The Victor

9

I stride into the ballroom with Haymitch beside me. Food lines the walls around the dance floor. The room is already packed, but heads turn when we walk in, thought most people don't notice."Pipes!"An instant smile appears on my face. Haymitch grabs my arm before I can go to meet Finnick."Don't spend all your time with him," he says. "You still need sponsors."I nod before walking to meet Finnick. He wraps a casual arm around my shoulders, dressed in a dark blue suit."Haymitch looks unhappy. What, does he not approve of me?" He says lightly, his old arrogance displayed for everyone around us to see. I know that it's just an act, but I can't help smiling."He thinks you're a bad influence on me," I answer as we make our way into the crowd. "Maybe he's afraid your head'll get too big for my own good if I'm with you."Finnick laughs. "Impossible. My head is the perfect size, and my face looks fantastic on it. Now, come on, there's someone I want you to meet."I see Haymitch hugging a tall man with dark skin and a stump of an arm. The man lets out a guffaw."Chaff. A victor from District 11." Finnick says, still pulling me towards the edge of the crowd.He stops in front of a woman with short brown spiky hair and wide-set deep brown eyes. I recognize her from the Games a few years ago."Johanna," Finnick says, "meet Piper Lockly, the newest tribute."Johanna Mason meets my eyes before looking me up and down. "You're Snow's newest plaything?""Or so he thinks." I answer. I can't forget that Johanna mentored the boy who made my life hell in the Games.Johanna laughs. "That's what we all think, in the beginning. Some of us, he manages to use." She looks at Finnick. "With others, he takes away everyone we love. He gets to everyone, eventually.""Some of us more quickly than others." Finnick says, and I look at Johanna."I know you're judging me for mentoring Clive last year," she says. "I don't care. He was out of his mind. I'm glad you won."I'm taken aback, but I nod. "Thank you."The music changes, becoming more upbeat. "Come on, let's dance," Finnick says."It was nice meeting you." I say to Johanna."Same to you, canary." She answers, and Finnick pulls me away. I notice his flushed cheeks and slight stumble."You're drunk." I say. "How long have you been here?""Only tipsy." Finnick said. "You should have some.""I don't want any." I answer as he tugs me onto the dance floor."Loosen up, Pipes!" He says loudly. "It's a party!"I look around. It's a Capitol party. I don't want to be there, but Finnick's right. I need to relax.I let him spin me onto the dance floor. My heels make it difficult to twirl but I try, slipping a little. Finnick catches me before I fall. He's just as steady as always, another act, I know, but I lean on him like he could carry me forever.I grab his hand as we settle into the rhythm of the dance."How've you been?" He asks me."Worried." I answer. "It's been tense back home.""And your friend?" Finnick asks, quieter."I haven't been able to visit him. I know it's for his own good, but –""You miss him."I nod, and Finnick suddenly spins me around on his finger."It'll be fine, Pipes, don't worry." He says, and I grin."Come on, there's a fantastic soup over here you have to try," he says, pulling me behind him, and I laugh, letting myself get caught up in his current.As we reach the tables, I catch sight of Haymitch and his friend Chaff. When they see me, Chaff lets out a roar. I glance at Finnick in surprise as he staggers over, already considerably drunk, and wraps me in his arms."Haymitch has been talking about you for years!" Chaff says as he releases me. I look at Haymitch, who's bent double with laughter."That's nice," I say, giggling a little at his state. He steps away from me, stumbling."Good girl," he said, "I cheered for you, I did.""Thank you," I say, still a little unnerved, and Finnick guides me away, laughing to himself.(Finnick's POV)Piper's face as Chaff envelopes her entire body in one hug is priceless. I only wish I had a camera as I laugh. There's a faint prickle in my stomach, though, a pinch. Anger? No, something less than that, but I can't tell what.She detangles herself and I lay a hand on her arm, guiding her away from the guffawing Haymitch and Chaff. The unease in my chest lessens as her eyes reflect the lights above us back at me.If Piper wasn't here, I'd be on the arms of every woman here, cajoling for sponsors, but she's here. I can't tear my eyes away for a minute from the energy she seems to breathe into the room.I shake my head. The champagne is going to my head."Are you okay?" Piper asks, smiling."Of course I am," I say, but I have to try to wrench my gaze away from her. "Come on, we're on a quest for soup!"(Piper's POV)Finnick helps himself to a tiny bowl of soup, hardly more than a couple sips. "Trust me, you're going to want room for more," he tells me, and I help myself to a tiny pastry filled with some sort of red sauce. It proves itself to be raspberries and delicious.Throughout the next hour, Finnick and I work our way through the food, taking only tiny bites. I'm full to bursting but there's so much more I want to try.The music, which has been fairly high energy, slows down again. Finnick glances at me."Want to dance?" he asks, his eyes bright. He's been drinking throughout the night and his cheeks are still ruddy."If you can still stand up straight," I say, and he takes my hand, leading me to the dance floor.I put my hand around his neck and I feel his rest gently on my lower back as we begin swaying."I should be finding sponsors," I say. "I've wasted too much time as it is."Finnick breathed out, laughing softly. I can feel his breath tickle my ear. "They're all already staring at you, Piper. You have sponsors in your pocket already."I glance over his shoulder. "I think they're looking at you, what with your pretty face and all."Finnick meets my eyes. "You don't see it, do you?"I fall silent at the odd look in his eyes. "Why would they stare at me, Finnick?" I say, trying to laugh, to make him smile. He's acting very strange and it worries me. Then again, I'm always worried about him.Finnick shakes his head. "They stare because you're beautiful," he says softly, "and you are beautiful, Piper.""Finnick, you're drunk," I say, and he smirks."I stop being a coward when I am," he says."You don't know what you're saying," I say in an attempt to make him return to his usual self. The intensity in his eyes is burning a hole through my skin."Piper –"The song ends and I pull away from him, unease flooding my body.Finnick seems to come to his senses, and he laughs. "I'm drunker than I thought. You're right, I don't know what I'm saying.""Maybe you should go home," I say."No, I'm fine," he says. "Really."But for the rest of the night, we don't touch, not until I give him a light embrace as the Victor's Ball ends. And even then, the look in his eyes is distant. It's not cold, more like he's revisiting an old memory or regret.Maybe it's just the drink clouding his mind.