The Arsonist (Finnick Odair/OC)

8

(Age 16, 67th Annual Hunger Games)  

Everything after that was a blur. I pretty much stayed seated on that couch gripping the rose like my life depended on it.

Slendor entered the lounge for dinner, took one look at the rose in my hand and sighed. He sat down next to me and gently plied it out of my hands.

I heard him exhale. His pretty blue eyes holding every bit of tortured understanding. "Take a deep breath Beautiful, It's been a horrible twenty-four hours but you can't snap now. You can wallow in self pity when we go home."

I tried my best to let out of a breath but it was still shaky.

Slendor was smiling encouragingly at me. "There you go. You're a victor now, everything's going to change. I'm guessing you're only just finding out that the life of a victor isn't what it's cracked up to be. Take another breath."

I exhaled, this time my breath was more relaxed.

He nodded, his arm around me. "You have to play by Snow's rules when you're in the Capitol otherwise, he'll kill your family. You always have to pretend to be your angle when your in the Capitol. Always. But when the games aren't on your free to live your life in District Ten. I'm told you live on one of the nine farms, right?"

I nodded and took another breath.

He nodded solemnly at me. "They're not going to let you live there anymore. From now on you have to live in victors village. You'll be alright kid. If you play it safe you'll be alright. I'll alway be here too, we're all each other has now".

I started sobbing. I don't want this life. What kind of life is this?. I'm so messed up from my games and yet I'm expected to be some sort of capitol celebrity. Dragged out every games like a doll to be admired. 

I'm sixteen. I've killed seven people and I'm the first ever victor female of District Ten. I didn't like me anymore. I not proud, I'm disgusted and worse yet I'm a puppet for Snow as long as my family are alive. If I could go back, I would've offed myself in that rooftop instead of learning chemistry.

Slendor after comforting me gave me a tight smile. "You're almost home kid, but first things first. Every new victor has to be crowned by Snow and have an interview with Caesar. As soon as that's done we're fucking out of here, I promise".

I nodded. I can do that. 

He stood, filled a glass with something alcoholic and rubbed my head like a child. "This'll cheer you up it's the good stuff". He winked at me.

That's how I spent my first night as a victor, drinking and laughing my ass off with Slendor. For someone nearing forty he still knew how to have a good time. I imagined that back when he was younger he'd had an explosive personality. The good kind, he only ever really showed it to me or Haymitch. Haymitch and the other victors were his only friends he told me, but I was his family. The daughter he'd never had. We survived the same horrific games, but we were never winners just survivors.

Not gonna lie, for my interview the next day with Caesar I was considerably hang over. I'd barely gotten any sleep because I was drinking with Slendor until around four am. However I looked just as beautiful, make up should be available to everyone in the districts if it can hide bags as bad as mine. I was wearing a red sparkly slim fitting dress. My new stylist whose name is Sadist said it's to highlight how I used fire to win my games. I therefore hate my dress.