It is Haymitch's last night at the Capitol. The Victory Tour is over and he needs to go back to Twelve. Honestly, he cannot wait to go back to his empty house to drink himself to oblivion but he has gotten used to Effie's presence bossing him around that the thought of not hearing her voice sends him to panic just like what happened when he came out of the bathroom.
She has insisted for him to take a shower even though he reasoned that he is tired from pretending to be interested at one of the parties they attended. She explained that he smelled like someone who bathe in alcohol even though he didn't have that much to drink but since it's the only way to shut her up, he obliged with a sulk on his face.
When he came out, all fresh and clean, she's not at the penthouse anymore. He searched the entire floor but she's nowhere to be found. He was about to go on full search to the entire city when he noticed her heels neglected near the sofa. She only does that when there's no need to wear them and look presentable. The only place she's comfortable doing that is at her bedroom and at the rooftop.
It turns out he's right when he went to the rooftop and found her smoking alone while sitting on the floor. Sight like that means she's either exhausted or sad. Either of which is something he doesn't prefer.
"I thought you ran away", he said trying to lighten up the mood but she only rolled her eyes on him. "You want to catch cold?" he asked when he realized she's wearing a very tiny dress with spaghetti straps.
Capitol manufactures its weather but it's still chilly at night and Effie is definitely not dressed to be on a rooftop.
"It's fine. I don't mind the cold. It helps", she answered.
It helps to get numb. He understands. He sometimes does that too. When the nightmares wake him up, he goes to the bathroom and ran a cold water onto his body just to be numb on the outside hoping it will have the same effect on the inside.
"What's up now?" he asked as he sat next to her.
He never liked the smell on her cigarette but he has gotten used to it now. That's what happened when you share a roof with a chain smoker for a period of time. He's sure that she's used to him smelling like whisky all the time.
"I just destroyed someone's life", she declared.
He immediately turned to her, his neck almost snapped.
"What did you say?" he asked.
She took her time with her cigarette before gathering her thoughts.
"I was so angry when I got that envelope. I didn't understand what it means really until Senya told me what it is. I saw you talking to Finnick and I cannot control it. I opened the envelope and saw the details written in it and I just need to do something", she started confessing while consuming her cigarette with every pause.
"Effie, what did you do?" he asked with a little growl in his voice.
It is dangerous, too dangerous. Interfering with a transaction like that is punishable Capitol citizen or not. She can lose her tongue because of it or worse get killed.
The sound of her name he rarely used let her know that he might be upset for what she did.
"I called some people. I gathered every dirty secret of that woman and exposed her in public. She is now jobless. Her reputation is ruined. Soon, she will be piled up with debt and she will no longer be able to support herself living in this city. She will lose her apartment and her fancy things. She already lost her friends because no one would want to be associated with a child molester. I destroyed her life", she answered in plain cold voice.
Haymitch blinked four times while digesting the information he just received.
"Are you talking about Carmen Fairmount?" he asked.
He saw a glimpse of the news on television. Carmen Fairmount is an elite socialite who is one of the most avid sponsors of the games. She is loaded with money and able to get whatever she wants. He knows that because she sent him an envelope three times. None of which was pleasant.
"Good memory", Effie answered with lace of bitterness.
She knows, he thought. She knows about those three times. How? Effie was a model, a Capitol doll. How can she know people's dirty secrets?
"I don't understand. You cannot pull off something like that, princess. You're too soft", he tried to make sense of everything in his said but he's not succeeding.
"We all have our dark side, Haymitch. I grew up in this place. I grew up with lies and pretense and fortunately for you, I picked up ways to gain claws whenever I need to use them. I maybe soft for you but I am willing to destroy someone's life to protect the people I care about", she explained.
Haymitch got chills by how she delivered that. It's not something that slipped her mouth. She purposely said that she cares about him. He knows she does. She cares about everyone. Now, it only proves how much she cares if she's willing to get her hands dirty for him.
"You don't have to do that. I can handle it. If Snow finds out what you did, you're dead", he said.
Effie smiled and put out her cigarette.
"That's the thing. I am dead if President Snow will find out. I am good, Haymitch. My ways are slightly different than yours and less messy but it works the same. I am telling you this so you will stop asking me questions. It's either you trust me or you don't but I would appreciate it if it's the former because I do trust you", she said.
"Why?" he asked.
"…because you're real. You've always been real", she answered but left it like that. "Don't worry about any envelopes coming your way. I got it. I am not sure how much I can do to help Finnick but Mags and I already talked about it. I will do what I can to delay it as much as possible. Go get some rest. You will have a long journey back home tomorrow", she said and got up.
He caught her arm just before she can leave.
"Thank you", he said.
confession night...connections, I think, is Effie's strongest weapon. Like I said, she's smart who's trying to play dumb. Gathering information from others so that she can use them in the future seems logical for her to do since she's no fighter. End of 65th Hunger Games. Are you for the 66th?
