Cross the Border

"How did your private lessons go?" Effie's voice broke the awkward silence.

They had all just sat down on the large sofa to watch the points for the individual lessons being awarded in a few moments. Effie had sat between Elowen and Haymitch, just to be on the safe side. The girl didn't even look at her mentor and a dissatisfied pout was on her lips. It reminded her how young Elowen really was. At times she tended to forget it. She didn't even know why.

Ramon, who had put a large distance between himself and the group, remained silent. He ignored her question, as he usually did. He hadn't spoken to her since the recent incidents, which Effie didn't really have a problem with. She still felt uncomfortable in his presence and the feeling of his eyes on her body made her shiver.

It was only when Elowen shrugged her shoulders and made no attempt to tell Effie about the private lessons that she became suspicious. The girl had never held anything back from her before, she had always trusted her. "It went well," were the only words she could utter. Her voice sounded tense and dismissive.

The lack of details annoyed Effie. If Elowen wanted to be angry, she should focus her anger on Haymitch and not take it out on her. The girl would only end up hurting herself. Effie pursed her lips and was about to open her mouth to point this out to Elowen when the television lit up. Caesar Flickerman appeared on the screen; his usual wide grin and the amused flash in his eyes immediately relaxed Effie. She decided to save her reprimand for later and leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa.

Caesar cracked some of his usual jokes, even eliciting a small smile from Effie, who was trying her best to appear cold. Then he began to announce the actual points. Magnus and Cashmere from 1 didn't disappoint. Both received 9 points, closely followed by the other career tributes. The other tributes were also no surprise. One or two 6s in one of the outer Districts, but 5 was usually the maximum.

Effie didn't know what to expect when Caesar called Ramon's name. She felt a wave of shame rise through her as she realized she hadn't given the boy much thought. She would have to fix that, she couldn't be biased, no matter what Ramon had done. Effie's eyes widened slightly at the 7 that appeared on the screen.

All heads turned in his direction. Haymitch nodded in recognition, while Effie could only stare at him in surprise. On the day of the Reaping, she had been incredibly proud of the olive-skinned boy with brown hair. After everything that had happened between them since then, she had lost sight of him. Ramon paid no attention to any of them, his ebony pupils fixed on the monitor with a concentrated gaze. Should she have approached him more? Would more obvious support have made him more open to her help? He could still go far in the Games. Even if he didn't win, a good placing could be good for her too.

Effie turned to the girl on her left. Elowen's emotionless mask was inscrutable. It only seemed to harden as the announcer continued, announcing a score of 4 for her. She lowered her head, and Effie was not prepared for the throbbing fear that spread through herself.

"Well, I think that ..." Effie began in a calm tone, but Elowen had already jumped up from the sofa and was storming out of the living room. She could only watch her with her mouth open. Ramon followed Elowen's example, albeit with slow and graceful steps. If Elowen was allowed to go, then nothing was stopping him from leaving the two of them sitting here alone.

And now, for the first time, Effie felt a kind of anger at her female tribute. Her score wasn't high, no question about it, and Effie was disappointed about that too. But that was no excuse for a lack of manners. A lady had to be in control of herself at all times. But even the indignation at Elowen's behavior couldn't dislodge the lump in her stomach. It was as Haymitch had said: the girl's chances were slim, and the rating was her first real proof that she was getting worked up about something. What were her options? She couldn't just stop caring about Elowen; she was still obligated to her.

Effie snorted without opening her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. It was almost an unconscious reaction to the fear in her chest. She was the cheerful, lively, and optimistic Effie Trinket. Fear was a foreign concept to her. So she put on the mask of indignation, as that was what Haymitch would most likely expect from her.

"They need some time for themselves," Haymitch said in an indifferent tone and stood up from the sofa as well.

Effie didn't know what else to do but follow him. She needed to talk to him. This conversation had been overdue for a whole week. When the young woman closed her eyes, the kiss replayed in her mind over and over. Not that the kiss meant anything to her. She barely knew Haymitch; most of the time, he was hostile towards her. His demeanor reminded her a bit of her own mask that she wore every day. Only in a few rare moments did he seem to let the wall down.

The Capitol loves to see us suffer. Something inside Effie wanted to find out what he meant by that. It was obvious that Haymitch harbored a deep resentment toward the Capitol. Was it just because he had been in the arena? She had asked herself that question more than once.

What if they were your children? She hadn't had an answer to that either. Effie had tried to imagine it. But from her perspective, it seemed almost surreal. The reality of the Hunger Games was surreal to her. It frightened her to think about it. She didn't want to think about it. How could she still doubt the cruelty of the Hunger Games when she had to look after Elowen every day? Elowen's death sent panic through her veins, even if the annual performance itself left her cold. Her emotions were numb.

