Fuck my life. The first thought that came to Effie Trinkets mind as she sat slumped down on the curb across from the drugstore on the main road.

She had already made her way from downtown Manhattan to Teaneck, New Jersey on nothing but her own two feet and was glad of her worn down Converse that offered a little comfort.

Now it was just a waiting game for the bus to take her to the nearest airport.

She thought that two hundred dollars would be enough for a flight to Seattle where her Aunt Isabel lived along with here two cousins Elise and Kara. The two hundred dollars weren't hers, they were her mothers. Served the bitch right for sending her away.

Effie hadn't had any time to pack anything worth taking before her mother had literally pushed her out of the door. She only had a change of clothes, her iPod, phone and late uncle's guitar but since she was off to 'start a new life' that was probably all she needed.

Her mother didn't even let her say goodbye to her friends and she had to make do with a farewell text and the promise of a phone call as soon as she landed in Seattle. Besides, maybe there would be good looking guys in Seattle she could make 'friends' with. Not exactly the Gold Coast but if you're into the moody 'Edward Cullen' type then it was probably a good equivalent.

She took her headphones out of her ears and lazily folded them round her iPod before stashing it away in the small messenger bag at her side.

Another car pulled up at the sidewalk. Maybe the third, fourth one tonight. Effie told all the jackasses that pulled up looking for a good time exactly where to go and planned to do exactly the same when she was cut off before she could even open her mouth.

"You wanna ride?"

Effie looked up for the first time that night and saw the man sitting inside the car. He had wavy, dirty blond hair that was swept over lazily and complimented his features well. From what little she could see of him, she concluded that he was handsome. Very.

"Well that depends." She said, still keeping her distance.

"On what?" he asked, sending her a half smile.

"Are you a serial killer?"

He laughed. "No, I am not a serial killer." He smirked when he saw she still looked unconvinced. "Check the trunk if you like?"

"I think I'll pass."

There was a pause.

"So where're you going?"

"Where are you going?" She teased, giving a half smile which he returned. Truthfully, she didn't care where he was going. He was way too good looking to let go.

"Well, I'm going just west of Atlanta but I can drop you off anywhere along the way. Name it." He said, leaning out of the window a little.

"How about you start driving and then I tell you where I want to go." Effie asked with a shrug. If she told him right now that she wanted a ride to Seattle he would probably drive off thinking she was shit crazy.

"How about you stop being stubborn and tell me?" he gave her a look as she began to gather her belongings and stand up.

"I think my way is much better." She pulled open one of the back doors and threw her belongings inside except for her phone which she put in the back pocket of her denim shorts just in case he did turn out to be a serial killer.

She smiled anyway, if she did end up face down in a ditch at the side of the road, it was on her parents.

She slumped down in the passenger seat and folded her arms in her lap. "You gonna drive at some point instead of gorping?" Effie asked, raising her eyebrows. He opened his mouth as if to argue back but promptly closed it and started the engine, the static-y old radio coming to life.

About three quarters of the way down the main road, he finally spoke again. "So where is it you're going?"

"Washington." Effie stated plainly looking up to catch his reaction.

"D.C, right?"

"State. I need to get to Seattle." The car came to a screeching halt but luckily there were no other drivers around at such a late hour.

"Are you kidding?" He paused waiting for a response. "I'm not driving you to Seattle. Go find some other sad, brain-dead bastard willing to take you." He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Their eyes met for a second, dusky grey meeting frosty blue.

"Well by the time you've got to Georgia, you're practically half-way anyway. Please. I'll pay for myself, even the gas, after Atlanta." Effie said, hoping that he might perk up at the offer of money. He still looked uninspired.

"What's in it for me?" he asked and she scoffed.

"I just said! I will pay you to drive me after Atlanta. And," she added hoping that a second offer might sway him. "World's best cobbler when we get to my Aunts. Unless there's something else you want?"

It wasn't even meant to come across as suggestive. Okay, maybe it was but why not have a little fun if I can get it? She thought.

He leaned in closer until he might as well be on the passenger seat and looked her up and down for a moment. "I think I'll take the cobbler if it's all the same, sweetheart."

She hung her mouth agape for a moment.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? That he was more of a 'courtly love' kind of guy or that he genuinely would prefer cobbler over sex? - Or whatever it was she was offering, she wasn't too sure herself.

But on the plus side, at least he had agreed to take her. As he continued down the road to the first corner, Effie could tell that she was going to be in for an interesting time.

A/N: Okay, there you have it! I may or may not carry on with this, it depends on the amount of time I will have on my hands after the Christmas holidays due to exams and such. If I did decide to carry on, it would not mean ditching Snow is Falling (because I would never do that).

Okay, now for information regarding this fic. I am not American and have never been to the US in my life so my upmost apologies if I get/got anything wrong. Effie is around sixteen and Haymitch is around eighteen. I can't really think of anything else but if you have any questions or thoughts drop them by in a review or PM me.

Thank you for taking the time to read!