to pretty much pry her away from Thresh's arms and had to take her phone away after sending Tommy a thousand and one messages.
This was proven when Annie came down the stairs, dressed in a pair of shorts and a strappy top, her hair not blushed and her face without any makeup, even though she didn't really wear any. Her hand was running through her hair when she paused mid-step, practically freezing as if some stunning spell had struck her. Confusion and astonishment was on her expression, too confused to speak and her cheeks flushed, great impressions, Annie, drunken and looking like a mess.
"Um, morning Finnick?" She greeted, putting her hand over her mouth as she yawned, seeing that he was wearing nothing but the shorts he was wearing the previous night. He was shirtless, and she couldn't help her eyes from wandering to his chest. He was muscular, his chest tanned like his skin - he was attractive, and very at that.
"Morning, Annie. Your mother let me stay over last night if you couldn't remember?" He reminded her with a small smile, seeing his eyes and then moving, swinging his legs over the side of the sofa and sitting up.
"She did?" She asked, surprised. It was a rarity of her mother, she never usually let people stay over and especially not boys, but he had driven her home so supposed that she had to return the favour.
He hummed in repsonce and nodded, running his hands through his hair, trying to make it regain its shape after being flattened during his sleep. She still looked good, even like this. Even though she did still look dazed and not entirely awake. "Wouldn't let me drive home, as a matter of fact, so I stayed here. As she requested, even charming the older women, me." A smile tugged at his lips, "Remember any of last night, Cresta?"
Annie hesitantly shook her head, only remembering snippets of the previous evening. She remembered his outburst and she doubted that that would leave her mind for sometime - too curious and wanting to piece everything together, almost like a puzzle. "Some. I remember talking to Rue and Thresh, and…" She frowned, trying to recollect her thoughts, "That's it."
"You and Thresh," He chuckled, even though he hated saying it, "Practically attached at the hip you two. Told you that you would fit in." He remembered it so clearly, seeing her on his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck - whispering quiet things to each other before Clove awoke once more, pretty much prying them apart and making her dance with her. "Put on a good show, too."
Her freckled face visibly paled, she was? She could barely remember Thresh, but regretted it almost instantly. One way to fit in, she supposed. "A- a show?"
He grinned mischeviously, "Quite a good dancer, aren't you?"
"I didn't, did I?" She scowled, feeling smaller and more embarrassed than ever.
"Yup. And I think Cato got it on record. You and Clove are quite good - especially to Heathens, now that was something." He chuckled, amused as he remembered when Clove had demanded that Cato play the music on his phone.
She sighed, "Great. Quite the impression then, huh?"
"Oh they loved you." He smiled, "You fit right in."
But I don't know if that's a good thing. Was what she wanted to say, she didn't want to change from her old ways, she knew herself and what she was like, and within a day she had acted completely out of character and led others to believe that was how she was - maybe she would have to put up an act to fit in? "Great, I think." She shrugged, watching him as he put back on his shirt, the muscles in his back flexing as they did. She couldn't deny the fact that she was attracted to him, not in the romantic way, yet, but just by the way he looked.
"I'd say it's a good thing," He told her and stood, barefoot as he padded around the sofa, "Anyway, I should be off - don't want to outstay my welcome." Finnick raised his hand as a wave, which Annie quickly shook her head at.
"No, no. Stay for breakfast, it's the least I can offer. Otherwise I'd still be in those woods, or… Not there at all, actually." She was still nervous around him, uncomfortable even - where had this side of her come from? She only ever really enjoyed the company of those who she really knew, not some guy she had known for a day or so.
He raised a brow, was he really welcome? He had never really been the most confident and self-loving of people, always knowing or assuming when he had outstayed his welcome. It was a side that he tried to hide and not admit to, he almost put up walls around himself, only showing people one side of him and hiding the rest. It was why he had been so angry at the breakup with Katniss, she was the one person who he had revealed that side to, the sensitive, real Finnick who didn't take things with a pinch of salt, but instead was hurt by any un-joking term thrown at him and dwelled upon it for hours afterwards.
"I'm sure. I've got toast and…" She made her way over to the kitchen, rooting through the bare cupboards. It seemed as if nobody had had the time to shop yet, only really having the necessities such as bread, butter and milk. "Toast it is." Annie then finished, almost awkwardly after a pause that was too long, "Sorry, we've not been shopping y-"
"Toast is good." He offered her an assuring smile before going over to join her. This was what he liked about her, unlike him, she didn't really care about what people thought of her - she was openly shy, sometimes awkward, but she still seemed happy, well, from what he could gather on the surface anyway. "Want me to help?" To this, Annie nodded. The pair of them, even though it wasn't the most difficult of tasks - it only being toast after all - making breakfast together and eating together.
It wasn't what she had expected at all. On travelling here, she had thought about this dearly. For one, she had not expected to make any friends until at least the first term was over and even then she didn't expect to be overly close with anyone. Two, she didn't expect to be welcomed into anothers friendship group so easily. And three, neither did she expect to be out until three in the morning on her second night of living here - she had originally planned to have early nights, do school work, and repeat until she was finally comfortable in the area and had someone to call a friend. But the opposite had happened. Instead, she had made friends, and a group of them at that - going out with them and spending the majority of the evening with them, and then the next morning found one of them, who she found she was closest to, sleeping in her living room the following morning. However, she found nothing to complain about, because really, what could she complain about? The group of them seemed lovely enough, the one she had become closest with so far had to be one of the most attractive guys she had ever met, and lastly, she had enjoyed every second of it. Yet the ache was still there - yarning to go home to her true, much closer friends, the ones who knew the ins and outs of Annie Cresta and all that came along with her despite her past.
She then thought of them all in equal turns. Finnick had been right about Marvel, she was not too sure on what she could make of him just yet. Clove, well, she had met her and she still was high in her books - enjoying the company of the dark-haired girl. Rue was lovely, she took a liking to her, she seemed playful but held her ground when needed. Cato, well, she had not exactly spoken to him. She had only heard him on the odd occasion, but maybe she did? She did quite a few things whilst she was drunk, apparently. Then there was Thresh - the most bizarre of them all, but she had taken interest in him, he was sweet. Peeta and Katniss she hadn't really spoken too, at all, the only time on hearing Katniss's voice was when Finnick raised his voice at her and she defended herself. Then there was Finnick. He was a charmer and she had gathered that, a man of handsome looks and a heart-stopping smile. But he was'nt all that - she had noticed that he was protective of who he cared about, and somewhat sensitive, seeing this by letting Katniss get to him. Although he did seem to have the kindest of hearts and she hoped that she could call him a friend. She thought of this as the day carried on, school being its usual self, lesson after lesson of knowledge that would be spat back out onto a page for an exam to be only forgotten a few weeks later.
It was after school when she felt the familiar vibrations of her phone in her pocket, buzzing to alert her of a message.
Tommy: I still need to talk to you, can I call you later? When you're alone?
Annie: I am now. What's wrong, has something happened?
Tommy: Nothing's happened, Ann. I just need to speak to you. Okay?
Annie swallowed nervously, looking down at her phone when she jumped suddenly, feeling a pair of arms snake around her. The persons who they belonged to stifled a laugh, one which she recognised instantly. Marvel.
And here it is, chapter 6! I can probably get another what, two updates by next Thursday - then there will be a small break as I'm at a festival this weekend (ooooooo). I wanted to make Marvel a bit of a 'bigger' character, and even though he's still with Foxface, I don't want him to change from his old ways just yet. But I hope you enjoyed, reviews are appreciated greatly :) Also! Anyone listened to Heathens by Twenty One Pilots? It's a great song!