Home Is Where The Heart Is.
She had thought it was the right decision to take at the time. She had thought the best way for her to recover was to come back to the life she had known, and yet left. She had thought it was a work that she could do on her own. She had chosen to stay in the Capitol, where life was still bright, colorful and glittery, naively hoping that she would once find back what she used to love in her former life. But she had been wrong all along. Her imprisonment had changed her, forever. She would never forget the torture she had been put through, or the despair that menaced to swallow her every day. But somehow, during all the toughest times, she had stayed still, clinging to the last bit of hope, the last person she would ever believe in. And that person had been Haymitch Abernathy.
But now he had left, back into District Twelve, without her. She was alone and she had never felt emptier. She remembered their goodbyes. It had been quiet, a single teardrop rolling down her powdered cheek that Haymitch had brushed away with a kiss. Neither of them had spoken, none wanting to acknowledge the true nature of their feelings for one another. Somehow, they both knew, but saying it out loud would have made the whole separation even harder. She had walked away without turning back, so that he wouldn't see more tears falling freely from her eyes, leaving traces in her thick makeup. She had done nothing to stop them. It was a good kind of pain, in some way. It proved that, despite all she had gone through, she could still love. She had thought she would eventually heal. She had been wrong.
There she was now, miserable, lonely and heartbroken. Nothing about the Capitol or her former life made sense anymore. It all felt vain, empty, meaningless. She looked at herself in the mirror, disgusted by how fake she looked. What did it meant to hide away under such pretty things? She felt like an empty shell. She wanted to take it all off; she wanted to feel alive again. And so, she did.
She began by removing her pink wig. She let her short, honey blond hair fall freely, the longest locks slightly tickling her shoulders. She shook her head slightly; did she look better? One sure thing is that, for the first time in months, she could see herself through it all. She was beginning to appear. She wiped a wet towel over her face, removing the excessive make up and its aggressive colors. She rubbed her skin until it turned pink, rediscovering the freckles sprinkled over her nose. She used to be ashamed of them, but now they made her proud to be unique. She made up again, but very lightly this time; so that she wouldn't look like a porcelain doll any longer. She removed her extravagant clothing and kicked of her heels, staring at her bare body for a while. There were scars and bruises and cuts, but they were part of her now. She had to learn to accept them.
She gulped, then put on a light yellow sundress that hugger her bosom, but fell loosely until her knees. She twirled once, she felt better, she almost felt true. She put on different heels, slightly lower. And when she looked at herself in the mirror one last time, it all finally made sense. There was only one more thing yet to do.
"Welcome to District Twelve, Miss Trinket." warmly said the man, handing Effie her suitcases as she stepped off the train. Rain was pouring down; and she was still in her sundress as she had left right away. But somehow, weirdly, she didn't care. She left the rain drench her clothes, hair and skin. It felt refreshing, like a new beginning. She walked for a long time before she reached the Victor's Village. But then, she saw it. She had never been there before, yet she had certainty this was the place. She just knew it was this house. She felt her heart pound into her chest, and suddenly she let all go. She dropped her pretenses and her beliefs, her pain and her uncertainty, and she began running, her suitcase still in hand. She ran and ran under the pouring rain, twisting her ankles because of the muddy ground and her high heels; but she didn't stop until she reached the very last house of the village. She could hear the geese cackling behind the house. It was definitely the place.
She reached the wooden door and knocked with all the strength and passion that was driving her at this very moment. The door finally opened to reveal Haymitch, a bottle of Whiskey in his hand, yet looking surprisingly sober. Her looked at her incredulously, his mouth agape in shock. She was drenched, her honey blonde hair dripping on her dress. Yet she had never looked so beautiful. They stood silent for a while, meters away from each other, neither ready to close the distance yet. It all seemed too surreal to be true. Finally, he spoke. "Effie? Is that really you?" he asked, refusing to believe anything yet. "Yes, Haymitch." She answered, her voice sounding soft, but also broken. She was so afraid. "I- I understood where I belong. Sorry it took me so long." She said in a mutter. She had stopped breathing and moving, waiting for his reaction. Nothing happened at first, but then he ran to her, took her in his arms, lifting her and spinning her around him. He was holding her so close it hurt, but it was the best kind of pain.
He brought her down and noticed she was crying. He probably was, too, he didn't really know. All he knew is that, for the first time since his Games had ended, he was genuinely happy. "You are staying." He said, more like a fact than an assumption. She locked eyes with him, before saying, "Forever." She did not miss a beat. Suddenly lips were pressed together, craving, desperate, aching. It felt like coming home. Everything was finally right in the world. They fingers intertwined without a word. They looked at each other, the same smile appearing on each face. And, for the first time, they both said it. Three words that finally made sense, but three words that they had meant all along. And without further ado, they kissed under the pouring rain.