Categories > Original > Sci-Fi > Breaking Waves
Chapter 1: The Lesson
0 reviewsAnnie Cresta and Finnick Odair have been best friends for ever. After Finnick goes into the games, they silently vow never to speak of it. Until, five years later, Annie is reaped for the 70th game...
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Chapter 1
The waves are cold. Cold, but refreshing. They’re not the jumbo ones who’s job is to knock you over. No, they’re the small ones that crisscross past you and drag you along. I watch as another wave comes by and twirls the rocks underneath. I float on my back in the shallow water as my fingers skim the pebbles.
Occupied with this, I don’t notice until I’m pulled under that a wave has hit me. I choke on the sea water and accidentally swallow. I’ve heard a million times that you’re not supposed to swallow salt water, but it’s bound to happen a few times, being from District four and all.
As I pull myself up so that I’m sitting again, I hear a crack behind me. I don’t bother to turn around to see who’s there; I already know who it is. A smile creeps over my face as I pull a patch of seaweed out of the water and fling it behind me.
I turn around and watch as the gooey green stuff lands in my best friend, Finnick Odair’s hair. It looks weird- the light green seaweed meshing with his bronze locks. Finnick makes a grotesque face as he flicks the seaweed off him, which makes me laugh even more.
”Ew Annie, what was that for?” He asks. I know he’s not mad though, because he’s laughing too.
I turn back towards the ocean. ”Just thought I’d surprise you…” I say as I continue to play with the rocks beneath me.
Finnick comes over and takes a seat in the water next to me. ”K, well just leave the surprising to me,” He laughs.
There’s silence for a few minutes as Finnick sifts through his fabric bag. He pulls out two biscuits and hands one to me. ”I got them down at the shoppe,” He tells me.
I don’t need to ask how. I already know. Five years ago, when Finnick was fourteen, he won the sixty-fifth annual Hunger Games. It wasn’t easy for him, and it definitely wasn’t easy for me to watch, me being twelve at the time. After he took the crown the Capitol fell completely in love with him. But what shocked me was that he still had time for me.
As for me, I fish with my brother down here to sell in the shops and that’s how we make our money. And as many times as Finnick has offered my family and I a share of his winnings, we always refuse. But we don’t talk about his games itself. No, never. I know that would just ignite some kind of pain inside of him.
I take the biscuit. ”Still warm,” I say as I take a bite. ”Thanks.”
I examine the water- right now a green-blue- and then I watch Finnick. How his eyes are downcast as he bites into his bread. Then he looks up at me and I see them once again. His green-blue eyes, same color as the ocean.
”What?” He asks soothingly. ”Do I have something on my face?” Finnick gently slaps his face for my amusement. Looks like it worked, too, because I’m laughing.
”No. No you’re good.” I say as I nibble on the biscuit and watch the waves.
A short silence breaks us apart as we simultaneously cast our sight on the ocean. A small fish swims past us and I stare at it. Finnick could easily kill that, with his trident, I think to myself. I’m so fixated on watching the fish that it’s not until Finnick starts talking that I allow myself to focus on him.
”So the seventieth Hunger Games are coming up soon. I wonder what poor children they’ll pick this year,” He says, gloomily.
It’s true. The seventieth Hunger Games are only a month away. And while most of District four is well fed, I can only imagine what part of town the unlucky child will come from. A shiver runs down my spine and I decide to let these thoughts go.
”Let’s not talk about it,” I say calmly. ”That’s a whole new terror for another day.”
Finnick agrees but the silence continues. We mostly come here everyday, to Blueridge Creek, and do what we’re doing now. Sit on the beach or in the stream. Talk. I like to watch Finnick fish; it’s very interesting seeing the way he works. But the silence has been building up ever since he won his Hunger Games and I don’t know if I can take it anymore.
”Finnick,” I say quietly. He looks over at me. ”Yeah?” He asks.
I cast a small breath in as I look out to the water. ”Will you teach me how to swim?”
Finnick stares at me. Not judgmentally, not confused, just—normally. ”But Annie, you’re swimming right now.” He gestures to me sitting in the water.
I look at him. ”Finn, I’m sitting in a foot on water. Not exactly swimming.” I point out to him.
