Effie sat in the living room as Haymitch, Peeta and Katniss discussed what happened outside of the house.
"Did she tell you who those pricks were? I will shoot them in the eye", Katniss asked.
"No. You know Sae wouldn't like that. Believe me, I want to beat those bastards but I can't worry about them now. I just pulled Effie out of my bathtub. She wasn't breathing and I am sure few seconds late, she will be dead", he answered.
Peeta looked at Effie inside the house. She's staring into an empty space while holding a cup of tea Haymitch made her.
"We'll talk to the people. No one will come to her again. I promise", he said.
Haymitch met the boy's eyes and he knows he's serious with his promise. He cares so much about Effie and he will do anything to protect her.
"Thank you", he replied.
Haymitch locked the door when the kids returned to their home. Effie is still on the same spot in the living room and her cup of tea is already cold. He sat beside her and waited.
"I'm sorry", she muttered.
"Just please don't tell me it's an accident because we both know that's bullshit", he said in a harsher tone than he intended.
He's just frustrated and scared. He almost lost her in his own home. He's on edge.
"Everything they said were true. I am a monster. I have no right to be here. I reaped tons of children in this place, their children, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters. I killed them", she said as tears formed in her eyes.
"Stop saying that!" he shouted and it made her flinched. "It wasn't your fault. You were doing as you're told. You're just like all of us, Snow's pawns to his games and you did your best. You took care of those children despite the fact that they'll be dead for sure. You fought for them and searched for Sponsors. God knows the things you did for those Sponsors but you did anyway for them. If you're a monster, you will never care and yet here you are with us. You lost everything for us", he added.
That broke her damn and the tears ran down freely from her eyes down to her cheeks. She's broken, hurt, guilty and unwelcomed. Those are not the traits of Effie Trinket. It pains him to see what has become of his escort after the war. She almost lost all of herself except for her heart.
"I am not going crazy, am I?" she asked.
"No. You're not going crazy, princess, but you are driving me one if you pulled another stunt like this again. I can't take it. I can't see you like that again. Don't do that to me ever again", he answered.
Effie nodded and let him pulled her into his arms. She dozed off quickly so he carried her to his bed to make her feel comfortable. He watched her sleep peacefully that night being unable to sleep himself because he knows he will dream about her in the bathtub lifeless. He wants to see her face with color and body breathing air.
The next day, Peeta and Katniss did what they promised. They talked to everyone they know and spread the word about Effie. They got enough power to convince people that Effie is not a bad guy and for those who aren't convinced, well, they got enough power to scare them to stay away from her.
No one talked about that incident in the bathtub again. They don't want risking Effie to be embarrassed by it but they told Johanna when she called one time. She freaked out as expected and almost rushed to Twelve but they assured her that Effie is fine now. Sae made it a point to bring some food at the village just to prevent Effie from going to her diner herself. Aside from the fact that she worries some people will try to intimidate her again, she also worries that Haymitch might kill some people in Twelve if they bother her again.
"This is delicious, Sae. Thank you", Effie said with a smile on her face but it faded quickly.
"Oh, I know how much Abernathy eats. I don't want him to keep bothering the boy with the cooking", Sae alibi which Effie seems to buy.
Sae watched her put the food in the container. Her focus seems to be elsewhere but it's amazing how she doesn't spill anything on the table. Once she's done, Effie washed the Sae's container and handed it back.
"You okay, Trinket?" she finally asked.
Effie's smile dropped but she quickly replaced it with her escort smile.
"I'm doing better. Thank you for asking", she answered like she's in Caesar's interview.
"Drop the Capitol manners for a while and be real with me. Haymitch and the kids will not have the stomach to press you with anything because they're afraid to hurt your feelings but I ain't them. So tell me the truth, girl", Sae snapped.
Effie dropped her fake smile and turned serious.
"I don't feel fine. I don't feel happy. I don't feel safe. I feel scared all the time. Everything scares me. Back in the day, I was so fearless. I can face President Snow and never blink an eye but now, even Haymitch sitting next to me scares me so the answer to your question is no, I am not okay. I feel like I'm about to fall off a cliff every single day and I cannot show it to anyone because I don't want to worry them", Effie answered.
Sae seemed satisfy to get that out of her chest. She knows the girl is scared. She's just good at hiding it in front of others. Effie spent years being an escort so she's good at putting a show.
"You heard that boy?" Sae asked and it made Effie frowned.
"I heard that", Haymitch answered from behind the door revealing himself to Effie. "Thank you, Sae", he said and Sae left.
"What are you doing, Haymitch?" Effie asked slowly getting angry.
"I need to know how you truly feel, princess and I know you will not tell me exactly how you feel so I got Sae to get it out of you. I think now is time to really talk about everything", he answered.