Hunger Games AU 2

Amanda smiled down at her. "Oh Ann, you are just too nice, you know. If you really want to work, I was about to start cleaning my house. If you would like to help me, I'll pay you," she said. When she mentioned Aspen, she rose a brow a bit. "I can't see you hanging out with a guy like that, but okay. If he starts messing with you, just tell me," she said. Once she was finished talking, Aspen quickly shut the door back and got on his bed.

Ann smiled lightly and nodded. "I would love to help," she agreed. A few extra bucks could come in handy. After the talk, she excused herself and headed down the hall. She twiddled her thumbs and let out a long breath before she knocked on Aspen's door. She simply assumed it was his. Was this a good idea? No, this was a terrible idea. But it was a bit too late to back out now.

Aspen hadn't really been expecting her to come and talk to him, but for some reason, he wanted her to. He wanted to talk to her. He got up when he heard the knock, and he opened the door. "I wasn't expecting you, Ann," he said, and he moved so she could come in if she wanted to. "What makes you come to a vile and appalling person like me?" he asked her, leaning on the door frame quietly.

Ann hesitated before she stepped inside the room. "So you think that you are vile and appallin'?" she asked. A small smile slipped onto her face. "Look, I'm sorry. Things coulda started out better than that," she said, dropping he gaze to the ground. She hated apologizing to him, but she knew they needed a fresh start. "Wanna start over?" she asked. She didn't give him a chance to answer, however. "Hey, I'm Ann."

Aspen gave her a small shrug. "Well, what else would I be considered? I'm not usually called things along the lines of cute and fluffy," he said with a small laugh. Ann sure was different. He was about to speak when she asked if he wanted to start over, but she didn't even give him a choice. He smirked lightly. "Aspen," he said.

Ann smirked slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh really, city boy?" she said, rolling her eyes. She had to agree with him; he didn't look innocent. He looked like trouble, but that was the whole reason he was there in the first place, right? She cracked a small smile as he spoke and nodded once. "It is nice to meet you, Aspen." Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Aspen smirked, and he looked down at the ground. Ann was nothing like what he thought she was going to be like. She was really pretty too. But her father seemed to want to punch him the moment he saw him. Dating this girl was going to be a challenge, but he loved challenges. "Yeah. See you at school tomorrow," he said with a wink. Maybe the trip wouldn't be so bad after all. Ann would make it all worth his while.

"How you don't mind," Ann began before she leaned in to whisper, "Some classrooms still have chalkboards." She was only kidding, but she tried her best to keep a straight face. She walked towards the door and glanced back over her shoulder. "See you later, Aspen," she said before she walked out and headed quickly back to her house. No need for her father to get suspicious.

Aspen woke up to the sound of a rooster making whatever sound it was supposed it. Wasn't that only supposed to happen in the movies? He looked over at his alarm clock. It was five thirty in the morning! "Rise and shine, Aspen. You have some chores to do before you go off to school," Clay said, and he handed him a piece of paper. "What the heck does mucking out a stall mean?" he asked, and Clay smirked. "Figure it out, boy." Aspen sighed, and he got up, pulling on his normal jean and t-shirt before heading over to Ann's house.

As usual, Ann had been up since the crack of dawn. She was already ready for the day, and she had just finished her morning chores, which consisted of feeding the farm animals. It was tedious but she dealt with it. She smirked ever so slightly as she noticed Aspen. "Good morning!" she called out to Aspen. She was more of a morning person. "What do you have to do this morning?" she asked, attempting to hide a smirk. She could already guess.

Aspen couldn't even begin to describe how thankful he was that it was Ann who opened the door and not Drake or Dimitri. "Oh, you already know I have chores. Does everyone have chores?" he asked, but then he pulled the list out of his back pocket. "Um, what does mucking out a stall mean?" he asked her, and he looked at the other things. "And isn't hay and straw the same thing?" he asked, and he sighed to himself. This was going to be a hard few months.

Ann had to stifle a laugh at his questions. He was definitely not from around here. "Yeah, normally. Sometimes it is more voluntary than forced. Daddy needs some help sometimes," she said with a shrug. She had to hide another smirk as she answered his other questions. "Well, unfortunately, horses can't leave their stalls to go to the bathroom. Your business has to take care of...their business. You smell what I'm cooking?" she asked, raising her brows. "Hay is food for the horses. Straw is bedding. There is a difference."

Aspen sighed, and he ran a hand through his hair. How was he going to survive? His eyes widened when he realized where she was getting at. "So the old man wants me to clean horse poop? That's disgusting!" he said, and he sighed when she explained the difference. "But they look the same," he complained. This was going to be a long few months. Hopefully Drake wouldn't see him talking to Ann.

