Chapter 12
In Plutarch parent's big house, the victorious' party was happening and there was barely room to move. Tables and chairs had been placed in the garden with a huge amount of chips, drinks and Christmas's lights and of course, a lot of people in the pool, still dressed.
"Your party looks fantastic Plutarch." Effie praised, as she clung to Haymitch's arm, who seemed bored, a glass of whiskey in his hand, knowing he would have to control his drinking when he find Chaff.
"Thanks, Effie. Can I tell that you look lovely in this uniform?" He answered and Effie adjusted her ponytail and the ribbon, looking at Haymitch with narrowed eyes, who had messed and untied her tail several times that night.
Then everyone turned to Johanna, dressed in leather pants and a black top, approaching Coin, who was sitting on a huge red armchair with two boys from the 3rd year around her, chatting.
"Here Coin, for you to watch me Saturday and learn a thing or two about interpretation." And Johanna threw a pamphlet from the play 'Queen Elizabeth' over her, before going to the kitchen, laughing like mad.
Alma looked at the girl's back angrily, debating whether or not to go after her so Plutarch Venia decided to go to Coin.
"C'mon princess, let's look for a quieter corner." He suggested, guiding her into the other room and she agreed.
In the pool, Finnick and Annie were soaked, also still in the clothes from the game, hugging and laughing as the boy threw water on her head.
"Stop Finnick, stooooop!" She shouted, trying to brush away her wet hair from her face, laughing and kissing him, to distract him.
"Never."
Calming a little, the two stared at each other, ignoring the screaming around the pool where a couple was arguing and some guys were playing football with the game ball. Annie brushed his wet hair back so she could look into his blue eyes and said with a beautiful smile:
"You were great there in field Finnick, moving so fast..."
"And you looked beautiful in the presentation." It made the girl laugh, shaking her head and staring at him awkwardly.
"You mean I looked vulgar, right?"
But Finnick denied, taking her face in his hands to look at her better, placing a kiss on her lips and then he said, seriously:
"Never. No matter what Coin makes you do, you will always be the Annie I love. My Annie."
"You're amazing Fin." It was all she said, smiling, before diving in and pulling the boy down the water with her, where the two exchanged a long kiss.
In the garden, where there was a huge apple tree, Plutarch and Venia were with Katniss, Peeta and some members from the archery and football team and the boys were shouting for Katniss to show her abilities with the arrow.
"Go on Katniss." Peeta encouraged, smiling and shaking his hand.
She didn't seem too anxious, but when Plutarch gave her his arrow, she changed her mind, opening a smile, admiring the beautiful silver set. They were beautiful, although she preferred the set that her father had given her for birthday some years ago.
The group stayed in a circle making room for the girl, who exchanged a quick kiss with Peeta, removing her leather jacket and handing it to him, staying in her skirt and tank top, then positioning the arrow on the bow and looking for an apple.
Even though it was dark, she had a great vision and then shot an arrow and then three, knocking several apples on the ground. She then bowed to the audience that was gaping, handing the arrow and the bow to Plutach while Peeta approached her, dressing the girl in the jacket and putting his arms around her waist.
"Katniss, that was amazing." The boy said with a huge smile and as it was a celebration night, she decided to allow to party too, getting on tiptoes and kissing the blonde as she was applauded by both her scene with apples as by the kiss.
Peeta deepened the kiss, while playing with a lock of her hair, until, breathless, they broke up laughing.
"I want to see the snacks that are on that table." She suggested, grabbing him by the hand and they ran away, still laughing.
In one of the rooms where was the mini-bar, full of people, Effie was with Haymitch, Cinna, Portia, Chaff and Esnobaria. Haymitch was in his second glass of whiskey, but was drinking slowly, receiving a look of approval from Effie, who was sipping her Martine, as he and Chaff were talking about the game with some of the team members and about the new horror movie on the cinema that the boys were planning to see, while playing cards and using chips as coins.
Haymitch and Chaff, good at lying, ended up winning against the other two easily and soon Plutarch and Flavius took the place of the two boys who had given up and they decided to form two teams of four, Haymitch, Chaff, Plutarch and Flavius against 3 boys from their team and Brutus.
