Author: MoiraShipper
Summary: AU, Laguna Beach. Effie Trinket, a cheerleader of Panem High School, a futile girl. Haymicth Abernathy, former quarter-back of his school, now drinks all the time, shutting everyone. How two such different people can end up falling in love?
Laguna Beach: Love will come through
Chapter 1-If I told you a secret
Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sun set babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your
Wildest dreams
Taylor Swift-Wildest dreams
"GOOO PANEM!" Shouted Effie, Portia, Venia and Octavia. The four cheerleaders of Panem High School, Laguna Beach were in their blue and gold cheerleading outfits, shaking their pompoms on the lawns of the school. It was the first day of school and the four friends were hugging and laughing. The school, which was near the sea, was crowded with cars in the parking lot and students that went from one side to the other, greeting friends.
That day there was no class, only trials club, registration for classes and a lecture to welcome the students.
"I can't believe you spent the holidays in New York, Effie. And you were so lucky to have gone along, Portia!" Octavia exclaimed, looking at the two friends. Octavia was a girl with red wavy hair, green eyes and loved green so much that she wore green shade to highlight her eyes.
"While Octavia and I had to stay here, doing tests for the new cheerleaders with Alma Coin!" Venia said, upset. Venia had blond hair cut in chanel and brown eyes. She wore golden eyeliner.
Effie smiled as she told all she and Portia had done in New York, shoppings and museums that they had visited and parties. Effie had blond, curly hair, down her back and blue eyes and she loved pink. Portia was brunette with yellow and fluffy hair and chocolate eyes.
"Well, Portia and I already bought our prom dresses there." Effie said, in a tone of secrecy. Then she and Portia laughed, eager for the prom that would be in two days. The four were chatting as they headed to the gym, waiting for the lecture. They sat in the Gym, watching the football team practice, when a tall guy with dark and well brushed hair and blue eyes came towards Effie, kissing her quickly on the lips, making her blush and giggle.
"Seneca!" She slapped him lightly on his strong shoulder. Seneca smirked, pulling her by the waist and hugging her and Venia and Octavia sighed. Seneca was from the football team and one of the most popular and also rich guys and, Effie's boyfriend.
"I missed you Fie..." He whispered, calling her by her nickname while distancing himself to be able to stare her and touched her face gently. Effie smiled touching his cheek.
"I missed you too Seneca." One member of the football's team called him and he gave her another kiss.
"See you later." He said. Effie turned to her friends, who were smiling.
"What?" She asked, blushing even more.
"The relationship between you two seems pretty serious." Venia said, smiling. Effie sat among her friends, resting her elbows on the legs.
"Well, we've been together for some months now. But nothing happened." She added. "We've only seen a few times before the vacation. I think I like him anyway." She confessed, blushing. Portia put an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"I wish all the best for you Effie." She said sincerely.
After the lecture, where the four met their boyfriends, Seneca, Cinna, Plutach and Flavius (the last two, Venia and Octavia's boyfriends), Effie and her friends went to the gym, meet with the other cheerleaders to train. Alma Coin, the team leader, was waiting idly. Alma was a student from the last year and had long platinum hair and gray eyes. She was ambitious and never liked Effie and her friends for being so popular.
"Late for the first practice, already?" The eldest said, her eyes flashing. "Don't think that just because you've been in the team for two years that I can't change you four." She tossed her hair back, going to the rest of the team. The four looked at each other, shaking their heads and following.
The music was on with the new song they would use in the game in a week. Alma showed the sequences quickly with very complicated movements, especially for the new girls. Multiple pirouettes with the kick legs and more pirouettes. Anne, one of the new girls, eventually turned to the wrong side dropping Effie on the floor, and the blonde almost knocked Alma together, hitting her back.
"Oops." Effie brought her hands to her mouth, scared, still sitting on the floor. Alma turned off the music and walked toward her, furious. The other girls were around they two, paralyzed.
"First you arrive late and then disrupts the training, almost knocking me over. Do you think you're able to be a cheerleader, Trinket?"
Effie stood up, trying to stay calm, smoothing her uniform skirt.
"Alma, it was an accident. This isn't a reason to doubt my technique."
