This took me all day to write and I don't think it's one of the better chapters, even though I like the ideas I've put in! Enjoy it!

Here's chapter 9


Chapter 9

Truth is, I genuinely do not know how I feel. And I'm not sure Effie does either.
She stares at me, unblinking. It's one of those moments where I wish I had the ability to see inside this woman's head. I'd be intrigued at the possible multitude of thoughts I'd find.
She straightens her jacket before saying, "Well, as soon as you work it out, you let me know."
But there's still one thing I want to know.
"What do you think?" I say, just as she turns to leave.
She turns back to me, "About what?"
"Is there an 'us'?"
"I…I'm not sure. But I think…it doesn't matter. I'm going to bed."
"Wait. You think what?"
"Well. I think…using my better judgement…that there maybe could possibly be a potential for it…but I'm not sure."
I repeat her previous words, "Well, as soon as you work it out, sweetheart, you let me know."

Myself and Effie barely speak for the next two days. Only when Katniss and Peeta go off for their private training sessions does she turn her attention to me.
"I've got something for you." she says monotonously.
I stare down at her open hand and notice a simple gold bracelet. I pick it up and examine it.
It's surface is engraved with tiny flames which glow orange when they hit the light. Inside the bracelet, my name followed by "District 12" is engraved there in neat letters.
I remember the four of us discussing getting matching tokens a while back. Katniss' Mockingjay pin has become a symbol within the Capitol and the districts. Effie had a specially made wig in metallic gold. Peeta has a bracelet very similar to the one I now hold in my hand.
Effie takes the bracelet back out of my hand, then carefully slides it over my right hand and onto my wrist.
"You ought to wear this all the time you are here in the Capitol." She says, adjusting a hidden clasp on the bracelet to ensure it stays put.
I catch her hand in mine.
"Are we still eating with Cinna and Portia tomorrow night?" I ask.
She looks down at my hands now encasing hers.
"As far as I know, yes." she replies.
"Okay, well…wear something pretty."
I drop her hand.
"I'll do my best." She smiles.

Katniss and Peeta's return interrupts our conversation.
"What's the damage this year?" I ask the two of them.
"I painted." Peeta says.
"The gamemakers made quite a point of covering it up." Katniss pipes up.
"Peeta. What did you paint?" I demand.
"I painted Rue." He says slowly, "How she looked after Katniss covered her in flowers."
"Jesus, Peeta." I sigh.
"Is now a bad time to mention that I hung a dummy and said it was Seneca Crane?" Katniss says.
Effie's reaction is instantaneous, "Oh, Katniss…"
"How did you know what they did to him?" I ask.
"Well, Snow didn't exactly make a big secret about it." Katniss replies.
Effie sweeps past me, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Great. Now you've upset Effie. Nice job, sweetheart." I follow after Effie, leaving Katniss and Peeta to shoot curious glances my way.

I find Effie in her room. She tells me to go away, but I ignore her and go to sit in the chair by the window.
"Sweetheart, he did defy the Capitol quite a bit. Give the girl a break."
Effie turns to look at me.
"Seneca and I…" she says, "we were engaged to be married. We had the date set. I had my dress and…"
She's crying again.
"I'm sorry, Eff." I feel awful, "I didn't know…"
"It's in the past now. But Katniss is dragging it all back up. She acts like she doesn't care."
"She didn't know either, sweetheart. She wasn't trying to upset you. Now, get yourself prettied up again and we'll go back for the training scores."
Effie heads into her bathroom and splashes some cold water on her face. She readjusts her makeup in the mirror, then we begin our walk back to the living area.
I keep an arm around her waist right up until we reach the living room door.

When we reach the sofas, Katniss and Peeta sit with Cinna and Portia. Myself and Effie take up the remaining space on the sofa and we all wait for the show to begin.
As normal, Caesar runs through the tributes in order of their districts. The other tributes average a score of around 9 or 10.
Both tributes from District 12 pull a 12.
No one celebrates though.
I simply say, "Go to bed. I can't stand to look at either of you."
Katniss and Peeta leave.
Moments later, two Peacekeepers enter the room.
"Portia, Cinna, Ms. Trinket." One of the peacekeepers says, "We've been instructed by the Capitol to escort you all home. It's madness in the streets."
The four of us exchange concerned glances.
"I guess I'll see you all tomorrow night, then." I say.

It's strange, being left alone in that Penthouse without anyone to speak to. I head over to the minibar to pour myself a drink, but I remember that Effie stopped them delivering any more alcohol. I give up and head to my room to sleep.

I firmly plant my feet on the metal plate which will lift me up into the Arena. I know that if I so much as stumble off my plate before the designated 60 seconds are up, they'll blow me sky-high.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 76th Annual Hunger Games begin!"
The cannon fires, and I run straight for the Cornucopia. I sweep up an armful of weapons before I tear off into the forest.
I wait patiently, sheltered beneath a rocky outcrop.
Then the cannons begin.
1, 2, 3...I count 16. 16 dead in the initial bloodbath. 8 left to play. These Games will be pretty short.
Was she among the dead? I won't know until tonight, until they project the faces of the dead into the sky.
The thought of her dying terrifies me. I should have waited for her, but we promised not to do that before we went into the arena. We didn't want it to come down to one of us having to kill the other.
I wonder where she would have headed, if she was still alive. I couldn't see her when we were at the Cornucopia, so she must've been at the other side of the circle
Will she know what to do? Of course she will, we've been training for this for a week. She pulled an 11 in her private training. Not bad going.
Minutes turn into hours and eventually, the sun sinks below the treeline and darkness falls.
The Capitol anthem begins to play. I brace myself for what I might see.
What I do see.
If the rebels hadn't lost the war, this would never have happened. After the rebellion, Snow thought it fitting to reap the tributes from the pool of the main forerunners in the rebellion.
And because we didn't fight hard enough, I've lost her.
I look into her eyes, staring down at me from the night sky. Her face, so beautiful but now so cold.
I read the name under the picture, as a way of confirming what I already know.
Effie Trinket, Capitol.

When I wake up, tears streaming down my face, I realise.
Effie means more to me than I ever thought she would.
And I need her.


Haymitch and Effie are still trying to work out how they feel, but I think Haymitch is half way there now! Might reveal it in the next couple of chapters, so stay tuned!

As usual, feel free to leave a review or PM me :)

Erin x