Flames to Embers

13- Effie Trinket

This chapter has a bit of a more mature scene. It's not MATURE, but it is a little mature. Nothing graphic. This fic won't be rated mature, because I really think sex is disgusting, so I won't ever include any sex scenes, but just a fair warning for all y'all. If you want to skip it you can. It's mostly just fluff.

OH OH OH OH OH!!!!!!!!!!! I EDITED A FEW OF THE PAST CHAPTERS! ESPECIALLY CHAPTER 1!!!!!! I CHANGED THE TRIBUTES, BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE!!!!!! PLEASE GO BACK AND READ IT!!!!! I'VE EDITED UP TO CHAPTER 5

This one's another shorty, but let's be honest, it's really a great stopping point.

That's all! Have a great day and enjoy :)

...

After the District 4 banquet, we loaded back onto the train, for the overnight ride to District 3. After about fifteen minutes of waiting for the train to start moving, Effie called an attendant over to her. "Excuse me," she said politely. "Could you tell me what the delay is? We need to reach District 3 by tomorrow morning. We have a very tight schedule to uphold, you see."

"I apologise for the inconvenience," the man said, and I was surprised to see that he wasn't an avox. "We are still waiting on one more passenger."

Effie glanced around the car. "Our entire party is present."

"He's not in our party," I said, knowing full well who the man meant. "We're waiting on-"

"Me!" Speak of the devil. Finnick stepped into the train car and set his bag on the ground. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize I would be travelling with you until about twenty minutes ago."

Effie frowned at him. At first I thought she would lecture him about his tardiness and how we had a tight schedule, but instead she lectured him on something else entirely. "I can't believe you have the nerve to ride the same train as Katniss," she said, her voice full of venom. I stared at her, shocked. "I know all about how you broke her heart. I listened to her song at least thirty times, possibly more, and I've watched the music video and read all the articles on it. Not only that, but I had to watch her cry for all three days that we were on the train back from the Capitol. So you better stay far away from her, Mr. Odair, or you'll be sorry."

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "Manners, Effie," I said when I finally found my voice. Haymitch guffawed loudly, tipping backwards on his chair.

Effie looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry, Katniss. I didn't mean to make a scene, but I just don't want him to hurt you. I can't tell you how sorry I felt that you had to sit next to him for dinner, too."

I smiled. "It's alright, Effie. We've made up. We're friends."

Effie stared at us as Finnick set his bag down to wrap one of his arms around me in a side hug that looked friendly and in no way could be interpreted as romantic. Or so I thought.

"Be careful, Katniss. I wouldn't trust him like that so soon after that incident."

"We aren't together," Finnick answered for me, putting on his best innocent, confused face, gesturing between us.

"Just be careful is all I'm saying."

"Thank you, Effie. Your concern means a lot," I answered sincerely. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to sleep."

...

By the time I got changed into a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts and removed my make-up and took my hair down, Finnick was waiting for me.

"Hi," I said. He was standing awkwardly by the door, as if he wasn't actually sure if he was welcome or not. "You can come in," I said. He smiled a bit and sat down on my bed next to me.