Finnick and Annie

Summer

I didn't come out of my room much after Andrew's death. I didn't watch the rest of the games, and I didn't even know who won until I returned to school and everybody was talking about it.

My friends pat me on the back and told me they were sorry and then they went back to their playing. I told everybody I was fine, I didn't want them to know how much I really hurt, because then they would just pity me. They didn't really care.

The day I got back to school I looked for Annie in recess. She sat alone in a corner reading. I waved at her, but she didn't see me so I went to her side.

"Hey," I said and slid down the wall to sit next to her. She looked up at me and smiled slightly.

"Hey... how are you doing?" she asked.

"Fine," I shrugged.

"How are you really doing?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"I've been better," I sighed. She nodded and put her book away.

"I'm really sorry this happened... You don't have to pretend to be okay, Finnick, he was your best friend."

"I know... but nobody else is this upset... it's like they don't even care!" I whined.

"They're used to it. If it hadn't been Andrew, if it had been somebody you don't know... would you be upset?" she asked.

"I... no, I guess not," I answered.

"They kill two of us every year, it's very normal. It's wrong, but this is just how it is. Nobody can change it."

"It's not fair! How come the Capitol children never participate in the games? They should! I bet if it was their children dying they'd do something about it!" I protested, raising my voice. Annie put her hand over my mouth to shut me up.

"Lower your voice, Finnick! They'll hear you!"

"Fine!" I groaned.

"Look, I know you're upset, but you know what they do to people who speak badly about the Capitol... please, just be careful, Finn."

"Alright, sorry," I whispered.

"I just worry about you, okay?" she added, and I could really see concern in her eyes. She really cared about me. Annie was a real friend.

"Alright. Hey, Annie, do you want to go to the beach later? I can help you collect some shells."

"Sure, Finn," she smiled, and then the bell rang. "I have to go. See you after school."

I saw her after school that day, and the day after, and the day after that as well. For a whole month before school ended, we hung out every day. I kept helping her with the bracelets, which had become pretty popular around the market. Sometimes I would go with her to her father's shop and help him out, other times she would come home with me and we would help my mother cook. She was quite fond of Annie, and so was my father.

We spent all summer together. The time I didn't spend practicing with my trident, I spent with her. We went to the beach a lot, though she always stayed at the edge because she didn't know how to swim, she wouldn't let me teach her either.

When school started again, nothing changed. I had stopped caring about everybody else's opinion a while ago. Annie was my best friend, even if she was a year younger, and a bit shy, and had no other friends. I couldn't care less.