Finnick and Annie

Doing Business

I told my dad about the bracelet as soon as he got home and he smiled and ruffled my hair.

"I think that's a great idea, Son," he said, "Cresta's girl is very sweet. Is she your friend?"

I sighed and rested my head on the table. "It's complicated."

"Of course it is," he chuckled.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Finn. Shoot." He said curiously.

"Did grandpa ever say you were useless?" I wondered, thinking of Annie's story the day before.

My father frowned and shook his head. "No. My dad was very strict, yes, but that's only because he wanted me to be better. Why?"

"It's just that Annie said yesterday that her mother said that she was useless and that she was wasting her time making bracelets," I said. "I think it's dumb because it's just a hobby, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's like me and swimming, so why would her mother tell her that?"

My dad looked at me sadly. "Some parents are just like that, Finn. It's sad, but there's nothing we can do about it. Annie has to know that she's not useless, though it sure helps if someone tells her so."

"I did tell her that she wasn't, that's why I wanted to buy one for Mom, that way her mom can see that it's not dumb and maybe she'll let Annie make them and won't be mad at her anymore," I explained at which my father smiled.

"Well, I think that's very smart," he said and handed me a coin.

"Thank you," I said, "I'll try to talk to her today because I was waiting for her yesterday and she never came back. Maybe she forgot."

"Yeah... maybe," he mumbled, but he didn't look very convinced.

When I got up in the morning the first thing I did was look out the window. I smiled as I saw the familiar figure of Annie Cresta sitting on the sand in the distance. I ate my breakfast in a hurry and ran to her side, holding the coin my dad had given me.

"Annie!" I yelled, "Dad said yes!"

I was halfway down the beach, but she hadn't turned to look at me. I frowned and sat next to her. "I said, Dad said yes!" I repeated, but still got no reaction. She was staring at the water, playing with the sand absentmindedly, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes puffy. There was a bunch of seashells scattered around her feet but none of the bracelets she'd promised to show me.

"Annie I brought the money to buy my mom a present," I said. "Why didn't you come back, yesterday?" I asked. "Oh, and my dad says that as long as you like what you do, it doesn't-"

"They're gone, Finnick," she cut me off.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She got rid of them." Her lip quivered and she tried to hold back her tears. "I had so m-many.... Do you know how many hours I spent making those? She just threw them away and told me to clean up the kitchen and she didn't let me come back here." The tears were running freely down her cheeks now. "I hate her, Finnick. I hate her so much," she sobbed heartily into her hands, and I felt really bad for her. I was supposed to ignore Annie Cresta. People at school would make fun of me if they saw me, yet there I was, trying to comfort her.

"Hey... it's okay," I said, patting her back awkwardly, "we'll just make new ones. We can keep them at my house, my mom won't destroy them; she's really nice. You can come over sometime, you spend too much time out here anyway."

"It's because I don't like being home when my dad's not there," she whispered.

"Alright. So let's get to work."

It was then that Annie and I became, not only friends, but also business partners. As it turned out, Annie's bracelets were very pretty (according to my mother, I wouldn't know about that). With the help of my mom, we made many bracelets and took them to the market. We made a deal with the lady that sold the jewelry near Annie's father's shop and she agreed to sell the bracelets if she got to keep one third of the profit. We agreed of course, because we just made them for fun, but we proved a point to Annie's mother.