When Effie flinched yesterday it really shocked me. I know when we were working together I would get drunk a lot but I never once raised a finger towards her. I would never hit a woman. Not after the arena anyway. I would raise my voice sometimes but from what I can remember I never touched her.
"Hey princess, I need to ask you something?"
"What is it, Haymitch? I'm too tired to start an argument with you," she sighed.
"I was just wondering. You know when we worked together during the games, did I ever hit you?"
She takes a long pause before she even looks up. She looks into my eyes and it's not the usual vibrant look in her eyes that I remember from all those years ago, it's dull and empty, like a completely different person. Without thinking I take her hand in mine. Her hands are so soft and delicate I don't know how anybody could lift a hand towards the woman. She looks like a simple touch could break her, even one like me holding her hand.
"No, you didn't, Haymitch, you would shout but never hit," she said with a dull tone.
"Why do you ask?"
"Alice told me what's been going on at home."
Effie says nothing. For a minute her mask comes undone in front of me. Tears form in her eyes. Almost as quickly as her mask came down, it was back up in seconds. She quickly wiped her eyes and cleared her throat before saying;
"I simply don't know what you mean, Haymitch."
I choose to leave the subject for the moment, knowing I may have pushed her too far for the time being.
She pulls her hand away from mine before quickly leaving the room, her heels clacking down the hall. The power still hasn't shown any signs of coming back on. We also wouldn't know if the Capitol has any advances on the problem because there is no way of communicating with them. I have a radio but not a clue how to work it and I doubt anyone in the Capitol would use something as low tech as a radio.
I decide to visit Katniss because I need a drink, badly. I have tried not to drink since Alice told me about life at home but right now it just isn't happening. I don't really like Katniss but she has ghosts haunting her as well so she likes drinking away the pain like me. When you have someone that has been through the same as you, it makes it so much easier to handle. This is why I think Peeta and Katniss live with each other. Not because they're in love but because they always have someone to talk to that has been through the same as them and understands it. At least on Katniss' part anyway. Peeta, on the other hand, I think he is still genuinely in love with Katniss. I think it's pathetic after being ignored so many times that he is still in love with her but I guess that's what soft people do.
I don't bother knocking on the door, I have really passed the point of caring right now, Katniss always knows when I need a drink and the minute she spots me in her hall, without a word she grabs a bottle of my favourite liquor and two glasses. I guess Peeta isn't in, because when Peeta is in, she watches her drinking, which she definitely isn't doing tonight, she's already on her second glass before I've finished pouring my first.
"So what's up with you," I say, trying to make conversation.
"Nightmares are back, worse this time," she mumbles before downing her drink.
"What about you?"
I don't really want to tell Katniss, she's a moody bitch sometimes so she really wouldn't understand.
"Same," I grumble, pouring myself another glass.
Even after more than plenty of glasses, I can't shake Effie out of my mind. I try not to get too drunk, because that's all Effie needs to be dealing with right now. I walk over to my house, tripping over the uneven path and straight into the door.
Effie is sitting with Alice on her knee, both of them in a light sleep. Effie's face is scrunched up, like she's having a bad dream. The games didn't just affect Victors, it affected everybody. Then again, who was I to say she was dreaming about that, she could be dreaming about things like not being up to date on the latest fashion or the store not having her size in the "cutest" shoes she's ever seen.
I try to be as quiet as possible walking up the stairs, but me being a little bit drunk, I miss the step and fall downstairs, startling Effie.
"Jesus, Haymitch! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"I didn't mean to, Princess," I say, my words slightly slurring.
"You're drunk, aren't you?"
"No, well a little, but not really," I say.
I get up and she flinches again. I hate it when she does this.
"Princess, do you want to talk about what's going on with you?"
"I simply don't know what you mean, Abernathy," she says.
"You don't need to keep up this persona that your little life at home is perfect, I know it's not, Alice told me everything, and if you aren't going to tell me well I'll fucking walk all the way to the Capitol to see what your husband has to say about it."
I don't know where the words came from but they were out now and I'd said them. I would stick to what I said though, either she told me everything, or I'd find out for myself.
A.N Again, sorry for the late update but argh, exams. The next chapter will be a lot sooner and I plan to make it a little different.
Thanks for reading x