When Finnick Met Annie

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“She’s never going to be the same Finnick, it’s going to be hard, she needs you now more than ever. We all leave the games with scars, some deeper than others...” Mags, the District 4 mentor’s words echoed in my head. It had been 2 days since Annie had returned from the games as a victor, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face her yet. I focused on how she had helped me when I had returned, and braced myself for the worse. I headed to the beach, her mother had told me she was there. The beach was quiet and empty. I saw Annie sitting on the sand looking at the horizon. She looked the same as always; her eyebrows were scrunched together, her pretty almond shaped green eyes focused on the water, her lips pouted, a sign that she was concentrated. I made may way to her and took a sit next to her. “Hey Annie.” I said in a warm tone. She didn’t move, she didn’t flinch, she didn’t even blink. She just stayed the same, as if there was no one there, looking at the water. I swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in my throat and sighed. My palms were sweaty from being so nervous. A lose strand of her brown hair fell on her face. I tucked it behind her ear and took out a little ram of jasmine from my pocket. I put the little flowers in her hair and turned back to look at the water. “You know, they built a memorial for him... Down by the pier...” I said, swallowing hard. I thought about Tide. We had been friends since we were kids, and now he was gone. He had been the male tribute that had gone with Annie, and he had died in the games. I had refused to watch it, but my father told me that he had been beheaded.  Annie didn’t say anything. I knew she had heard me but she didn’t respond to anything, she was like a statue. “I missed you Cresta...” I said again, and looked at her to see if she would respond, but there was nothing. “I really did...” I murmured. I didn’t say anything after that, we just stared out at sea for hours. Occasionally, her breathing would get heavier or she would move her hand rapidly, or she would flinch at the sound of the wind, but she would never tear her eyes off of the water. When nightfall came, she got up and went to her house. She didn’t say anything, and her face remained emotionless. I knew Annie had changed, and that would never go back to the way she was before. Like all of us, she was scarred...

...A week and a half had passed since Annie had come back from the games, and her state was the same. Everyday I would go to the beach with her, put a flower in her hair and inform her of the things that were going on on the District. She would just stare at the sea and stay quiet. I already missed the sound of her voice, the sound of her laugh. I missed the way her eyes would light up every time she learned something new, and the way she would make fun of me for not being able to make a net. It took all my will to push all these thoughts aside, and keep myself from breaking down in front of her. Everyday I would tell her old stories, some were ones my dad told me when I was a kid, others were tales that the District’s old ladies would tell their grandchildren to keep them from getting in trouble. I remembered it helped me when I was a kid, I wondered if it would help her. Eventually I ran out of tales to tell and things to say, and I would just sit quietly besides her. I started bringing some rope and making knots with it. Net making could really make a person calm down. I owned that to Annie for teaching me. As I started making the net, I prayed silently that she would get better...

...2 months had passed since Annie had been crowned victor of the 70th Hunger Games. I had made it my routine; go to the beach, sit with Annie, work on the net, and pray for the best. In those 2 months, she hadn’t spoken a single word. I went to the beach like usual and sat besides her. “Hi Annie.” I said. I tucked a lose strand of her hair behind her ear and placed a flower on her hair. I took out the net and started making knots like I usually did. The hours flew by us, and before I knew it, it was nightfall. I light up the bonfire. I saw Annie shiver besides me, so I handed her my outer shirt. District 4 wasn’t of cold weather, but we were in November already, and the chills of the night were getting to us. I stared out at sea. I wondered what she was thinking about. The light of the bonfire cast a dim glow on Annie’s face, making her eyes look bluer and her skin paler. I sighed thinking about how much time had passed since I had heard her voice. “I know you’re in there somewhere Annie, please... Don’t give up on me...” I murmured. My voice broke towards the end because of the lump that had formed in my throat. We stayed motionless looking out at sea for another half hour. Then it happened. “...Hey Finn..” She said, her voice was barely a whisper, loud enough for me to hear but nobody else; she didn’t take her eyes off of the water. A smile crept on my face. So many emotions washed over me like waves, that I couldn’t move, I could only stare in amazement at her. I slowly recomposed myself and looked out at the sea, with a huge grin on my face. No other words were needed in that moment. She had spoken to me. I knew in that moment, that she was here again, and that she had never left me...