Chapter One[]
I walk down the street of the Victor's Village where me and my family live. I gently touch my beloved mockingjay pin
my mother gave me. I look up at the periwinkle sky and the shaped white clouds. My mother told me when I was younger, my brother and I would sit on the grass in the backyard and count the clouds in the sky. I smile at the memory and feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around and see Johny Hawthorne, my boyfriend. I engulf him in a hug and he rubs my back. I forgot that Gale and Annie were coming today. I pull away and he takes my hand and we run back to the house. I run in the front door and see Gale standing there with his suitcase. I run over and hug him and Mallory. They smile at me and Gale winks. I roll my eyes and look over at my brother playing video games with Clarice. Those two are always attached at the hip whenever the Hawthornes are here. I giggle a little at the thought, and walk back over to Johny.
"What do you wanna do?" I ask him and he smiles. I smile back as he takes my hand.
"Wanna go skip rocks at the lake?" He asks and I nod. We run out the front door and down the street to the lake at the edge of the Victor's Village. He hands me a rock and I throw it out on the water. The wind today makes a perfect ripple on the water, and the rock follows it. I look over who's failing hysterically at skipping a rock. I pick up a small rock and walk over to him, and gently put it in his hand. He smiles down at me as I put my hand over his. I bring our arms back and angle them at the water, and the rock skips over the water. I smile at our good work and look up at him. He pulls me into his arms and I laugh. He looks at me lovingly and he starts to lean in, and I do, too, our lips barely touch when I hear someone cough. We both jerk back and I turn to see Finnick Jr. I run over to him and hug him tightly.
"How's my Anna-Marie?" He asks me and I smile brightly.
"She's good? How's Junior doing?" I ask him and he blushes. I chuckle, Junior is what I call him mainly because he is a Junior. He hates that nickname, though, so I love to call him that.
"He'll be good if you stop calling him Junior." He says jokingly.
"Do you wanna skip rocks with us, Junior?" I ask him holding back laughter. He picks me up over his shoulder and I laugh. Johny comes over and tickles me. I squeal full of laughter and Finnick throws me in the water. I squeal and they both laugh. My brown curls are drenched as is my red t-shirt and jean shorts. They're both laughing hysterically at me and I glare at both of them. I swim back to the shore and get out of the water. Finnick comes over and puts an arm around me. Johny keeps laughing and I flick him on the head.
"Hey! That hurt!" He yells at me and I laugh.
"Good, it was supposed to!" I say to him and he wrings out my hair. "Thanks." I say. We run back home and Johny goes in and gets me a towel. I wrap it around my shoulders like a cape. I brush out my hair with my fingers and walk inside. When my mother sees me she laughs.
"What happened, Anna-Marie?" My mom asks me.
"Let's just say, I'm never skipping rocks with Finnick again." I said glaring back at Johny and Finnick, and they both burst out laughing.
"Finnick Odair Junior! What did you do?" Annie scolds him and Johny and I start to crack up. He blushes again and I run over to Johny and he gives me a nookie. He takes my hand and we watch Finnick stammer and shiver.
"I may have thrown Anna-Marie in the lake. . ." He says and Johny laughs again, and I glare at him and he puts his hands up in surrender.
"Oh, so that's what happened." My mother says and I nod.
"Yes, Mr. Junior has some anger issues does he?" I ask walking over to him and he chuckles.
"Sorry, Anna." Finnick says patting my head and using my nickname. I smile and nod.
"You should be. I'll get you back for that." I whisper into his ear, and he laughs. We walk in the living room and I sit down in between Finnick and Johny.
"Are you and Johny, you know?" Finnick asks me sadly and I laugh and fall into Johny's lap. I look up at him and he strokes my hair. I smile and caress his cheek. "Is that a yes, Anna?" He asks again and I nod.
"A yes to what?" Johny asks glaring at Finnick and pulling me up into his lap.
