Panem High: Freshman Year

Chapter 5

Annie's phone buzzed in the back pocket of her white mom jeans. Her head instantly began spinning with the possibilities of what the notification could hold, but she clenched a fist and took three deep breaths.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Finnick said gently, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. "Check it," he smiled.

She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out her iPhone 6 Plus and pressed the side button, illuminating the lock screen. "Oh," she sighed in relief. "It's Glimmer." My house tonight at 5, lovely. Bring your pjs. All the girlies are gonna be there. Bring some food or something if you can. Love you gorgeous. Annie checked the time. "It's already four-thirty," she murmured.

"What is it?" Finnick asked.

"Oh, it's just-" she paused.

"What?"

"Well, um, Glimmer is having all the girls over tonight, but I know you asked me to stay for dinner-"

"Go to your sleepover," he chuckled.

"Are you sure?" she asked nervously.

"Of course I'm sure," he replied casually. "You can hang out at my house any night. Friday is the one night a week where all you girls are available. Your schedules are so out of control. If you wanna go spend your Friday night with them I want you to."

"Aw," she smiled bashfully. Then the anxieties began to flood in again. "But I need to be at Glimmer's at five o'clock and it's already four-thirty-three and I don't have time do go all the way home and pick up my stuff and then get to her house and..." Annie rambled on for a few moments.

Finnick produced a grey cinch bag.

"What's that?' Annie asked, interrupting herself.

Finnick opened the bag. "Your pink and white flower pyjamas, a hairbrush, a toothbrush and one of my hoodies. You can get a can of Pringles from the cupboard in the kitchen and I can put some of Mom's brownies in a container for you."

"Oh my god, I love you," she grinned, kissing his cheek. He handed her the bag. They hurried down the stairs into the kitchen. Finnick's ten-year-old sister was sitting at the counter typing animatedly on her cellphone. Annie knew it wasn't activated, but she had iMessage and Snapchat.

"Faith, tell Momma that Annie can't stay for dinner tonight." The tall brunette flashed him a thumbs-up. "Did that register at all?" he asked, an edge of annoyance tainting his smooth voice.

"Yeah, I got it. No Annie."

"See you later, Faith," Annie said, and Faith waved at her before returning to her typing.

"Her friend Rue told her that a boy in her class likes her," Finnick explained under his breath, "and they've been gossiping about it non-stop for days. Faith won't shut up about it." Annie giggled.

"I heard that, you bully," Faith scowled.

"Pringles," Finnick said, tossing Annie a red, cardboard cylinder with a logo on the front. He took a plastic Tupperware container out of a drawer and cut up one of the three pans of brownies sitting on the stove, placing the dozen fudgy squares in the container while Annie sent off a quick message to Johanna. She opened the cinch bag and placed the snacks inside. "Do you wanna bring a six-pack of Coca-Cola or something?" he asked her.

"No thank you, Johanna normally brings soda. And even if she doesn't, Glimmer's brother Gabe has a serious root beer addiction," she laughed.

"Alright," he replied. He smiled and bent down to kiss her forehead.

"Gross," Faith scoffed.

"Alec, Alec, Alec," Finnick taunted, and Faith promptly shut her mouth. "Okay, Annie, have fun," he smiled.

"I will. Sorry for bailing on you," she added sheepishly.

"Don't be. Another time." Annie smiled at him. 'Hey, do you want me to walk you over?" he asked.

"No, that's okay," she answered. "I asked Clove to meet me at the intersection." Clove lived on a quaint side street, across Louisville Road from Finnick. The intersection was where Finnick's neighbourhood on the west side and Clove's on the east met, with Main Street running north-south in between them.

"Okay," he said. "Well, enjoy yourself. And if someone compliments the brownies, you tell her I made 'em." Annie laughed and kissed his cheek.

"I'll text you tomorrow morning," she said.

"I'll be waiting."

Annie met Clove and Katniss at the intersection (Katniss had gone over to Clove's to work on some English homework as they were the only two out of the girls in Advanced English with Ms. Paylor) and they walked down the busy road together for about fifteen minutes before turning onto Rothwell Street. Rothwell was a picturesque little street. The lines on the road hadn't been redone in years and were faded to almost nothing, and the homes were old but well-kempt, the buildings in good condition, many of them freshly painted, and the lawns well tended to. The houses weren't very similar in structure, but all were covered in white siding. Glimmer's had two bay windows, one on the first floor and one on the second, right on top of one another, and all windows had navy blue shutters. The gate to the backyard was the same dark shade, as were the trim, the front door and the wood flower boxes, which were filled with sunflowers and white carnations.

At 4:57, Clove knocked on the door. Annie knew that when Clove came on her own, she either walked right in, went through the gate into the backyard and in the back door, or climbed up the magnificent oak tree onto the back patio, which had a set of large french doors leading into Glimmer's bedroom.

"Hi, Clove, nice of you to knock," teased Glimmer's brother Gabriel, who was 17 and a senior at Panem High. He was tall and sturdily built, and he had dirty blond curls as opposed to Glim's gold waves, but he had the same bright blue eyes. She rolled her eyes. "Keep doing that," he said. "Maybe you'll find a brain back there."

"Gabe!" Glimmer's mom scolded. "Hi girls," she smiled. "He's in a mood cus I hid his video game."

"Hi Amie," Clove grinned.

"But Mom," Gabe interjected, "it was Diablo III: Reaper of Souls! What am I gonna do when Ambrose comes over?!"

"Talk?" she suggested sarcastically.

"Mom."

"You can play Resurrection. Or watch Netflix," she said. Gabe huffed, put his hands in the pockets of his light grey Nike sweatpants and ran upstairs. "I took a case of root beer out of Gabe's mini-fridge," she said.

Clove grinned at her.

Annie and Katniss smiled politely. "Thanks, Mrs. Belcourt," they said.

"Amie," she told them.

"Thanks Amie," Katniss smiled. Annie nodded but didn't say anything.

"Glimmer is in the yard with Johanna and Finch. I think Madge and Delly are on their way," Amie informed them. "Head on back. I'll start making the pizzas. Is pepperoni okay with everyone?"

Annie bit her lip. "Annie is a vegetarian," Katniss spoke up.

"It's fine," Annie mumbled. "I can pick off the pepperoni."

"Oh, well, bless your sweet heart, honey, but I don't mind a bit. I can make one with just cheese for anyone who would rather have that."

"Oh. Thank you," she smiled.

"No problem," Amie replied cheerfully. "You girls head on to the back. I'll have Gabriel set the patio table and I will bring the pizza out when it's all ready."

"Thanks, Amie."

There was a knock on the door, and Amie opened it to reveal Madge and Delly at the front door.

Authour's Note: My second chapter written and posted today! I'm hoping to get another one up today, but if not it will definitely be up tomorrow :)