Chapter Thirty-Four; Deal with the Devil

(Stephanie's POV)

Stephanie could do nothing but gaze in dumb horror as the woman stared back at them still sitting on the floor.

Stephanie immediately scrambled to her feet, Haymitch following suit.

Stephanie started forward a few steps, hand outstretched towards the woman half-pleading. Her mind raced. The woman was some Capitol worker. She would no doubt pass it on, and there was one icy blue-eyed man Stephanie most definitely didn't want knowing about this. Especially after feeling how cruel he could be when he pulled the stunt with the necklace.

The woman stumbled back a few steps, holding up her hands and shaking her head mutely and then she turned and fled down the hall.

Haymitch was out the door before even Stephanie.

They just turned the corner and after what Stephanie seen, she wondered briefly if she threw herself hard enough against the window could she possibly fall out of it.

For at that moment, Isa, Ficen, Lashes, Bright and Silver all entered, each carrying at least an armful of packages.

The girl stood frozen in front of the impromptu guests much like Haymitch and Stephanie.

This is it, Stephanie thought.

Isa managed to peek over the mountain of gaudily wrapped objects in her arms to just see them.

"Well just don't stand there you imbecile! Help us!" Ficen barked harshly.

Stephanie ignored the insult and was about to go forward and help, when the woman stepped forth and took the bags from Ficen without protest.

Isa shoved her armful on top of the woman without a second look.

"I swear, sometimes I think Avoxes are deaf as well as dumb," Ficen stated angrily to no one in particular.

Stephanie's mouth was still hanging open as she stared speechless at the back of the woman's head.

She was an Avox?

But of course! Stephanie thought. That was why she was in Stephanie's room; returning the clothes. Realisation dawned on Stephanie.

The other three stylists dumped their bags on the woman who could barely stand with the weight. "Hurry up and take them into the main room," Isa chided as her little entourage of five passed by making for said room.

"Oh Stephanie, wait until you see what outfits we have got for you!" Isa called as she disappeared down the hall.

Any other time Stephanie would have been cringing at the thought that Isa had picked out something for her to wear, but at the minute there were more important issues at hand.

The woman glanced between Haymitch and Stephanie frantically. A few locks of hair had escaped the distinctive yet plain white clip that held the hair back from her face.

Stephanie brought her hands up in front of her in a placating gesture.

"Please, we're not going to hurt you. We're from District 3...I'm a tribute."

Stephanie added the last part hoping that the woman would see, that like her, Stephanie wasn't there in the Capitol by choice.

The woman swallowed awkwardly trying to balance all the bags in her arms.

Stephanie immediately stepped forth, taking some of the bags from her and Haymitch did likewise.

The woman was about to put up some sort of protest but finally her shoulders slumped in defeat, eyes trained on the ground below her.

Stephanie glanced nervously at Haymitch.

"What you saw…" Haymitch began warily. The woman's head snapped up, her eyes wide with terror as she shook her head violently whipping her shoulder length bronze hair.

"It's okay," Stephanie tried to reassure the woman again, throwing a quick frown at Haymitch.

"Please…don't tell anyone," Stephanie pleaded. The woman looked at Stephanie curiously and then glimpsed at Haymitch. She gave a curt nod and then brushed by them just as Isa called them impatiently.

Stephanie shot Haymitch a worried look, not completely convinced that they had resolved the situation.

"I'll take care of it," Haymitch whispered quickly before they followed and stepped into the main room.

Stephanie dumped the bags carelessly on the floor ignoring the cries of protest from those already gathered.

She took a seat next to Isa on the sofa and Haymitch sat beside her.

Stephanie watched with growing anticipation as the Avox woman was rudely dismissed and disappeared out of the door.

Would she let anyone know about them? She may have been cruelly robbed of speech but there were many forms of communication and the Capitol presented mighty attractive bribes. Stephanie swallowed thickly.

She was broken from her thoughts by the material thrust into her lap from an overzealous Isa.

She groaned internally at the pink puffball. "Wonderful," she commented emotionlessly.

Isa clapped her hands giddily, her hands diving into the bags to retrieve another item. Stephanie craned her neck to look through the door the Avox had disappeared through moments before.

As she did so Stephanie caught Haymitch's eyes that were sending her a warning look. Stephanie turned to see four suspicious gazes trained on her.

Lashes', Bright's and Silver's gazes held a malicious glint as if they had caught her doing something and would tease her about it later like schoolchildren.

But once more it was Ficen's cold stare that chilled her to the very bone.

Stephanie turned giving Isa her full attention, though she wanted nothing more than to curl up in Haymitch's lap and let him take care of things like he said.

How is he going to take care of things? Stephanie thought briefly.

Isa thrust a new dress at her and Stephanie held it up gingerly. It was an exact replica of the blue one she had been wearing.

Stephanie's brow creased in confusion.

"As you ruined the last one," Ficen explained accusingly. Stephanie resisted the urge to retort that it was she that had pushed her.

"This is the blue dress I was telling you about Haymitch!" Isa urged excitedly.

