The Hunger Games: Extended Epilouge

Chapter 16

AN: So sorry for the long wait, and I know I said I was going to update but I got side tracked because of sports and my friend coming over. Also I've been sick and have had the worst case of writers block. I apologize, so here is chapter 16!

~Chapter 16~

~Katniss POV~

The prep team takes about an hour to get me prepped and pretty. They put me in an orange dress and gold heels, with matching gold eye shadow. And I hated it. But I still put on a smile for the prep team. All the way down the hall they blabbed on and on about how wonderful I looked and how good of a job they did. Already standing by the door is Effie, Haymitch, and Peeta, looking dashing in a sunset orange shirt and a gold tie.

"Oh Katniss! You look lovely!" Effie says coming up and hugging me. "And you all match my hair so well!" I look up at her hair to see it's in shades of orange, red, and gold. Her hair gets more extreme by the day I swear.

I put on my best fake smile. "Thank you Effie." I look over at Peeta and he gives me a thumbs up. I slowly walk over to him and Haymitch, who obviously just wants to leave, just like the rest of us. Haymitch tugs at the tight collar of his bright red shirt.

"Haymitch!" Effie scolds, "Stop messing with it!"

"I still don't get why I have to wear this stupid thing!" He complains pulling the collar. Effie smacks his hand away.

"You have to wear it because you're all celebrities!" She says and begins to walk to the door.

"It's not my fault..." Haymitch mumbles under his breath and follows her. I chuckle as I follow them.

"Actually, it is your fault." Peeta whispers to him. Haymitch glares at him.

"Oh shut up, lover boy." Haymitch snaps and walks away in a huff.

"What's his problem?" I ask. Peeta chuckles and takes my hand.

"Effie has done everything in her power to keep all alcohol away from Haymitch. She made sure that there would be no alcoholic drinks here and on the train so he's sober around the cameras." He replies. I chuckle.

"Sucks to be him." I say, "Maybe if he wasn't drunk in front of the cameras half the time, she wouldn't bother him so much about it. But knowing him, he probably has a flask hidden on him."

"No he doesn't." Peeta vaguely says.

"How doesn't he?" I ask, "You know how Haymitch is."

"He doesn't because Effie and two Peacekeepers did pat-downs on him checking for alcohol." We reach the doors leading to the train station. "Are you ready?"

"I suppose." I sigh. Effie stops all of us before the doors open.

"As I said before and I'll say it again because I know how you three are; stand up straight, keep you eyes wide, chins up, and smiles on!" She says spinning around to face the door, "Big smiles! I want your faces to hurt by the time we get to district twelve! Katniss, Haymitch, I'm talking to you!"

I stand on the tips of my toes, stretch my mouth and eyes as far as humanly possible, and throw my chin up and out craning my neck to the point of pain.

"Is this good Effie?" It's hard to ask with my neck and face so strained. She turns around and looks me up and down.

"Really Katniss?!" She says exasperated. "I half expected that from Peeta, not you. Just... Don't make a fool of yourself. For my sake, please." I go back to normal and put on my best camera face. "Lovely, now lets go."

The doors open reviling a short path to the train and a very large crowd of Capitol citizens. The cheering of the crowd this me as soon as they open. But strangely enough, the cheers are not of hate for me and these games, but of excited people cheering for us. Not even one protest that we just decided to have their children slaughtered every year. I half expected to be shot the moment we walked out, but the people don't move from their places. I just smile and wave. I move closer to Peeta; the little movement I do toward him sends the crowd into simultaneously cheering a single word. Kiss. They cheer it over and over until we reach the door of the train.

"Shall we?" Peeta asks under his breath. I nod. We turn to face the crowd and though it seems impossible their cheers get louder. Peeta and I kiss and the crowd goes wild; after a few seconds we part. We give one last wave to the crowd and I hear a girl shout "I LOVE YOU PEETA!!!!"

I'm very tempted to shout 'HE'S MINE BITCH!!!!' but I don't think Effie would like me any better if I did. We're ushered onto the train and in minutes we're speeding away from the citizens we've just doomed.