Panem High School {COMPLETED}

Chapter 56 - Clove

(Clove's POV)

The place is already packed when we show up. I know most of the people here, but I haven't spoken to them since Glimmer ended our friendship and gave me the title of outcast. At least that makes me immune from any drunk guys; at least the ones who Glimmer has wrapped around her finger. So, basically all of them.

We run into Finnick and Annie immediately, and I can tell right away something's wrong. Annie is flustered and she looks like she been crying, and Finnick is being more protective of her than normal. Madge takes over quickly. As soon as our boyfriends are occupied shoving cookies in their mouths, Madge pulls the three of us off to the bathroom.

She sits Annie down on closed toilet and quickly starts wiping away Annie's running mascara with a tissue. "What's wrong?"

"I..." Annie wipes a tear away. "It was...someone...a...some..." She's shaking now, and I put a comforting hand on her shoulder to steady her. Briefly, she stiffens, but quickly relaxes again. "Well...um..."

"Who was it?" Madge says quickly. I frown. What's that supposed to mean?

"I-I don't- I don't know, I...I c-couldn't focus on any...on anything."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Madge's voice is an odd combination of gentle of firm, and it's fairly calming. Annie's tears are slowing, and voice isn't choked as much by gasping breathes and tears.

"Well...um...I was waiting for Finnick...h-he had...had gone to the bathroom...I think...a-and...a guy came up and wanted to dance..."

"And you said no?" Madge guessed.

Annie nodded. "I-I think he was d-drunk, and he didn't l-listen and tried to make me...and started trying to k-kiss me...and then Finnick came and punched him."

I stared in shock at Annie, a shivering and crying mess. "Are you ok?"

She nodded. "Now I am. Th-thanks, guys..."

"Annie, maybe you should go home early," Madge says quietly, resuming her removal of Annie's messed up makeup. I honestly don't see why she wore any to begin with. She's beautiful even without it, with her red hair cascading down her back.

After a few minutes, Annie is presentable again, and we lead her back. Both Gale and Finnick are covered in cookie crumbs, and Madge and Annie take them to find napkins and clean up.

Finnick and Annie leave after a few minutes, and Madge seems relieved when they walk out the door. Snatching a moment of privacy in the front hall, I ask Madge, "I don't want to sound...well...insensitive...but why did she get that upset?"

Madge sighs. "It's a long story...and kinda sad..." She glanced out the window as Finnick's car pulled out of the driveway and zoomed off into the night. "I don't think Annie would mind if I told you, though. Don't tell anyone. I'm only telling you because you were there."

She sighs and sits down on a bench. I slowly sink down beside her.

"Annie grew up in a really bad neighborhood, until she was about thirteen. She lived with her biological mom and a series of stepdads and more siblings than she could count. Well...the stepdads and her older halfbrothers and stepbrothers weren't always good people. And sometimes they...well...sexually abused her. And physically, too, I think. And she was too little understand. I don't even know how many times it happened over the years, but it must have been terrible. It all ended when one of her teachers at school noticed the bruises on her arms and called the DHS. She got adopted by an older couple without any children and was sent to this school, but she still has nightmares and when boys get too close she kind of...freaks out."

I stare at made in shock, trying to process all of that. Poor Annie...and she's always so happy and friendly, and basically a universally love seat of sunshine. I don't understand how she does it. "Wait, what about Finnick? He's a guy."

"Finnick's different. He told her quite plainly that he wouldn't do anything she didn't want to do. She trusts him completely. And I think he really deserves that, honestly." Madge shrugged, staring down at her lap.

Eventually, we go find our boyfriends, and Cato and I dance for what seems like hours, and it's perfect, but one thought keeps nagging at the back of my mind.

Annie's story sounds similar to mine. Sure, it didn't happen often, but when I was younger and not old enough to kick the guy in his soft parts, I was sexually abused several times by some of my mom's various boyfriends. Mom never knew, and I plan to keep it that way. The difference between me and Annie: her scars are visible. Mine aren't.

Eventually, Cato and I end up outside on a balcony. I lean against his shoulder as we both stare down at the backyard.

"This was fun," I say quietly, smiling into the darkness.

"Yeah, thanks for coming," Cato says in an equally quiet tone.

After a moment, I say, "You know, this is the first party I've actually liked." And it's true. For the first time since middle school (when parties were few and far between, and when they did happen, I was rarely invited to) I've actually liked a party. Cato is pretty much the only reason. I think he can tell.

Slowly, I turn to look up at Cato, and he looks down at me. He leans down, and our lips meet, and a burst of energy flows through me. It's a gentle kiss, and as we pull away, I smile shyly up at him. Cato smiles back, I think. I can barely see his face. I lean back into Cato's arms and close my eyes, content to stay there forever.

~~~~

Tada, now you know more about Annie! And Clove, actually, though I've hinted at things in her past before.

Anyway, how'd you like it?

Vote and comment please!

~Ellie and Ry