"Did you hear that the next team we're going to face will be the Bittencourt?" Chaff said as he waited his turn to pick a card and Plutarch shrugged.
"I heard that, I played against hem before you were on the team, but they aren't as good as Barto or Constance."
"I just hope in the next game, Crane keep his head on the ball and not in the girl's skirts." Haymitch snapped, grabbing a snack and everyone but Brutus laughed.
"I heard that things between you and the princess are getting serious." Brutus said, trying to divert Haymitch's attention from the game, which didn't seem to work as he sipped his drink and pointed the hand that was holding the cards at him:
"And I heard Esnobaria dropped you for our friend, Chaff here."
Brutus frowned as Plutach and Chaff laughed. Brutus, from Crane's group, liked to bounce, but that he hadn't expecting.
"Not bad Chaff..." Plutarch whistled showing his cards that weren't so great and seeing Chaff doing the same, however with better cards.
"You haven't seen anything yet." He said grinning, after Brutus and the boys showed their best cards and then Haymitch poured his drink casually, before revealing his Full House, making his team celebrate and make a toast.
"Come on guys, let's play again." Haymitch suggested, picking up all the snacks that were over the table as a reward.
"I have a better idea. Arm wrestling." Plutarch suggested, raising an eyebrow and then indicating a soccer ball on a pedestal over the fireplace. "Winner takes that ball signed by Brett Favre and the loser will pay tomorrow's cinema entry.
Haymitch and Chaff laughed and their friend frowned.
"Aren't your parents going to be upset by losing the ball?"
"No. But why would them? Who said I'm going to lose?" The boy said confidently while Finnick appeared and joined his friends to see the arm wrestling.
"Look, I've seen Plutarch here lifting 40 pounds." Flavius said, however Chaff didn't seem worried. He moved closer to the table, as he and Plutarch prepared their hands.
When Chaff was to overthrow Plutarch's hand, who was making a huge effort, Haymitch said, amused, as he and Chaff beat their hands:
"When younger, Chaff was the king of arm wrestling in his neighborhood."
Plutarch sighed, knowing that tomorrow he would buy the tickets and popcorn for all of them, to watch 'Attack of the mutant zombies'.
Portia and Cinna were talking about a parade they had watched on TV as he handed her a slice of chocolate cake that someone had bought for the party.
"Eat Portia, I don't want to see you sick." He said seriously and she smiled, taking a bite of cake and offering it to him, but he refused, kissing her hand. "It is for you, to eat the whole slice."
When they heard their favorite song start playing, some couples began to dance, and the couple shared a smiling.
"Do you want to dance?" Cinna asked, polite as always, extending his hand to Portia, who accepted it.
"With you, always." Cinna led the girl to the middle of the room, his eyes always on hers, until he placed a hand on her waist and the other, intertwined with hers.
As the music was romantic, Portia leaned her chin on his shoulder, his face brushing over the skin of her cheek and he placed a kiss on her forehead, guiding their steps. With the last chords, Portia lifted her chin and slowly, they kissed.
Soon a another music started playing, more agitated and Effie in her high heels, immediately perked up, rising in a leap and pulling Haymitch by the hand to dance with her, ignoring his protests and that he had toppled his drink on the floor, leaving Chaff and the boys behind.
Effie had a huge smile, raising her hands above her head and rocking her hips while the boy watched, not knowing what to do.
"Effie..." He warned. He could barely remember the last time he had danced, but she didn't seem to care.
"Just move your hips and feet." She said, taking him by the hand and guiding his movements. But as the room was packed, there was barely room for them to move
The lights decrease with everyone shouting in applause, while purple, red and blue lights began to flash. The music began to change for a remix and Haymitch beginning to pick up the pace and soon he and Effie were glued chest to chest due to lack of space. Their movements were decreasing until they stood, surrounded by people dancing and the boy, pulling her ponytail by the ribbon, asked hoarsely, poking her cheek with his chin:
"Do you still want to dance?"
"No. And you?" She asked, her finger stroking his chest over his shirt, her face flushed from the heat and red lights.
"I never wanted." And their lips met in a ravenous kiss.
