The Price of Champions and Crowns (Hunger Games)

6

I tried to pay attention. Really I did. But I couldn't force myself to watch him either. So I stared at Caesar mostly or the lights, anything but him. I nodded when I was supposed to and I tracked the days in the arena as we talked through them. Just praying that this interview would end but it feels like an eternity.

Hearing his voice feels like an eternity. Caesar put his hand up to silence the crowd and indicated to the screen. "I think...Victoria, this is the moment that everyone wants to know. What stopped you?".

I frowned. What stopped me?. I turned to the screen and felt sick. In fact, I'm sure my stomach just dropped. It was the second night, on the beach. And it was my watch. 

I stood still, my hands gripping my axe tightly with the blade aimed directly at Liam's head while he slept softly.  I watched myself angle it, hold it and then drop it.

Caesar smirked. "Well....".

I shuddered. "Would you believe me if I told you I just wanted to practice?. I'd never seen such a pretty axe. And there were plenty of trees. I was bored but knew what I was doing.  I'm skilled enough to know I'd need to lower the axe if I wanted to kill him. It was merely going to be target practice".

Maybe it was way I spoke so casually about it but they laughed. That hurt, more than I thought it would. It hurt to know anyone could laugh at the idea of him being hurt...did they laugh when he died too?.

Tune it out and don't focus on it. I continued to answer everything and admitting that yes, in this point in time we loathed each other. To which, Caesar commented just makes the love between as that much sweeter. 

And before I knew it, the two of us were in the canyon arena. Walking through rock caves and I could feel myself grow more anxious the more Caesar bounced in anticipation. 

And I heard it. My voice. A strangled cry...

"I-I want the screaming to stop".

I wasn't looking behind me but I watched as Caesar's hand was raised to stop the footage before turning to me and raising a wicked eyebrow. "Now, this was just everything! Wasn't it Panem?".

He leaned in closer to me. "I think we all knew from this moment that something more than hate was brewing between you two". He nodded at me and turned to the screen. "Let's just play a little bit more...".

There he was. There Liam was. His captivating green eyes on my shocked figure. I watched those eyebrows crease. The way he licked his lips while staring at me. As if he was thinking 'now...just throw it...do it now'. Something in him decided I couldn't, no wouldn't do it.

So I watched the boy whose stolen my heart hesitantly walk over to me while I stared at the screaming girl from District eight. The one who was crying literally on the body of her brother. But I couldn't focus on that. They were invisible.

I don't know how anyone could watch it and not be trained on him, and the way he looked at me. Like he knew the pain of what he was about to make me do. First he rested his forehead on mine and cupped my cheek. It so intimate that I nearly squirmed. Like it was a private moment for their eyes only. It was way more intimate that Katniss and Peeta's games. 

But then it turned sinister, the way he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. And I watched his lips kiss my ear and whisper something. Something the camera hadn't picked up on. My eyes never left his and I held in my gasp as my axe flew from my hand and lodged itself in her forehead. 

I. Had. Chills.

And I'd already lived it, but to watch it... nobody could doubt our love. If you even wanted to call it that. The chemistry, the ability to kill...that provided a whole new show.

I swallowed and tore my eyes away from the footage of Liam, sniffing as I did so. 

I could feel the crowd on the edge of their seats. Even Caesar looked desperate to know. "Now, we need to know what he said to you".

Then make it stop

It rang through my head now. It wasn't anything special, but told me what I needed to do to survive. Something I already knew. But it was the push, the push to admit to myself that I am killer.  Like Johanna, Like Liam...

Liam. Would it be wrong to tell Panem?. What if he wanted to keep it intimate. Is this wrong? I'm practically only alive because he was my ally. He can't defend himself, who knows what was going on in his head at this moment. But it was the moment that changed everything. 

Caesar coughed and I blushed. "I think some things are better left unsaid".

The reaction was boos and no's. People actually were crying and I smiled through it. Caesar looked uncomfortable but smoothly transitioned onwards. I could tell then that Caesar Flickerman is scared to push me, maybe he's had one too many interviews with my mother. Either way it means I got off Scott free. 

So we continued. I drowned, Liam saved me. They loved it. I watched nameless tributes die. I watched Liam scream in a field of poison ivy. Until...we sat at night. Across eachother with a small fire between us.  

We were talking and again I tried to block it all out. Because it's his voice and I know I'll never hear it again.

"-I'd never gut you. You know that right?. I wouldn't ever do that, not to you". 

I nodded and then we were flipped over for Poppy and Terrance Mellark. I tried not to snort in laughter. They edited it so not even a word of us bad mouthing our parents was even hinted at. Terrance had just made a fire before District Twelve had flipped over to Liam cupping my cheek and brushing his lips over mine. 

It didn't make sense based off what I had just saw for us to start kissing. My first thought if I was watching the games; but you hate eachother. 

The Victors, our parents and districts. They're all probably under the impression that we faked the whole thing. Afterall, we hated eachother but then from a conversation no-one saw suddenly respected eachother. It was more than respect, we identified and understood everything the other felt. I guess to the audience that conversation could of even been us plotting to fake a love story.

Which means I'm safe. No one can use Liam against me now that he's gone. They probably think I still hate him. Not even Snow knows. So really, unless Snow's seen the unaired footage then I'm totally a hundred percent safe.

But...oh god no!. Johanna and everyone back stage. Johanna knows it's true because I cried for weeks, stayed high and currently am high...

"Fuck".

It fell from my lips before I could take it back. I don't know how long it took me to come to that conclusion but on the footage Liam and I stood over the bodies from District Eleven. Caesar laughed and smirked. "Something you want to add there Victoria?".

No. I shook my head and cleared my throat. "No I just hadn't realised those tributes had been there the whole time".

Caesar winked at me. "Yes, wouldn't want anyone to see you two kiss".

I blushed as the crowed laughed. Sure let's go with that.

We then moved on. Watching the two us walk, the careers finding food and then us finding the waterfall. Before the screen suddenly turned black. 

Caesar gave a laugh and a wave. "The One Hundredth Games! Ha ha!".

He stood and went to shake my hand.

...that's it?.

I felt myself raise a little in my chair, the interview never stops until the end of the games. My mouth hung open in shock. "B-but it's barely half way through!."

 I can't believe I'm saying this but..I stood and glared at Caesar Flickerman on national tv. "I want to see the end".

What I really mean is,

I need to know what happened...

Because there's no way in hell that Liam Odair drowned  in that arena.