Capital Nights

Episode 13 ~ A Lose-Lose Situationship

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My head is pounding from another hangover. I can't even tell if I'm in District 4 or the Capital. The past few months have been a blur to be honest.

I've grown a lot closer with Cash, Gloss, Brutus and Enobaria. The siblings, Enobaria, and I are the wild children of the group and Brutus is like the group dad. We all joke around with him and call him our dilf. He's by far the oldest in our group, having won the 44th games at 18. He's pushing 40 now but is still in high demand.

Enobaria, Gloss, Cashmere and I are a lot closer in age. Enobaria won the 61st games three years ago at the age of 17 so she just turned 21 last November. Apparently her party was a wild one.

Gloss won the 62nd games at 18. He turned 21 three weeks after Enobaria and she won't let him forget that she's older.

Cashmere won the 63rd games at 17 and just turned 19 in March. We threw her a big party in the lounge and went on a full weekend bender. I'm of course the youngest at 16 so they all treat me like the baby of the group.

Gloss loves talking to me about what it will be like when Rian and I have finally won back to back games. His sister and him had planned their victories for years and the capital loves them even more because of it.

I don't think I want Rian to win the games anymore. It would be better if he didn't volunteer at all but if he did win he'd be sucked into my life even further. He'd find out what I do for work and would probably kill me. Maybe the capital would book us together for joint appointments. They all know I have a boyfriend as I talked about him in my interview but the capital isn't really into having monogamous relationships. I guess that's more of a districts thing.

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I return to District 4 at the end of April, already dreading the 2 weeks I would have to spend there. I miss the times when I loved District 4. I used to swim in the ocean and go on runs but now I just sleep, deal with Rian, and work at the academy. I have more money and things than I know what to do with and no amount of shopping makes me feel better.

"You're late," Rian scolds as I walk in the door.
"Sorry the train was delayed for fueling," I tell him, taking off my shoes.

"You really expect me to believe that?" he scoffs as he grabs my right arm. "I'm going to punish you." I usually don't fight back but tonight I've had enough of him.

By the end of that night I'm crying in pain. I'm covered in bruises and sore from how rough Rian was. I miss the capital and my clients there. At least some of them are gentle with me.

I drag myself to the academy the next morning after not sleeping. I spent the night crying in my bathtub while I watched the bruises on my body form.

"Miss Harper!" Annie exclaims as we start our morning break. "What happened to your eye?" I had almost completely forgotten about the black eye Rian gave me last night.

"Oh it's just a bruise from training," I tell the 14 year old. "It's fine."

Annie stands there pouting with her arms crossed. "You need to be more careful," she tells me. "Training is meant to strengthen, not hurt you." I sigh as she repeats the words I tell the kids regularly.

The class goes back to work and I go to the academy nurse for some ice and pain killers. My eye is starting to swell shut and I have a horrible headache. I sit there for awhile icing my various bruises, not wanting the students to see me so weak.

"Nurse Chapel!" I hear Finnick exclaim. "I need a bandaid." The nurse goes to get him a bandaid and he stops at the sight of me.

"Hi Brooke how is your day?" he asks me. Finnick is one of my rowdier students but he's excelling in his new weapons course. It's a good way to get his energy out.

"It's fine," I say as my voice cracks. I'm trying really hard not to cry. He comes over and sits in the chair next to me.

"I know it's Rian," he whispers to me. "He talks badly about you and comes in with scratches on his arms when you come in with bruises. You'd think your boyfriend would be careful not to hurt you if you were actually training."

I sniffle as a tear falls from my non swollen eye.
"Don't worry about it Finnick," I tell the boy. "It's not your problem."

"Don't worry Brooke," he grins. "I have a plan!"
With that he goes back to the gym, leaving me questioning what the 13 almost 14 year old could have possibly come up with to save me from this toxic relationship.

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I spend the weeks I have in 4 between shifts teaching at the academy and avoiding Rian. I've been hanging out with Mags when I can, telling him she needs help around her house. He's not the least bit interested in helping others but that doesn't surprise me.

I wish I could call Cashmere and confide in her about my relationship. She's the only person close to my age who I feel understands me. Unfortunately I can't call her from my house because of Rian and I don't want to call her from Mags's house because I don't want to burden Mags with my problems.

I know deep down that I need to end things with him for my own sanity. Unfortunately, I can't leave our house because it's my house and I literally have nowhere else to live. I can't exactly kick him out without the threat of him retaliating. Also, if I told someone about what was happening it would ruin his chances of getting sponsors. I would feel super guilty if he died in the games because of lack of sponsors.

If he volunteers and then dies in the games that would look bad on me since I'm his victor girlfriend who trained him. If he wins the games I'll be stuck with him forever. It seems like a lose-lose situation to me.

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AN: pls tell me someone got the Star Trek reference lol. What do we think Finnick's plan is?