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"Peeta!" says a girl. "It's so nice to see you out…and about."

I rose an eyebrow. I didn't know who that girl was, I just watched Peeta. He had two guards next to him and he was forced to hold the tray awkwardly. He had shackles on his wrists, connected by a small chain. I furrowed my eyebrows. He comes from trying to kill Katniss and now he was allowed out and about. It was odd seeing him in person and Gale, I had to say, particularly did not enjoy the sight.

"What's with the fancy bracelets?" Johanna Mason asked. I remembered her as another victor, from Seven. She faked that she was a pathetic little girl, when, in fact, she was incredibly dangerous. Just watching her throw those axes during the Games makes me shiver now.

I ducked my head. I shouldn't be listening in to their conversation, but I was insanely intrigued. I mean, Peeta's back. In a sense, of course. Gale must be seething inside and I was writhing to see how much it really affected him. So I sat there and watched.

"I'm not quite trustworthy yet," says Peeta. "I can't even sit here without your permission." I glanced at the guards.

"Sure he can sit here. We're old friends," Johanna said, brushing her hand against the space next to her. I shivered. I don't think I'd want to be friends with Johanna. She seemed a bit too devious to me.

Peeta sat down with the consent of his guards. "Peeta and I had adjoining cells in the Capitol. We're very familiar with each other's screams." I frowned deeply, especially when Annie covered her ears. I watched Finnick glare at Johanna and he wrapped his arm around Annie. "What? My head doctor says I'm not supposed to censor my thoughts. It's part of my therapy," Johanna insisted.

I sincerely doubted that. I don't think a doctor should ever tell a patient to say whatever on their mind. Because that means they can be a royal pain in the butt. I wanted to go over there and help Finnick bring Annie back until he got her to remove her hands slowly. I sighed, watching her for a moment. Angel Annie. I smiled at the thought.

"Annie," says the girl, "did you know it was Peeta who decorated your wedding cake? Back home, his family ran the bakery and he did all the icing."

"Thank you, Peeta. It was beautiful." Too bad I didn't get to see the cake... I blame Gale.

"My pleasure, Annie," Peeta said.

"If we're going to fit in that walk, we better go," Finnick said to Annie. He grabbed both of their trays and he got up. "Good seeing you, Peeta."

"You better be nice to her, Finnick. Or I might try and take her away from you." I rose an eyebrow at what Peeta had said. Most definitely not the brightest thing.

"Oh, Peeta," Finnick said. "Don't make me sorry I restarted your heart."

And then he walked away. I hurriedly dumped my trash and jogged after Finnick. "Hey," I said, panting slightly. He glanced at me, walking with Annie, who also glanced at me curiously.

"Hey, Paisley," he said quietly.

"Are you okay?" I stared at him for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot of crap going on, you know? Peeta having problems, Katniss having problems, Gale having problems. You have problems."

"Yes, but I try my best not to put them upon others."

He frowned. "You sort of failed at that."

"Pardon?"

"Well, I almost hurt Gale today."

Oh, so he was going to tell me. I felt better about that, knowing that I wouldn't have to keep it secret. So I let him talk it out, while waving to Annie, who was waving back. "Did you? How?"

"He called you a redheaded harpy. I thought I was going to rip his throat out. I mean, he tries to kiss you, then insults you. That boy hasn't a bone of romance in his body."

I couldn't suppress the laugh that came out. "A redheaded harpy?"

"I know." He was glaring at nothing in particular. "I honestly don't like him. But, hey, it's your problem, right? I need to stop playing big brother."

"But you're a good big brother." I waved a piece of hair from his face and he grinned at me. "You go walk with Annie. See you, Angel Annie."

Her face brightened and she leaned closer to Finnick. He smiled at me, his eyes twinkling a bit as he walked away. But then he stopped and turned around. "Wait, you passed the test?" I blinked. "Yeah," I said.

He frowned. "You do know you're going to have to get your hair buzzed, right?" I flinched a bit.

"Yeah..."

"Right. Cut your hair really short. To your chin. Tell them it doesn't get in the way of your fighting. I'll talk to Boggs to make sure it doesn't get cut."

