The afternoon was warm and I was out in my garden fiddling with the lovely tulips that had been sent to me that morning from an anonymous person with a note that was on the side. The note fell into my hand after I had adjusted them into the ground. It was written in sloppy ink and read, 'Effie, meet me tonight in the old mayors house.' I had the slightest idea of who it was from, but I didn't feel comfortable meeting someone I may not have ever met. What if I were captured again? Killed. 'I won't go' I thought to myself. I moved my hand to put a strand of my shoulder length hair behind my ear only to notice a black smudge on my finger. I turned the paper over to see more words, them reading, 'Wear something nice.' This eased my concerns about going, but if this person wanted to meet me so badly why didn't they ask in person? I thought to myself. I walked back into my house heading straight upstairs for a shower. The night was only hours away and getting dressed and ready would be somewhat easier if I decide to go rather than waiting.
The water was hot it burned my skin, but I kept it like that, only to remind me I won't be left in the cold again, hopefully that is. I finished my shower and stepped out with a towel wrapped tightly around my body. I slowly took the towel off looking at my bare body in the mirror. The scars, all of the scars, they haunt me to this day. I quickly put the towel back around me tight and dried my hair and straightened it. After my body was dry I turned to avoid my reflection in the mirror and dressed in a long purple silk dress with thin straps and silver heels, about inches, besides who knows how tall this mysterious person is. After I had dressed I put light make-up on, nothing near what I used to wear. My eyes were outlined in a soft -purple, my lips slightly damp with a light pink lip gloss and my cheeks with a soft pink glow. After I had finished my make-up I curled my straightened hair. I stared at myself in the mirror 'What a fool I must be. Getting all dressed up to meet someone I may not even know' I sighed walked out of my bathroom and down stairs onto my white plump couch and sat waiting for the night to come, and it came to slow.
By the time it was nine pm I walked out of my door and towards the old mayor's house. I looked around the district as I walked, it was silent. The Capitol was never silent it was always busy and rushed and noisy, but the silence was almost deafening, it reminded me of when I was left alone in the cell, freezing, my body rotting away slowly. I shook off the thought and continued walking. I came to the door and reached my hand to knock, the door suddenly opened and a hand grabbed my wrist, not hard, but gently, just applying force to pull me in. I closed my eyes expecting to be hit, but I felt something touch my cheek, soft and gently. It felt scruffy. I opened my eyes slowly, it was the one and only Haymitch Abernathy. He was affectionate, that was the last thing I would expect form him. He was dressed in a suit, a clean suit, which is a shock. He looked into my eyes and released my hand. I returned my eyes to his and walked with him to a lone table that sat in the middle of a large room with a single candle lit. He pulled my seat out for me and pushed it back in once I sat down. I watched him walk to the other side taking a seat. He gave a loud sigh, not an aggravated one, but a questioning one. He grumbled slightly and began to speak "It's nice to finally see you again, Effie." I felt he meant to say more than just those words so I remained quiet waiting for him to finish. After sitting in a moment of a long silence he final spoke again. "I'm sorry for the way I asked you to meet me here, but most people don't exactly see me talking to someone from the Capitol…even if it isn't how it was." I nodded in agreement still not speaking, out of shock and confusion as to why I was asked to come. "-I asked you to meet me here tonight because I feel you should know about the things that happened when you were…" He hesitated to say so I said it for him "Captive?" I said firmly. He sighed and nodded looking down. I couldn't help but feel bad for saying that, I wasn't sure if I should be the one feeling bad about mentioning something that had happened to me. "Yes, that." He nodded once more. I felt the air in the room get cold, maybe it was just me. I sighed and looked down then back up at him right after "We might as well not pretend it didn't happen. It will always be a part of me, now anyway." I put my head back down as his eyes shot to mine. I couldn't look him in the eye, not now at least. I haven't looked at a man since I was captive, and then I saw Haymitch and it was like everything changed. No, it couldn't have, I couldn't possibly let this man, this-this drunk, 'No.' I stopped myself 'he isn't a drunk, not anymore. He's a man. And he-' My thoughts were cut off by him speaking "You don't have a clue who saved you…do you?" He sighed and he reached his hand over to take mine. I saw his hand on the table, mine placed in my lap I slowly moved my hand to his waiting for him to finish "-It was me." I looked up at him with shock. I thought it was maybe Plutarch or even Peeta, never would I have thought it was Haymitch. "You-" He leaned forward pressing his lips onto mine before I could finish, only for me to return his kiss.