"Us going out." I inform him and he nods.
"When did that happen?" Finnick asks glaring at Johny.
"Two years ago." I tell him and Finnick glares at Johny, and I shake my head.
"Maybe I should go." Johny says and I kiss his cheek.
"Yeah, you should." Finnick says and I glare at him, why is he so mean all of a sudden. Johny goes and I sit down next to Finnick.
"Why are you so-" I start, but I'm interrupted by Finnick kissing me. I don't kiss him back, he wraps his arms around me, and I hear footsteps and someone pulls Finnick off me.
"What the heck do you think you're doing, Anna-Marie?" Johny yells at me and I can feel tears coming down my cheeks. "We're through!" He yells and my eyes widen, and I jump up and grab onto his arm.
"No, Johny! I didn't kiss him, he kissed me!" I say and Johny shakes his head.
"But you kissed me back." Finnick lies and I start to cry even harder.
"No I didn't, I swear it on my life!" I squeal and Michael and Clarice walk in.
"What's wrong, Anna?" Michael asks me hugging me. I look up at him cry even harder than I ever have before.
"Finnick kissed me. . . and Johny thinks that. . . thinks that I cheated on him. . . but I didn't. I love him. I would never do that to him." I say in between sobs.
"Finnick, what did you do that for?" Michael scolds him and he smirks. I run out of the house and down to the lake, and I know someone is following me. I jump in the water and don't swim. I just let myself sink. I hear someone else dive in and whoever it is pulls me back up. I'm panting. And dying. That's when all reality slips away.
Chapter Two[]
When I wake up all I see is a bright white light. Then the light is gone and I see a face. A face of the boy I love, Johny Hawthorne. I look around me and see my mom and dad, Michael, Clarice, and Finnick. Johny has his hands clasped around my one and their all looking at me like their expecting me to do something.
"Anna-Marie, are you okay? How do you feel?" Johny asks me and I look back at him.
"I feel sick." I say and Johny kisses my forehead.
"You have a fever." He says and frowns. Finnick comes over and kneels down next to me, and Johny pulls me in defensively.
"Relax." Finnick says and caresses my face.
"Who saved me?" I ask and Finnick and Johny look at each other. "Who?" I ask again and Johny and Finnick both look at me. Johny holds out his arm and shows me a scar about from his elbow to his hand.
"I saved you, Anna-Marie. I got the scar when I scratched my arm off a rock on the shore. I'm sorry, Anna-Marie." He says and I sit up. Everyone leaves the room except for Johny and Finnick.
"Anna-Marie, we both have to tell you something." Finnick says and I nod.
"What is it?" I ask them.
"Finnick loves you." Johny says looking at him.
"Johny loves you, too." Finnick says looking at him.
"What do you mean?" I ask them and they gulp.
"You have to choose." They say in unison. I stand up and walk over to Finnick.
"Kiss me." I tell him and look over at Johny, he looks heartbroken.
"What?" He asks me and I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Kiss me." I repeat and he presses his lips against mine. I feel like nothing inside. He pulls away and I stare at him up and down and walk over to Johny. He doesn't hesitate to know what I want. He kisses me and I wrap my arms around his neck, and he wraps his arms around me. I feel every lovey dubby feeling possible in my chest explode. He pulls away and I look at both of them. I walk over to Finnick and he smirks and I kick him. He looks at me surprisingly, and run over to Johny and kiss him.
"I love you, Anna-Marie." He says and I smile.
"I love you, too." I say and look back over at Finnick. He looks about ready to murder Johny. I hear someone walk in the room and turn to see my mother. She walks over to me and hugs me tightly.
"I have some very bad news." She says to us. I look out into the hall and see Clarice and Michael hugging each other and crying.
"What happened?" I ask walking over to Johny. He puts an arm around my shoulders and I wrap my arms around him.
"They're having another Games, but just with the victor's children." She says and Johny's arm tighten around my shoulders.