I frowned at him. "Why does it matter?"

"It's hard to look sexy with no hair, Paisley."

I laughed, giving him a skeptical look. "What? It's true!" he cried, wrapping his arm tighter around Annie. "And I doubt Gale would find a shaved head sexy."

I glared at Finnick. "Just go, Mister!"

He snickered like a little girl and walked off. I snorted and threw my hands in the air. I honestly did not care if Gale thought my hair being cut off was sexy or not. Apparently, to him, I'm a redheaded harpy. So why would he care?

At any rate, I went to the place to get your hair cut. I explained the situation and the man looked at me with a confused expression. Normally, it doesn't matter what happens. You get your hair completely cut off. But, when I explained that I'll get it cut to my jawline, he seemed to brighten up. I'm sure his profession was more hair styling than hair buzzing. So he sat me in a chair and started to cut away. I closed my eyes, hearing the buzzers all around.

But when I opened them, I let out a sigh. It was short, a lot shorter than what I would have liked, but it beats getting it all off. I shook the man's hand and walked out.

For a while, I just turned my head side-to-side. The feeling of my hair brushing the back of my neck was new to me and I just couldn't get used to the feeling.

Over the course of a few days, Finnick tried his best to keep my hair the way it was, but eventually lost. Of course he would. I'm not part of his Team, the ones that are always in front of the cameras. I'm just one of the soldiers that are going to be sent to the front lines and I'd most likely die. When I voiced that to Finnick, he looked angry.

"You won't die," he said with clenched teeth.

I just shrugged. "You'd be the only one who'd miss me, Finnick."

He sighed and pulled me into a hug. "Sorry I couldn't save your hair," he whispered.

I shrugged again. By now, I was practically bald. The few fleeting days I did have of my short hair cut was fun, but I knew it just couldn't last.

"You look like you have a disease," he wheezed.

I let out a chortle. "Finnick," I said, "I'm fine."

"On the inside. What about out here?" His finger touched my head and I flinched a bit. I wasn't used to actually feeling things on my head. "Besides, you look like a male! I mean, you could be without the breasts."

I snickered at him, covering my mouth with my hand. "It'll grow back. No worries." He shook his head.

Finnick never really did let go of my hair style for quite a while. Annie completely didn't recognize me. Gale? Well, he never looked my way. And if he did, I honestly would jump him. Finnick once told me this new buzz cut makes me look fierce. Maybe I'd use that against Gale.

The next day, Finnick looked grim. I wasn't used to seeing him like this, normally he's cheery, or in a pretty bad state. Normally, when he's near Annie and me, he cheers up like nothing could get better than this. But today, he just looked from me to Annie with resentment.

Later, I had to confront him and ask what was the matter.

"Paisley," he said quietly, examining his hand as if it were the most interesting thing. "You've been a great friend."

A great friend? I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's up?"

"Um, they're sending me off."

I rose my eyebrows. "Sending you off? To fight the Capitol."

"Sort of. What they have us doing... Paisley, it's exactly like the Games." His voice broke.

I never was in the Games (nor had any want to be), but hearing the pain Finnick was in, I walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "It's okay, Finnick," I whispered. He shook his head, still examining his hand.

"No, it's not. How will I tell Annie?"

I paused. That was a good question.

"I mean, Katniss told me not to tell her. But I have to. It's an obligation as her husband and best friend."

I sighed and looked at the floor. "Do what you think is right, Finnick. I don't think you should tell her. It would devastate her. I mean, you'll come back after the war is over. Just tell her..." I trailed off as I looked up to see Finnick's incredulous look.

"You want me to lie to her?"

"No, I—"

"I can't lie to her, Lee!"

I took in a deep breath, clenching my fists as I quickly replied, "Finnick, don't lie to her. Remember, I said do what you think is right. Do what's right here." I put my hand over his heart and that's the first time I saw Finnick cry. And trust me, you don't want to see him cry.

All I could do was hold him. I'm sure the scene would be utterly bizarre in onlooker's eyes. A fully grown man weeping in the arms of a tiny girl whose hair was cut off. I shook that out of my head and comforted Finnick.

