Loosen Your Corset

Chapter 1

I remember when I was a young girl who was born into the jewel of the capital. I had everything I ever needed since birth. Mummy and Daddy cared for me but in a way I felt empty. Alone. Food,water,shelter,and everything else essential was always at my fingertips at no price whatsoever yet I felt as if I was never truly living.

When I was 8 years old me and my family took a little side trip to District 12. My mother never really wanted to attend but my father was a rich business man who needed to visit there daily to see the progress the people make on a regular basis.

"Mummy can I play with them?" I ask letting go of my mother's hand observing the children playing with one another at a broken down playground. I knew it wasent much. I knew that it was not an ideal place for children but I wanted to play. I wanted to see those my age and have fun.

"Effie that's too filthy for you, wait here for a second with Chris while I look through the shop" Mummy says leaving me with the peace keeper who looked more than bored by the easy task of watching a child.

"Chris I'll give you my ring if you allow me to play" I say taking off my gold ring which costs more than the district itself. The peacekeeper looked down at me not sure. I could tell he really wanted to take it, it would be a huge bounty but he still wasent sure. Taking a possession from a capital citizen was a huge offense.

"Please Chris " I say giving the best puppy dog eyes my blue eyes can muster. Finally giving in the peacekeeper looks around to make sure no one's watching before taking the ring placing it under his armor.

"Go on but I will be watching you from here" he says.

My eyes light up and I pick up the big puffy pink dress I'm wearing to run into the small circle of children. When I get there everyone suddenly stopped playing,they acted as if I was the plague moving away from me, not making a sound.

"What's wrong?" I ask in a soft whisper confused.

"They never seen a Capital brat before" a male voice says making me turn to see it was a boy who looked to be 3 years older than me with short cut blonde hair and grey rags for cloths sitting on top of beaten down monkey bars.

"Brat? I'm not a brat!" I say crossing my arms angry.

"Oh really? You could have fooled me" the blonde boy says jumping down expertly from the rusty bars walking towards me. I take a step back feeling insecure even though I could see Chris watching me holding his gun close.

"I mean look at what you wearing and how healthy you look, I bet you never worked a day in your life" he says pulling a strand of my blonde hair with his grimy fingers.

"H-hey don't touch my hair!" I say pulling away from him shooting daggers into his blue eyes. I didn't attempt to deny his words since they were true. I never worked in my entire life since I already had everything.

"Didn't think so" He says grinning wide.

"Well I still want to play..so can I join your game?" I ask tilting my head in the cute position that makes the boys swoon.

"Hmm I don't think you can handle our games princesses " he says patting my head as if I was a three year old.

"I can! I can!" I say eagerly wanting to just have some interaction with people who weren't too proper to get their hands dirty.

"I still don't think so" He says in a playful tone. He was teasing me. Looking around I notice that the other children are still keeping their distance from me.

"Why are you the only one talking to me?.." I ask him looking down. I hated it when others isolated me. I hated feeling lonely and unloved.

"Cause I'm the only one with the balls to actually talk to one of the Capitals muts" he says in a bored tone.

"Muts? I'm not a mut!" I say blood boiling. I wasent a pet the Capital can control. I wasent a pawn in their game.

"What's your name anyway kiddo?" Blonde boy asks sitting on a swing set.

"Effie, Effie Trinket..what's yours?" I ask sitting on the swing next to him.

"Effie huh? That's a weird name, well my names Haymitch Abernathy" he says swinging looking up at the dark grey sky. It smelled dank and dirty but I just ignored it inhaling the oxygen. The Capitals oxygen was clean and euphoric compared to the districts. District 12 especially smelled worse, probably due to all the coal mines.

"How old are you?" I ask a different question wanting our little conversation to continue. By now the other children had left to their homes since it was getting dark. Their curfew was close.

"Me?..I'm older than you princess" Haymitch says.

"But how old?"I ask again but he didn't seem to want to give me a answer.

"Im eight and a half" I say wanting to put that out there.

"Eight huh? Well your lucky, you don't have to be scared" he mutters.

"Scared about what?" I ask looking at him but he avoided my gaze looking down at his lap. His blonde hair was in his face as he just fiddles with his fingers.

"Being in the Hunger Game's" he whispers.

The Hunger Games. I had forgot about that. Mummy and Daddy watch it every year but I usually am too busy doing something else to notice.

"What's that? Mummy always gets excited about it but she never tells me about it" I say.

"A savage death match kids like me get thrown into for the Capitals entertainment orchestrated by your President" Haymitch says voice low. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh" I simply say teetering on the swing.

"What's the Capital like?"He asks me breaking away from the serious conversation we were having a second ago.

"Um..I dont really know how to answer that Haymitch " I say looking into his light blue eyes. They were captivating to say the least.

"Ok here let's make a promise Effie" he says holding out his pinky finger making me tilt my head questionable.

"A promise?" I ask curious.

"Yeah next time we see each other you would tell me everything about the Capital and how people live there, promise?" His blue eyes bare into mine until I hook my small pale pinky finger with his.

"I promise Haymitch Abernathy" I say smiling wide making my pearly white teeth show. Haymitch does the same but accompanies his smile with a low chuckle making my heart skip a beat. What was that?

"Effie! Time to go" Chris says seeing Mummy close to the shops exist. I nod and hop down from the swing. Looking at Haymitch my eyes sadden knowing that I will never make a real friend like him again. Someone truthful, someone who won't lie to me or keep their distance.

"Haymitch can I hug you before I leave?" I ask sheepishly looking at my golden shoes embroidered with gems. I just wanted a proper goodbye.

"Uh..think that will be ok with your buddy over there?" He asks me nervously pointing to Chris.

"As long as you don't try something Chris will be fine with it" I say teasing him. Shockingly I see some red appear on Haymitch's cheeks. I made Haymitch Abernathy the most thick headed boy I met blush?My victory was short lived when Haymitch pulls me into a warm embrace. I was shorter than him so I came up to his chest. Slowly I wrap ny arms around his chest. To be frank I didn't want to leave his arms. Yes he did smell like rank debree but he was the realest person I had ever met.

"I hope that I get to meet you again Haymitch Abernathy" I think before pulling away and running off to my Mummy who was complaining about the disgusting items in the shop to Chris.