"Well, you got to do whatcha got to do," Ann replied with a small giggle. She rarely giggled, but then again...she rarely flirted either. "You will get the hang of it," she stated and was about to explain, when the screen door opened. "Ann, breakfast is-" Drake began but then he noticed Aspen. "Hey, get on to work, boy!" he muttered, and Ann sighed and quietly whispered, "See you later." She quickly headed up to the door. "And stay away from my daughter, you hear!" Drake continued. Ann groaned and mumbled, "Daddy."

Aspen listened to her, hoping she would explain everything. It seemed like she would for a second, but then Drake just had to come by and ruin everything. He couldn't help but smirk at his words. "Sure," he said. Stay away from Ann? Whatever. It wasn't like he could do anything at school. He walked off the porch and began his work. It all sucked, and it messed horrible, but he finished it with enough time to get ready for school. He fixed his hair and made sure to put his leather jacket on.

Ann had avoided talking to her dad the remainder of the morning; so it was a bit childish. She scarfed down her breakfast and said, "Heading off to school early." She stopped at the door and glanced over her shoulder. "And daddy, please don't embarrass me. At home you are my dad, but at school, you are Mr. Sherwood," she stated before she bolted out the door. There was no way she was going to show up the same time as her father. Maybe she would have a few minutes to even talk to Aspen.

Aspen soon got to the school. Luckily for him, he talked his mother into letting him bring his car. It was nice, and he had saved up for it for years. He gambled and bet, but he still got the money. He pulled up to the school, and he parked, but it was so much different than his normal school. First, all the cars were pickup trucks or jeeps. And it was so much smaller, and lots and lots of plaid. He got out of the car and clipped his sunglasses on his shirt. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder before walking in. He got nothing but stares, but he didn't care. The hall seemed silent as he walked.

Ann pulled into her usual parking space. Her eyes quickly landed on Aspen's car; it wasn't hard to miss. He looked like a modern day millionaire among all the other cars. She sighed and stepped into school. Sure enough, everyone had their eyes fixated on one person. She quickly opened her locker to grab her books before walking over to Aspen. Small town, even smaller school. If there were people considered popular, she would be one of them. May as well set by example. "Hey, sorry about this morning," she greeted awkwardly.

Aspen looked down at Ann when he saw her, and he smiled lightly, shaking his head. "No, you're good. Do you mind showing me to the office? I kind of need my schedule and my locker. And why are all these people staring at me?" he asked, and he looked around. Some of the girls were eyeing him up down, but he just shook his head. He already had his eyes on one girl.

"Yeah, come on," Ann said, turning to lead the way to the office. "And if you haven't noticed, city boy, you are different and new. You came up in here in a leather jacket. What else would you expect?" she asked, attempting to hide a smirk. "You aren't the typical small town, country boy," she added, shrugging and stopping at the office. "Here you are."

Aspen rolled his eyes. "I know that, but I thought that I was at least human," he said, and he walked into the office. He soon got his locker number and his schedule. He looked down at Ann when he saw an odd name on the paper. "Mr. Sherwood for world history. Is that like your grandpa or something?" he asked. He didn't think it would be her dad since he thought he ran the farm. He soon walked to his locker, and he started to put his things up.

Ann rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Uh no. Never met my papa, at least, not on my dad's side," she whispered. Her father had steered clear of them ever meeting. "No, that's my dad," she continued, sighing. She forced a small smile then. "On the bright side, we have it together," she continued. However, nothing seemed good about that. She wouldn't be surprised if her father went out of his way to keep Aspen away from her.

Aspen felt his heart stop at her words. "Your dad is a teacher? That would have been some real nice information," he said with a sigh, and he ran a hand through his hair. "I need a cigarette," he said, but he knew it couldn't have any. He was going to go crazy if he didn't get any! "Do you think you can get me some somehow?" he asked her. He needed them, and he was going to get them.

"Well you never ask, and it isn't really something I share openly with new people," Ann replied with a simple shrug. Sure, everyone in town knew everyone. But Aspen was new; there was no need to tell him right off. His comment made her sigh. "You know, you only think you need them. You really don't. And even if I could get you some, why would I? We are friends. Not smoking buddies."

Aspen sighed, and he looked down at her when she said that he really didn't need the,m. "Yes, I do. I can't focus without them. i start shaking, and I get antsy. Like right now," he said, talking rather quickly. He couldn't help but smirk at her words. "I just asked if you could get me some. i never implied that you had to smoke them with me," he said, and he grabbed his things for his first class. "Do you think you can though?"