Chapter 4- The Capitol has No Lines to Cross

I have no time to think about Finnick today. I have no time to think about last night; the way we danced until the music stopped, the fact that we never looked away from each others eyes, or the reason why I can still feel his fingers touch my cheek. Stop it Annie. Right…I have no time to think about Finnick today.

The Inspector straight from the Capitol is coming today and I have a to-do list as long as my arm. Suddenly, I hear footsteps in the front of the store and my heart stops. The inspector must be early! Why is he coming so early? I run as fast as I can to greet the inspector even though I'm still in my pajamas. As I turn my head to face the store front, I breathe a sigh of relief. The intruder I heard was no one other than Finnick.

"Nice pajamas," he says with a snicker to my appearance.

"I thought you were the inspector! I'm sorry I didn't dress to your approval ," I snap at him.

"Calm down Annie everything is going to be fine," He says as he grabs my shoulders and looks at me straight in the eyes.

"It's just… a lot," I manage.

"I know…I know."

And then to my surprise he hugs me. How he knew exactly what I needed is beyond me. I hug him right back and we stay there for a while. It feels perfect; to know that you are protected by someone. Unfortunately he releases me and I have to snap back to reality.

"Look Annie, last night was-" he starts.

"Not today Finnick okay? I'm going to go change and you start sweeping."

"But, Annie wait!"

I'm not even listening to him as I run back to my room and change into some decent clothes. When I come back out to the store, he is still sweeping out on the porch with his brows knit together and his eyes obviously focused on something else. Whatever he wanted to say is going to have to wait.

After I cross my last goal off of my to-do list, I see them…I see him, the inspector and the Peacekeepers. They are about 5 minutes away from my store. Finnick comes back into the store and stands right next to me, waiting. He slowly grasps my hand and I return the gesture. Whether if it's a friendly gesture or not is beyond me. All I know is that I have somebody beside me.

The inspector walks through the store with his poker-face on. He is a middle aged man with a huge gut and thin toothpick legs. His mustache is obviously gelled, wider than his face, curled at the ends, and died neon blue. His hair is curled outward and died green with a yellow stripe. He wears a suit entirely made of black sequins. His skin is died slightly purple with a few rhinestones implanted here and there. Everything on this man just screams capitol fashion, o much so that it hurts my eyes to look at him.

"Good day cute little district 4 children. You can call me Mr. Wipplenorth," he practically screams , his capitol accent showing through.

"Good day sir," Finnick responds.

"What a handsome lad you are boy," he comes up to Finnick and actually touches his face as if examining it. "If my daughter were here I think she would steel him on the spot. You better lock him up." He directs towards me. He laughs as my blush shows through and Finnick suppresses a grin. I elbow him in the rib and his grin grows even larger.

"Should we show you around sir?" I say this in the gentlest way possible even though I have already imagined 3 ways to kill this man. I hate anything from the Capitol.

" Ah, yes my dear please do!"

And with that we lead him about my store. The inspector and I take the lead so I can answer all of his questions with Finnick right behind us. The 3 Peacekeepers don't keep a step behind though; they even step on Finnick's heels more then once. He asks many questions. Half seem irrelevant to the inspection but, I answer them anyway. Then I show him the porch to my store. He loves the view of The Orbine. Suddenly, as he's walking across the boards Finnick replaced, it becomes wobbly and the inspector falls flat on his face. My heart stops. Finnick looks at me with panicked eyes and mouths 'I'm sorry.' How can we pass the test if our own floor hurt the inspector?

"Oh my goodness sir are you alright?" I ask.

"Ah, I'm sorry I am so clumsy! These shoes are so hard to walk in!" The man gets up and moves on with the inspection.

"But sir, it wasn't your shoes-" Peacekeeper Quill starts.

"Why of course it was! These wretched things! Well, no matter. You two adorable children pass. Let me get my clumsy behind off of your cute little store before anything worse happens."And with that, the inspector and the Peacekeepers are gone.

I can finally breathe again.

"Congratulations Annie," Finnick says behind me. His tone is out of breath and so is mine.

"We did it Finnick!" I run and hug him and he laughs. He picks me up and spins me around like a doll and we laugh like idiots.

We did it mom! Our store is safe! Thanks for looking out for me up there. I love you.