Hey all! I have another chapter for you guys! :D
I have to say, the response to the last chapter was pretty dire! I barely got any comments on it; that made me sad! It was probably too long, huh? Well, this one if shorter, and it's fluffy! :D We find out Effie's name (I had lots of fun making up her name) and we find out a little bit more of Effie's childhood crush! Oh, and Annie may have some competition (sorry all you Fannie shippers! Don't kill me, I am one of you!)
I hope you guys like it! Please review! :D
Effie
In the morning, I disentangled myself from Haymitch's arms and went to get ready. One I was decked out in my Capitol finery, I alerted everyone that breakfast was ready.
I sat down, and only seconds later, Haymitch was there, closely followed by Peeta. They filled their plates and sat down.
"Haymitch?" Peeta asked after a while of silence.
"Yes?" He gruffly replied.
"I'd like to be coached separately today. With the interviews." He said, and I looked at Haymitch. He seemed puzzled by this, but shrugged his shoulders.
"If that's what you want, then I'm fine with it. You'll have to alternate between Princess and me, four hours apiece. I'm not sure how Katniss will take it, though."
And sure enough, Katniss appears at the table. She gets some food and then sits down.
"So, what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?" Katniss asks, taking a gulp of orange juice.
"That's right." Haymitch remarks.
"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time." She says, starting on her lamb stew.
"Well, there's been a change of plan. About our current approach." Haymitch says, simply. He's beating around the bush, I can tell.
"What's that?" She asks.
Haymitch shrugs. "Peeta has been asked to be coached separately."
The look on Katniss' face says it all. She looks like she's been truly and utterly betrayed. But then her emotions switch to indifferent, and she says "Good. So, what's the schedule?"
"You'll each have four hours with Effie on presentation and four with me for content. You can start with Effie, Katniss." Haymitch says, and I see the obvious displeasure on Katniss' face. How rude, she doesn't even try to hide it!
I'll make her pay for that one.
Over the next four hours, I put her through her paces. How unladylike she is! She can't sit up straight, she slouches, her elocution is sloppy at best, she can't walk in high heels to save her life, and she's too moody. She needs to smile more!
I don't see how I can make her any better, as she refuses to take direction. I just hope Haymitch is getting better results with Peeta
Haymitch
When I got Peeta alone, I had to ask.
"Why did you want to be coached separately, kid?"
He looks sheepish, but eventually he opens up to me.
"I wanted to work on my interview strategy, and I think it would be better without Katniss in here. As it's sort of... it's about her, really."
I lean forward. "Oh? How so?"
"Well... I just know that Caesar will ask me if I have a girlfriend, or if there's anyone else back home that I like, and... there is... or there was... she's... she's here... she's Katniss." He trails off and looks at me, blush spreading across his cheeks.
A smile breaks across my own. "You've got a crush on sweetheart? That's surprising. I'd take you more for a merchant, Mary Sue kind of girl. But okay, you want to take this angle. But do you think it's wise, announcing your love for her on live television in front of the whole of Panem?"
He bites his lip awkwardly. "Well, I would normally be against it, but I remembered the 71st Games, with the girl from Eight and the boy from Seven. The audience loved their love story, and people gave them gifts because of it. I thought that it would be a good strategy to play for Katniss and me, to give us a better chance." He looks me in the eyes, and I realise that he has a point. Talia and Mikhail's story captivated the Capitol instantly, ever since Mikhail announced his friendship with her in the interviews. Could this work? If Peeta announced his love for Katniss, he'd be seen as a heart-throb, she would be desirable, and together, they would be star-crossed lovers, doomed to love one another in a place where only one could live. And that would get them sponsors.
"I see where you're coming from, and I like it. Okay, so we go with that. And we won't tell Katniss, as the more real her reaction, the better." We make a plan of action, and then we go down to lunch.
After lunch, I hand Peeta to Effie, who looks really annoyed, and take Katniss, who I sure is the cause of Effie's annoyance. I'll have to catch up with her later.
Katniss is just plain hard. I'm glad for Peeta's strategy, she'd be useless without it. I remarked on her having less charm than a dead slug, and I know I've hit a nerve with that one.
As much as I try, a part of my gaze keeps lowering to the mockingjay pin. I see Maysilee whenever I look at that pin. I was too late to save her, but I had to make sure that her descendent, Katniss, survived. I just had to. That pin could not be in the hands of another doomed girl, I would make sure of it.
In the end, I give up with Katniss, and go to my room to take a shower. Before I do, I look out to the Square and see Effie down there, wooing sponsors.
I take a quick shower, dress in "appropriate" clothing, and go down to the Square to meet her. I want to slip my arm around her and ask her how she is, how Peeta was, but I can't. I give her a passing smile and go to the bar. Talia's right, it is one of my favourite haunts.
As if I called her to me, she meets me halfway to the bar.
"You okay, sweetheart?" I ask, and I know what the answer is.
"Not particularly." She says, and we order drinks. "Orion is terrible, seriously. He wanted his strategy for the interviews to be all tough and menacing, saying how he got into a fight with Cato and how he was going to beat him in the arena! He doesn't see that that will get him killed quicker! I tried to tell him, but in the end, Cecelia made me give up because I was getting too angsty. Why can't he just listen to me?" She whimpered, downing her drink.
