I want to thank you so much for the wonderful reviews i got from you in both previous chapter. It seemed like the last chapter i just wanted to post it that i forgot to thank you for the reviews. In the reviews two people pointed to me (not in a bad way) that my story reminded them of a book series called Matched. I however did not even hear about them before that but they sound interesting but i would rather not do it now. I want my story to be purely my own. Anyhow thanks once again and lets crack on!
Chapter 3: Haymitch and Effie
After Haymitch got home from his run and closed the doors of his house he realised how nervous he really was. Haymitch always made a joke out of this whole marriage thing. Not because he found it funny but because he did not have a great example of a marriage growing up. He did not want his marriage to look the way his parents did.
Haymitch's father was an alcoholic and a drug addict and he was very abusive. Growing up he remembered being huddled up in the corner holding his little brother watching as his parents argued all night long. There was never never enough money to buy food in the house and there were days when they went to bed starving. His mother tried to reason with their father begging him for money to buy food and to stop buying his precious white powder. That resulted in his mother being beaten to a bloody pulp. There were nights when beating his mother was enough but some night it was not and then he and his brother were the target. He would beat them up and to this day they carry the scars on their body to prove it.
One fateful day when Haymitch's father came home angry, very angry. He was just fired from work and that meant that his money supply ended. He was the angriest that Haymitch ever seen. At the time only Haymitch was present at home as his mother had to take Remus to the doctors. At the time Haymitch had feared for his life. He was only 14 at the time and his father punched and kicked and hit him with a belt for so long that he passed out from the pain. He does not remember that part but his father set the house on fire with. When his mother came home and saw the fire she called the fire department. Haymitch them woke up in a hospital with burn on his arms and his back. His left arms was broken and a couple of ribs as well as his nose. He had welts all over his body and had a mild concussion. His father was taken to custody and sentence to 25 years in prison but that bastard could not take it and killed himself after two months.
It was not easy for them but they have made it. They got the money from the insurance and were able to buy a small two bedroom house. From then Haymitch became the head of the family and took care of them. Haymitch had opened his own building company with his best friend Gale and he was stable financially so he cold help his brother get through law school and help his mother.
Haymitch sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands and took a couple of deep breaths. He was more like his father than he liked to admit look wise and personally wise. They were both very determined in what they do and very stubborn in their ways and did not like to admit that they were wrong. The worst part that Haymitch hated that he go from his father is his temper. The smallest thing would set him off and he would get into this blinding rage where he would see nothing but red. That scared him so much. He never want to put his family through what he had to see and experience. He would be dammed in he hurt his kids. To help with his anger he would run and box. He needed an outlet.
Haymitch looked up at he heard his door being opened and he saw his mother who stood there looking at him and smiling. She was a small woman with blond hair and and the warmest brown eyes ever and most kind smile. Haymitch lived for that smile
"Whatever you are thinking you better stop it right now. I will not have you comparing yourself to that monster that i had to marry. You are not your father Haymitch and you will never be capable of doing what he has done to us. You are caring and loving and can make everyone laugh like no one else i have ever met. You even make Gale smile." they both chuckled knowing that Gale was very broody. Haymitche's mother took his head in her hand and made him look at her " You are a good man. You took care of me and your brother when you were just a teenager. Every girl would be so lucky to call you her husband. I couldn't be more proud of you even if i tired."
"How can you be so sure i will not end up like my father." Haymitch asked looking away from his mother.
"Are you saying that i do not know my own son who mind you i have pushed out for 36 hours all by myself. Haymitch you are my light in the dark and your heart is so big that you cannot hurt anybody." His mother smiled and caressed his cheek with her thumb. Haymitch and his mother both had matching smile on their faces.
"So what do you want me to cook for you. I know you are still not very good in that department." His mother said chuckling at her sons inability to even boil water.
"I was just gonna take her to the new Italian place." Haymitch said leaning back on the sofa.
"How can you not present your future wife with a home cooked meal. Honey i will cook for you." His mother said and standing up and getting ready to cook.
"Mom its fine you don't have to cook." Haymitch said not wanting his mother to cook for him. He health was not as it used to be.
"Nonsense, you sit next to me and lets talk while i will cook." She stood up and started looking in the freezer. Haymitch just smiled. There was no use arguing with his mother as she was a very stubborn creature. Maybe he wasn't so alike his father after all.
