Hurricane • F. Odair

sixteen » half moons

A L T H E A

   Per Johanna fashion, she caused quite a ruckus during her interview — cursing the Capitol and everything it stood for with the ease of Caesar on his talk show. If Althea had been listening from home, most of the words would've been beeps instead.
   Difficult wasn't the word Althea would've described how hard it was to keep a straight face while Johanna shouted profanities at everyone and their mother.
  Johanna was one of the braver victors. Her family was dead and her only friends were headed into the arena with her. Though Althea couldn't share in her bravery, she could understand the lack of fear of repercussion. Outside of those going into the arena, Johanna had no one.
   The next few interviews went by without a hitch. Althea often found herself closing her eyes to relieve them from the lights, spots decorating her vision where the rays burned her retina.
   "Please welcome the girl on fire — the victor of last year's Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen!" Caesar cheered.
   Althea watched as the young girl sauntered onstage in a wedding gown with a skirt that rivaled her own. Althea's fingers clenched in her skirt yet again. At seventeen, Katniss was forced to accelerate her relationship for the entertainment of the Capitol.
   A child bride.
   A fate often worse than death.
   "Katniss Everdeen, you look fabulous! Doesn't she?" Caesar called. The audience roared in response. "My, my. Whoo, whoo, whoo! Now Katniss, this is a very big and very emotional night for all of us — wouldn't you say?" Cries came from the crowd.
   "Oh, don't go crying on me now, Caesar," Katniss said.
"Now I can't make any promises. You know me," Caesar laughed. The noise grated on Althea's ears.
Katniss laughed too. "You know I wouldn't believe you even if you did." Althea laughed good naturedly. Katniss had always been good at getting laughs with her witty responses.
"I love it! The girl on fire is so cheeky!" He turned serious once more. "Katniss, on a more serious note. I think we're all here a little disappointed, more than a little disappointed, that a certain wedding did not take place. But am I correct in assuming that this is the gown that you would have worn that day, yes or no?"
"Yes. President Snow thought everyone would want to see it," Katniss explained.
"Well President Snow, as usual, was right," Caesar laughed. Althea did her best not to roll her eyes, feigning a lighthearted chuckle instead.
"Will you do us the honor? Please, please." Caesar guided Katniss toward the front of the stage, and as she began to twirl, the white fabric of her gown lit aflame, leaving a black dress in its wake.
As Katniss spread her arms and revealed wings, Althea remembered Paprika's words.
Cinna is going to get himself killed.
"It's a bird," Caesar exclaimed.
"A mockingjay," Katniss clarified. The air left Althea's lungs. Not only had Cinna destroyed Snow's dress, his pathetic excuse of a harness, he had turned her into the very symbol of the rebellion.
And the poor girl had no idea.
"Well, your stylist has certainly outdone himself this time, hasn't he?" The crowd was wild, yet Althea found Pap, who smiled brightly while she clapped. However, the woman's gold-flaked eyes were full of fear.
Peeta came on next, dressed primly in a white suit.
"But Peeta," Caesar started when the cheers died down. "The wedding, marriage, never to be." Althea wondered if Caesar knew that over half of the victors would never marry, or if her just chose to rub it in the faces of two children instead.
"Well actually, we got married." The crowd gasped, and admittedly, so did Althea. "In secret," Peeta finished.
"A secret wedding? All right, so tell."
"We want our love to be eternal. You know Katniss and I — we've been luckier than most. And I wouldn't have any regrets at all... if it— if it weren't..." he stammered. Althea was clenching her fists again, leaving little half moons on her palms.
"If it weren't for what?" Caesar prompted.
"If it weren't for the baby," Peeta rushed out. The crowd was quick to uproar and Althea's stomach dropped to the soles of her feet. She looked over at Katniss, who stood slack-jawed. The girl was a child herself and she was pregnant.
As Caesar attempted to soothe the outraged crowd, Althea felt Thatcher grab one hand and Finnick grab the other. The victors raised their joined hands as the lights went dark.

«•»

"What the hell was that?" Althea pushed Haymitch to the side. "She is a child and you are throwing her to the wolves."
"In case you hadn't noticed, she's quite capable of throwing herself to the wolves, Althea." Haymitch swigged a drink from his flask, causing her to scoff.
"God, Haymitch. Are you even sober right now?"
"Unfortunately sober enough to understand this conversation."
"What's going on?" Peeta's voice interrupted the conversation. Althea backed away from Haymitch and sent a smile Peeta's way.
"Just catching up, nothing to worry about." She straightened her shoulders. "Congratulations, by the way."
His ears pinked. "Thank you."
Haymitch held out his hand for her to shake. "A peace offering."
She put her hand in his, the corners of her mouth dropping when she felt something being pressed into her skin.
Turning to Peeta, Althea spoke. "Get some rest. You'll need it."
He smiled again. "You too."
Without another word, she walked away. Finding an empty elevator, she pressed the close button.
Finnick squeezed in last second. Althea's heart thundered in her chest.
   "Did you—"
   "Yeah. I did."
   "Do you—"
   She looked up at him as they ascended in the tower. The lights flicked past and his eyes were on her.
   They were only ever on her.
   "Yeah. I do."
   Finnick's lips formed a small, closed lipped smile. "Okay," he murmured. The elevator opened. He leaned forward, but only half way.
   He's waiting on you, Althea.
   She wrapped her arms around his waist instead, burying her face in his neck. He ensnared her in his arms. She could feel his nose embedded in her hair.
   Finnick pressed a firm, lasting kiss on her forehead before letting go and leaving the elevator.
   "Get some sleep."
   She smiled weakly. "You know I won't."
   He smiled back. "I know."

a/n: feelings = hurt. I love them sm you don't understand. vote, comment, follow, like, subscribe, and whatever we do on this app. love y'all endlessly and I hope you enjoy this chapter bc the next few are gonna be crazzzzyyyy
xoxo
hadley