"This year I won't make things easier for you. If you want to continue with your position as a cheerleader safe..." Alma stopped to think for a moment and smiled victoriously and Effie saw she was in trouble. Alma swept her gaze to the other side of the gym, where the football team was playing and turned to Effie.
"You'll have to convince Haymitch Albernaty to return to play football in the next game this Friday."
"What?"
"That or you can give me back the pom-poms." Effie's blue eyes were wide. She bit her lip, painted in pink, thinking how much she liked being cheerleader. She loved her full schedule and training and she could always see Seneca. She thought and then said:
"I accept the challenge."
When the training was over, Effie, Venia, Octavia and Portia were in the locker room, taking a shower.
"Effie, you won't be successful." Venia said worriedly, her voice muffled because of the water.
"You better apologize to Alma again. Maybe she can change her mind?" Suggested Octavia, when they left the bathroom and exchanged clothes.
"Alma hates us. And hate me even more. I have no choice, I'll try to talk to Haymitch." Effie said, trying not to be sad. She wore her pink jumpsuit of fine fabric, with matching high heels.
"Abernathy won't listen to you Effie. He is always drunk!" Venia Insisted.
Haymitch Abernathy had been a legend in Panem High School, quarterback since they were in ninth grade. But some months ago, something had changed in him and he had started drinking, leaving the school team, which then started to lose games.
"And he is very rude!" Octavia added, wrinkling her nose, as she adjusted her green summer dress.
"Effie, if you think can do it, go ahead." Portia said and Effie smiled gratefully.
"Well, I'll find him after I see Seneca and I will resolve it." The blonde said, in a practical way. "See you tomorrow." Effie left the locker room and saw the team and her boyfriend had already left.
She then stopped in front of the male locker room, waiting to see if Seneca would be there. She wouldn't go inside because it would be impolite so she stood there, looking at her manicured nails, when she heard a bang and then one ouch coming from inside the locker room. Effie jumped, freaking out.
"Seneca?" She called uncertain, but received no response, just a grunt of pain. Effie looked around and sighed, entering the locker room. She was walking between the boxes and cabinets until she found a figure propped up on the floor with a hand through his dirty-blond and long hair and the other holding a bottle of whisky.
His gray eyes seemed clouded by the drink and he tried to focus on the blonde figure dressed in pink in front of him. Ellie? Enya? Effie? She had been with him in some classes last year, he tried to remember. She was always punctual and uptight, and he paid little attention to her. In fact, before he had started drinking to forget his problems, he even thought she was beautiful and attractive, although being a material girl, but then she became just a blur.
"Haymitch!" Effie exclaimed shocked. She moved closer, flexing her knees to stay in the same height as him. "Are you okay? Did you hit you head?" She brushed his hair away, looking for any bruise as she continued to speak: "And you know you can be expelled if caught drinking and..."
Haymitch grabbed her hand, his eyes now looking focused and Effie felt her heart skip a beat, the intensity of his blue eyes seeming to burn her. All she saw was red.
"Can. You. Talk. More. Low. Sweetheart?" He asked coldly, punctuating each word. Effie was scared by his reaction, trying to free her hand from his. She struggled and then he released her, staggering as he stood up.
"You could be more polite when people show concern for you." She snapped, but maintaining the pose, her hands on her hips. She then blushed when Hyamitch faced her, from her feet, up her legs, lingering on her collarbone and finally to her face, lightly made up with powder and lipstick. Haymitch thought her voice was annoying, but she was pretty.
"Oh, where are my manners." He said, rolling his eyes and making a motion with his arms.
"Now you!" She said, narrowing her eyes and making a pout.
He then put the bottle in his backpack and walked to her, almost stumbling and lifted her chin, making her stutter. Effie felt her heart race as her hands were sweating. Hyamitch had a strong and rough hand but was holding her delicately. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and looked at her, with a wry smile as his smell of drink and masculine cologne mixed with her perfume and her vanilla's scent.
"Effie Trinket, the princess of Laguna Beach." Effie, who was flabbergasted, recomposed herself, narrowing her blue eyes as she made a movement with her head disapprovingly, as he walked out of the locker room without looking back.
"Where have I gotten myself into?" Effie wondered, shaking her head.