Divulgence
di·vulge [dih-vuhlj, dahy-]
–verb (used with object), -vulged, -vulg·ing.
to disclose or reveal (something private, secret, or previously unknown); confess.
Ever...
Seeing Finnick brought to his knees right there in the lobby has officially thrown me further than I've already been thrown. He continues to scream.
"Finnick-" I begin before he cuts me off.
He jumps to his feet and charges at me. He grabs my good hand and squeezes it as hard he possibly can- almost to the point of breaking bones in that hand, too. "What the hell are you doing here?" He demands in a voice filled with such anger that it's scary. I know he can see me wincing from his iron grip on my hand, but he doesn't soften his hold. "Are you deaf? What. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing. Here?"
"Finnick I- I you weren't supposed to find out-"
The anger in his eyes fades only to replaced by hurt and confusion. "Ever I don't underst- are you trying to tell me-?"
I begin to cry. "Yes Finnick. Snow has sold me into prostitution...like you."
Finnick finally loosens his grip on my hand. "No crying her, kid. Let's get back to the training center. WE have to tell Haymitch and put a stop to this before you get hurt!"
I yank my hand away form him. "No! We can't tell Daddy!"
"Why not? He should know-"
"Finnick. Snow said that if anybody finds out he will kill my father and who knows who else! It's too late for me not to get hurt anyway." I say the last sentence like I am ashamed of it. Which I am.
Finnick looks as if he wants to freak out again but doesn't. "Y-you mean you're not a-? you lost-? tonight you-? with a man and-?" He can't seem to finish any of his questions.
"Sort of. I want to say he raped me but I didn't put up a fight...how disgusting am I Finnick?"
"Come with me." He says sharply. He grabs my hand again.
"It still hurts to walk." I say. Without hesitation, he picks me up and carries me back to the Training Center. We don't speak the whole way there. The walk has to be between thirty minutes and a hour long. As if the silence isn't awkward enough, I am embarrassed that Finnick has been carrying me. I am half expecting him to put me down and make me walk inside the training center but instead, he carefully pokes his head in before literally running to the elevator with me still in his arms. The elevator opens and Finnick presses a button- just one button. The '4' button. I tell him that I am on floor 12, but he just stares ahead.
He brings me to a room- I'm guessing it is his. Without putting me down he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key card. Once inside the room he gently puts me on the bed so I am sitting up. He gets on the floor beside the bed and gently places his hands over both of mine and his sea green eyes are staring into my chocolate brown ones. "Listen to me; you're not disgusting."
"You had to wait and hour just to tell me that?"
He shakes his head. "No, I brought you here because I want you to tell me everything."
"Where do you want me to start?"
"Start with the day of the phone call and finish with today. Tell me the whole story with Snow?" I take a deep breath and tell him everything. The conversation with Snow, the note the maid servant delivered me, even Adiran's name. As soon as I divulge the name to him I hear him inhale sharply. "I know him- he's an ass." For some reason, I giggle. Finnick half-smiles for about half a second, then we are both frowning again. I scoot over and motion for him to sit next to me.
"When did it start for you?" I ask.
He doesn't need to ask me what I mean by 'it.' He simply answers, "I was fifteen. They waited until about a year after I won."
"Me too. The year after I mean- I'm obviously not fifteen yet."
Finnick awkwardly reaches over and pulls me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, kid."
"It's not you fault."
"Is too! I should have caught the hints during the phone call, I should have-"
I don't know hoe else to shut him up so I kiss- EW! Just kidding!- I place my hand over his mouth and what does he do? He licks me. "Yuck!" I scream.
"In all seriousness, it's partially my fault. I should-"
"Finnick, don't even!" I say harshly. Then more softly I add, "It's not your fault. Just the Capitol's."
"You're too good to live the life I live." He says sadly.
"Please just don't blame yourself. I don't want my surrogate brother to feel guilty about something that isn't his fault." And I smile. I actually, genuinely, truly smile
Finnick returns my smile with an equally earnest smile of his own. "I just don't like seeing my surrogate sister in so much pain." I playfully punch his shoulder and he punches mine. "Why don't you get some rest? You should sleep."
I nod and start to stand up before Finnick stops me.
"You can just stay here and sleep for tonight."
"But my tributes-"
"They'll be fine with Haymitch until tomorrow morningAndOhMyGosh I cannot believe that I just said that."
I laugh and lie down on the bed in his room. "This is much more comfortable than the beds on the District 12 floor. But where are you going to sleep?"
He shrugs "I don't suppose you'd mind sharing, would you?"
"As long as you don't shove your gross feet in my face like my father does when we share."
"You still share a bed with Haymitch?"
"Only if there are no other options."
"Oh okay. That almost sounded creepy." I kick him. "Hey!"
"Shut up I'm trying to sleep." I mumble.
He chuckles, "'Night kid."
"G'night pretty boy."
Haymitch...
Where is Ever? She's been gone for hours! I think as I nervously tap my foot. It's been quite a while since I've seen her. Effie says not to worry because it is just Capitol business- which of course makes me worry even more. I sent Ant and Ivy up to the twelfth floor to go to bed at around seven o' clock. Early, I know, but they need their rest. Tomorrow will be an early day and even if they don't fall asleep until three in the morning any amount of down time will help them. AT that same time, I also made Starlyn and Zahra-Rose go to bed on the ninth floor. That's what thier mother said was their bedtime.
After I was kid-free I started drinking. Which is why I am drunk now- not wasted, but plenty buzzed.
"Hey! Thanks for watching the girls!" Raewyn says cheerily, appearing out of nowhere.
"Just getting peanut butter? Does peanut butter hunting really take that long?"
"Yes, yes it does. Were they good for you?"
"Oh yeah. It was fun being interrogated by your seven and four year olds about exactly how well I know their Mommy."
"Even the kids bug you about the rumors?"
"Yep." I slightly pop the 'P.' She just giggles. I look into her eyes and notice they are red from tears. "Is everything okay?"
She gets defensive, "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"
"You're eyes are red and watery."
"Allergies." She says quickly, looking away and wiping her eyes. I shake my head, silently demanding the truth. She breaks down and tells me everything. "It's not fair! Yeah, okay I wanted the divorce from William and everything but it's so hard taking care of seven- eight- children on my own! You tell anyone this and I swear I'll rape you then brutally murder you but I filed for divorce only after William left and said he didn't want anything to do with me or the kids anymore! He never gave a reason, he just left! True, I was going to divorce him soon anyway even if he didn't just leave like that but then again I wouldn't have. The person I really care about would never feel the same- great now I sound like a teenager which is totally not-" She doesn't say anything else.
I'm going to regret asking this question, but... "Who did you leave William for?"
She frantically looks around, then the unexpected happens. She grabs me and kisses me. "Does that answer your question, Haymitch?"
Random Quote of the day:
Me(to Paden): Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It's just that yours is stupid.
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Thank to everyone who reviewed last chapter!
Ally (twice! LOL)
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ACH! Oh my gosh I almost have 180 reviews on this! If everyone who has Favorited or Alerted thus far review to this chapter I will have close to 200 reviews! I'm so happy, thank you everybody, I really owe it to y'all!
That's right, I said y'all. That's the southern girl in me for ya :P
