Disquiet
dis·qui·et [dis-kwahy-it]
–noun
1. lack of calm, peace, or ease; anxiety; uneasiness.
–verb (used with object)
2. to deprive of calmness, equanimity, or peace; disturb; make uneasy: The news disquieted him.
–adjective
3. Archaic . uneasy; disquieted.
Ever...
I look Ivy up and down, trying to make sense of a possible interview angle for her. I know Daddy and Effie are supposed to do the interview angles, but seeing as Daddy is still asleep, I know Ivy better than anybody else, and after having seen her fail miserably with weapons, I need to get her sponsors by helping her have a great interview. Since I know her so well, I have the best shot at figuring out her angle.
And so far, that is also failing.
Ivy can't be described to the Capitol in three minutes. Ivy is...Ivy. She's not too intelligent, she's pretty, she very sensitive, serious, can't take jokes...how can I possibly convey any of that to the Capitol? Anything I can give them will be fake or over-dramatized version of my best friend! Best friend. Suddenly I start to feel terrible. My best friend is going into the arena to certain death. This isn't fair.
"Ivy?" I ask softly.
"Huh?" She responds.
"This is going to sound really stupid, Ives, but I want you to wing it."
"You want me to just go on the interviews?" She asks, totally shocked.
"Yes. Just do the interview and answer the questions as you. People tend to live Ivy Hopeflame when she is being herself."
Her face brightens up, "Really?"
"Uh huh. That's why I talked to you the day I met you in the Hob. How old were we? Three?"
Ivy giggled and repeats, "Three...what were two three year olds doing in the Hob?"
"Easy!" I laugh. "Daddy needed liquor-"
"-and Papa needed cigarettes." Ivy finishes.
"How is your father anyway?" I ask. Not like I really care about Vulcan Hopeflame anyway but I suppose it will not hurt to pretend.
"He's as harsh as usual. You know he and Haymitch used to be friends?"
I nod, "D'you know what happened?"
Ivy shakes her head and says she has no clue. "I just know that they weren't trying to hide any of the animosity in front of us when we met."
Flashback...
"Dah-dee I don' like the 'ob. Is scawwy!" I exclaim in my tiny three year old voice.
"Then I'll hold you." He says gruffly.
"Otay Dah-dee." I say, letting him pick me up and hold me. When I bury my head into his shoulder, he moves a hand to my ponytail and messes with it. I giggle a little, "Staw' it!"
He smiles, "Don't think I will, sweetheart."
"Papa dat guy scares me!" I hear a small voice say to it's father.
"Sissy dat guy ain't scawwy!" Says another small voice.
"Dah-dee lemme see!" I command. He left me turn my head toward the two voices. I see two kids with dark hair, a girl with brown eyes and pale skin and a boy with brown eyes and olive skin. I don't think about saying 'hello' just yet because I am still afraid of the Hob.
"Done staring, Ever?" Daddy asks me.
"Nuh uh!" I say. The boy and girl- brother and sister no doubt- keep fighting. Their father roughly tells them to behave so he can buy his cigarettes. I see Daddy look closely at the man.
"Oh my..." I hear him mutter.
"Wha' is it Dah-dee?"
"Nothing, sweetheart. I just know that man from a long time ago, we used to be friends."
"Oh..." I say. "Can I say hello to the little girl?" Daddy gently shoves me in the girl's direction. I wave cheerily, "Hewwo! I Ever, who you?"
The girls turns away from her brother and faces me. "Ooh hwi! Me Ivy, dis Ivy brudder Jotchy!"
"Joshua." Corrects their father. He looks at Daddy and gasps. "Haymitch?"
"Vulcan." Daddy mumbles rather than says.
"Still drinking like a fish, I see."
Daddy's face flushes angrily. "Ever. Come on, sweetie."
"But- oh otay Dah-dee." I say, holding up my arms for him to pick me up.
Vulcan Hopeflame calls after him, "Maybe if you stopping drinking so much you could be a better father."
End Flashback
"And your father never explained what that was about?" I ask.
Ivy shrugs sadly. "Guess I'll never know."
There is a knock on the door of my room. I go to open the door only to find that it is Effie to tell me my time s up with Ivy. Effie inquires about her angle and nearly has a heart attack when I tell her she will be winging it. The interviews are in three days...I hope it works.
"The Capitol maid servant has another message for you. Would you mind telling me what this is all about?" Effie informs me.
I shoot her a dirty look before storming to the elevator and to the common area of the Training Center. "Hila, you know where my room is." I tell her.
