1. A Drop in the Ocean

Annie Cresta played with the rope on her wrist nervously, the booming voice surrounding her on all sides as she tried very hard to keep calm. She took in a deep, unsteady breath and closed her eyes, finding a better, happier memory to think of.

She was tying knots by the water, making a net. She had been sitting on a rock, letting the waves lap at her feet. She used a small knife to cut the rope. "Hey," Annie jumped, cutting the rope accidentally, "shoot," she muttered to herself. She'd turned around to see Finnick Odair standing behind her. He stood in such a peculiar way, his feet half angled, like he could take off running at any time.

He chuckled, "Sorry," Finnick sat beside her, staring out at the ocean. Annie sighed, knowing he was in one of his moods. She tossed the stray piece of rope aside and continued her work, trying to fix the hole she'd made. Annie knew Finnick well enough to know that when he had that look on his face, he was thinking hard about something. She knew better than to speak, so she sat quietly at his side.

After a while, Finnick had sighed, he absently picked up the rope and toyed with it, feeling Annie's eyes on his face. He was only fourteen, but he felt older than that. "What is it?" She asked quietly.

"Lana and I broke up." Annie frowned, trying to remember who Lana was. Suddenly, a girl with short brown hair came into her mind, and she wrinkled her nose. Lana was mean, not worthy of Finnick. Of course, she didn't say that, though.

"You'll be fine, Finnick." He shrugged in response, "I liked her." Annie nodded, averting her eyes back to her net, "You fall too easily, Odair." He chuckled again, "We were dating for a whole week."

"That's not very long." Finnick paused, pursing his lips. "Why is it that whenever I'm with you, you sound like you're older than me?"

Annie shrugged, "Maybe you're just immature." She nudged him and smiled. He smiled back, "Here," he said, motioning for her wrist. She held it out and he tied it neatly. "For being such a good friend." He patted her wrist where the stray rope now hung.

She heard the sarcasm, but accepted it anyways, "I appreciate it. I know how much trouble you went to in order to get it for me."

"Feisty today, aren't we, Cresta?" Annie glanced up at his face and saw that he was teasing. She sighed, "Thank you." she mumbled, and twisted the bracelet around.

Just like she did today. She opened her eyes and looked up at the stage. Capri was the escort for District 4, and she was putting her green hand into the girls' bowl. Annie's eyes darted around until she found him.

Finnick met her eyes evenly, calmly, as if to say, 'relax, Annie.'

She held his gaze as they called the name. "Vega Rey!" Annie could see her on the screen above Finnick's head, and saw that he was watching on the one above her own head. Vega's long, yellow hair hung to her waist as she walked. The corner of her mouth twitched up in a menacing grin. Finnick and Annie both shuttered. "Now for the boys!" Capri's Capitol accent rang once Vega Rey was settled.

Annie met Finnick's eyes again, realizing that the nightmare wasn't over yet. He still needed to be safe.

"Finnick Odair!" Her heart dropped to the ground below her, and his eyes widened in horror. She knew that the look on his face would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Finnick's mind was blank as he walked slowly to the stage. He could only register three things. The first was that Annie looked like she was in physical pain. The second was that Vega Rey had a strange expression on her face, like she was…scared. But only for a brief instant.

The third thing Finnick saw was his mother, standing beside Annie's, clutching their hands together, both faces covered in tears. He looked away quickly, before his own tears formed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you your tributes from District Four, Vega Rey and Finnick Odair!"

Finnick was going into The Hunger Games.