JACK THE RIPPER

57- see the lights, see the party, the ball gowns

I stride out of the dressing room and into the blistering chilly glacial air of the January evening, the palace is completely immense as I jerk onto Finnick's arm. The house is completely a mix of innocent white granite, promising gold columns, and silver roofing. Elodie walks in front of the two of us like she owns the pair of us. Which I think she technically does. I kept my head high and my smile on.

We walk up the agate steps, slinking myself up with Finnick as people on the steps are hooting and applauding us onto the house. There are couples standing there and watching the two of us with luminous eyes and winks. Families who are steering the two of us out to their little children. Little children are here. They are indicating us out like we are superstars, as if us guaranteeing celebrities means you have to massacre people is what you have to do, so what.

I walk myself into the house, marching open the sandstone doors. The walkway is absolutely made like as if I'm submerged. There are blueish inflatables on the floor all bunched together with balloons on the top that loop up into the air. The balloons make up the edges too as well as the maximum amount, which is a pure snowy balloon ceiling, the corals are made out of foam, the baby blue, white carpets, there's a mass of food and people bolting around.

Unfortunately for the two of us, as the victors are considered desirable, the second we walk into the main party area, which is a painted floor that has the sea on the bottom, there is a sort of sky backdrop with a massive crescent moon lying on it, the lights are made out of fake stars, with corals and sunflowers growing on the side.

We are completely hoarded by adoring fans of both mine and Finnick's. These people forget that I am still a minor, yes, I'm seventeen but I'm still a child. Men manage to throw themselves around me, some of these men ever in their sixties and seventies.

"Okay. Okay." A voice comes from the middle of the crowd, pushing all the men and women away from the two of us. Kendra felt like a voice of a goddess. She pushed the men away from us and the women away from Finnick. "Let the children breathe. Beat it." She glared at one of the seventy-year-old men.

I immediately hugged Kendra, placing my arms around her and she kissed my cheek. "Oh, my goodness, there you are."

"I'm right here, darling." She assured me before letting go of me, she looked around the room, desperately looking for someone in the crowd. "Maggs! Maggs come on."

"Actually Kendra, could you give the two of two seconds?" Finnick blinked at Kendra. Whose lips curled into a grin.

"I sure can" She winked at Finnick then leaned into me, she had a flirty smile. "And I thought the whole romance thing was an act."

"It is, go on." I kicked her leg and Kendra gave me a final wink.

"Hmm. Act my ass." She whispered, mainly to herself. She walked off, grabbing Maggs arm. Maggs waved goodbye to me and Finnick, who waved back.

"So" My attention was now solely on the blonde-haired boy who I hated to admit, he looked stunning. "Finnick, what can I do at these parties?"

"Let your adoring fans know how much you love them by showing off your assets." Finnick's eyes scanned the crowd, lots of women in the Capitol were watching him like a hawk, whispering things into other women's ears.

"Har, har. Aren't you hilarious?" I faked a smile before I turned into a frown. Finnick gave me a look and poked his tongue out.

"Aren't I just?" He agreed sarcastically. "Hmm, people are watching. Wanna give these assholes something to actually talk about?"

I finally managed to smile at this party. I took his hand of course, need to look like we're real. "Oh, please yes. If I get more than one pervs to look at my breasts one more time, I think I might scream."