"You mean, Michael and I have to go into the Games?" I ask and she nods.
"Yes, Anna-Marie." She says and then I think harder, Finnick has to go in, too.
"What about Finnick?" I ask her and she nods. I start to cry, and I'm not usually one to show tears in front of people.
"Clarice and I?" Johny asks and she shakes her head. "Then who'll protect Anna-Marie?" Johny asks wrapping his arms around me.
"I will." Finnick says and we both look at him. He walks over to me and smiles.
"Thanks." Johny says and kisses my forehead and hands me over to Finnick. I snuggle into his arms, I smile over at Johny and he nods. "Take care of her, Finnick. She's special." Johny says before he walks out.
"I know, Johny, I will. I love her, too, remember." He says tightening his arms around me. Johny nods and leaves the room. I look at Michael and Clarice, and Michael is stroking her hair while she's crying into his chest. I giggle a little and turn to look at Finnick. He's looking down at me lovingly, the same way Johny would. My mom leaves to go get Michael, and Finnick picks me up and then lays me down on the bed.
"Are you really going to protect me Finnick?" I ask him and he smiles and nods.
"Anna-Marie, do you think you could give a second chance? You know, to love you?" He asks me and I look up at him and he caresses my cheek. "Please, I know I made a mistake, but I had to kiss you, just once. I've been in love with you for years, Anna-Marie, please. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." He says and I sit up and kiss him. He gets on the bed and wrap his arms around me. I wrap my arms around his neck, and climb onto his lap. When we break apart we're both smiling widly.
"That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me, Junior." I say to him and he smiles. I lay down and Finnick lays down next to me. I rest my head on his chest and he wraps his arms around me. We quickly drift off into sleep.
"I knew it, Katniss, I told you! She didn't love me." Someone says, but I don't quite catch who. I open up one eye to see Johny standing there, tears in his eyes, kneeling down next to me. What did I do? "Do you think I don't love you anymore, Anna-Marie, because I do. I do still love you." He says grasping one of my hands. I open my other eye and look over at him. "Why don't you love me anymore, Anna-Marie?" He asks as I look over at Finnick, and see his arms wrapped around me. I gently worm out of his arms without waking him easily, I'm so small. I get up and hug Johny. "Anna-Marie, you should've just told me you didn't want to be with me anymore." He says and I pull away and shake my head.
"No, I do, it's just, just. . ." I ponder off.
"Anna-Marie I saw you kiss him." He says and I see a tear come down his cheek. I put my hand on his cheek and wipe it away with my thumb.
"Johny, I really do love you." I say and he shakes his head.
"I need a decision Anna-Marie, first you pick me. Then him. Then you lie and say you love me. Which one is it?" He asks gesturing to Finnick then back to him. I walk over to Finnick and shake his shoulder. I look back at Johny and he nods and cries even harder.
"Finnick wake up." I hiss in his ear. And look back at Johny. He's at the door, a knife in his hand. "Johny! NO!" I scream and run over to him and knock the knife out of his hands. "Don't you dare take the best thing that ever happened to me away from me!" I scream at him. Finnick walks over to him and glares at him.
"Anna-Marie, pick, right now." Johny says and I look over at Finnick and back at Johny. I pick up the knife, and hold it to my chest.
"Whoever really loves me will volunteer to stab me with this knife." I say and Finnick walks away.
"I'll do it." Johny says and takes the knife out of my hands and holds it to my chest. I reach up and kiss him. "I can't." He says after we break apart. "Who am I kidding, I'm so in love with you, I'd kill myself if you hated me. I can't let you go in those Games without me." He says and throws the knife at the wall landing right beside Finnick's neck. "Who does the Capitol think they are, taking you like that?! If I could I'd go in those Games they call them and kill the people in the Capitol, and make sure they never take you again!" He screams yanking the knife out of the wall and throwing it at the picture on the wall. The frame breaks and I run over to it and gather up the pieces. I recognize it now. The very first picture of me and Johny together.