He looks down. ”I guess not,” After a minute of quiet he gets up, slings his back on his back, and looks at me. ”Sure, Annie. I’ll teach you how to swim. Meet me here at dawn tomorrow.” He says. He smiles at me and I watch him run off to his home.
The waves are cold. Cold, but refreshing. They’re not the jumbo ones who’s job is to knock you over. No, they’re the small ones that crisscross past you and drag you along. I watch as another wave comes by and twirls the rocks underneath. I float on my back in the shallow water as my fingers skim the pebbles.
Occupied with this, I don’t notice until I’m pulled under that a wave has hit me. I choke on the sea water and accidentally swallow. I’ve heard a million times that you’re not supposed to swallow salt water, but it’s bound to happen a few times, being from District four and all.
As I pull myself up so that I’m sitting again, I hear a crack behind me. I don’t bother to turn around to see who’s there; I already know who it is. A smile creeps over my face as I pull a patch of seaweed out of the water and fling it behind me.
I turn around and watch as the gooey green stuff lands in my best friend, Finnick Odair’s hair. It looks weird- the light green seaweed meshing with his bronze locks. Finnick makes a grotesque face as he flicks the seaweed off him, which makes me laugh even more.
”Ew Annie, what was that for?” He asks. I know he’s not mad though, because he’s laughing too.
I turn back towards the ocean. ”Just thought I’d surprise you…” I say as I continue to play with the rocks beneath me.
Finnick comes over and takes a seat in the water next to me. ”K, well just leave the surprising to me,” He laughs.
There’s silence for a few minutes as Finnick sifts through his fabric bag. He pulls out two biscuits and hands one to me. ”I got them down at the shoppe,” He tells me.
I don’t need to ask how. I already know. Five years ago, when Finnick was fourteen, he won the sixty-fifth annual Hunger Games. It wasn’t easy for him, and it definitely wasn’t easy for me to watch, me being twelve at the time. After he took the crown the Capitol fell completely in love with him. But what shocked me was that he still had time for me.
As for me, I fish with my brother down here to sell in the shops and that’s how we make our money. And as many times as Finnick has offered my family and I a share of his winnings, we always refuse. But we don’t talk about his games itself. No, never. I know that would just ignite some kind of pain inside of him.
I take the biscuit. ”Still warm,” I say as I take a bite. ”Thanks.”
I examine the water- right now a green-blue- and then I watch Finnick. How his eyes are downcast as he bites into his bread. Then he looks up at me and I see them once again. His green-blue eyes, same color as the ocean.
”What?” He asks soothingly. ”Do I have something on my face?” Finnick gently slaps his face for my amusement. Looks like it worked, too, because I’m laughing.
”No. No you’re good.” I say as I nibble on the biscuit and watch the waves.
A short silence breaks us apart as we simultaneously cast our sight on the ocean. A small fish swims past us and I stare at it. Finnick could easily kill that, with his trident, I think to myself. I’m so fixated on watching the fish that it’s not until Finnick starts talking that I allow myself to focus on him.
”So the seventieth Hunger Games are coming up soon. I wonder what poor children they’ll pick this year,” He says, gloomily.
It’s true. The seventieth Hunger Games are only a month away. And while most of District four is well fed, I can only imagine what part of town the unlucky child will come from. A shiver runs down my spine and I decide to let these thoughts go.
”Let’s not talk about it,” I say calmly. ”That’s a whole new terror for another day.”
Finnick agrees but the silence continues. We mostly come here everyday, to Blueridge Creek, and do what we’re doing now. Sit on the beach or in the stream. Talk. I like to watch Finnick fish; it’s very interesting seeing the way he works. But the silence has been building up ever since he won his Hunger Games and I don’t know if I can take it anymore.
”Finnick,” I say quietly. He looks over at me. ”Yeah?” He asks.
I cast a small breath in as I look out to the water. ”Will you teach me how to swim?”
Finnick stares at me. Not judgmentally, not confused, just—normally. ”But Annie, you’re swimming right now.” He gestures to me sitting in the water.
I look at him. ”Finn, I’m sitting in a foot on water. Not exactly swimming.” I point out to him.
He looks down. ”I guess not,” After a minute of quiet he gets up, slings his back on his back, and looks at me. ”Sure, Annie. I’ll teach you how to swim. Meet me here at dawn tomorrow.” He says. He smiles at me and I watch him run off to his home.
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