Phoenix walked onto the train, a small smile still plastered on her face. She looked around at the decorated train cart and saw no sign of Cassian, only seeing Maeve sitting by herself. Maeve looked up at Phoenix as the doors behind her closed. "Why haven't you married that boy yet?" Maeve knew well enough of the strong feelings for each other, anyone with eyes could see that.
"It's more complicated than that." Phoenix began, wishing more than ever she could be away from the Capitol with Finnick, but she couldn't and she wasn't planning on getting her hopes up. "Especially with this "Will they? Won't they?" relationship the Capitol's conspired." She puts air quotes over the title Finnick and she had gained over their years of being victors.
Phoenix sat in one of the chairs, not feeling anything as the train departed the station for District 5 at rapid speed. "No offense but I don't think anyone is thinking about the two of you now," Maeve admitted, looking at the screen in front of them. Phoenix matches Maeve's gaze, standing up from the chair and walking closer to the screen to get a better look.
She watched as Peeta Mellark got down on one knee, proposing to Katniss Everdeen right in front of her and the rest of Panem.
"Is this from today?" Maeve shakes her head at the rerun of the proposal. "It's from a couple of days ago. It's all everyone's been talking about, even in the districts." Maeve wonders to herself how Phoenix missed such huge news as this. A chuckle slips past Phoenix's lips, making Maeve look at Phoenix with a raised eyebrow. "What?" Maeve questions, watching Phoenix shake her head. "You really believe all of this?" Phoenix turns her head away from the screen and looks at Maeve who is giving her a confused look.
"Two victors, a new head GameMaker, previous victors suddenly not allowed to go to their Capitol party, and now the rush to get into the Quarter Quell." Saying all this out loud made Phoenix's nerves rise, but she continued. "They made Snow mad and now they're trying to fix it." Phoenix rubbed her clammy hands on her pants as she sat down, wondering if it was that easy to make Snow happy. If it was she would've married Finnick years ago.
A hush falls over the room as Maeve takes into consideration what Phoenix has just said. "I think you're thinking too much into this, Phoenix. Maybe they're just..." Maeve paused for a moment, thinking of the word to say. "Happy." Maeve finished, even if it sounded like she was trying to convince herself too. Because how could any victor ever be truly happy after the games?
The silence returned once Maeve turned the television off. Making Phoenix sit down, this time she took a seat by the window. Looking out at the scenery of Panem, Maeve's words replaying in her head. Maybe they were just happy.
As District 5 came closer into view, Phoenix realized she had seen no sign of Cassian. She turns away from the window and looks back at Maeve, watching her sit quietly, picking at her fingernails. "Where's Cassian?" Phoenix asked, breaking the silence that had gone on for almost too long. "He's in one of the other cars, he wasn't too happy about the delay." Phoenix rolled her eyes at the comment.
Cassian Layne had spent almost every moment inside the Capitol since winning The Hunger Games and Phoenix knows this is what changed him. It allowed him to form close bonds with the victors from the Career districts. Which made him arrogant and cold, growing to loathe Phoenix, even if she was the only reason he was alive.
"It's about time that bootlicker went home," Phoenix muttered to herself, not meaning for Maeve to hear. However, Maeve did hear, and the words made her eyes widen. Maeve was well aware of the two's dislikes, and in a way blamed herself. Blaming herself for not keeping a closer eye on Cassian, she let him get too far. But she had never heard Phoenix talk about him like this, even if she didn't mean to say the insult so loud.
However, neither of them knew Cassian was on the other side of the door, ready to come in. With both fists balled, he debated on going inside the car and beginning the long-awaited argument the two were destined to have. However, his mind moved to Maeve, who would be anything but happy if the two started fighting, and at this point that was the last thing he needed. His jaw clenches as he shakes his head, deciding it might be best not to say anything, knowing it will resolve nothing in the end. "Bitch." He mumbled to himself before turning away from the door.
"There was no need for that. You're supposed to be the mature one Phoenix." Maeve was in disbelief at Phoenix's words. "We're here, let's go." She adds, shaking her head and calling out Cassian's name before leaving the train without another word. The boy tensed up at the sight of Phoenix. "How's it feel to be home?" Phoenix asked with the question being more rhetorical. He sent her a stern glare as they made their way to the doors of the train side by side. "Shut up, Phoenix." A chuckle slipped past her lips at the words being thrown at her.