"Do I have something on my face?" Haymitch asked, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Effie shook her head, confused, and smoothed her pink cocktail dress with an elegant gesture. Feeling the fabric under her fingers calmed her. "We could help the children better if they told us about their individual trainings," she deflected, ignoring his question.

Haymitch leaned against the bar, his eyes scanning the neatly arranged bottles. His face seemed to brighten at the sight before him, and Effie stepped back reflexively, repulsed by the emotion in his gaze that she couldn't quite decipher. "At this point, many tributes want to be trained alone. They don't want the other to use their strengths and weaknesses to their advantage," Haymitch explained absently.

"But it does not always have to be that way," Effie remarked, narrowing her eyes in a contemplative gesture. "It worked with you and Maysilee back then, without either of you suffering a disadvantage from it."

The words had barely left her lips when she felt the shift in the air. Haymitch recoiled as if she had struck him. His body tensed, and he turned to her with an impulsive movement. "Leave my Games out of this," he hissed angrily, and Effie barely recognized him. His face was contorted into a mask of rage, his teeth glinting under the neon lights illuminating the bottles on the shelves. For a moment, he reminded her of Ramon. "Why do you always have to harp on everything? It's obvious that Elowen and Ramon don't want an alliance!"

Effie didn't understand why he always became so enraged when she mentioned his Games. She raised her hands in a placating gesture and took a step towards him. "Whatever is making you so angry right now, Haymitch, I apologize. That was not my intention."

"Of course, you don't know," Haymitch spat the words at her, and Effie could see his hand trembling. "You're just a dumb Capitol woman who thinks she's something special because she's now part of the Hunger Games. I don't even want to know what twisted way you got the job in the first place."

For a moment she stared at him in dismay. She should have gotten used to his insults by now, but she was always surprised by how cruel Haymitch could be. Effie felt the agitation rising within her but held it back. Fighting anger with anger was pointless. His anger was far too deep-rooted for that. "Why do you say that?"

Haymitch blinked in confusion. His eyes were fixed on her and her every move as she continued to approach him. As if he expected her to attack at any second. He didn't answer her.

"Why do you always say such things about me?" Effie continued when he couldn't open his mouth. "In the few days we have known each other, I have never treated you badly. I have never been unkind, I have always tried to make everything as pleasant as possible for you. I have never done anything to you."

The expression in Haymitch's eyes changed for a moment. Then he regained his composure and pointed a finger at her. "You come from the Capitol," he said, his voice calmer than Effie had expected. "The Capitol is hated by most of the Districts. For the poverty that we endure. For the injustice we suffer while you live in luxury. For the Hunger Games."

Effie thought about his words. "I do not know much about that," she finally admitted. "We do not learn much about the Districts, only the essentials. Before this Reaping, I did not even know what any of them looked like."

"But you must have some thoughts about the Districts when you talk about them," Haymitch insisted, though Effie saw a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

"Many say that the people in the Districts do not care much about hygiene and manners," she explained, shrugging almost sheepishly. "They nearly destroyed us in the war and brought much suffering to our people, and now they are paying for it."

To Haymitch, it sounded almost like she was quoting something. He couldn't believe that people in the Capitol knew so little about the Districts and didn't question this lack of knowledge. What a beautiful life it must be, always being supplied with resources of all kinds, without having to think about where they came from and under what conditions they were produced. What an unburdened life.

"Do you believe these things?" he heard himself asking. The anger had left his body. All that was left was an uncomfortable emptiness that seemed to suck him in from the inside out. Like a whirlpool in the middle of his chest.

Effie's clear blue eyes looked him up and down and she took her time answering. "I do not know," she finally admitted and Haymitch didn't know if that answer was enough for him. He was almost relieved when she opened her mouth again. "I did not live through the war, and it is very rarely talked about in the Capitol. It is not something people like to hear about. It happened so long ago. But I do not think the current generation should be held responsible for something that happened seventy-five years ago."

Haymitch pressed his lips together and held his breath. He hadn't known what he wanted to hear, but her words were undoubtedly dangerous. He wasn't sure she was even aware of how they might be interpreted. Nevertheless, she had expressed her opinion with the utmost transparency, and the spark of confidence he had felt a few days ago returned to his chest.

"Did I say something wrong?" Effie asked when he didn't answer. Her arms hung uselessly at her sides. For a moment, the energy that usually flowed so obviously through her veins was missing.

Slowly, Haymitch shook his head. He wondered if Effie saw him as inferior. She had told him about the prejudices with which the Districts were spoken of in the Capitol. He wondered if she watched the Games with her friends and judged the tributes by their manners, only to laugh at the children who behaved like savages the most.

