To Save a Victor

Chapter 15

I got dressed in a hurry the next morning. Finnick was already in the kitchen plopping sugar cubes into his coffee when I scurried down the stairs. 

"You were right, she did win." I mentioned, 

He nodded, lost in thought. "Snow is going to be pissed, I bet he's going to try and get rid of them." he mused swirling his coffee.

 I nodded and poured coffee into my mug. I snatched a sugar cube from Finnick and dropped it unceremoniously into the steaming liquid. 

"Was this what it was like when I came out of the arena?" I asked him. 

He shook his head, "Nah, the only thing they had to do with you was fix your tendon and your nose. Peeta's leg is going to have to be amputated, or at least that's what I heard from Haymitch. Katniss isn't in too good of shape either, although her injuries are going to be more mental." He tapped his forehead, "But that's something we both know about."

 I sipped my coffee and let what he had just said slide by. We didn't need to bring that up this early in the morning. 

"When do we get to go home?" I asked him. 

"Day after tomorrow, once they do the recaps with the Victors we can leave. Of course you will be expected to make an appearance as the reigning Victor." 

I stood and drained the rest of my coffee. 

"We had probably better go and find Adrian, he'll want to make sure everything fits right." 

Finnick sighed, "He's lucky that he's a good stylist, because he sure is high maintenance. "

 I slapped his arm "You are lucky he volunteered to style you instead of turning you over to Selena like she wanted him too." 

Adrian put me in a beautiful floor length green dress with laces up the sides. My hair was done with a braid across my brow and the rest curled and left down my back. I made my way through the tunnels and into the auditorium with the rest of the mentors. 

Johanna came up from behind me and clapped me on the shoulder. "How's it going Beatty?" 

I gave her a smile, "I've definitely  been worse, what about you Mason?" 

Her face split into a huge grin, "You speak for both of us." I laughed. Johanna was honest, she knew that none of us wanted to be here. 

I slid into the seat next to Finnick who was wearing a velvet suit with a green bow tie made from the same material as my dress. "Lookin' good Odair" 

"You too Beatty." I reached over and straightened his bow tie.

 Caesar Flickerman took the stage in a blood red suit. "Ladies and Gentlemen are you ready to see your new Victors?"

 The crowd exploded in cheers and hollers. 

"Alright, alright! But first I would like to recognize our reigning Victor, Miss Sage Beatty!" 

My head snapped up, surprised then I realized that the cameras were on me. I put on a big smile and stood from my chair, waving while the crowd cheered. 

"Doesn't she look beautiful tonight folks? Who are we kidding? She always looks beautiful!" He turned his attention away from me and the cameras turned back to the stage.

 I sat, exhaling. My legs were strangely numb. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, when I turned I was met with Chess's cold eyes. 

"Hi," I whispered, 

"We need to talk, closet. Now." 

"Okay," smoothing my dress out I began to stand but he clamped a hand down on my shoulder,