"Do you want me to talk some sense into him?" I ask, but I know she'll say no. I don't really want to get involved with Orion anyway, he's a threat to my tributes, and I don't want to feel bad about them killing him, potentially.
Talia declines my offer with a smile.
"So, how are things with you and Effie?" She asks, softly.
"Alright, I suppose. We're both a bit run off our feet, what with the whole mentor thing. But we're okay, better now actually."
"Good. I'm glad. Can I ask you a question?" She whispers the last bit, blush creeping into her face.
"Shoot." I say, taking another sip of whiskey.
"Is Finnick in love with Annie?" She looks down, the blush even darker now.
"I think he is, kid. They used her to get to him, and it worked. So I would assume that he is. Why? Have you got a soft spot for the Capitol charmer?" I chuckled.
She looked up at me, her green eyes filled with amusement. "Maybe. I was just wondering, anyway. He was my first, so it's normal to get attached to them." She shrugged it off, but I could see some hurt there. She must like Finnick alot. A part of me liked the prospect of them as a couple. They'd be good for each other. But on the other hand, Annie needed Finnick. The poor girl was half mad, and she needed him to help her. Finnick couldn't abandon her, she'd lose herself altogether.
"Shall we try to get some sponsors?" I ask her, holding out my arm.
She shakes her head. "Orion doesn't have any. What with his mediocre performance in the parade to his mediocre six, he's just that, mediocre. No-one has shown any interest in him." She downed another drink.
"Woah, sweetheart, stop that. You'll end up like me." I catch her arm and try to stop her ordering another.
"You've got along just fine, who says I can't follow?" She slurred, already a little intoxicated.
"I say. Now come on, if you want your brother to live, then you need to get him sponsors. And what about your girl? I know she's Cecelia's responsibility, but trying wouldn't hurt."
Talia sniffed, and then reluctantly agreed.
We worked the crowd together. I talked to the potential sponsors who were waiting for the scores, and all of them signed up to help the kids. Talia found one potential sponsor who would help Orion if he survived the bloodbath. After that, she went to talk to Finnick. I watched them from across the square, as they hugged, and as he wiped a stray tear from her face. It was sweet, but I knew that he was just being friendly.
As night fell, I found Effie. She was chatting to Emilia Hart, the rich woman.
When Emilia saw me, her eyes brightened. "Oh, Haymitch! It's good to see you again! Your tributes are something, aren't they?" She beamed, and came to hug me. I saw Effie's look of disbelief, and I echoed it. Emilia Hart, hugging me? What was going on with the world?
"Miss Trinket was just telling me about what a lady your Katniss is. I can't wait to see her in her dress, Cinna's designs are wonderful! I want him to design me something with flames, I can see fire making a comeback next season!" She squealed, clasping her hands together.
"Well, that's wonderful." I smile. "And yes, Katniss is quite the lady." I lie right through my teeth, glaring at Effie. Katniss, a lady? I'd sooner call Peeta surly.
Emilia, Effie and I talked for a while, and then we excused ourselves. The square was dispersing now, people were either ready for bed or going out partying.
Effie had an offer from the escorts from One, Two and Four to go partying, but she declined, saying that she had a lot of paperwork to do. I realised that that was a big lie when she crawled into my bed fifteen minutes later.
I looked over at her and laughed. She gave me a curious look, but when I didn't stop laughing, she slapped me.
"Why are you laughing?" She whispered.
In answer, I pointed to her head, and her hands shot up to clasp in her purple candy-floss wig. In her rush to get here, she had taken her makeup and clothes off, but had left her wig on her head.
She pulled it off and threw it across the room, letting her blonde curls tumble over the pillow. I twirled one between my fingertips, feeling how soft it was.
I watched her watching me, and I realised that I barely knew anything about her life outside of escorting. I got up and found the place where the monitors were hidden. I had found it accidently the other day, and had searched my entire room for another one, to no avail. I covered the monitor with a doubled up blanket that should muffle the noise of talking, and then put Effie's wig over it. She snorted with laughter, but told me that no sound would get in now, those wigs were tough. I chuckled. I was using a Capitol invention against them, not for the first time.
"So, how were Katniss and Peeta in presentation?" I asked.
"Well, Katniss got there in the end, but she's notoriously stubborn. Peeta was so darling; he's like a little gentleman! I can tell that the Capitol ladies will fall in love with him in his interview tomorrow. How were they for content?" Effie said, her natural pink lips curling upwards.
"Katniss was awful. I just have to hope that she thinks of something on her own. I think I annoy her, and that's why she doesn't open up to me. We'll have to see." And then I told her about Peeta's plan, and she gasped.
"He loves her?"
"Apparently so. This is a good angle. You remember Talia and Mikhail? They had loads of sponsors. Katniss and Peeta should get lots of attention for it."
She smiled at me in excitement, but said no more. This was my time to ask.
