The Runaway Victor | Book II

Chapter Nine | Regret it in the Morning.

Getting back to the apartment didn't make anything better.

There was absolutely nothing that would make her feel better after her first shift as a game maker. After setting off eleven cannons to tell all the others of how many kids had already died, just thinking about it made her want to puke. The next day would be worse, she had the night and early morning shift. She would have to see all the faces of the fallen tributes. Quinn wasn't sure how much of it she could take.

She dropped her jacket on the chair she always sat in and sat down in it roughly.

Enjoying your pity party? The question made her feel even worse, because she knew Orion was right. While he was actively trying to keep his side of the plan going, she was locking herself away from everything in the Capitol.

Quinn sighed heavily and got up. she grabbed a glass, and then went to the cooled cabinet that had been for various drinks. She first pulled one out that was the same orange color as the stuff that she got her hands on in Four. She opened it, and took a whiff. It smelt a lot different, not as strong or bitter. Instead it smelt a bit like sweet lemonade. She set that one of the counter, and pulled out a second bottle to examine it-- it was a deeper shade of orange, and it smelt a bit more like oranges. Then there was a clear one that smelt a bit like vanilla with the obvious scent of alcohol. Then there was one that was a bit more red that smelt almost like peppermint. But there wasn't any plain ones, but they all smelt interesting.

You've got enough glasses to spare, she thought. That was true, she had enough she probably wouldn't have to clean them for at least another week. So she grabbed one for each flavour she pulled out. She wasn't going to just drink from the bottle, because she knew she easily could have hated one of them.

So once she had the glasses on the table, she started with one of them. Drinking it, practically chugging it too fast to even taste it. But the warm feeling in her throat and in her stomach reminded her of the long chairs behind her house in Victors Village and the afternoons with Annie or Finnick watching the boats leave and come back multiple times throughout the day. Even though she had hated Victors Village, and what the games had done to her, she liked some of the memories.

So as Quinn drank another, she began to think about Finnick and Annie some more. They were both mentors, but they weren't allowed to see the game makers. Another thing that Snow was probably happy about. She couldn't see Finnick or Annie, she couldn't try to explain herself. They probably thought she was some traitor. But Finnick must have thought in some way that there was something more to Quinn being a game maker. He wasn't that stupid. He trusted Quinn at least a bit, didn't he?

* * * *

It wasn't until Quinn had finished three different flavours that she slowed down. She was still thinking about things, but it wasn't nearly as coherent. But eventually, she was trying to make a list of things that she had to do before she went to bed. Even though there was still a good two or three hours before the sun set. She had to put everything away, she had to shower, she had to get her clothes ready for the next day so she could just go when she got up, then finally she would go to bed. However the thought of getting up to do something was exhausting.

Quinn was just about to take another drink when there was a knock on her door. She looked at the door, but getting up to get it seemed like a hassle. She could see that the lock wasn't latched, so she decided not to to waste her energy by getting up.

"It's open!" she shouted, and after a moment they pushed the door open. She was shocked to see Orion, after he stormed out she had expected it to be a few more days before she saw him again. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

He rose an eyebrow, looking at her and then the glasses on the table. "What are you doing here?"

Quinn sighed, "I didn't know what they all tasted like. So I tried all of them. I don't regret it now," she said looking at the glasses. "But I will in the morning." she said with a long sigh.

Orion stared at her for a moment, "Well I'm here to apologise." he mumbled as he seated himself across the table. "I know that this all sucks."

"But you were right too," she confessed. "I've become really good at throwing myself pity parties. You happened to just crash one too," Quinn told him honestly and motioned to the drinks. "A big one too."