Waves Breaking Over Rocks Part 1

Chapter 5- Sweetheart

Sweetheart

I no longer see Tyson, instead I see nothing. All I can do is listen to that melodic voice, calling me closer.

"Annie!"

I open my eyes and see a very worried-looking Finnick looming over me.

"Annie, are you ok?" He asks.

"You're alive?" I ask, confused. I saw him die, saw his blood on my hands and clothes and his green eyes stare off into space. And then I realize it's not real. "Oh, I was having a nightmare, wasn't I?" He nods.

"Annie I heard you scream when I came in." And then I notice that he's covered in bruises again, with deep bags under his eyes.

"Came in from where?" I wonder. He noticeably stiffens as he answers:

"Nowhere important. Now, it's almost time to wake up, anyway. It's seven-thirty." He says and pulls me into a comforting hug. And I realize how scared I am. Tears start flowing from my face, wetting his shirt. I sniff, but I can't hold the tears in. I think about Mags, a ghost of a smile on her face as she died, all because of me. I see Arnav's little face pale, his eyes gone, and instead dark currents of blood coursing through his face. I think back to Cora, how she choked on Tracker Jackers and how they were probably filling her lungs and how she couldn't breathe. And Finnick. He has been helping me all along, even now, holding me as I cry. And I see him covered in blood and I see his green eyes staring off into somewhere far away, something only he can see, but I know he can't see anything. Finally, I think about Tyson, and how he'd killed me in the arena. I know I can't face him anytime soon. I retell my nightmare to Finnick, who listens carefully.

When I finish my story, he looks at me in the eyes, smiles sadly, and says:

"You know, Annie, most tributes go mad after they've become Victors."

He takes my hand and leads me to breakfast. Once we're in the dining room, he helps me sit down and gives me a cup of coffee. He takes out a box full of the sweet delights he loves and takes out a few. He drops some into my coffee and I count them. Exactly six.

"So, today we are supposed to talk about strategies because tomorrow is your interview." I nod and take a sip of coffee. The delicious warm taste fills me and I feel a lot better.

We eat breakfast in mostly silence, but I can tell Finnick is studying me, looking me over, trying to decide on possible ways to win the sponsor's favor.

I finish my coffee and Mags and Tyson come in. I scream, thinking Tyson is going to kill me again. Finnick seems to understand because he takes him and Mags outside to talk. A few minutes later, they come back in. Tyson sits in the chair farthest from me, careful to keep his distance. I am thankful to him, but I'm still somewhat scared.

"Well, today, as you both know, is the day we will discuss our strategies for the Games. Tyson, you will train separately with Mags, Annie, you'll go with me." Finnick gets up and walks away, beckoning me to follow. I do so and he leads me to another room, this one has a few couches lined at the walls and a nice fire going in the fireplace.

"So, Annie, I've been thinking about a few strategies that would suit you. The choice is yours, though. I'll tell you the basic categories that every tribute bases their attitude on, then what I think suits you." I nod and gesture for him to continue. "You can have an intelligent approach. This might not get you as many sponsors as some of the others but it will get the attention of the rich businessmen. You can have the weak approach, in which you must act like you're afraid, you need to cry, and you need to show everyone how defenseless you are. This will get you very few sponsors if any, but it will convince the other tributes that you're not important enough for their attention. You could go for the strong approach which is always a gold mine, but after your reactions to everything I doubt people will believe you. You can simply stay in the middle, not catching anyone's attention. The tributes in the arena will ignore you until it's necessary but you will get no sponsors. You can choose the funny approach. The sponsors will love you and again the tributes won't mind you. There is the sweetheart approach. With it you will win the hearts of the citizens and again, the tributes will think you're weak. Finally, there is the sensual approach." He looks like he wants to vomit, all of a sudden. "If you use it, you will have to expose yourself both mentally and physically, and seem confident, like I did. You will get tons of sponsors this way and the tributes won't be worried about you. But, Annie, listen to me, don't even think about choosing it. Anyway, seeing as I'm your mentor, you won't find any trouble when it comes to finding sponsors. So you just have to take the one that you're most comfortable with. The ones that I think you'll succeed the most with are: the weakling approach, the stay-in-the-middle approach, and the sweetheart approach. With your small frame and pretty face, you'll succeed in all of them." I blush slightly, thinking about his compliment. I think about the strategies he offered me and come up with a decision.