TRIPLE UPDATE! – MAKE SURE TO READ PREVIOUS TWO CHAPTERS!

Chapter One-Hundred-and-Forty-Three; Objective Outsider

"What do you think of Electra?"

Frenkin pursed his lips as his small brow puckered with concentration.

"She's frightens me a little," Frenkin admitted sheepishly as he looked up at Stephanie, before he blinked, "but I think she's nice and I really do feel sorry for her because of…erm, well – you know."

Frenkin's cheeks pinked slightly and Stephanie smiled fondly as she reached out to smooth back a few unruly honey locks of Frenkin's hair.

Alba shot her a disgruntled look from across the room as he saw her touching Frenkin's hair.

"Yea I know," Stephanie murmured, allowing her gaze to drift to where Electra was poised.

Everyone was currently gathered in the main room, baring Haymitch.

Stephanie had learnt very quickly that she couldn't wallow in her bedroom heartbroken. This was the Capitol, the Hunger Games – and besides, unless she wanted her whole styling teams finding out about her and Haymitch, she had to paste on a false smile. Isa would probably be more heartbroken for Dan Stephanie thought wryly anyway.

Isa had gathered them all in the main room; stylists included to give a speech on the event tonight and stress the importance of behaving.

The escort's unnaturally luminous green eyes kept flitting to Stephanie meaningfully. Stephanie got the distinct impression that Isa was referencing her recent altercation with Slena. Yes, because us District Dwellers just can't help misbehaving at parties and nearly strangling one another for no good reason, Stephanie thought sardonically.

However Isa's vague warnings had long drifted off into an even more sensitive topic. Namely Isa didn't want Electra at the party, and was doing a very bad job at explaining it politely. Afterall Isa may have been a Capitolite but it seemed even she had her limits. As such she refrained from bluntly blurting out that she didn't want Electra to attend because of her face.

Electra however, in habitual Electra style, was playing dumb and making all the stylists uneasy as she pretended not to get Isa's growingly obvious hints.

There was only one other person in the room that Stephanie had spared a glance at.

Ficen.

Stephanie had watched the stylist. Her appearance was once more impeccable. Her short white hair looked as soft as silk, combed back from her face. Her piercing violet eyes were fixed unflinchingly on Isa as though she were intently drinking in every one of Isa's words. However Stephanie had long learnt it was a skill Ficen possessed; to effortlessly pretend she was engrossed in one thing while she was transfixed with another.

Feeling Stephanie's gaze on her though, Ficen's head turned minutely to assess Stephanie out of the corner of her eyes.

Stephanie expected the hateful glee she had saw at the racing tracks to be reflected in Ficen's amethyst eyes. Stephanie suspected Ficen already knew what had happened between Stephanie and Haymitch. While the other stylists may not have noticed what was going on right before them, Ficen – with her previous knowledge – wouldn't be able to help but notice the painful distance between her and Haymitch now.

But Ficen's eyes were blank when they landed on Stephanie. There was no manic light, no malevolent spite, not even a dull flicker of interest.

Stephanie frowned, more troubled by the vacant look than she imagined she would be, and Ficen returned her gaze once more to Isa, who was still failing to frankly tell a smirking Electra to stay at the penthouse.

"What do you think of Electra?"

Stephanie was ripped from her observations as she looked down at Frenkin's soft question.

Ever since she had been practically forced from her bedroom – Isa had not been at all sympathetic to Stephanie's weak excuse of feigned illness. Stephanie had allowed herself to become lost in observing those around her. It made a welcome distraction from dwelling on her own pain weighting inside her.

Stephanie allowed her gaze to drift once more to the blue-haired mentor and District 3 Victor as she considered Frenkin's question. Isa was now quite pink in the face while Bright and Lashes were exchanging furious whispers and shooting glares at Electra.

In truth Stephanie didn't know what to think of Electra – Ellen.

It was why she had asked Frenkin's opinion. Frenkin, whether because he was an objective observer or he was just intuitive seemed to be able to effortlessly pick out the things that others missed. And giving that Stephanie couldn't ask Haymitch – whom she would normally turn to – Stephanie was forced to rely on her own opinion.

Which was rather tricky. For as Stephanie had already thought; she really couldn't get a handle on Electra.