Effie sat at the floor of her hotel room. All around her were her clothes. They were on the bed on the floor. Everywhere. Any other day she would have a heart attack at the state her clothes were in. They were not some store bought clothes. They were from the top stylist from the capitol. She had her head in her hand and her face were covered in tears. Effie looked around her and screamed in frustration. She did not know what to put on.
It was not like she had any problem with putting an outfit together. She was a fashion designer for crying out line. She had two successful shows and one planned six months from now. People in the Capitol were wearing her clothes and demanded more. What is wrong with her? Well she knew what is wrong with her. She wanted to impress her future husband. She wanted to make him fall in love with her. She wanted love like they had in the romance books that she read all her life. Effie was a romantic at heart and all she wanted was to love someone and be loved in return. The same love that her brother experienced when he married his wife.
Efffie's parent never loved each other. They were one of the many couples in the country that were just together because of the law. This was an issue with a lit of couples in Panem. They may be matched in theory but it did not work like that in reality. Effie's parent did not like each other very much only talking to each other when they have to. As long as she remember they had not even slept in the same bedroom, hell they practically lived in separate houses. As the law required each couple to have at least two children they did just that. They had her older brother Leo and Effie and that was it. The only thing that her parents had in common with each other was that they both loved their children fiercely. Neither were happy with each other and Effie wanted to avoid that. She wanted to love her husband and she wanted her husband to love her.
Her family were one of the richest in the country and Effie was used to having nice things and having everything that she want in her life. She wanted a pony for her fifth birthday and she got it. She wanted to be a fashion designer and her father made it happen. No one believed in her. They all thought that she was a daddies girl and that was one of her request and daddy made it happen. They all took it as a joke until they have actually saw her clothing line at a fashion show. Now everyone want to wear her in the Capitol.
There was no question that the Capitol was the richest out of all the Panem. Most people living there were rich or very rich. It was full of glamour and social gathering that were the talk of the whole country. Effie was very surprised with herself of how little she cared that she would have to move to a District that was one of the poorest in the country. Off course there were fears that she would stick out and would find it hard to fit it but Effie was able to adapt to the situations and she would be fine with that.
There was also the fear that her husband might resent her. She was making a lot of money and if she made more than her husband what would he his opinion about that. Fashion was something that she loved very dearly and she could not give that up for anyone.
There was a buzz from the left next to her and it was her mom who was calling.
"Hi mommy." Effie said in a helpless voice.
"Oh honey please calm down. You have this tendency of going miles at an hour and think of the worst scenarios. I have prayed for you and all for your brother that you will not end up like me in a loveless relationship and it paid off for your brother and it will pay off for you too." Her mother said in a gentle voice.
"How can you be so sure mom? What if i end up like you and dad. The only thing i have dreamt of is being in love." Effie said with tears in her eyes.
"I know my child you always have been a hopeless romantic and no guy would be foolish and not love you. You are unique Effie and it is very hard not to love you. The only thing that was good out of my marriage to your father was you and your bother and i love you both so much. You have brought light to my life. You may think that your father and i never loved but that is not true. We were in love before we got married just not with each other. We both loved other people and that love was to big and too strong to get over and love someone else." Effie wiped her tears and listened to her mother.
"Oh mommy i am so sorry for you. I only wish that in another life you can be together and be happy." Effie said
"I have my children and my grandchildren i am happy my child and soon i will have more and that is what i have to look forward to. For me it was not meant to fall in love with my husband but you have another future my sweet. You will be in love and you will be happy." Effie's mother said and Effie had to believe that. She just had to if she wanted it to become true.
"Thank you mommy. I love you so much." Effie said
"I love you too my sweet daughter. Call me as soon as you can." Effie's mother said
"I will. Talk to you soon." Effie said and hangup the phone. She stood from the ground and began packing. Soon people will come and get her bags and move it to her new house.
Two hours later Effie was standing in front of the mirror looking fabulous. She chose white pussy bow colour collar shirt and a plated skirt.Effie left he hair down in natural curls and put on a natural make up on. She was glad with her appearance and she must say that she looked good and she felt confident.
When Effie entered the room she did not particularly like it. It was too dirty for her taste. She saw the layers of dust on the shelves and particles in the air. The room smelled old as well. She would clean it if she had the time. Her fingers were just itching to clean. She always did that when she was nervous or upset. She cleaned.
