The glass of wine Effie had been holding in her hand fell and broke into millions of pieces, leaving red mark on her white, luxury carpet. The Quarter Quell announcement of President Snow hit her hard. She couldn't think, she couldn't move. She just stared in front of her and whispered those three little words; pool of Victors. Victors. Her Victors. She had to reap Katniss and Peeta just a year after their first Games. This time the odds wouldn't be in their favor. Katniss was going to back to the arena. And Peeta also, unless she would pull Haymitch's name out. Haymitch! Her heart stopped beating for a second. His name would be in that pool, too. She had to reap Haymitch. The man she belonged to. She was forced to send him to death. Because if Haymitch was reaped and sent back to that place, he would never make it to home. He could never win again. She would cause his death. No! Never. She would never be able to do it.
She jumped on her foot and without caring about the glass or the patch on the carpet, she rushed to her bedroom. There she grabbed the phone from the nightstand and dialed a number. She sat on the edge of her bed and impatiently waiting for an answer from the other side of the line.
"What?" hearing the familiar, grumpy voice was the last push and the first tears rolled down on her face.
"Haymitch" she sobbed. He was surprised to hear her voice but he should have known she would call him "Haymitch, I can't do this. I just can't"
"You have to. It's your job"
"I don't care! I won't pull your name out of that bowl!"
"You will, Princess" his voice was strict but soft. Effie whipped her tears off with the back of her hand. She wished Haymitch would be with her in her apartment. She could bury her face in his chest. She could be in his arms. She could love him. Even though she knew she would have never been allowed loving him in the Capitol or anywhere in Panem.
"I'm going to Twelve tomorrow. I need to see Katniss and Peeta" weak lie. If she sat on the first train tomorrow, no one would believe she was going there to see the children. Rather their mentor. People were already talking. Effie had become careless lately if it came to Haymitch and it wasn't good. She knew it well but she was in love and she was afraid of losing the man she loved.
"No! You're staying in the Capitol, Effie, hear me? They can handle it without you. You'll see them at the Reaping"
"But…"
"There's no but! Don't be stupid, Effie! Think! And go to sleep now. It's late. We'll meet in a few weeks. 'Night"
"I lov-…" she whispered but Haymitch stopped her.
"Sleep! Take care!" Effie didn't answer just nodded. As if Haymitch saw her. She hung up without saying goodbye. She threw herself on the bed and started to cry uncontrollably. She knew she had said too much. She knew her and Haymitch's house were bugged but she needed him. She needed his wise and calmness to comfort and calm her down. But he was in District Twelve and she was in the Captiol. Alone. She drew her knees closer to her chest and cried herself in a restless sleep.
so...reviews? more will come ;)