"I realise now that I barely know anything about you or your life, Eff." I say, and her eyes widen. "You told me that you had a crush on me since the Games, but that's it. What is Effie short for?" I decide that to be my first question, and she blushes scarlet.
"Nothing, it's just Effie." She looks down, and I can tell that she's lying.
"Eff. Come on." I say in that tone that means warning. It's a jokey form of the tone, but she looks up at me in shame.
"Fine, it's... Effervescent." She mumbles the last bit, and I laugh before I can stop myself. She looks up at me, hurt written all over her face.
"I'm sorry, it's just, Effervescent? No wonder you shortened it." I wrap my arms around her and she giggles.
"It's awful, isn't it? Effervescent Michaela Ferreira Trinket." She makes a face when she spits out her entire name, and I'm gobsmacked. That's a really long name.
"That must have been murder to write when you were a kid." I remark, and she laughs, remembering something.
"It was, actually. I can remember Seneca laughing at me when I tried to spell it and ended up writing 'Efevecent'. I hit him, and got told off." She sniggered, and I could just imagine a little pink haired child socking the black haired kid who was taunting her.
"Good on you." The thought of her hitting Crane was funny. If only she had hit him instead of kiss him three years ago.
"Eventually I gave up and started writing 'Effie' on everything, and it stuck. My mother is the only person who calls me Effervescent. To everyone else, I'm Effie."
"You'll always be Effie to me." I say, and kiss her on the forehead.
"Your name must have been hard to spell and all." She says, looking up at me.
I chuckle. "Yeah, it was. But eventually I worked it out. I was a fast learner." But the thought of my old life hurt me. "Were you friends with Crane when you were a kid?" I reverted back to her.
"Yes, I was. We were next-door neighbours. He has a twin sister, Sierra, and everyone assumed that I'd be friends with her, not Seneca. But I surprised everyone by befriending Seneca, and Sierra found other friends. Sen and I were inseparable, but then I had my incident and we drifted apart. I couldn't bear to be around any men, not even my father, out of fear. So we weren't friends anymore. But then, at the 70th Games, we met up again. And then..." She trailed off, biting her lip. I knew what she was thinking of, that kiss.
"So, tell me about my Games. What made you start to like me?" I grinned at her, and she blushed again.
"Um, well, I guess it was at the reaping. The other kids were being reaped, and I wasn't really paying attention. I was playing with my cat, Snowball Millicent II, but then, my dad said 'hey, Ellimere, look at that kid' and I looked up too. Ellimere's my mother, by the way. Anyway, I looked up at the screen and saw you. You were walking up to the stage, and I was instantly enraptured by you. You were so handsome, and your eyes were sparkling and pretty. I loved the way that you didn't cry, you acted almost bored in a way. But then my mother changed over because she thought that the reapings were over, and I screamed at her to turn back. And by the time she did, you were gone. I started crying, actually, because I hadn't seen you for that long. My mother felt sorry for me, so she bought me two of your posters. Yeah, they made posters, special Quell merchandise, or something. One's in my room, and one's in my tree house. I rooted for you every second of the Games. When you got a nine in training, I was so happy. When you had your interview with Caesar, I laughed along with the crowd, even though I didn't understand most of what you were saying. When you were lifted into the arena, I prayed for you. I prayed for you every second. And when I thought that I had lost you, I cried. But then, Maysilee saved you. I had never felt so grateful or happy in my life before. When it came down to you and Amalia, my mother made me go outside, but I was pounding on the door, needing to see if you were okay or not. When my mum let me back in, and I saw that you had won, I was ecstatic. I swore to myself then that I would become District Twelve's escort, just so I could have a chance to meet you and work with you." She left it at that, smiling.
"Hah, that didn't go down well, did it?" I said, teasing her.
"No, unfortunately not." She snuggled up closer to me, and I wound my arms around her, protectively. "But we're here now. Together. And that's all that matters."
"Yes. Couldn't have said it better myself."
I wished I could have thought of a better response than that, but it was beyond me. I hadn't had a real relationship for twenty-four years, I don't do love talk. It's just not me. I guess I'd have to leave Effie to do all that.
"Do you think we'll ever be free, Haymitch? Free to be together, free to talk, free from all this?" She whispered against my chest, and I was stunned. She was thinking about this? She wanted to be free? I would never have twigged Effie for a rebel.
"I don't know, sweetheart. Maybe." I replied, and she sighed against me.
I knew I wasn't telling her much. I had been secretly corresponding with Plutarch Heavensbee, a Capitol citizen-turned-rebel, who wanted to help me overthrow the government. It wasn't going so well at the moment. We needed someone to flock behind. Someone to lead us. Someone memorable.
You may have just found your someone memorable Haymitch! :D (Katniss, duh)
Anywho, I hope you liked that chapter, I liked writing it! Very Hayffie-ish!
Guys, I have an amazing idea for the future of this fic, and I'm sorry, but I can't tell you guys! It'll spoil the surprise! But I want to see if its a good idea, so if someone doesn't mind it being spoilt, message me and I'll run my idea by you!
Thank you for reading! :D Please review! I'll give you a Peeta-made cookie! :P