Description
"Peeta!" says a girl. "It's so nice to see you out…and about."

I rose an eyebrow. I didn't know who that girl was, I just watched Peeta. He had two guards next to him and he was forced to hold the tray awkwardly. He had shackles on his wrists, connected by a small chain. I furrowed my eyebrows. He comes from trying to kill Katniss and now he was allowed out and about. It was odd seeing him in person and Gale, I had to say, particularly did not enjoy the sight.

"What's with the fancy bracelets?" Johanna Mason asked. I remembered her as another victor, from Seven. She faked that she was a pathetic little girl, when, in fact, she was incredibly dangerous. Just watching her throw those axes during the Games makes me shiver now.

I ducked my head. I shouldn't be listening in to their conversation, but I was insanely intrigued. I mean, Peeta's back. In a sense, of course. Gale must be seething inside and I was writhing to see how much it really affected him. So I sat there and watched.

"I'm not quite trustworthy yet," says Peeta. "I can't even sit here without your permission." I glanced at the guards.

"Sure he can sit here. We're old friends," Johanna said, brushing her hand against the space next to her. I shivered. I don't think I'd want to be friends with Johanna. She seemed a bit too devious to me.

Peeta sat down with the consent of his guards. "Peeta and I had adjoining cells in the Capitol. We're very familiar with each other's screams." I frowned deeply, especially when Annie covered her ears. I watched Finnick glare at Johanna and he wrapped his arm around Annie. "What? My head doctor says I'm not supposed to censor my thoughts. It's part of my therapy," Johanna insisted.

I sincerely doubted that. I don't think a doctor should ever tell a patient to say whatever on their mind. Because that means they can be a royal pain in the butt. I wanted to go over there and help Finnick bring Annie back until he got her to remove her hands slowly. I sighed, watching her for a moment. Angel Annie. I smiled at the thought.

"Annie," says the girl, "did you know it was Peeta who decorated your wedding cake? Back home, his family ran the bakery and he did all the icing."

"Thank you, Peeta. It was beautiful." Too bad I didn't get to see the cake... I blame Gale.

"My pleasure, Annie," Peeta said.

"If we're going to fit in that walk, we better go," Finnick said to Annie. He grabbed both of their trays and he got up. "Good seeing you, Peeta."

"You better be nice to her, Finnick. Or I might try and take her away from you." I rose an eyebrow at what Peeta had said. Most definitely not the brightest thing.

"Oh, Peeta," Finnick said. "Don't make me sorry I restarted your heart."

And then he walked away. I hurriedly dumped my trash and jogged after Finnick. "Hey," I said, panting slightly. He glanced at me, walking with Annie, who also glanced at me curiously.

"Hey, Paisley," he said quietly.

"Are you okay?" I stared at him for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot of crap going on, you know? Peeta having problems, Katniss having problems, Gale having problems. You have problems."

"Yes, but I try my best not to put them upon others."

He frowned. "You sort of failed at that."

"Pardon?"

"Well, I almost hurt Gale today."

Oh, so he was going to tell me. I felt better about that, knowing that I wouldn't have to keep it secret. So I let him talk it out, while waving to Annie, who was waving back. "Did you? How?"

"He called you a redheaded harpy. I thought I was going to rip his throat out. I mean, he tries to kiss you, then insults you. That boy hasn't a bone of romance in his body."

I couldn't suppress the laugh that came out. "A redheaded harpy?"

"I know." He was glaring at nothing in particular. "I honestly don't like him. But, hey, it's your problem, right? I need to stop playing big brother."

"But you're a good big brother." I waved a piece of hair from his face and he grinned at me. "You go walk with Annie. See you, Angel Annie."

Her face brightened and she leaned closer to Finnick. He smiled at me, his eyes twinkling a bit as he walked away. But then he stopped and turned around. "Wait, you passed the test?" I blinked. "Yeah," I said.

He frowned. "You do know you're going to have to get your hair buzzed, right?" I flinched a bit.

"Yeah..."

"Right. Cut your hair really short. To your chin. Tell them it doesn't get in the way of your fighting. I'll talk to Boggs to make sure it doesn't get cut."

