Chapter 11

The applause, applause, applause

Give me the thing that I love

I'll turn the lights out

Put your hands up make them touch

Make it real loud

Applause-Lady Gaga

At six-thirty on the Friday, the PHS stands were crowded with students from there and from the Saint Barto. The right side of the bleachers was covered with a blue flag and the school symbol, students with pompoms and posters, screaming. The cheerleader team from the rival school, dressed in red and gold had already left the field after a beautiful presentation and now the team in blue were getting ready to enter in the field.

Coin was on the corridor, speaking with Cressida, Esnobaria and Gloss about some details for the presentation, the boys were doing push-ups, other girls were trying to get a look at the boys from their team and Effie, Portia, Octavia and Venia were finishing with their looks. Effie was applying some dark eyeshade while Venia helped to apply hairspray on her blond ponytail and Portia and Octavia were straightening their hair bows.

The quartet then exchanged one last look, excited because that part was their favorite, the entry.

"5, 6, 7, 8!" They announced while the music started playing and they danced.

Effie, Coin, Glimmer and Portia were in the front line, making the sequence of palms with provocative movements, what Coin thought would be sexy, while Maddie, Octavia and Venia caught Annie when she jumped in the air, playing Katniss' role, and the rest of the girls joined in the line shaking their hips and pompons with the 3 boys behind, doing piruettes.

In the stands, Peeta and Katniss, embracing, were watching the girls, surprised to see that the choreography looked good, despite Coin's complaints, until they saw the provocative parts that Coin had added, with wide eyes.

"Oh my God..." Katniss let out, however thanking for leaving the team in time, watching Effie, Annie, Clove and Portia putting a finger on the mouth, with a smirk.

Peeta shook his head, thinking the same thing. Many were whispering, saying they would end up losing points in the regional, others that they were only wanting to be the centre of attention as always, and several boys were asking them to keep dancing.

Haymitch, Cinna, Flavius and Finnick were shocked by the choreography, Plutarch tried to stay calm, trying not to hear what they were talking of Venia, while Seneca, Cato, Marvel and others whistled.

When they shook their pompons in end, doing their final pose, hands on hips, there was a long pause before Katniss, Peeta and the guys from the football team started to clap quickly, followed by the rest of the school and, realizing what was happening, , Effie and Portia exchanged worried glances.

"GO PANEM!" They screamed, while the drums were played and then the two football teams entered in the field.

Going to the side of the field, Effie only had eyes for Haymitch, watching him with that serious and focused look, going to his position and waiting for the whistle. And as the blond had said, the rival team was pretty good. Even with Cato and Plutarch in the defense, with their large bodies, the duo from Saint Barto was composed of big and quite violent guys.

Seneca hadn't given coverage to Haymitch in time and the blonde ended up on the floor, knocked down by his opponent, trying to hold back a grimace of pain.

"Oh no, Haymitch!" Effie cried, horrified, before waving her pompoms, shouting. "Come on, get up, you can!"

Hearing his girlfriend's voice, he got up, but seeing Seneca's smirk, he advanced toward the boy, angrily.

"What are they doing?" Portia muttered to Effie, indicating the confusion that was happening in the field.

Cinna, Haymitch, Seneca and one of the opponents appeared to be arguing and then Seneca pointed a finger at the blond, very angry, making Haymitch slap his hand to push him away, then being pushed by Seneca, with his shoulder.

"STOP!" The girls shouted, while everyone was trying to understand what had happened and then the judge and the coach from the PHS approached them.

The cheeleader team from the Saint Barto looked at the PHS with disdain, as they began to dance.

"We should divert the public's attention too." Effie suggested, going to the field's side with Portia and some of the girls and Polluck and they started to execute a sequence of spins and pirouettes.

Alma, although not enjoying a bit Effie suggesting something, eventually joining the team because Glimmer and Clove were also dancing to cheer their boyfriends.

"Gentlemen, or you play fair, or leave the field." The coach warned, angry. "Albenarthy, I don't want to see you fighting again, or I will suspend you, no matter if you are the team's gold star. Crane, your job is to protect the quarterback when he is with the ball, not stare at the girls in skirt. If you fail again, I'll also suspend you. Now shake hands."

Very reluctantly, Haymitch and Seneca shook hands, quickly releasing it, angry, before the Judge prepare to start the game again. Effie didn't like fights, but seeing how her boyfriend struggled for the team, she shouted:

"GO MITCH!" And for a moment, he looked at her, admiring her, before focusing on the game, with Seneca positioning close to him to do his work, even if he didn't like it.

When the PHS managed to win in a tight game, the school, along with the cheerleader team, invaded the field, Portia soon going to Cinna's arms while Katniss and Peeta went to greet Finnick, but Haymitch could hardly hear what people were saying around him, busy looking for Effie in the crowd, until he saw her, struggling to get to him.

Walking in a quick pace, dodging Cinna and Chaff, the latter exchanging a long kiss with Esnobaria, who had dropped Brutus for him again, Haymitch pulled Effie in his arms, lifting her in the air, in the crowd and kissed her while Venia and Octavia gave squeals, happy, around the two.

Regardless of the sweat and of being surrounded by people, Effie kissed him back, then hugging him, almost being carried by him in the air, away from everyone, until they stopped on a far side, near the stands, now almost empty with everyone in the field. They were silent, just holding each other and listening to the celebration until Effie said:

"I don't want to see you fighting."

"Effie..." He sighed, pulling away to look at her.

"I know that Seneca should have paid more attention... I just don't want to see you in trouble." She confessed and he rolled his eyes, ruffling her hair that was pulled into a ponytail with a blue ribbon. "Hey!"

"Calm down, princess, I'll be fine, okay?" He said, peppering her face and lips with kisses, causing her to gasp and grab his biceps.

"Okay." Changing one more kiss, she said with a big smile: "Let's go, the party of the victorious is waiting for us."

"C'mon." He said with a sigh of boredom, but pulling her ponytail again and getting an angry look from her, which made him laugh.