Having a conversation with Electra had legitimately left Stephanie with a headache as she tried to work her way around Electra's vague unhelpful statements.

"I don't know Frenkin," Stephanie finally murmured to Frenkin. "She lies and yet she doesn't. She doesn't put on a false persona – which is something I can respect, yet she is really selfish which is something I can't abide."

Stephanie sighed lightly as she shrugged, "I can't figure her out Frenkin. I don't know whether to trust her or not," Stephanie said, looking down at Frenkin again.

Frenkin frowned lightly in consideration, "is she really so selfish?" he asked curiously.

Stephanie opened her mouth to immediately say "yes!" when she paused.

"She says she is," Stephanie said instead looking towards Electra again. Isa had given up it seemed and of all the people to step up and take the blue-haired woman on it was Ficen.

Electra was endlessly claiming how selfish she was, yet she still jumped when Haymitch had called her. She admitted to caring for Haymitch and being worried about him. Was she really so selfish? Stephanie mused thoughtfully.

Electra had only been born and she had already lost everything. Maybe she grew up thinking it was better to only look out for herself and no one else Stephanie thought. Afterall loving someone, especially when you were from the Districts was an awful risk.

"Electra you aren't invited. It's a party not a horror show."

Stephanie frowned. Ficen's eyes may have been empty a few minutes ago but it seemed she most certainly hadn't lost any of her usual cruelty.

However Electra only laughed, grinning wider, the skin of the left side of her face stretching taunt with the movement.

"Ah Ficen, you haven't changed at bit! But you see all mentors are invited, and I am a mentor," Electra explained jovially. "How is that brother Cen of yours by the way?"

Electra tilted her head to the side innocently while Stephanie made a strange choking sound as her breath caught in her throat.

Ficen immediately stiffened as her gaze slid to Stephanie scathingly for a moment.

Damn, do I regret telling her everything! Stephanie thought again, rueing that she had been so willing to detail everything to Electra.

But the more Seneca had become involved with things the more Stephanie had been craving an outside source other than Haymitch to confide in. Stephanie hadn't wanted to admit it to herself because of exactly how it sounded.

She was keeping things from Haymitch. But the reason was she didn't want to hurt him by needlessly agonising over every detail about Seneca's confusing behaviour. Even if Haymitch and she were still together at that moment, Stephanie realised that she still wouldn't have told Haymitch how her 'date with Dan' had gone in its entirety.

She wouldn't have told Haymitch that Seneca had kissed her.

Well obviously! Stephanie's thoughts exclaimed inwardly, I wouldn't want to hurt him, or make him angry for no reason! What use would telling Haymitch that Seneca kissed me do? – And besides I took care of the situation myself, didn't I? Stephanie's thoughts trailed off; she'd forgiven Seneca for the kiss afterall.

And it was thoughts like that; about why she trusted Seneca, why she believed in him and forgave him for kissing her that Stephanie could never bring up with Haymitch.

So Electra had stepped helpfully in to be her relatively objective outer source. The one she could confide in how worried she was about Haymitch and how far she was pushing him. Yet in the next breath admit how utterly confusing that it made her breath shorten to hear Seneca tell her she was free.

Stephanie just didn't know if maybe she had jumped too quickly, immensely relieved at the chance to pour out all the convoluted thoughts in her head to somebody. She wasn't sure Electra was the best person to keep secrets.

Especially not when Electra was blatantly taunting Ficen with information that wasn't supposed to be public knowledge.

Bright, Lashes, Silver and all the other stylists in the room had fallen silent at Electra's words. Isa was looking a little frazzled and a little irked as well as she straightened the already meticulous hairband of colourful flowers on her head.

"My brother's dead." Ficen answered shortly, her voice like burning ice.

Stephanie didn't know what to feel as she saw some of the cruel and obsessive person Stephanie knew Ficen to be, leak back into the violet-eyed woman.

Ficen's shoulders straightened more, her eyes sharpening to points.

Electra smirked, as she rested her chin lightly in one of her palms, her fingers drumming absently against her lips.

"I'm sorry to hear that Ficen. But still, you and Cen weren't really that close, were you?"