(flashback)
We were eight years old. He was chasing me up and down the street of Victor's Village. He finally catches me and grabs me around the waist. I giggle and turn around to face him. He smiles down at me, I was so small.
"Want to play a game, Maria?" He asks me using my old nickname.
"Yeah!" I exclaim and jump up and down.
"Okay. How about truth or dare?" He asks.
"Yay!! Me first! Me first!" I say and he laughs.
"Okay, truth or dare?" He asks and I tap my chin in concentration.
"Truth!" I say and he curves his mouth into a smirk.
"What's your favorite color?" He asks and I smile.
"Blue! Now, truth or dare?" I ask.
"Dare." he says crossing his arms over his chest.
"I dare you to kiss me!" I said, knowing he'd say no.
"Okay then, come here, Maria." He says putting his arms around me so I can't move. He leans down and kisses me. He pulls away after a second, and I blush.
"Wanna be my girlfriend?" He asked me.
"Yes!" I say pecking his cheek.
(end of flashback)
"Johny, Johny, you broke it." I say and he puts the knife down and walks over to me.
"What? Broke what?" He asks as he sees the tears in my eyes.
"The picture, the first time you kissed me." I say. He wraps his arms around me.
"Oh, oh my gosh, baby, I'm so, so sorry." He says and I put my head in his chest.
"It's alright, you were angry. Wait, wasn't your mom a victor?" I ask him and he taps his chin in concentration.
"Yeah, she was, so doesn't that mean I go in, too. Didn't Katniss know?" He asks and I shake my head.
"Guess you and Clarice are going in after all." I say and look over at Clarice and Michael. They're so cute together. Michael is holding her in his arms, her head is on his chest and she's crying her head off. I walk over to them and whisper in his ear. "Kiss her." He nods and taps her shoulder. She looks up at him with tears in her eyes. He puts a hand on her cheek and wipes the tear away with his thumb. He leans down and kisses her. I can tell she kisses him back because she wraps her arms around his neck. They pull away after a while, and I walk back over to Johny and he wraps his arms around me. I smile up at him and he kisses my cheek. I look back at Michael and Clarice and they're looking at each other lovingly.
"I love you, Anna-Marie." Johny says and I smile even bigger.
"I love you more, Johny." I tell him.
Chapter Three[]
We're on the train to go to the Capitol. I'm sitting next to Johny, and crying my eyes out. He has his arms around me, although nothing could sooth my tears or my pain. Finnick is sitting next to a girl named Thresa Wilden from his district. She's really pretty, and she keeps trying to talk to him, but he ignores her. I get up and go over to him.
"Talk to her, Finnick." I scold him.
"Fine." He says and turns to her. She smiles the prettiest smile I've ever seen.
"Hey, Finnick." She says and he smirks a little and scoots over closer to her.
"Hey Thresa, you know you're really cute." He says and she blushes.
"So is my girlfriend playing matchmaker?" Johny whispers in my ear and I giggle.
"Yes, she is." I tell him and he smiles. I look back over at Finnick and Thresa and she's giggling in his lap.
"Finnick?" She asks him and Finnick looks down at her. "Kiss me?" She asks him and he leans down and kisses her. He wraps his arms around her and she wraps her arms around his neck. "I love you." She says and he smiles.
"I love you, too." He says and I smile.
"Aww, Johny, they're so cute together!" I exclaim and he laughs.
"Not as cute as you." He says and I smile. "You're way cuter than me!" I exclaim and he starts to tickle me and I squeal laughter.
"No you're so much prettier." He says, knowing I can't argue with that.
"Fine, you win, Johny." I say and he hugs me. I see bright lights outside and suspect we're in the Capitol. "Johny, look at all of this. It's, it's amazing." I say as he walks over to me. He kisses my cheek and I smile. I kiss his lips and he puts an arm around me.
by Lexi