One Last Game -Haymitch Abernathy-

Chapter 25

The world felt different now. Amelia had never felt more alive. It was a strange feeling. The 75th Hunger Games were approaching, and her time left was limited. It was odd knowing she was going to die. She and Katniss would be competing in the Hunger Games, and Katniss needed to win. Either Haymitch or Peeta would be joining them, but that was still unclear.

Still, life was moving slowly by as they waited for the reaping. Amelia knew that no matter what, she was going to die. Surprisingly, coming to terms with her death was easy. At least, that's what she believed. It still felt surreal. Amelia knew once she was at the Capitol, it would feel more real.

Right now, Amelia needed to stay focused on what was important. That was making sure everything was in order for Haymitch. If he wasn't reaped, he would have to live with the aftermath. The world would be different after the games. Katniss would be the Victor, but Amelia and Peeta would not return. They had to die in order for Katniss to win. That was going by the idea that Peeta would be playing. Amelia secretly hoped for that. It was selfish but true. She needed to know that Haymitch would live.

Preparing for the aftermath was surprisingly easy. She made arrangements with Peeta's family to deliver fresh bread. She paid them well in advance and set up a way for Haymitch to continue paying them. Prim and her mother promised to keep an eye on Haymitch, make sure he was alive and that his drinking was under control.

His house was a mess. Amelia had always wanted to clean it, but she never got around to it. Now was a perfect time. She had several trash bags full of garbage. She went room by room—first the entryway. Then then the hallways, living room, and bedroom. Now she was cleaning the kitchen. That was by far the messiest room. There were glass bottles everywhere. It was amazing—some dated back years. Amelia had never seen anything like it.

She stood on the cabinet, several feet in the air. She pulled garbage off the top of the cupboards and tossed it into the empty bags. Suddenly, the front door opened. "Woah," Haymitch's voice filled the house. "Sweetheart?"

"In here," Amelia called back. She stood on the tips of her toes to collect the small scraps left behind.

"You've really cleaned up the place," he said. "Can I ask-" Haymitch walked into the room. For a moment, his heart stopped. "What the hell are you doing? Get down." He grabbed the back of her legs and slowly dragged her down.

Amelia chuckled, "I'm fine." She climbed down and sat on the counter. "I'm cleaning up." It seemed obvious.

Haymitch let go of her once she was safely sitting. "Why?"

"Your house is a mess," Amelia shrugged. "And once the games are over, there will be nobody here to take care of it. I thought it would be easier to clean it now so you could just make a mess of things again and not worry about a bigger trash build-up." She was speaking so fast that he struggled to follow. However, Haymitch understood.

It hurt him to know that Amelia felt the need to make plans like this for him. "You don't have to do that. Plus, there's still a chance that I'll-"

"Don't," she pointed at him. "Don't finish that sentence." Haymitch pursed his lips. "It's easier for me if I think you're going to be here afterward."

"Amelia," he grabbed her hand. "You're going to be here too."

She knew Haymitch was struggling with the concept. They once promised not to leave each other, but Amelia had to break that promise. She couldn't weasel her way out of the games, and she couldn't win. Not when they needed Katniss for the revolution that was possibly starting. "Haymitch, it's important to me that you take care of yourself once I'm gone." It hurt her to think of what would happen to him. "You can't drink like you do. You're going to kill yourself if you're not careful."