"Woah." Roz spoke, her and Zoya riding toward President Snows castle, the bright, purple fountains outside catching the girls eye.

"Almost makes me forget he's a monster." Zoya gapped alongside her. As Zoya promised Peeta, nearly two months ago, she had attended the presidents party. When him and Katniss showed in Five for their speech, they were rushed away immediately after. President Snow had clearly knows they'd make a trip to Zoyas home, preferring the peace keepers to keep them as far away from the District Five winner as possible. Meaning another month would pass until today, the day they would see each other again.

Zoya wondered if Peeta would even recognize her. The sparkly eye lids, red lips, sparkly-red suit, the black heels. It was similar to what she'd worn the night of the interviews last year for the games, only this time the suit was tight fitted rather then loose and breathable. Roz's stylist had gone with something so different. Her black dress, heavy eyeliner, and the glitter sitting around her curls suited her rather well. Zoya found Roz sweet, rather gentle and kind. Now she looked so tough, so not herself, but it suited her perfectly.

"I can't believe this is all for Katniss and Peeta." Roz looked around, gapping at the place. After going into quarantine for so long, every little thing seemed to amaze Roz. Zoya had been surprised she wanted to come tonight, making sure to keep close to her. "I can't wait to meet them."

"They'll love you." Zoya reassured her with a small half grin.

The Peacekeepers backed off when they entered the doors. Immediately, people began to greet them with hugs and a kiss on the cheek. Most of them, the two hadn't even known, only had to pretend to. Roz wrapped her arm with Zoyas, meeting her eye. Zoya gave a nod in questioning, getting a quick one in return.

"Zoya!" she didn't expect to see them so early. Effie had lead Katniss, who didn't look herself either, and Peeta, who his stylists always managed to make somewhat matching with her. "Oh, the two of you look so divine! Who styled you? Humm? Rosita? Jurnie? Was it Cinna?"

"Rosita and Jeriko." Zoya smiled with a small nod, trying to make the greeting seem normal and welcoming. "Katniss, is that you?"

The Everdeen girl rose an eyebrow. "Hilarious."

"You know, I thought you were joking at first." Peeta nodded to Zoya with a hidden grin. "They like to go all out."

"I tried to warn you." Zoya grinned, feeling Roz's arm tighten around her own. "Katniss, Peeta, I don't think you have gotten to been Rosalind."

"We've heard a lot about you." Peeta greeted her with a gentle hand shake, keeping his other linked with Katniss', just as Roz did Zoya.

"Me too. It's so nice to meet you." Roz shook his hand, getting a minor elbow from Zoya. "Have you made a cake for today?"

Zoya cleared her throat, looking around and feeling awkward at the amount of attention focused on the four. If she looked at Peeta in the wrong way, Snow would likely have her head by the end of the night.

"No, but so many people have been showing me the ones they decorated." Peeta gave her a grin. "Oh, my fiancé, Katniss."

Zoya caught his eye, seeing him side glancing her.

"Is it true you don't sleep much now? That's what all the articles have been saying." Roz bluntly asked Katniss with a raise of her perfectly shaped brows.

"Roz." Zoya gapped at her.

"Is it true you went crazy and nearly killed people because you still thought you were in the arena? That's what all the articles have been saying." Katniss shot back at her defensively.

"Katniss." Peeta gapped at her words.

A small smirk went across Roz's face. "I like you."

Katniss gave a minor grin.

"Care if I steal her away, Miss Heatherwood?" the sound of a man Zoya had stayed the night with under Snows orders, approached. Zoyas hand grasped Roz's arm in hopes of her not agreeing.

It wasn't hard to miss the change in Zoyas face, the way her shoulders sunk, the way her cheeks paled a bit.

"You'll have the get in line." Peeta spoke up, his hand grasping Zoyas wrist. "She's already promised to introduce me to a friend of hers that owns a bakery."

There was no promise.

"Ah, of course." he spoke, because he was no match to a victor, no matter how much smaller and younger Peeta had been. "Perhaps i'll find you later?"

Zoya forced a smile. "Of course."

"You better get on with that introduction before the crowds come." Roz jumped in with a half smirk toward Zoya. She linked arms with Katniss. "We'll be trying a lot of soup."

Zoya was going to interfere, not wanting to leave Roz so soon, but she'd already dragged Katniss away. Zoya looked to Peeta with an inhale. "Looks like it's just you and me."

"How disappointing." he gave a grin, walking alongside her. They made sure to not let their arms brush, made sure not to seem like anything other then two victors that were on their way to meet someone. "What's your plan now?"

"To pretend i'm looking at all these cakes and telling you which ones belong to people i'm suppose to know the names of." Zoya spoke as they looked down the line of cakes. "Oh, look, this one's by Ceaser Snow."

Peeta gave a sudden laugh at her words. "How original."

"Originality is my middle name." Zoya rose an eyebrow knowingly his way, stopping before a red cake.

"What is it really?" Peeta asked, catching the questionable look she gave. "Your middle name."

"Ambrose." Zoya gave a small smile his way. "It was my fathers name. Means immortal. Which now seems rather ironic considering he didn't make it past forty."

Peeta wanted to touch her arm so badly, kiss her forehead. "My father says he likes you."

"Did I meet him?" Zoya looked in confusion.

"No, he just heard you saying all the bread names wrong in the bakery." Peeta tried not to laugh. "Didn't have to heart to tell you then."

"And i'm assuming you let him try the strawberry tarts?" she rose her eyebrows his way, moving down the line of cakes again, as if she had even glanced their way the entire time. "Did he try to spare my feelings like you did?"

"They were great." Peeta tilted his head knowing. "Sometimes salt instead is sugar is better."

Zoya snorted. "Are you kidding?"

"I am." Peeta sighed as she smiled. "I just wanted to spare your confidence. They were beautiful, though."

Zoya smiled at Peeta, staring at him with her head tilted to the side. He grinned her way with a knowing look. "Carful, I might assume you're in love with you."

Zoya straightened her head with a half grin. "Shut up."

"Shutting up." he nodded, smiling himself as the sound of the anthem rung. It was a horrible sound, bringing then both back to the arena as it played in the sky each night. "We better head out there."

Effie was running their way, Katniss in one hand, dragging Peeta away. Zoya watched him go before Roz was by her side again, holding a glass of champagne. "For you, dear. Gifted by the Capitol. This is why I enjoy being a year older then you."

"How was your time with the life of the party?" Zoya joked as she sipped at it.

"Katniss is rather bland. But I like her." Roz nodded her head. "And that sweet boy of yours? Nice hands, he has. Very tender and warm."

Zoya gave her a weird look before a snort left her lips. "Do not say that again."

"Why? It's true." Roz gapped, making their way through the crowd as the president stood upon the balcony, the light in his face.

"Tonight on this, the last day of their tour, I want to welcome our two Victors. Two young people who embody our ideals of strength and value. And I, personally, want to congratulate them on the announcement of their engagement." President Snow spoke of Katniss and Peeta, staying above the crowd of people. It was ironic, Zoya thought. How he was standing above them, as if he hadn't already had all the power in the world over every single one of the party guest. "Your love has inspired us. And I know it will go on inspiring us every day for as long as you may live."

Any sort of hope of the capitol forgetting Katniss and Peeta existed over time had disappeared in Zoyas heart at his words.

•

kylie speaks

i was loving this chapter
under stupid snow ruined
it.