JACK THE RIPPER

72- It's nice to have a friend

"I don't want to do this."

Johanna knocked, both me and Finnick had been authorized to complement her all the way to District Twelve, Blight didn't mind and favoured to get himself drunk. He should spend time together with Haymitch Abernathy more. But Johanna was dreading her victory tour, the way she had for the past six months.

Which had been somewhat peaceful, Johanna stayed in seven whereas me and Finnick stayed in four. we were relishing in ourselves of course, I loved staying with Finnick and experiencing our alone time (which, yes, mainly concluded the both of us having sex) but it was still exciting. Johanna wrote to the both of us every week as she stayed in Victors Village.

I had enjoyed myself with my family too, Annie was getting better and because we could actually afford a doctor now, we could afford to get her some pills that would help with the depression she was suffering with, from the anxiety she was suffering with. She was taking these tablets to calm her down. Vera was nearly five now, which scared the crap out of me.

Pandora and Iva were practically over every day, forcing me to do things like rush them to the beach. The beach was the best thing about four, the three of us would pile onto the beach and just run around, the way we did when we were kids. Lincoln and Markus would go surfing now, they didn't have to worry about things anymore.

But the prostitution still hurt me.

I just didn't know how bad it would get on the final day of Johanna's victory tour.

We got onto the train with Johanna, it had pulled into four for us. I was dressed appropriately whereas Finnick was dressed almost like a sex object for the Capitol's pleasure.

"—You have to do this." I remind Johanna, she is dressed in a brown blouse with a pair of black trousers. She's grown her hair out into a bob now, it's still black. She gives me a cold stare. "You don't have a choice."

"Can't I just kill fucking President Snow?" Johanna grumbles, folding her arms and looking at herself in the mirror. Finnick walks into her dressing room.

"And what? Get executed?" Finnick snickers, leaning up against the door. I walk over to him and give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Yes" Johanna flips around, fixing her hair and she rolls her eyes to see me and Finnick. "Ugh, get a room. You make me feel like the third wheel. I'm never falling in love." Johanna complains, fixing out her clothes.

"You're not the third wheel, Jo. You're our child." I remind her, Finnick stretching his arms around my back, I rest my head on his shoulder. "And besides, it's better than being executed. Besides, the Mayor Undersee is actually quite a sweetheart."

"Fine. Let's get this over with so I can go to the Capitol and enjoy all of the spoils!" Johanna, very sarcastically, places her hand underneath her head in a v shape.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of the seventy-first Hunger Games, Miss Johanna Mason!

Johanna gave a...erm good speech. It was a little furious, I must acknowledge.

Oh, and you know, President Snow. The more of us you kill, the more likely we are going to be put into rebellion! I hope you know that!

Idiot. I love my best friend. But idiot.

The rest of her victory tour, her escort, Reaxer, had ordered that Johanna zip the lip practically, or the Capitol would make her an Avox. Johanna was furious, smashing things in her room. She had to act all nice and lovey-dovey for the rest of the districts. Which you can imagine went as perfectly as one would imagine.

"Ooh!" Reaxer, Johanna's escort applauds his hand very enthusiastically. The three of us are sitting on the booth in train.

"What?" I stand up, trying to see what he's looking at. "What is it?"

"We're arriving in the Capitol, children!"

I give Johanna and Finnick an irritated look, which I am given back. It makes me grin; I've been to the Capitol too many times now, it's become so repetitive that I just hate it. I actually despise it. I despise the look of people who think that we are mutts, that we are sickening creatures.

"Oh, yippee." Johanna so mockingly points out. Me and Finnick both snicker. Reaxer looks less astonished than we do.

"This is all going to be for you, Johanna. You should smile." Reaxer repeats to Johanna, by this time, I have slipped down next to my boyfriend and my best friend.

Johanna bends into my ear, she mouths something intense into it. "I'm gonna carve his face into a smile if he keeps going on about this."

"Johanna." I give her an experiencing look; Johanna rolls her eyes.

"So-rry." Johanna, very shamelessly, reacts. "But god, how I would love to put an axe in his face."

"Jesus Christ, Jo." Finnick raises both of his eyebrows, before he has a roguish simper on his face. "Do it."

Johanna gives me a self-satisfied look; I sit back and breathe out. "See? Finnick thinks I should."

"Both of you are going to get executed in the square of the Capitol" I'm the conceited one now, I copy the escorts and clap my hands very sardonically. "And do you know what? I'm going to clap."

"You know you'll be executed too, for being an accomplice." Finnick blinks at me.

"No, I will not, I will tell them I hate the both of you."

"She doesn't hate us." Johanna imitates to Finnick, she gives me a glint. "She loves us too much. We're her best friends."

"Her family." Finnick fixes Johanna's words, who nods her head. Finnick takes my arm when we all stand up. "Isn't that right dear?"

"Shut up" I give him and Johanna a fake smile when I say this, taking Johanna's hand.

This moment was one of my favourites.

The next four hours would be my least favourite.