Haymitch spent the entire day on the phone calling everyone he knows. He's serious when he said he will find a way to get Effie out of the games but every effort ends in vain. There's no way out for her because she's the last living escort in Panem. People will notice if she's not part of the games. There will be accusation of favoritism and unfairness and it will cause chaos. Plutarch had a hard time talking to Paylor about the games but even he cannot stop it. The entire cabinet members wanted Coin's idea of the game but not reaping any tributes from the Capitol's children. They got handful of prisoners from the former officials of the games and Snow's loyalists and they cannot execute them all so they plan on bringing them in the arena as form of punishment and their death sentence.

Effie, on the other hand, proceeded with her routine. She bought nice fabric from the shop to make the dress for the young girl's birthday. She will not let the games ruin the girl's celebration.

"Here you go", she said to the girl whose name is Florence.

"This is so beautiful…you made this?" she asked in disbelief.

"I know. People always discredit my talent for sewing and design but yes dear, I made it", she answered and the girl smiled from ear to ear. "Now, I will send to you a couple of clothes for your mother and two sisters by tomorrow. I am still working on them. Please do hang the dress carefully as the fabric is a little fragile", she instructed and young Florence nodded.

After that she dropped by at Sae's to pick up food for the house. She can feel eyes following her not for the reason when she first got in the diner, but they must seen the announcement of the games on the TV.

"How are you holding up, Trinket?" Sae asked.

"As well as can be expected", she lied and forced a smile. "I gave Florence her dress earlier and I will be delivering the other clothes tomorrow for her family", she added.

"That's not what I'm talking about", Sae snapped.

Effie maintained the smile on her face the way she always does.

"I keep breathing. It's the least I can do because I may not be for long", she answered vaguely and that saddened the older woman. "Thank you for the food", Effie said and then left.

When she got home, she heard Haymitch yelling at someone on the phone. He didn't hear her come in so he kept on going.

"What do you mean it's not important? It's Effie Fucking Trinket we're talking about! Without her, your revolution would've died! She turned her back on her people to join us and you want to send her to the arena!" he yelled and it's making Effie's ears hurt.

She doesn't like people raising their voice even before the war. It's impolite and rude. She purposely put down the bag on the table loudly to get his attention which worked because he stopped yelling.

"I will call your boss later", he said on the phone and then hang it up. "Everything went well with Florence?" he asked.

"Yes. She loved it", she answered but without her smile. "You should stop harassing people on the phone, Haymitch. You're not going to change their minds", she added.

He frowned and chose to ignore what she said. She might have given up but he will not give up on her. He lost her few times, not again.

"I think everyone knows about the games. They were all looking at me like a fragile doll. I hate it when people do that. Few months ago, they hated me and now they pitied me. It's funny sometimes", she muttered while transferring the foods to the containers.

"What is funny?" he asked.

"How the thought of death can change how people look at you…some of them still don't like me to this day but because they know I will die soon, the hate suddenly vanished and got replaced with pity", she answered and that broke his meter.

"WILL YOU STOP TALKING LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE?" he yelled and that made her dropped the container on the floor.

The food scattered all over the kitchen floor but none of them moved.

"I am working my ass off here to make sure you're not going to die but I can't have you talking like it's the end when it's not. I am not going to lose you, Effie. I can't lose you. I won't allow it", he continued.

"Why?" she asked.

"What do you mean why?" he asked her back.

"Why can't you lose me?" she clarified.

The question took him by surprise. He's not the one that's good with words. That's Peeta's forte.

"…because I can't. I care too much. You're…you're important to me, Eff, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. Damn it…you have no idea what it felt like when they told me you were captured by Snow. Those days when you were there alone and the others were safe, I kept wishing that it should've been me in there and not you. When they brought you back and I saw you for the first time and the result of what they did, I smashed everything in my quarters. I was so angry at myself for not being able to protect you. You're physically fine now but I can still the invisible scars in you and I see it every night when you scream from your nightmares. You're not just my escort, Eff. You're not just an old friend to me. You're the most important person in my life and if I lose you, I don't think I can take it. I will not survive that, Eff. It will kill me. I know it will", he answered.

Effie, stunned, walked to him and put her hand on his face. She only saw him once breakdown in front of her and that's during the time he got so drunk and started venting out about his family and his girl. Now, he's opened up about her. She never thought of him or how her death will mean for him before. She always thinks he will carry on with the kids but now she's proven wrong.

"I'm sorry. I won't talk like that again", she apologized and he accepted pulling her in an embrace.