I frowned at him. "Why does it matter?"

"It's hard to look sexy with no hair, Paisley."

I laughed, giving him a skeptical look. "What? It's true!" he cried, wrapping his arm tighter around Annie. "And I doubt Gale would find a shaved head sexy."

I glared at Finnick. "Just go, Mister!"

He snickered like a little girl and walked off. I snorted and threw my hands in the air. I honestly did not care if Gale thought my hair being cut off was sexy or not. Apparently, to him, I'm a redheaded harpy. So why would he care?

At any rate, I went to the place to get your hair cut. I explained the situation and the man looked at me with a confused expression. Normally, it doesn't matter what happens. You get your hair completely cut off. But, when I explained that I'll get it cut to my jawline, he seemed to brighten up. I'm sure his profession was more hair styling than hair buzzing. So he sat me in a chair and started to cut away. I closed my eyes, hearing the buzzers all around.

But when I opened them, I let out a sigh. It was short, a lot shorter than what I would have liked, but it beats getting it all off. I shook the man's hand and walked out.

For a while, I just turned my head side-to-side. The feeling of my hair brushing the back of my neck was new to me and I just couldn't get used to the feeling.

Over the course of a few days, Finnick tried his best to keep my hair the way it was, but eventually lost. Of course he would. I'm not part of his Team, the ones that are always in front of the cameras. I'm just one of the soldiers that are going to be sent to the front lines and I'd most likely die. When I voiced that to Finnick, he looked angry.

"You won't die," he said with clenched teeth.

I just shrugged. "You'd be the only one who'd miss me, Finnick."

He sighed and pulled me into a hug. "Sorry I couldn't save your hair," he whispered.

I shrugged again. By now, I was practically bald. The few fleeting days I did have of my short hair cut was fun, but I knew it just couldn't last.

"You look like you have a disease," he wheezed.

I let out a chortle. "Finnick," I said, "I'm fine."

"On the inside. What about out here?" His finger touched my head and I flinched a bit. I wasn't used to actually feeling things on my head. "Besides, you look like a male! I mean, you could be without the breasts."

I snickered at him, covering my mouth with my hand. "It'll grow back. No worries." He shook his head.

Finnick never really did let go of my hair style for quite a while. Annie completely didn't recognize me. Gale? Well, he never looked my way. And if he did, I honestly would jump him. Finnick once told me this new buzz cut makes me look fierce. Maybe I'd use that against Gale.

The next day, Finnick looked grim. I wasn't used to seeing him like this, normally he's cheery, or in a pretty bad state. Normally, when he's near Annie and me, he cheers up like nothing could get better than this. But today, he just looked from me to Annie with resentment.

Later, I had to confront him and ask what was the matter.

"Paisley," he said quietly, examining his hand as if it were the most interesting thing. "You've been a great friend."

A great friend? I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's up?"

"Um, they're sending me off."

I rose my eyebrows. "Sending you off? To fight the Capitol."

"Sort of. What they have us doing... Paisley, it's exactly like the Games." His voice broke.

I never was in the Games (nor had any want to be), but hearing the pain Finnick was in, I walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "It's okay, Finnick," I whispered. He shook his head, still examining his hand.

"No, it's not. How will I tell Annie?"

I paused. That was a good question.

"I mean, Katniss told me not to tell her. But I have to. It's an obligation as her husband and best friend."

I sighed and looked at the floor. "Do what you think is right, Finnick. I don't think you should tell her. It would devastate her. I mean, you'll come back after the war is over. Just tell her..." I trailed off as I looked up to see Finnick's incredulous look.

"You want me to lie to her?"

"No, I—"

"I can't lie to her, Lee!"

I took in a deep breath, clenching my fists as I quickly replied, "Finnick, don't lie to her. Remember, I said do what you think is right. Do what's right here." I put my hand over his heart and that's the first time I saw Finnick cry. And trust me, you don't want to see him cry.

All I could do was hold him. I'm sure the scene would be utterly bizarre in onlooker's eyes. A fully grown man weeping in the arms of a tiny girl whose hair was cut off. I shook that out of my head and comforted Finnick.