Rumors
School was a nightmare. I walked into homeroom and caught Yuffie telling two of the other well-known girls about our escapade in the Circle Circuit. Upon my arrival, Yuffie immediately stopped talking and began loudly greeting me. I chose to not mention anything, wanting nothing more than to avoid confrontation. I seem to choose this option more often than not.
"So Effie, are you ready for that party on Friday?" she asked in a cheery tone.
I looked up at her with un-canon defeat in my eyes. She seemed to sense my misery and feed off it.
"Actually, I have other plans," I remarked with an air of confidence.
This, of course, was false. Unless you counted sitting in my room alone. Which I did not. She seemed taken aback by my answer, but played it off with a smirk.
"Oh, what a shame," she faux-pouted, "I guess you will have to come to the next one. If there is a next one."
She walked away. I felt the glowing heat of embarrassment rise up out of my core. There is no way that I am missing Seneca Crane's inaugural Hunger Games party. No way at all. Yuffie rejoined her confidantes and began laughing obnoxiously. I hate my friends.
The afternoon was not much better. All of my friends discussed how radical Seneca's party was going to be. Yuffie relayed her story many times, and after a while, students began to point fingers at me behind my back. I walked home alone with an ever-present feeling of despair over my shoulder.
When I got home, mother was waiting for me. She sat me down in the parlor and offered me a cup of tea. I accepted graciously. Then I burst into tears.
"Effie, darling!" mother shrieked at my outburst, "What has gotten into you?"
"Mother, I just cannot handle the pressure. I need to go to that party on Friday. Yuffie is positively ruining my reputation!" I shouted three levels too loud.
Mother sympathetically petted my hair. She tried to quiet me with shushing noises.
"I try to give you everything you want, dear," she started, "And you are not one to act rash. Perhaps if you demonstrate proper manners for the next few days, I will reconsider my sentence."
I perked up at her words. She grinned that Trinket signature smile and patted my hand as she left. All I have to do is play it cool. Not a big deal. Or so I thought. Once Alfie discovered the possible revocation of my sentence, he tried his best to aggravate me. I remained unfazed all throughout dinner. Then dessert came.
"Effie, I almost forgot to ask you," he started with a golden fork in his hand.
"Yes, you are annoying," I answered smiling.
"No, not that. Clever though," he added, "Your friend Yuffie told me something rather interesting."
"Oh?" I asked genuinely surprised.
"Yeah, she told me about how mother's card was declined when you tried to buy that dress," he stated matter-of-factly.
"So? The credit was not working," I answered back calmly, hoping mother had not yet learned the total amount I ended up spending.
"Well, she told me that in order to pay for the dress, you told the cashier that you'd sleep with him," he continued, "I was wondering if you could get me some suede shoes for that party on Friday."
He immediately started laughing. I, however, did not.
"What!" I screamed springing off my seat as if it were on fire.
Alfie had to dodge quickly as I hurled my plate, silverware, and glass across the table at him.
"Effie! Alfie! What in the world is going on!" mother screamed.
"That is not even remotely true. I told him to try debit, not to try me!" I loaded my arms with more ammunition to launch.
Mother's face had gone beet red. She looked infuriated, embarrassed, and horrified. A complete mirror of how I felt.
"Effie. Go to your room," she ordered, not daring to look at me.
I stormed upstairs, tears cascading down my face. That bitch! How dare her! Oh, I was going to get her good tomorrow. She had another thing coming. I slammed my door shut and laid on my bed, my face molesting the pillow. Mother came up about thirty minutes later.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.
Mother. Always my savior. Always my hero.
"I am so tired of Yuffie ruining my life. She always tells me that I weigh too much. She always makes me feel inferior. I hate her!" I sobbed loudly.
"Darling, you are a Trinket. Trinkets always come out on top. Don't you worry," she began, "As for this Yuffie, simply ignore her. You are better than she is. She is nothing and you are everything."
"But she told everyone at school!" I whined, "My social life is over!"
"Just ignore her," mother responded, "She will get hers. You will regain friends-true friends-in time."
I nodded, absorbing her wise words. I will not fight her. She will get hers. I thanked mother for her wise words and bid her goodnight. Damage control set in the next day. I walked to school with my head held high. Upon reaching the rotunda, however, the whispers began.
"I heard she slept with the principal to get good marks."
"She is so easy."
"Did you know that Effie Trinket is a lesbian? She is in love with Yuffie."
You have to be kidding me. All comments aside, my day was going fine. I stared Yuffie down in homeroom, daring her to come over. She shot me back eyes that seemed to pose a challenge. Suddenly, a large boy slammed his hand down on my desk.
"Hey Trinket," he called, "I'll give you five dollars to sleep with me. I hear you can use all the money you can get."
"I will do no such thing. Get off my desk, you hideous creature," I hissed through gritted teeth, praying that others would not hear.
"You are a prude bitch," he laughed and walked away.
Everyone was watching us, hiding their glee. The awkward moment lingered in the air. I tried my best not to show any emotion, but internally I was dying. By the end of homeroom, I felt nauseous. The only way to stiffen these rumors was to get to the source. I tried to attract Yuffie's attention.
"Hold on, girls," Yuffie whispered to her new friends, "I have to deal with something."
No one moved an inch. The anticipation of the moment grew so thick; one could cut it with a knife.
"Yuffie, you know as well as I do that I never said any of those vulgar things!" I snapped defensively, "I demand that you abate all your lies and return my reputation."
"Why don't you fuck off?" she responded, "Everyone knows how easy you are, Trinket."
I was mad. Very mad. Mother's voice resonated in my head 'She will get hers'.
"I know your upset because you don't have any real friends," I told her in a quiet tone, "But fret not, I will always be here for you."
"Will you just leave me alone?" she yelled, "You are finished. I have no interest in sleeping with you. Tramp is not my type."
Infuriation ran through my body. Red flashes pervaded my eyesight.
"Besides, we all know how you got here in the first place. Your mother slept around too. It's like they say, the apple never falls far from the tree."
In a second, I was in her face. The curses I strung together would have given mother a heart attack. She tried to stop me. Both mother and Yuffie did. I spit straight into her face. She turned a deep purple and smacked me. Two hits in one week. I was not having it. I punched her straight in the face, positive that I had broken at least three knuckles in the process. Yuffie fell backward. Unconscious. The whole room went silent and all eyes turned onto me.