Against the Current (Finnick and Annie)

Chapter 25~Annie

I walk over to Dad who wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace. He kisses the top of my head as he rubs circles in my back.

"Happy birthday darling," he says in a content voice.

"Thanks Dad," I reply as I hug him tighter. I hope he can tell how much I love him and how thankful I am he's always looking out for me. What happened with Finnick and his parents could've happened to me, but Dad chose to stick by me. I'll never be able to thank him enough.

I feel someone slap my back lightly. "Happy birthday Annie!" Luke says. "Now can we get this party started? I'm starving!"

"Luke!" Dad exclaims in disapproval.

I just laugh and wrap my arm around his shoulder. "Sure thing!" I say as I ruffle his hair. He's almost taller than me. Soon I won't be able to do that.

I lead Luke over to the array of food on the kitchen counter. He breaks from my grasp excitedly and begins filling up a plate. Dad just shakes his head at him in disappointment. I smile and roll my eyes. Mags walks over. She takes my hand and gives me a hug.

"Happy birthday Annie," she says with her toothy smile.

"Thanks Mags!"

Someone grabs my other hand and pulls me into their chest. I look up to see Finnick glaring playfully at Mags. "Not trying to steal my girlfriend from me are you Mags?" he questions with narrowed eyes.

Mags laughs and shakes her head. "No but you better keep her close. Anyone would want her to themselves."

"Then they'd have to go through me," Finnick says with a dangerous looking smirk.

"And me!" Luke pipes up with a mouth full of food. His exclamation causes Finnick to break from his act as he bursts out laughing.

"Then your sister should be safe with me. No one could get past both of us," Finnick tells Luke.

I roll my eyes at their overprotectiveness even though I secretly find it extremely sweet. I love those two boys to death. Finnick hands me a plate and we all go to the kitchen for lunch.

Then afterwards we play games together. First we play charades with me, Finnick, and Luke on one team and Mags and Dad on the other. Mags and Dad easily crush us. None of us seem to understand what the other is acting out.

"How was that a dog? Obviously they walk on four legs," I tell Luke after he comes back to the couch. We ran out of time to guess yet again.

"Yeah but dogs do tricks and I was a dog walking on it's back legs," Luke argues.

Finnick shakes his head with a confused expression. "No that's just not right."

"Well a bunch of animals have four legs! How would you have known what I was talking about?"

Finnick opens his mouth to reply but is interrupted by Dad shouting out an answer. "A baker!"

Mags jumps up once excitedly and claps her hands. She shoots us a smug smile as she walks back to sit next to Dad.

"How on earth could she act that out and we couldn't even do a simple dog?" I ask.

Finnick shakes his head in amazement. "Interesting thing about Mags is that she has a lot of hidden talents up her sleeve."

For good measure Mags pushes the sleeves of her shirt up and crosses her arms with a smirk. I just laugh and roll my eyes. I didn't know how true that statement was until five games later. Mags won all of them including the two person wheel barrow and the sack races. Who knew a woman her age could jump so fast?