In Power We Trust - Haymitch Abernathy

Chapter Six - Love?

Amelie

My feet were cold on the marble floor. I stood, hands on either side of the sink, staring at myself. Water dripped from my face. I didn't know what was from me splashing my face and what was tears. As I was changing into my tribute parade costume it had just hit me, tomorrow is my last day before...

I didn't really want to think about it. My mind drifted to 12 and to Ma. I thought about how cruel I was to her. Bout how that's the last way she'll remember me, angry. I still loved my Mama despite everything. For all I know the slip of paper they pulled wasn't one of the extra ones at all. For all I know I was fated to be here and it wasn't her doing. But God's.

There was a knock at the door that ripped me from my thoughts.
"Hey you dressed? We're all waiting." Briar spoke.
"Yeah! I'll be just a second!"

I quickly slipped my combat boots on and made my way into the so-called 'beauty room'.
The entire far wall was a mirror so I caught a glimpse of myself right away.
I wore an awful heather gray cole-miner uniform and boots. All I could think about was how much I looked like my father.

Briar beamed, "Wow. You all look just-"
"Terrible." Maysilee said, trying to adjust the bagginess of her pants.
"I was gonna say marvelous."

Briar walked over to me and fixed my hair, moving my braid to rest on my shoulder. "We're gonna have to do something about this hair won't we?"
I didn't say anything, I just nodded at her and walked closer to the mirror.

I felt my father in these clothes, I couldn't help it. These were the only things I ever saw him wear. I never thought I missed him, I just knew I resented him. But, standing in the mirror and staring at the daily uniform of my departed father, I couldn't help but miss him.

It was obviously showing on my face because I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, "Hey, you okay?"
I met Haymitch's blue eyes in the mirror. I didn't feel like talking about it. I didn't want to get into my daddy issues two hours before the tribute parade. So I dodged the question. "Are you?"
His hand dropped from my shoulder.
"What do you mean?"
I turned to face him.
"You know what I'm talking about Haymitch, what happened with Marcus?"
"I kicked his ass, that's what happened." He started grinning a bit, clearly amused at himself.
I gave him a look, "You said 'if you ever call her that again I'll kill you' I heard it. Were you talking about Maysilee? How he called her a bitch earlier."
He looked at me for a moment, clearly thinking before answering me, "Uh, yeah. Just couldn't help myself I guess."
This answer sent a twang of jealousy through me and I wasn't even sure why. He did the right thing, sticking up for her. I don't know why I felt weird about it. I tried to bury the feeling.
"That's good," I finally said, "I mean it's not good you really shouldn't be wasting your energy on idiots like that but, your heart was in the right place-"
Haymitch was grinning, ear to ear.
"What?" I questioned, a small smile forcing itself onto my face.
He shrugged his shoulders, "I like when you ramble."
"I wasn't rambling!" I protested.
He started laughing, "whatever you say..."
"No!" I hit his arm lightly, "Shut up I wasn't!"
"Hey don't hit your ally!" He laughed.

"Ally?" Marcus spoke up from across the room. Haymitch and I's laughter died.
"Oh Marcus, back from the infirmary so soon?" Haymitch said.
Marcus walked closer to us, he was all up in Haymitch's face now.
"Oh yeah buddy I'm fine, no thanks to you."
Haymitch's once mocking tone turned more serious, more threatening.
"You had it coming man, don't put that on me."
"You never answered my question." Marcus' nose was just inches away from Haymitch's now.
"Never asked one." Haymitch said as he pushed Marcus away from him a bit.
"I said, what the hell do you mean, ally."
"I mean, Amelie is my ally. Is that too difficult for your shaken up brain to understand?"
Marcus lunged forward and grabbed hold of Haymitch's shoulders, hard.