Chapter Six; Smiling

The atmosphere in the carriage had become too stifling, and Stephanie immediately left. She was really beginning to dislike that carriage; so far nothing good had happened in it.

She once more went into what she now considered her room, now littered in glass and clothes and frowned. It was messier every time she returned to it.

She flopped down on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly to herself. But she wouldn't find sleep this time she knew. Lying there silently she was surprised when she felt the slight dip as someone sat on the bed.

She turned sharply to be met with Frenkin's large, blue eyes and she suddenly felt the sobs in her own throat. Giving in Stephanie threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

A few moments later they pulled away from one another and she looked at him sheepishly, seeing her tear tracks and red rimmed eyed reflection in his glasses.

"We should be at the Capitol soon," he said in a small voice.

Blinking a few times, she looked at him in shock.

"So soon?"

Frenkin gave a boyish grin. "Yea, these things go fast, huh?"

Stephanie ruffled his hair, feeling strangely maternal. She had never had to be like this at home. She was always the one being comforted by her older siblings. Even when little Eldi had come along, they were both treated like the babies of the family.

"I suppose we better try and straighten ourselves up," she said.

Pushing his glasses up on his nose he nodded sternly, a few bangs of hair falling into his eyes.

Sliding of the bed she went to stand beside him, facing the floor length mirror on the wardrobe door.

Stephanie couldn't help but think how awkward she looked in the Capitol clothing. Their clothing was meant to accentuate the trim and tailored bodies of the Capitol, not her frame with its jutting hips and elbows.

She was also unnaturally pale, but then so were a lot in District 3. She spent her days cooped up in the factory, hidden away from the sunshine. Her paleness wasn't the radiant glow or porcelain delicacy of the Capitol, but the paleness that looked sickly and accentuated the dark circles under her eyes.

Her facial features sharpened by hunger, often made her expression look dark or menacing without her trying. I suppose that might be a good thing, she thought, as she traced one of her dark arching brows. Though…on the other hand, hollow cheeks and sunken eyes make me look weak, she countered.

She glanced down at Frenkin. He was the epitome of childhood innocence, she decided looking at him. Small and skinny with a mop of dark blonde hair that fell over his huge, blue eyes. And then of course, those too big glasses that only made his small face look even smaller. He barely even looked twelve.

She noticed the expression on his sombre face. It was a look of …resignation. She swallowed thickly. That expression didn't belong on the face of a boy as young as him, she thought sadly. They didn't belong here at all, her thoughts added bitterly.

"Come on," she said quietly, squeezing his shoulders tightly as her mother had done so many times with her. "Let's go and see if there is any more food left."

Walking into the same carriage, Stephanie silently warned it to lay off this time.

The carriage appeared empty and then she heard a bang behind her. Haymitch was there with an array of bottles around him. He looked at her blankly for a moment before returning back to whatever he was doing.

She sat gingerly on the sofa. Frenkin sat opposite her. And then when Haymitch had finished mixing up his drink, he came and sat down beside her.

"Capitol should be coming into view soon," he said nonchalantly.

Frenkin immediately sprung from his seat, running eagerly to the window.

She looked at him sadly. Even though this was the final place they would ever be, 'mingling' with preened and trimmed Capitol dolls, he still was fascinated by the appeal of something new, having spent his entire life in District 3. Frenkin was still curious.

"Where's Isa?" she asked suddenly, glancing to the door of the carriage.

"Off fixing herself up no doubt," Haymitch replied, swirling the liquid around in his glass.

"Oh," she said quietly. She began to wring her hands out nervously, as her stomach flipped uneasily.

"I can see it!" Frenkin called in awe from the window, face pressed eagerly to the glass.

She felt sick. Sick and dizzy. Oh, this is just great! If I feel like fainting now, what will I be like in the arena?! she thought frantically.

"Hey," Haymitch called firmly, upon seeing the cold sheen of sweat begin to cling to her. She ignored him. She was beyond condolence as panic began to set in.

He called her again a little more forcibly, but all she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears.

She heard Frenkin's gasps of wonder as the Capitol came into form before his eyes.

"Hey!" Haymitch knelt down in front of her, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and yet his eyes were keen and focused. "If you have to get carried in that immediately scares sponsors off. When you get off this train you grin like crazy and put your best foot forward," he said, forcibly holding her gaze for a moment.

Isa burst into the carriage in a complete new ensemble of hot pink. "Well my dolls, here we are!" she cried excitedly, doing a complete twirl. When she noticed Stephanie looking sickly, she frowned.

"Oh dear, this will never do! You must look pretty!" Isa whined, just as the train came to a stop. Giving an exaggerated sigh she rolled her eyes and stormed noisily out of the carriage, leaving behind a cloud of heavy perfume.

Haymitch got up and shrugged on a satin, deep blue jacket, before tugging uncomfortably at the stiff, white collar.

Hesitantly she stood and looked down to find that Frenkin had bounded over to her side. She looked down at him frowning slightly, but felt the tug at her heartstrings when he pushed the oversized glasses up on his freckled nose.

"Let's go," Haymitch said as he stood waiting at the door of the carriage, running a hand through his dirty fair hair to smooth it.

With a deep breath she walked over to him, trying her best to stay upright in the high heels. Isa was waiting at the end of the hall, smiling brightly out at some unforeseen audience. Stephanie couldn't see them, but she could hear them.

She began to walk down the corridor. She noted absently that Frenkin was holding on to the silk of her shirt as he walked after her, but she couldn't bring herself to look behind her. She could barely calm herself, never mind him.

Haymitch half dragged her forward by the elbow, throwing her a stern glance when she practically drove her heels into the plush, red carpet of the hall.

Isa waited for them, waving out lovingly to the waiting people on the Capitol platform.

Stephanie reached the end of the hall, and Isa sauntered out of the carriage and onto the platform. Stephanie couldn't look up, but she could hear the deafening cheers crash over her like a wave.

Stephanie's eyes were focused on her boots as she concentrated on putting one foot ahead of the other. She could already feel the cold sweat clinging to her and her throat had gone dry. A silver step appeared before her, she descended, and then with an affirmative click her feet touched smooth ground.

Frenkin was still clinging to her shirt, and glancing back at him through the curtain of her hair she saw his wide eyes gazing around him.

"Look up," Haymitch's whisper ruffled her hair, and steeling her jaw she forced herself to move her head.

A sea of swirling colours and wide, perfect, white smiles swam before her. She felt the familiar nauseating feeling take a hold of her.

She felt herself stagger back and just when she was about to fall, her back hit something. A strong arm around her waist steadied her.

She regained her breath and managed a small smile.

"Thanks Haymitch," she whispered.

"Just keep smiling," he said, never releasing his hold on her.