Haymitch's eyes drifted over the dress uninterested but he still plastered on a charming smile, a lot more convincing than Stephanie's. "I'm sure our sweetheart here looked the part," Haymitch said.

"Oh she was! She was a complete doll! You would never guess she is from those filthy Districts!" Isa replied happily. Stephanie caught Lashes and Bright snickering but she didn't have the energy to even muster up a glare.

"The dress goes perfectly with your new necklace," Silver interjected smoothly.

Until then, Stephanie's stylist team had given her no real reason to loathe them, except behave like children gossiping about her. However Silver's comment, whether he knew it's impact or not, had just landed himself in her top hate list right below Seneca then Ficen.

Stephanie was keenly aware of Haymitch sitting less than a meter away from her.

"Oh Haymitch pet, I forgot to tell you the most interesting part!" Isa suddenly interjected.

Stephanie felt her heart sink to her stomach.

"Oh and what is that?" Haymitch asked with a bright smile. But Stephanie could see how his sharp grey eyes had narrowed almost imperceptibly and how his smile was too forced from the taunt pull of muscles along his neck.

"Our Stephanie pet received a wondrous necklace - very expensive! Custom made by the looks of it." The other stylists hummed in agreement with Isa. Ficen sat impassive.

"It was from her Capitol lover!" Lashes added with a high pitched giggle.

Lashes was now beside Silver in her hate list, Stephanie thought bitterly.

Suddenly Ficen stood startling them all.

"We haven't time for this nonsense. There is no point in showing these to her. She will never be able to appreciate finery. Afterall, she is only a simpleton from those dingy districts!" Ficen's voice was louder even than usual.

Stephanie stood abruptly, finally having had enough of Ficen. But before she got to open her mouth Haymitch was by her side, one hand clamped tightly on her arm. That one touch was filled with silent warning and Stephanie immediately marshalled her anger.

Ficen had a smug look on her face. "I will dress you to look like an absolute goddess as is in my contract. I owe you nothing more, nor will you get anything more from me."

Lashes, Bright, Silver and even Isa despite being oblivious most of the time were gaping at the exchange taking place in front of them.

Stephanie felt Haymitch tug on her arm ready to made a hasty exit, but Stephanie pulled her arm free.

"Deal?" Stephanie said, sticking out her hand to Ficen.

Ficen smirked and took Stephanie's hand firmly, a cruel glint in her eyes. "Deal."

Stephanie felt weak, nervous, afraid. But she also felt relief. The boundaries were clear now. She hated Ficen and Ficen hated her; whether it was because she was simply from the Districts or something more, Stephanie didn't care.

Stephanie didn't get to see anything more of what happened before Haymitch ripped her hand from Ficen's and half dragged her from the room.

Isa made to go after them. Stephanie had never seen the escort look so serious as she did now. However she was stopped by Ficen. Stephanie couldn't hear the words but whatever they were was enough, for Isa returned back to the room.

Haymitch dragged her into the room where they had been a short while ago, under very different circumstances.

Stephanie couldn't help but grin wickedly. She felt almost a strange sense of liberation. While all the other tributes would have to go around grovelling after their stylists and pretending to admire the ridiculous works they called fashion, Stephanie could look Ficen straight in the eye and tell her she hated her and all that she stood for.

However the grin was quickly wiped from her face.

"What the hell was that about?!" Haymitch demanded angrily, not bothering to lower his voice.

"You saw. It seems I'm not the only one sick of keeping up pretences…if there were any even to begin with," Stephanie hissed.

"Not that! You're right, I saw plain well how you allowed yourself to rise to Ficen's taunts. I have told you before to keep your temper under check!" Haymitch retorted angrily.

"Do not scold me like I am a child Haymitch!" Stephanie shouted. She didn't care that her stylist team and Isa were just down the hall.

"Well then stop acting like one!" Haymitch snapped.

"I wasn't acting like a child a short while ago in this very room beneath you - Was I?" Stephanie replied in a furious and hushed whisper. She knew it was a low blow and she regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth but she was too stubborn and angry at that moment to take them back.

She stood tall with her arms folded angrily as Haymitch looked at her incredulous for a few moments, his face a mixture of hurt and disbelief. Stephanie felt a physical pain in her chest and she found herself wishing fervently that she could take the words back. But they had been said and she couldn't.

Stephanie watched as grim resignation settled across Haymitch's face. The words of apology stuck in her throat.

He pushed by her gruffly, heading for the door. She reached out to stop him but her arm fell short and the door slammed harshly.

Stephanie was completely still for about ten seconds before she ran and flung herself on the bed screaming into the pillow, punching and kicking the bed beneath her with all her might, not able to decide who it was most she wished she was hurting…Seneca? Ficen? Herself?

Eventually after her childish tantrum she had tired herself out. Not bothering to change she peeled back the covers and slipped under them still fully clothed. Her cheeks were puffy from crying and she sniffed pitifully as the image of Haymitch's hurt expression played over and over again in her mind.

Stephanie shut her eyes tightly until her head throbbed with the pressure. She swallowed thickly.

This is all my fault.