Although both were annoyed with the other, they made sure not to show it, something they had grown quite good at. With smiles on their face, the two victors from District 5 walked out of the train side by side. Their fake smiles grew more real as they were met with a small group of people awaiting their arrival. As the two made their way towards the group they made sure to act causally, acting as if nothing had changed between them. As if they were still the best of friends.
It didn't take long for Phoenix to find Canary Flack in the small crowd of people. Walking closer to Canary, Phoenix noticed her hugging Maeve tightly. "I was hoping I'd be the first one you'd hug." The two released from the hug as Canary went towards her sister with open arms. The sisters stayed in each other's arms for some time, neither having anything to say, just happy to be in the presence of each other.
"Let's go home," Canary muttered as she finally let go of her sister.
The small group of victors and their families arrived at the 'Victors Village' only minutes after the train arrived. Phoenix looked at her house in the near distance and felt a sense of ease. Even though it hadn't always been the Flack sisters' home, they had grown to love the quiet of the Victors Village. Maeve, Canary, and Phoenix watched as the Layne family went back to their home. Once out of earshot, Maeve turned to the sisters. "The announcement is going to start soon." Maeve took a slight deep breath before finishing. "So, I'll see you all after."
Maeve and the Flack sisters parted ways, with Phoenix thinking about what Maeve had said. "She's nervous." Phoenix blurted out as they walked up the stairs that led to their house. "And you're not?" Canary asked, opening the door for them. "Seeing her nervous isn't a good sign," Phoenix admitted, looking around the house. She loved how everything always looked the same, it always felt like home.
Canary sits on the couch before turning the television on, with an old interview of Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen playing instantaneously. "Have you met them?" Canary asked, watching Phoenix sit next to her. "Usually, we officially meet the new victors at their Capitol party, that's why I was there. But it was a last-minute decision to not allow any past victors into the party." She didn't tell Canary any of the theories she had about the sudden change, not wanting to worry Canary any more than she usually was.
The old interview cuts off abruptly, cutting off any questions Canary had been planning to ask. As the anthem rang through the living room of the Flack house, Phoenix felt herself tensing up. She takes a deep breath as President Snow appears, bracing herself for the announcement. "Ladies and Gentleman, this is the 75th year of The Hunger Games. It was written in the charter of the games that every 25 years, there will be a Quarter Quell." His voice boomed through their living room.
"To keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died and the uprising against The Capitol." Phoenix shook her head at the words that came out of The President's mouth. Each word coming out of his mouth felt like another punch in her face. Canary turns her attention to her sister and places a hand on top of hers, squeezing it for moral support. Phoenix squeezes back, feeling the pad of Canary's thumb across the back of her hand.
"Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by games of a special significance." He was calling back to the 25th Hunger Games, where the tributes were voted into the games, and the 50th Games, where 48 tributes were sent into the arena. "And now on this, the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion, we celebrate the third Quarter Quell as a reminder that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol." Phoenix feels another squeeze of her hand but now feels too anxious to reciprocate.
"On this, the third Quarter Quell Games, the male and female tributes will be reaped from the existing pools of victors."
Phoenix's mouth falls open slightly as the words begin to process. She feels the touch of Canary's hand disappear as her sister clamps her hand over her mouth. Phoenix's chest rises up and down, her heart now beating much faster than before. Hot tears begin streaming down Phoenix's cheeks as panic fills her. "He can't do that." She mutters shaking her head and looking at her sister for confirmation. Her voice cracked as she tried to keep the small bit of composure she had left. Yet as she repeats the phrase to herself, the more frantic she becomes.
Canary pushes past her own emotions as she shuts the announcement off. "He ca- th-they" Phoenix tries her hardest to get the words out. "He can't do that, Canary!" Phoenix finally cries out, standing up from her seat. Phoenix looks at Canary again, unknowingly breaking her heart as Phoenix looked at her sister for the confirmation she couldn't give.
"They can't do that!" Phoenix screams, feeling like her world is crumbling around her.
A helpless Canary jumps from her seat and wraps her arms around her sister, guiding her to the floor as Phoenix's knees seemingly give out. Her yells turn back into sobs as she buries her head into Canary's chest. Canary listened to her younger sister's sobs, her tears running down her face. She felt helpless, knowing there was nothing she could do to fix this for Phoenix, or Maeve.
"They can't do this," Phoenix repeats over and over again as her sobs continue into the night.