You Think This Is Hard? - A Hunger Games/ Glee crossover fanfiction

Chapter 23: Controversy

A.N. Yea... I think this chapter kinda sucks. Blame it on my science teacher. She is an evil... Yea I'm not gonna type the words that came into my head because then I'd have to change the rating  for the story. Lets just say that if Voldemort and President Snow had a baby (I don't see how that's actually possible) then it would be half as evil as her. 

So we had an exam blah blah blah I had to study instead of write and I failed epically anyway and we had heaps of homework in everything else (OK maybe not everything, but you get the gist) and that took up plenty of time (first week of school and we had more homework than almost all of last term. Geez people) and then I had other things on and then I had a telepathetic conversation with the ficus in the corner of the math room (don't ask) and had to kill some ponies (they are evil, don't trust them) and... I'm just gonna stop talking now, I've probably scared you all away. Please don't be scared by me, I'm over tired and want red cordial. I've rambled enough now, so read my pretties!!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (yea... I dunno why I did that either....)

Anyway.... here is Chapter 23 

Chapter 23: Controversy  

“Keep your back straight,” scolds Effie.

I roll my eyes and sit up straighter in the plush leather armchair.

In preparation for the interviews tonight, Effie and Haymitch are coaching Rachel and I separately on how to act in front of the cameras. For the last two hours, Effie has been teaching me how to be ‘polite’ and how to carry my self during my interview. Next- hopefully very soon, because I am getting increasingly bored- Haymitch will come and retrieve me and then instruct me on what to actually say tonight.

“Head high!” Effie snaps.

“My head is high!” I say back agitatedly.

“It is now, dear,” She says smiling, “But I really am very impressed with you. Not many of the tributes from twelve are as polite as you!”

I smile at her, slightly intimidated by her sudden mood swing. One moment she is scolding me, and the next she is complementing me with a huge grin plastered to her face. I don’t think I will ever get used to the Capitol citizens odd behaviour. 

I hear a knock on the door and it opens to reveal Rachel.

“Hey,” she says smiling at me.

“Hi,” I answer, “Is Haymitch done with you?”

“Yea,” she says, pulling a face, “Good luck.”

“Same to you,” I mutter, thinking of how annoying Effie is.

After giving Rachel a quick hug, I exit into the living area where Haymitch lounges across one of the large couches.

Upon seeing me, he coughs and sits himself up.

“So kid,” he says, getting straight to business, “How are you going to present yourself to the audience?”

“What?” I ask.

“Are you really that thick?” he questions, looking at me incredulously, “How are you going to act tonight at your interview. What are you going to do to make people like you, to make people want to sponsor you? Are you tough? Are you fierce? Are you someone that the Capitol will feel sorry for? Are you mysterious? Smart? Sly? What angle are you going to work with?”

I shrug, “I’m not any of those things. I’m just… me. The only thing that they will like is the fact that I’m going to die and they won’t have to put up with me anymore!”

Haymitch chuckles, “You’re witty. That’s always a good thing.”

I didn’t think I said anything particularly ‘witty.’ I’m not funny in the least.

I decide to voice my thoughts, “I’m not witty.” I say shaking my head.

He shrugs, “If you say so. What other angle can we work with then? There is the whole ‘look I’m rebellious’ thing…”

“No,” I say immediately, “I don’t want to use that. What I did during the parade was a mistake. I don’t know what happened then, but I don’t want it to happen again. I think I’d be pushing my luck if I said anything against the Capitol in my interview.”

He shakes his head, biting his bottom lip, “Not what I meant. You can be subtle. Be likeable, but show that you don’t want to be here, and that you think the Games are bad. Don’t say anything directly against the Capitol or you’ll be dead in a flash.”

“Well I’m going to die anyway aren’t I?!” I exclaim, “Or will I suddenly have the capacity to kill twenty-three other people, including my best-friend?”

“Do you want to do something in your interview or not?” he asks, pouring himself a glass of something, “You said one thing and then you said something different. What do you want? I know what I want, but that isn’t relevant. What I want could get us all killed!”

We both fall silent. I can clearly see that Haymitch wants me to do something controversial in my interview. He hates the Capitol, anyone could see that, and he wants to do something to hurt them, to make them fall.

What do I want? I honestly don’t know. I feel traces of the fire from the tributes parade inside of me, but it is more like a dwindling flame than a raging inferno. I dislike the Capitol so much sometimes, and would love to see them powerless, but at the same time, I’m scared. Hell, I’m terrified. If I do something, even if it is subtle, the Capitol will surely pick up on it, and what will that mean for me and the ones I love? Will the Gamemakers put in an extra effort to kill Rachel in the arena, to break me, and then kill me afterwards? Will Snow murder my father, the only family I have? I don’t think I can do it.

The people I love are at stake, and I’d willingly die for them. I am going to die for Rachel. I can’t stand the fact that if I say anything to show my displeasure, then I will not be the only one affected.

But what if I don’t say anything against the Capitol? What if I say something that could make people in the districts think, and feel something, but wouldn’t get anyone hurt? If only it were that simple.

“Haymitch,” I say, “What kind of things do they ask you at the interview?”

“They ask about you and your life back home and how you like the Capitol, and your strategies for the arena… stuff like that. Why?” he questions.

I shake my head, not giving him an answer. “And you want me to cause a controversy, yes?” I ask.

“Use your head, kid. I don’t know what you are planning, but either make it good, or don’t bother. If it isn’t good, people will get hurt and there will be no cause behind it. Be careful.”

I wish I was planning something. Maybe Haymitch will have an idea. I need to keep him talking.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I say, staring up into his stony grey eyes, “Do you want me to cause a controversy?”

He sighs, “I want you to do something to further fuel what you started at the tributes parade. I can’t explain it kid, but something about you screams ‘rebellion.’ Not the way you look, you look like a ten year old girl, but the way you act and carry yourself. Even before the tributes parade, I saw something. You remind me of someone I knew along time ago; a few people I knew, all of them who were powerful. Then at the parade… I’ve already talked to you about that and I don’t want to repeat myself. As I said then, you started something. Now it’s your decision of you want to end it or help it grow. So answering your question, yes, a controversy would be good, but make it something that the people of Panem will be able to connect to.”

I nod. I still don’t know what to do or what will happen, but I want to do something, because although he didn’t say it, I know what Haymitch was implying. This thing, this rebellion, is my responsibility. I either need to kill it or fuel it further, either of which is fine with me. I am the only one with the power to do this.

Maybe Rachel was right. Maybe I am deadly.