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Elena
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I wake up to the beeping of a heart monitor. My eyes blink several times before I can see clearly again, and I find Benedict sitting at the end of my bed, calmly reading a pamphlet entitled, "The Wonders of the Districts." I wiggle my legs and try to stretch, but find my left leg bandaged. My wiggling catches Benedict's attention.
"You're awake," he says with relief.
I shake the sheet above my knee. "What's wrong with my leg?"
He looks over at it and then back at me. I can tell he's reluctant to tell me. "Your leg was permanently damaged in the arena. You pushed it past the limit, since it was already injured. You'll have to use a cane from now on." He gestures to the hospital chair beside my bed, and on it is a cane for me to use. I suppose I should feel grateful that I at least survived the Games. Losing my leg shouldn't matter. "It's not so bad, little girl. I carved a smiley face on it." I smile sadly and fiddle with the blankets. Benedict's hand takes mine and he brings one up to his lips. "You won, little girl. I knew you could do it."
I smile again, this time happily. "I guess I didn't get any sponsors, except for the one who bought the cherries. Winners usually get lots of sponsors."
He kisses my fingers individually and my skin heats up. "You had sponsors. You had more sponsors that I've ever gotten for a tribute. Most of the other tributes didn't even have any because everyone wanted to sponsor you."
I pull my hand away in anger. "Then why did you only send me cherries and the pain medicine?" He could've sent me everything I needed, and I wouldn't have lost my leg! I turn away from him in a huff.
"You told me you wanted to win to prove your worth. How are you supposed to prove your worth if I'm sending you three course meals and high tech weapons? Everyone would say you won because of me, and not because you tried hard. District 5 would never accept you back if you had won from being handed everything. So I let you win on your own, and believe me, it was the worst decision I ever made."
My eyes travel up to meet his, and I can see in them the pain and worry he's gone through. He had to sit back and watch me almost die in the arena because he wanted to honor my intentions. The strain must've almost made him break in two. I grab his tie and pull him to me. He plops forward onto my shoulder and I hold him tightly to my chest. I stroke his loose brown curls while we both relax against each other.
It suddenly hits me, all of the feelings I pushed away while I was in the arena. Chills go up my spine and I hold him closer to me. I was so afraid I would never see him again. If I had harbored that thought in the arena, it would've distracted me. Now the feeling sweeps over me, and my body starts to shake.
He doesn't say anything, he just holds me, and smooths my hair down my back. He knows what I'm thinking, as he has since we first met. I used to think that my brothers could read my thoughts because their twin telepathy somehow extended to me. Now I wonder if I'm just so open with my feelings that I'm easy to read.
Benedict gets up quickly and gives me a peck on the cheek. "Rest up, little girl. Your interview is tomorrow." He tries to stand, but I still have his tie. I pull it slowly towards me until his face is an inch from mine. "You are playing a dangerous game," he says softly, his breathing getting faster at my proximity.
"I already played a dangerous game." My breath hits his lips and I feel the draw of my attraction to him. "I don't intend to lose this one either." I can taste the smell of his lips. I have to have them.
Benedict slaps my hand holding his tie and stands up. "Get some rest," he says before leaving the room.
Buzz kill.
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Mano styles my dyed hair into a chignon with ringlets escaping. Coupled with a red dress that shows almost all of my back and a hint of cleavage in front, I'm again a seductress. I walk with my cane down the empty hallway, and wait to join AJ Sweetbottom. The ghosts of the fallen tributes are everywhere in this hallway. I have flashes of memories from the first interview day. Their faces are too fuzzy, since I didn't pay much attention to the other tributes, but Vilhem's is very clear. Too clear.
I step closer to the stage and focus on AJ Sweetbottom. He's chattering to the crowd and wiggling his large body around in his chair. The crowd laughs a few times, and then the stage attendant pushes me forward.
I slowly walk with my cane to AJ, who takes my hand and announces me. "This is the winner of the 25th annual Hunger Games, Elena Flint!" He cheers with the crowd and directs me to the chair next to his. "I think this year was an exciting year. With the toxic fish, your past being brought to the open, and your leg. I've never seen a crippled tribute win the Games before!"
I can't think of a response to his words, since they're a tad bit derogatory. Simply because I'm injured, that means I'm not capable? He smiles at me while my head works. "I'm used to being underestimated," I respond with a grin. "I was determined to win, and not even my leg was going to hold me back."
"That story you told, about your past in District 5." He pauses for dramatic effect. "I think we were all moved when you spoke about your child buried under the cherry tree."
I go perfectly still and plaster my face with a neutral expression. Why did he have to mention the one thing I try to forget? Does he think it's a sweet nostalgia to remember that Robert killed my child? There is nothing romantic or beautiful about a memory like that.
Focus, focus. Panem is watching.
I channel Benedict and try to respond how he would. "Nothing can erase the pain of losing my child, and no matter what I do in the future, that baby will always be in my thoughts. I hope one day I can have a real child to ease the ache of the one I lost, but nothing will make me fully forget." AJ is watching me intently for more, and motions for me to say something else, something to make the crowd even more satisfied with me. "I never hated Robert for what he did. I hated him for abandoning me. For not loving me. For not loving my child." I look back up at AJ and sigh to gather my emotions. "I'm not a vengeful person, but for Robert, I'll make an exception. I hope he regrets what he did for the rest of his life."
AJ pats my knee. "How could he not regret hurting a beautiful woman like you?" He smiles and nods to say that I answered well. "Maybe your next lover will show him what's what, eh?" He laughs and wiggles while the crowd makes the appropriate cheers and whistles. No doubt most of the men are hoping they could be my next lover.
After AJ says a few more lighthearted things about how special I am to everyone now, we watch the Games highlights. Most of the action came from me this year, surprise surprise, and the girls who had plotted for my demise. We all watch tributes dying from the poisonous fish, which is actually pretty gross to watch and I'm very glad I didn't have to see it in the arena. We watch the important bits of my confession, and the crucial moment when Vilhem was killed and I turned into a hunter. The look in my eyes is one I've never seen before, as if I'm suddenly the strongest woman alive, and nothing can stop me, not even death. I'm transfixed through the rest of the video and make the proper farewells before trying to leave the stage.
Who was that woman I saw? That strong woman that wasn't afraid of anything? It doesn't feel as if that was really me.
"Wait, wait," AJ says while grabbing my arm. "We have another video to play."
There's never more than the clips, so I sit down in confusion. A video begins to play, and it's Benedict's side of the Games. The screen is split with me on one side to show what he's reacting to. His face looks as different as mine did, to the point that I'm not sure I'm really watching Benedict. This man is full-on in love with me. He's worrying about me, he's staying up all night to make sure I'm okay. His face when I was in pain looked like he was in agony too. Illumia was there too, and I could tell she had softened towards Benedict, for unknown reasons. Even Illumia changed?
"Looks like someone has it bad for you, Elena," AJ says in a joking tone. "Why did he not send you enough parachutes? You certainly had sponsors, as we can see." He gestures to the screen where sponsors are all gathered around Benedict, demanding he send me something. Benedict tells them to wait, to their displeasure. "He could have ensured your victory, as the man who loves you, but he chose to barely help you."
"I wanted to win on my own strength, and Benedict let me." My smile curves up without permission, betraying my feelings.
AJ wags his finger at me with a grin. "I think I smell wedding bells in the future." My face displays my shock, and AJ saves me by laughing it off and ending the interview.
Oh balls….
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