Isa and the gathered stylists sucked in horrified gasps. Ficen's hands curled into white fists as she glared openly at Electra.

"I won't stand here to have my family talked about by the likes of you," Ficen spat.

Electra leaned forward, "then leave Ficen. You know where the door is I trust?"

Stephanie held her breath as Frenkin's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Stephanie fleetingly considered that her vindictive stylist may just have met her match in Electra Hocol.

Ficen's entire body seemed to go rigid for a moment with absolute rage and then the stylist turned stiffly to her team. Bright, Lashes and Silver immediately straightened nervously in their seats, looking wide-eyed and expectant towards Ficen.

"Well what are you all waiting for? You have outfits to prepare for tonight!" she barked.

Bright, Lashes and Silver leapt to their feet as though they had sat on hot coals. Electra failed to conceal a snigger behind her hand, while Isa looked rather flustered, casting an ever more annoyed glance at Electra.

"Don't we need Stephanie for fitting?" Lashes asked timidly. Her round blue eyes encircled in curling silvery lashes fluttered nervously.

Ficen bared her teeth in an almost snarl. "We don't need her for anything," she spat, her gaze landing on Stephanie derisively for a moment.

Stephanie sighed lightly, raising her brows marginally. And there's the hateful Ficen I know so well she thought sardonically.

"Besides," Ficen began again and Stephanie easily heard the cruelty lilting her voice. Being able to identify it made her thoughts go to Electra and how she effortlessly read other's voices.

"I'm sure I have a veil somewhere that I could dig out for Electra if she really insists on coming to the party this evening," Ficen said, looking to Electra with a callous smirk.

A brief flash of haunted memory pained Electra's features for a moment as she recalled darker years directly after her accident when she wouldn't go out without a veil to hide behind. Then she grinned wider.

"Oh no need Ficen," Electra drawled genially as she smiled, "if I do decide to wear a veil I think I'll go with one of Alba's designs instead."

Ficen looked utterly choleric at that moment just before Isa stepped in.

The escort cast a reprimanding look at Electra before turning to Ficen. "Ficen pet, why don't you go on to the studio to ready your designs for tonight," Isa soothed.

Stephanie was actually surprised to see Isa talk such a firm hold of the situation.

Ficen of course would never be placated by someone like Isa, but all the same Ficen seemed to realise rather bitterly, that Electra was someone she would never best.

Ficen scoffed, tossing her head in the air as she turned sharply to exit the room; Bright, Lashes and Silver tripping after her like obedient puppies.

"The energy in here is so damaging to my creative aura!" Alba exclaimed as he flapped his hands at himself uselessly.

Stephanie arched a brow, exchanging an amused glance and concealed chuckle with Frenkin as Alba's team of stylists; Tess, El and Mirr rushed around him worriedly.

Isa shot another reproachful glare, pursing her lips into a displeased pout at Electra who was sitting grinning inanely again.

"Tess, pet why don't you take Alba to the studio as well," Isa suggested sympathetically.

Tess nodded as she along with El and Mirr helped Alba to his feet.

Electra rolled her eyes and really Stephanie couldn't blame her. Of all the stylists Alba was the most tedious to deal with, given his melodramatics. Stephanie was glad he wasn't hers; she would have most likely punched him before then. Yet she couldn't exactly say she preferred Ficen either.

"I need my little prodigy!" Alba cried as he was being directed from the room.

Frenkin couldn't quite conceal his grimace in time as he cringed down in his seat and Stephanie winced sympathetically.

"Surely Frenkin isn't needed. If Ficen has my measurements by now then shouldn't Alba have Frenkin's," Stephanie tried to reason.

Every stylist in the room and even Isa looked to Stephanie at that moment as though she really were insane.

Isa turned to Alba who was staring at Stephanie, completely horrified. "She's only from the Districts Alba pet, she doesn't know anything about clothes," Isa soothed while Stephanie scowled, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling.

Frenkin reluctantly got to his feet as Tess scuttled over to retrieve him from the clearly insane grasps of his district partner, who knew nothing about clothes.

Electra got up then and Stephanie actually grinned as the blue-haired woman passed by Frenkin. Electra winked as she slipped the cupcake into Frenkin's hand discreetly.