"No, you didn't." With these words, he turned around, grabbed one of the bottles and then walked towards the door.

"Wait," Effie murmured so quietly that Haymitch wasn't sure if she had actually said anything. Nevertheless, he stopped and turned to her one last time. She had followed him, and her blue eyes met his as she stopped a few steps behind him. "If ... you need someone to talk to, you can always come to me."

Haymitch hesitated. Did she want to spy on him? What would the Capitol gain from it? Maybe she is just being friendly and trying to understand you, scolded a voice in his head. Was it really nothing more than simple kindness? The expression on Effie's face, a mix of concern and hesitation, made him finally make a decision. An arrogant grin crept onto his lips, and he nodded, convinced that he would never take her up on her offer.

oOo

The next day dawned, bringing with it the coaching of the tributes in preparation for the interviews that would take place in two days. Effie had argued with Haymitch at the breakfast table about how this crucial session would proceed. Initially, Haymitch wanted nothing to do with it; he already felt too involved in the tributes' strategy. But as usual, Effie left him no other option but to go along with her plan. They agreed that Effie would spend the first half of the day with Elowen, and they would switch at lunchtime.

Effie was relieved to delay her encounter with Ramon. She had retreated to the living room with Elowen, unaware of where Haymitch had taken Ramon. The young woman had crafted a tight schedule for the few hours to teach Elowen as much as possible.

They started with her posture, and Effie demonstrated as simply as she could how a young lady should stand and sit. To her delight, Elowen learned quickly. She mimicked Effie's movements, crossing her legs as elegantly as possible and straightening her back.

Walking in high heels proved to be a more challenging hurdle. Elowen had never worn heels in her life – there was no occasion for it in District 12, Elowen had explained. The shoes had lower heels than Effie's, yet Elowen struggled to stay on her feet or take more than a few steps. It took nearly half their time for her to become somewhat accustomed to the torturous weights on her feet and to walk passably in them. Effie gave her the stilettos to continue practicing later. Thankfully, they still had the following day to reinforce training in specific areas.

Haymitch and she had agreed to present Elowen as a blend of cute and smart. She was definitely too young to be portrayed as desirable, and they had quickly come to that consensus. Emphasizing her strength wouldn't be wise given the presence of the career tributes.

Time passed far too quickly for Effie's liking. There were several details she wished to go over more thoroughly. Above all, she didn't want to switch with Haymitch. While the tributes had an hour-long lunch break, Effie set out to find Haymitch and discovered him at the bar. It was his job to advise the tributes on topics for the interviews. For Elowen, this meant focusing on subjects that made her appear confident and intelligent.

"The boy is a disaster," Haymitch muttered as he heard her approaching. His words did nothing to ease Effie's anxiety. Haymitch recounted that Ramon hadn't exchanged a single word with him. Most of the time, he hadn't even looked at him. Naturally, this hadn't stopped Haymitch from continuing to talk at him and offering tips, hoping that some of it might stick when he was in the arena.

"I don't even know why I bother," he said, downing the rest of his drink. Effie had noticed that he had been drinking significantly more than at the beginning of the Games. She didn't know what was causing it, but she didn't like it. She needed him to be clear-headed.

When she returned to the living room and began the session with Ramon, Haymitch's motives quickly became clear to her. Bothering is not the right word for this, thought Effie, as she looked at Ramon with a neutral mask. At the beginning, she had tried to actively involve him in her conversation. She had held shoes in front of his nose and shown him how a man's walk on stage should look. But it went exactly as Haymitch had predicted. The boy was stubborn, and his stubbornness was digging his own grave.

Hours of monologue on her part lay behind them and Ramon just stared at her with an undisguised expression of dislike in his dark brown eyes. The Peacekeepers had retreated to the other end of the room so as not to disturb the coaching. As long as they kept a watchful eye on the boy from afar, Effie had no problem with that. The young woman sat on the wide seat of the sofa while Ramon sat slumped and deeply relaxed in an armchair opposite her. A small, glass coffee table separated them both.

"I would suggest that you do not slump your shoulders like you are doing now during interviews," Effie said in a frosty tone, earning another snort. At some points that he probably found particularly amusing, a snort was his only reaction to her monologue. It was better than no reaction at all, she tried to tell herself.

Her work here was done. She had tried hard, but she hadn't been able to get through to Ramon. Despite everything, Effie had given him every piece of advice she could think of. She had shown him everything he needed to know for the interviews, even if he hadn't given any feedback. It would have to be enough.