"I know Miss Ever but I am not really permitted to go up there."
"Oh...thanks Hila. Is this another you-know-what note?"
Hila shrugs. "I am not permitted to read them. Most likely, though." I mentally swear before quickly composing myself and thanking her for letting me know.
Another meeting has been arranged for you with another wealthy and prominent Capitol man. He wants to take you to his own mansion to sort out business tonight. Remember- as long as you cooperate the men I arrange for you will sponsor your tributes handsomely.
-Cornelius Snow, President of Panem
I angrily ball up the note and toss it in the trash.
Seeder...
I nudge Chaff's daughter in the gut. "Ow! Gramma Seeder what's that for?"
"Miranda, go upstairs and get you father!" I command. She holds up her arms in the universal, 'whoa Nelly' gesture.
She must run quickly because Chaff is down in less than five minutes. "What's with scaring the life out of my daughter, Seeder?"
I point to the trash can. "The Capitol servant gril just handed Ever another note and she threw it away right over there."
"Did you grab it?"
"I'm not touching garbage!" I exclaim. Chaff rolls his eyes and makes a very sexist comment. I choose to ignore him until he brings the note out of the trash can. The two of us examine it carefully:
Another meeting has been arranged for you with another wealthy and prominent Capitol man. He wants to take you to his own mansion to sort out business tonight. Remember- as long as you cooperate the men I arrange for you will sponsor your tributes handsomely.
-Cornelius Snow, President of Panem
Well this doesn't help at all. All we know is that snow makes Ever meet with Capitol men.
But why?
It could be some really weird way of getting sponsors like the note suggests but I doubt it is that simple. "Think Seeder, think." I say aloud.
"It's not healthy to talk to yourself, Seeder. Any idea what this note means?" He asks. I shake my head. "Maybe Haymitch will kn-"
"No! We can't take this to him." I say sternly.
"Well why not? Ever's his daughter. Wouldn't he know?" He asks confusedly.
I shake my head, "Haymitch would've told us something was going on if he knew. Even if he was supposed to keep it secret he'd tell you."
"Hm, you're right...but doesn't he have a right to know? I know I'd want to know if it were my daughter."
My goodness the man is making sense! "So would I- if I had a daughter that is. But there has to be a reason Haymitch doesn't know. If he doesn't know then neither should we. So since we aren't supposed to know let's just pretend like we never saw this note." I proceed crumpling it up.
Chaff nods slowly. "I still think Haymitch ought to know something's up."
"Tell him and I'll kidnap your kids and give them to the Capitol." I threaten. I always follow through with my threats.
His eyes widen and a he quickly changes the subject. "I have some gossip this year already."
"Ooh, do tell."
"Well..." He gives short but interesting list of the latest victor gossip. I do enjoy hearing the gossip but I usually don't care enough to remember any of it. I half-listen until I hear, "Oh and lastly, Haymitch and Raewyn have been caught in the middle of PDA by me, Finnick, Cruz-her fellow 9 mentor- and also Cecilia. Only thing is Ever doesn't know yet."
"Haymitch and Raewyn what!"
"Shh! I wasn't supposed to tell anybody!"
Haymitch...
I hear three loud, quick knocks on the door. "Effie, for the last time I-"
The person giggles as I swing the door open, "I'm not Effie!"
I smile. Actually smile. I feel like one of those teenagers as I let her in. "Shouldn't you be with your tributes?" I ask.
"Shouldn't you?"
"Er, it's just interview prep today. Ever knows them better than I do. What about your two?"
She sighs, "They're going to really put heavy emphasis on their relationship. They'll get sympathy sponsors but that's about it. I'm having Cruz and Isis take care of that." Cruz is the only living male victor from 9 and Isis won three years after Raewyn did.
"What are you doing up here anyway?"
Her face falls. "You're not happy to see me?"
"Of course I am it's just I'm not sure how Ever will feel, you know?"
She nods understandingly. "I'm not sure how my kids will feel either. They were more upset about the stupid divorce than I was- they still are, actually. Build a bridge and get over it." I can tell she doesn't mean it as harshly as she is making it sound. "I feel gross, can I take a quick shower here?"
"Go ahead." I say, trying to push away the mental images I am getting.
"Thanks- I'll be quick."
"Take as long as you need. I can never figure out all of those buttons." Bad Haymitch! Dirty thoughts must go!
Random Quote of the day:
(Sorry this was blank last time! lol)
"Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." - Douglas Adams