The Cost of being Victor

We Discuss our Odds (Chapter 3) *EXTENDED*

          That night I kept rolling over and was unable to sleep, so I got up from my bed and went to where Anne and Lydia's compartment was located. I knocked gently on the door and I heard someone say, "Come in". When I went in, they were sitting up in their beds. They seemed like they too hadn't been able to sleep, either. 

          They gestured for me to sit in an armchair in front of them and as I did so I began to ask the girls why they volunteered for me. "It's because you gave us hope, always. You never gave up on us when you helped us and you were never afraid to stand up to our bullies." Lydia said, and Anne agreed. "Look, I understand we're friends, but I never did anything so grand that you owed it to me to volunteer... I was just being myself!" I said. "Well that's exactly why we wanted to volunteer. As a thank you for not being snide and mean to us... And don't even begin to argue with us about the fact that we've got families and other people that care for us. Our families hate us because we don't behave the way they expect us. " Lydia said again. 

          "I'm just scared. For myself AND you guys. What if you pull off a stunt they find worthy and you're chosen for the games? I'm not jealous, it's just that you're too young to die!" I said, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Well so are you", they shot back. 

          They'd nailed me and they knew it.  

          "You guys are my friends! I can't allow this! I can't let you die this year and I don't give a shit if your families don't want you, just ask someone else to take you in but please, PLEASE pull off a crappy stunt. You have to stay here. I'll go for you guys. I'll be the District 4 female just please promise to stay home... It'd break me even further to see my only friends dead. You guys are all I have left..."

           I was sitting forward in the armchair, leaning towards, with my head in my hands, crying by this point.  I felt embarrassed, frustrated, pressured and very very much scared. The girls exchanged a glance and said "Alright. We'll let you win the spot. But promise us you'll win, ok? We don't care if you kill who you have to kill or don't bring 'honor' to the district. We just want you to come home. Please." "Yes, I will. I promise. Even I know I have to win. For you guys. Maybe once I'm all bathed up in riches we can live together in my house in Victor's Village. I can use my status to have you guys protected. I'm going to win." I said, smiling with relief they're letting me take the spot, knowing they're safe, and laughing at myself for being so worried that they'd get picked. "Well um, I'll be going to bed now..." "Wait, we want to give you something." said Anne. "You get to take an item with you into the Games although it can't give you any advantages. We wanted to give you this..." they said, handing me a beautiful solid gold bangle with waves. 

CONVERSATION:

Macy: "Woah. This is solid gold! How'd you manage to get this??!!" 

Lydia: "Let's just say we traded lots of fish to the Capitol."

Macy: "You've done so much for me already guys... You didn't have to do this!"

Lydia: "It's to remind you of home, Mace."

Macy: "Thanks you guys..." 

          I embraced the both of them in a warm hug and I was actually about to leave when Anne said, "And don't let Finnick Odair stop you from winning the games, Macy."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about??"

"We aren't stupid. We see the way he looks at you. I know you two are only friends but the way he looked like he was about cry when you got reaped and we volunteered says otherwise. We think that there's a chance he was volunteering to protect you or to have a chance to shine, that stupid prick. But it's highly likely he's going to protect you."

"Yeah, it seemed kind of suspicious. I also suspected he did that to look good in front of me, volunteering for the guy I liked. Look, whatever the reason may be, I'm not going to let him seduce me into letting him win. He can try tricks on any women but they won't work on me."

"Alright well, take care of yourself, Macy. See you tomorrow." 

"Same to you guys. Good luck. Oh and look after Anderson for me, will you? Maybe he'll realize Finnick isn't at all the bad guy he thought he was for so long, now that he volunteered for him."

We said our goodbyes and I walked back to my compartment, happier than i'd ever been now that I had a reason to survive the games.