When Finnick Met Annie

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I had been waiting in the beach for over an hour now, and there was still no sign of Finnick. I moved my hands rapidly and stared out at sea. "Where the hell is he?" I asked myself aloud. I sighed, and waited for another half hour. I heard footsteps behind me, and the smell of sea water and fresh linen clouded my nostrils. He was here. Finnick sat besides me. "Hey" he said in a suggestive tone and leaned in to kiss my cheek, but I turned my head the other way. He sighed. "What's your problem now Cresta?" he said annoyed. "I’ve been waiting here all afternoon Finn, that's my problem!" I said, my voice full of anger. He shock his head in disapproval. "I was busy Annie, you know how these things are! I can't just come over whenever you want me to, besides what was so important that couldn't wait a few hours?" He said annoyed. I hadn't met his eyes until now. I looked at him, my eyes full of anger and disappointment. How could he have forgotten my 17th birthday? We’ve been friends for 7 years! Realization drew upon his face, and his green-blue eyes widened. “Oh shit! Annie, I forgot I had so much going on and... I’m sorry...” He said and sighed in disbelief. “I am! There was just some VIP from the capitol, and she just had to meet the famous Finnick Odair.” He said in annoyance. Of course, the Capitol. Anger overwhelmed me, but it wasn’t just any kind of anger, or at least not one that I had felt before. This was different, I was... jealous. “And of course this VIP just happened to be a woman!” I said angrily. He looked at me in confusion. “What does that have to do with anything?” “What do you think I am Finn? Too naive, or maybe just too stupid to see what’s really going on?” I said. I felt so many things that I couldn’t even think properly. Ever since Finnick had turned 16 there was always a new visitor who had to see him, or he would go to the capitol without telling anyone, and it was more than I could bare. Finnick was my best friend, and now I wasn’t so sure ‘best friend’ fit the category anymore. For some time now, I had thought of Finnick as more than just a ‘friend’. I didn’t know quite well what it was, but lately every time I saw him I would be so nervous, I got knots in my stomach and my heart would race up. I wasn’t quite sure when this started to happen, but it was happening. I was falling in love with Finnick Odair, and I was losing him too. “Annie, I...” “I’m not some idiot school girl Finnick. You’ve been called away on capitol business every other week, VIP’s showing up. Don’t think I don’t see the way those women look at you, that I don’t hear the rumors!” I said, my voice filled with anger and hurt. I stared out at the sea and Finnick sighed. “Look, I hate this as much as you do, but... You can’t just say no to the capitol!” He said, frustration in his voice. I rolled my eyes. “Right, cause it must be so hard to have women throwing themselves at you. Your life must be so difficult.” I said sarcastically, the anger was beginning to subside, and was being replaced by something else, something I couldn’t name just yet. He sighed once again. “But I’d rather be here, spending time with you!” He said, and I kept quiet. “You do believe me, don’t you?” He asked, his voice was desperate now. I remained silent for awhile before answering. “I don’t know Finn, I don’t know what to believe anymore, you’ve changed...” I said. His eyes met mine and I saw something unrecognizable. The shine his eyes had once had, was gone. They were dull, and sad. They were broken. He got up and stump the sand. “You have no idea what it’s like for me now!” He said. I had never seen Finnick so frustrated or sad, like I had now. He picked up a rock and threw it at the sea, then he ran his hands through his hair. Finnick fell down to his knees and buried his face on his hands. “No one understands...” He murmured to himself. His voice was sad and hopeless at the same time. I moved closer to him, and put my hand on his shoulder. “Then tell me Finnick, help me understand.” I said. His bronze hair stuck up in different directions and his jaw tensed. He lifted up his head and looked me in the eyes. “I... I can’t” He choked. His hands were trembling, but I didn’t move. “Why? C’mon Finn, when did we start keeping secrets from each other?” I asked and frowned in confusion. He shock his head and looked down, like a little boy when he knew he had done something wrong. “I... I’m sorry Annie, I just can’t, and I... even if I could it wouldn’t matter... I’d just end up losing you either way...” He said and his voice quivered. I shock my head in confusion and cupped his chin with my hand. We were so close, I wondered if he could hear my out of control heartbeats. “Nothing that you say could make me want to leave you Finn...” I said and smiled reassuringly. All the things I had felt before had disappeared, leaving in their place the soothing feeling of love. He smiled. “God how I love that smile!” I thought to myself. “Is that a bet?” He asked and I laughed. “No... that’s a promise.” I said and ran my hand through his hair. He hugged me and put my hair behind my ear. “I still feel guilty about forgetting your birthday...” He said. I was about to say something but he shushed me. “... but I’m gonna find a way to make it up to you. Meet me here at 7, and wear something nice.” He said and then he ran off. I stood in the same spot for a moment wandering what on Earth could he be planning now. I rolled my eyes and started heading back home. “Wear something nice” he had said and I sighed. This ought to be interesting...