Before the Epilogue

Chapter 23

Haymitch pushes through the crowd and leads us to the control room.

When we enter the room, Haymitch slams the door and locks it.

Peeta and I sit down in the chairs and stay silent.

Haymitch is typing wildly on his computer and muttering something to himself.

"Why are we in here?" Peeta barks.

"Two reasons," Haymitch replies simply.

"And those two reasons are..." I push.

"To tell you about what your gonna do in the arena and about Peeta missing his interview," Haymitch gruffs.

"Yeah about that..." I begin. "Am I going to get in trouble?"

"Why would you get in trouble?" Peeta questions as he turns to face me.

"When you went mutt... I started fighting with the guards. I was punching and kicking and trying to get to you... but they wouldn't let me. They forced me to go on stage for my interview... and because I was so mad... I said some things that I'm sure I will have to pay for," the last sentence is barley autoble but Peeta seemed to hear it just fine.

He gets up from his chair and walks over to me. I stand up and follow Peeta over to a chair that's big enough for the two of us.

"Probably. Both of you are going to be in trouble. Plutarch was very unhappy about what Katniss said and also, about Peeta missing his interview, but he knew that there was no way we could him on stage without you so he gave in and let Peeta miss his interview," Haymitch confesses.

We sit down and I curl up next to him.

Silence.

"I know I'm doing it," Peeta mumbles.

I turn and look at him. His expression is a mix of shame, sadness, and anxiety.