"I think that is it for today," Effie said with a sigh, lowering her palms to her knees. She waited for Ramon to get up and leave, but he didn't. Maybe he expected her to leave the room first. She raised her head and their eyes met. Ramon looked away, defiance in his expression.

Effie sighed once more, ignoring the fear in her chest as she leaned toward the boy. Neither of them noticed that Haymitch entered the living room at that moment. "You have so much potential, Ramon. Watching you throw away chance after chance is ..."

The words hung in the air. Ramon still had his head turned away and was staring demonstratively out the window. Effie's voice had become warmer. It hurt her to watch him ruin his life. "And what is all this for? You are such a stubborn boy. Do you not want to at least try to go back to your family?"

Ramon slowly pushed himself up from his chair and swung to his feet. Effie had to tilt her head back to look him in the face. He loomed almost threateningly over her, and only a few steps would be needed to close the gap between them. Yet, he didn't move and continued to ignore her. "Your stubbornness will not help you win these Games."

His slow steps were meant to seem disinterested, Effie knew it. Ramon moved away from her and turned to leave. Now or never, Effie. "I am sorry, Ramon," she said in a clear, bright voice, but it was only her next words that made him stop. "What happened to your brother, I deeply regret."

Effie had now risen herself. Her eyes widened barely perceptibly as he spun around to her and within seconds, was right in front of her. He didn't touch her, didn't raise his hand against her. He just stood there, his head bowed towards her. Effie's flat hand could have perfectly bridged the distance between their faces. Unrestrained anger flickered in Ramon's eyes.

From the other side of the room, Effie could hear the Peacekeepers, who had snapped out of their stupor and were rushing towards them. Effie raised her hand in their direction and stopped them from coming closer. She didn't even know why she acted this way. Fear pulsed through her veins, and she would have liked nothing better than to see the Peacekeepers drag Ramon away from her. But deep in her heart, she knew that was not the right way. If she had learned one thing, it was that exerting power would not reach the boy.

Haymitch, who had been listening to the conversation between the two, came up to Effie with hasty steps and tried to grab her arm. The young woman had her back to him, and he doubted that she had noticed his presence. Ramon saw him, but his eyes only glanced at him. Effie's outstretched hand made Haymitch stop as well. For a moment he couldn't help but admire her courage.

Effie didn't budge an inch. Anything else would have meant her defeat in this conflict, and she wasn't ready to admit that, she was too ambitious for that. Ramon's eyes bore relentlessly into hers. He waited for her reaction. He waited for her to fail. "I know you probably will not believe me," she said in a gentle tone, without avoiding his gaze. "But I want to give you my word that under my supervision, your brother's fate will not be repeated."

It was a big promise, one that she couldn't bear alone. It was her first year as an escort. Her world might still be full of hope and euphoria, but that would change with each passing year in the Hunger Games. She couldn't control it. Nevertheless, she earned Haymitch's respect with her words.

A deep growl escaped Ramon's throat. His stance seemed so stable that nothing could knock him over. His eyes continued to fixate on Effie. "I give you my word that I will do my best to fulfill my role as the tributes' escort. I also give you my word that, regardless of what has happened between us, we will help you in the arena just as much as Elowen. You are our responsibility, Ramon, and we will take that seriously. I will make sure of it."

Effie's eyes sparkled with optimism about the future, a sight Haymitch could clearly observe in the numerous mirrors in the room. She had adopted a serious but self-assured demeanor, and her entire demeanor indicated that she believed one hundred percent in her ability to make these Games unfold differently. Haymitch knew she was a young, naive woman, but in that moment, he could hear the vision in her voice. He could see the strength with which she wanted to achieve her goals. He couldn't help but feel drawn to her. How would his life as a victor have unfolded if he had had an escort like her by his side from the start? He convinced himself that he would be in better shape today. Sharing the burden with someone was a grace many of the other victors could claim because they weren't alone. Meanwhile, Haymitch only sank deeper into despair.

"I do no care what others think of you. I believe you can do it," she continued without batting an eyelid. "Your parents should be proud of you, Ramon. I will tell them personally when we travel to District Twelve for the interviews."

Haymitch couldn't stop the smile on his lips. How could this woman be so ambitious? Small steps would do the trick in the beginning ... But he admired her for it. After this short time, he had already realized that these Games would have turned out very differently without Effie.

Ramon stared down at Effie. She could see something change in his expression. He seemed to be struggling with himself. Then he gave up his aggressive stance, took a step back and left the living room past Haymitch. It happened in a matter of seconds. It wasn't a triumph, but for Effie it was good enough.

-

Vacation does wonders for me. Stayed up until 5 am last night to read a Hayffie highschool fanfic and got out of bed at 2:30 pm today. I love my life right now!