Effie swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her skirt. At least she wanted to look nice and neat. When the door opened a man with a voice that send shivers down her spine entered the room while curing under his breath. The door was stuck and he opened it with a force and with a force he closed it. When he turned around he stood at there and looked at her and she looked at him.
Effie liked what she had seen. The man was extremely tall and he was lean and muscular. He wore dark jeans and a dark shirt and she could see the outline of every muscle he had. He had dark hair that were combed to the back. He was handsome she could see that but the most that she liked about him as his eyes. They were dark grey. she could not turn her eyes away from them.
When Haymitch saw the woman that was standing in front of him he was pleasantly surprised. She was very pretty. She stood there wearing a very neat outfit. She had a very nice figure with gentle curves just like he like but her legs. Wow they were going for miles and miles. Her golden hair looked like they were silky and he wanted to touch it. She had nice plum lips and her baby blue doe eyes stared at him just like she was staring at her.
Effie stood there looking at him and she felt like she was rooted to the ground. She needed to snap out of it. Like right now.
"Hello, my name is Effie how are you." She said quickly extending her hand. She mentally slapped herself. What is that. A work interview. Haymitch woke up from his trace as soon as he hear her speak. He recognised the Capitol accent. He looked at her extended.
"I'm Haymitch. I'm good thanks. So how are you finding District 12" He said with a smirk and shook her hand which she retracted quickly an put them behind her back.
"I have not seen much beside my hotel room but the people are very nice here. Much nicer then they are in the Capitol." Effie said with a nervous smile.
"Yea well they are not as stuck up here as they are in the Capitol." Haymitch said. Everybody knew that the Copitolian people only cared about the money.
"Not every one is stuck up in the Capitol. There are some nice people there as well." Effie said with narrowed eyes.
"So you mean to say that there are people that can look past their wallet and see other stuff and what is going on in their country." Haymitch said not knowing why he was mean to the woman he just met. He did not know her and he was judging her by the impression that he had of the place where she came from.
"Yes they are and if you can see past your hate that some people are caring and nice." Effie said and crossed her eyes and turned around from him. Haymitch took a deep breath of annoyance. He sat down on the couch and wiped his face in frustration.
"Look Effie i am sorry ok. It's just some people are starving and they do nothing to help and i took my anger on you just because you come from there." Haymitch said. Effie sighed and turned around but her arms were still crossed.
"I know that the Capitol has a bad reputation but not all people are bad. Some of us do care about other and try and make a difference." Effie said
"I know i have a tendency to say stupid stuff when i am nervous." Haymitch said with a nervous laugh and Effie smiled at him. That sight brought a jolt to Haymitch's heart.
"It is okay. We all say stupid things sometimes." Effie said and sat down next to Haymitch and from then on the conversation went uphill. They talked and talked and laughed and they were getting on absolutely fine.
When Haymitch took Effie to their new house, a house that he build himself and when he saw the look on her face that showed awe, he felt proud. Proud that his work was appreciated by a person from a would go on and on about the constitution and the interior and what could have been done with it and Haymitch liked that she was making plans already.
The conversation was perfect until Haymitch blew it up again.
"So your father is Raymond Trinket, the one who basically stole money from the poor and got richer himself." Haymitch said and Effie's eyes turned steel from anger.
"He did not steal from anyone. It was his business partner that did that. My father had nothing to do with it." Effie said with anger seeping from every word.
"So you mean to say that he did not know about it? Can you explain how he got so much money that very year." Haymitch said
"He made a great deal, he did not steal from anybody and he never will. You can believe what the press says and not me but i am going to bed." Effie said and stormed out of the room.
Haymitch sat down at the kitchen island and cursed his big mouth? Why did he always say the wrong thing? Why could just not shut up?
Effie laid in bed and cried. She cried because Haymitch hates the Capitol she knew that and she was from there. She was worried that the District will not accept her when she should be worried about her future husband. He will never accept her and she can kiss her happy life goodbye.
Haymitch stood in from of her door wanting to apologize to her but he heard her sobbing and he closed his eyes. He will make that up to her tomorrow.
So how was it? Was it a good Hayffie moment. It seemed that they always fight and they always will. Lets hope that their relationship can ho uphill from now on. I know this was brief but all i wanted from this chapter was to introduce the character but do not worry after the meeting with Gale and his bride I will explore each relationship seperately and when they are all together and i believe that brings a great new dynamics now that everyone is the same age. Next chapter i will be introducing my OC who will be with Gale. Please review, i want to know what you think.