Frenkin's cheeks pinked, but a smile was on his lips as he was ushered from the room by the team of stylists.

Isa came back in after seeing Frenkin safely to the lift. The escort's perfect brow furrowed as it usually did when it landed on Electra.

"Electra I simply must ask you to stop," Isa stated firmly.

Electra stared at her blankly, "stop what?"

Isa's brows drew down further, "Electra!" she whined. "Stephanie, you are her are from the same district – tell her to stop!"

Stephanie blinked in surprise, never expecting to be called upon for such a capacity.

But obligingly Stephanie looked up at Electra, "Stop."

Electra shrugged unconcernedly as she made her way towards the kitchen, and Isa breathed a sigh of relief, her features smoothing to perfectness once more.

"Thank-you Stephanie pet," Isa gushed earnestly as she edged towards the hallway. "I'm going to make sure that all the outfits are ready for tonight. You will be okay here pet? – You know plenty of time to practice smiling and things for the party!"

Stephanie concealed her smirk as she nodded. She rather guessed Isa just wanted to escape having to be in the same penthouse as Electra.

Isa breathed a sigh of relief, a line appearing between her brows momentarily at the sound of clinking bottles from the kitchen. Stephanie considered how Isa was a lot more lenient of Haymitch's drinking than she seemed to be of Electra's. And then with a painful twinge of her heart Stephanie recalled one of the earliest conversations she had had with Haymitch. He had just launched the 'Isa Blitz' to save her from Ficen's wrath after the Chariot Procession, her first night in the Capitol. Haymitch had then went on to defend himself, stating how understanding Isa could be when it came to the opposite sex.

Stephanie looked up, her throat feeling suddenly tight, surprised to see that Isa had slipped out without her noticing while she had been lost in bittersweet musings of the past.

"Is she gone?"

Stephanie looked around to see Electra peeking out of the kitchen, eyebrows raised hopefully.

"She's gone," Stephanie confirmed.

Electra heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief as she exited the kitchen, hand inevitably holding a glass of something alcoholic as Electra dropped herself onto the sofa.

Stephanie frowned doubtfully at the other glass however that Electra slid towards her across the coffee table.

"Are you trying to get more answers out of me?" Stephanie quipped a little sardonically.

Electra chuckled, taking a gulp from her glass. "I told you, you couldn't blame the drink on you having such a loose mouth before," Electra countered, her blue eye bright.

Stephanie sighed as she picked up the glass, swirling the liquid in it contemplatively. No I can't Stephanie agreed silently. She had already admitted to herself that her own need to tell someone about the crazy life she had been leading since she arrived in the Capitol, had been the main driving force between her talk with Electra.

"You don't get along with Ficen," Stephanie remarked absently as she stared into the amber liquid in her glass.

Electra snorted, "do you know anyone that does?" she replied, sketching a brow.

Stephanie smirked grimly, "I suppose not," Stephanie conceded, "but what you said about her brother Cen – " Stephanie began but never got to finish.

Electra groaned loudly in exasperation. "Stephanie if you really are going to check me for what I said I might just hit you," she said bluntly, taking a generous draught from her glass and eyeing Stephanie shrewdly over the rim of it as she drank.

Stephanie scowled, "I wasn't," she shot back, "what I was going to say is not to bring up things that I've told you as casual conversation. To say half the things I told you weren't exactly public knowledge would be an understatement," Stephanie advised.

Electra lowered her glass from her lips. "Stephanie I've lived in this Capitol longer than you. I don't need you to tell me what to say and what not to," she answered coolly.

Stephanie blushed slightly, "I know Ellen," she mumbled almost apologetically.

Electra's expression brightened then as she shrugged away the tension. "No matter. C'mon we have work to do," Electra said instead.

Stephanie frowned, "work?" she echoed, baffled.

Electra scoffed as she knocked back the rest of her drink, nodding encouragingly at Stephanie to do the same.

Stephanie sipped gingerly at the burning liquid.

"Yes – work," Electra confirmed, "did you really think I was going to let you laze about in your room nursing a broken heart?! This is the Hunger Games Stephanie and you have a party to attend tonight!"

Thanks to girlworthfightingfor for the review; I think it would be fair to say the party will be…a little unexpected :P