Evelina painted some red lipstick onto her mouth, rubbing her lips together and then finishing with a satisfying pop! when the color had been evenly distributed onto her pout. She fiddled with her hair, which had been curled beautifully into thick waves that fell past her breast, framing her slender frame. Her stylists, who called themselves Lilith and Cleo, though Evelina wondered if that were really their birth-given names, insisted on dressing her almost every day. Reluctantly, she agreed, but only to please Coryo, who had been so excited at the idea of including stylists in future Games. Unfortunately, the Gamemakers couldn't have gotten everything together in time for the 11th Games, but Coryo assumed by next year they would have most of his ideas brought to light, including fashion.
Today she was dressed in a form fitting red gown that stopped above her ankles. It was plain, satin, and Evelina liked how it felt beneath her finger pads. Smooth, soft, perfect. Just like her. That was another change she had to adapt to now that she was temporarily in the Capitol. She was obsessed with her image constantly. Inside and out, she was worried about what other people thought of her. She wondered if Coriolanus felt this way, too.
Besides stylist, Coryo had other ideas, too. A 'Victor's Village' would be placed in the tribute who won's village as an improved place for them to live in. They would be gifted money, some resources for their family and District, and even embark on a 'Victory Tour' about half way after their Games to celebrate their win. It was sort of like Evelina's time in the Capitol now, and she cringed when he told her, but he didn't seem to notice. She remembered his arm around her, a drink in his other hand, as he spoke of his wishes for Panem. She had smiled, but looking back she wondered if she should have just told him what she truly thought.
It was all cruel.
But she'd never tell him that. Not now. Not when she was so in love that it hurt. It hurt to be without him, but in a way it hurt to be with him, too. The confusion only upset her, but she let it slide today. For him.
"Are you all set, Evelina Fay?" Coryo called from the bathroom.
She blushed before answering a giggly, "yes." She strolled to greet him, and he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the forehead before continuing to situate his tie.
"They'll be expecting me soon," he explained, "so we should leave now." He was a Gamemaker, after all. She nodded as he took her hand in his and they left their room. It was sort of like a hotel, really, but because they were allowed to be together, it felt like a home.
"Are you excited?" He asked. They made there way through the city before reaching the Academy, where the games will be televised again.
"Excited?" She repeated, taking a seat next to Coryo, who folded his hands together neatly in his lap, his light eyes fixated on her with interest. "I don't know."
"Well, it's the 11th Games," he says.
"I can see that." She furrows her brow and frowns. "I don't see why that would be entirely exciting."
He laughed. "Come on! Some of my ideas are being used this year, it's going to be a great show!"
She winced. "A great show?"
He nodded enthusiastically but paused, his smile fading. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, Evelina. I'm just happy that you're here with me. I got carried away."
"I understand," she responds. But she didn't. She sat there silently as the Games began, and instead of watching the television, (which she could hardly stomach anyway), she studied Coryo. His facial expressions matched perfectly with the rest of the crowd, who were on the edge of their seats every time something happened, or someone was murdered. Evelina felt acid growing in her throat after seeing Coryo laugh. He laughed. He laughed as a young boy narrowly missed a sword being plunged at him. It was more than she could bear, and she quickly excused herself to the restroom.
Once there she ran to a toilet, hurling over it and vomiting. When she was done she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sighing. Was this her life now? She suddenly felt very homesick. It had only been a few days, but she felt extremely different. She missed her house, her family, her District all together. She missed Lucy Gray. She missed Nadine and Daffodil, who couldn't come back even though she willed them to. Maybe that was the Capitol's plan all along. To change her, to manipulate her into thinking they were the heroes of Panem. But she had to remember who the real enemy was. And she was trying, but then if she did, her mind always drifted to Coryo. Was he the real villain?
She shook those thoughts away and composed herself, leaving the bathroom and strutting back to her seat. Coryo hardly glanced at her when she sat, but he brought her in close with a large arm that gripped her like an object. Still, she felt safe now. Warmer, too, under the protection of his body. It was all worth it, she decided. All of the nightmares, all of the pain, all of the memories, were worth it if she got to sit with him like she was now. And the day was almost done. Almost half of the tributes were dead, a fascinating start to the 11th Games. The arena had been remodeled, but only a little, so there was a few more places to hide.
At one point Evelina found herself cheering along with the Capitol people, and she didn't even mind. This was how it was supposed to be now.
And maybe that would be okay.
"and the voices that implore, 'you should be doing more'
to you, i can admit that i'm just too soft for all of it"
CZYTASZ
Panem Forever
Fanfiction"hope. it is the only thing stronger than fear." Anyone would tell you that Evelina Sanders was not a "go getter". She was a gatherer, not a hunter. She wasn't particularly good at anything, though she could fancy herself a painter if she were aske...
