bill the company | mania&flynn

Time has been completely consumed. That was the plan, right? The reason why I exposed secrets to the world. Now my name is completely booked up. Leave the training to the experts and I’ll focus on the sponsorship. It is all apart of the job description that I have been neglecting to revise all these years. Play their game. Follow their rules. Sure thing dad.

So, after a morning of being the special guest at a baby shower, a lunchtime of being a test subject for a rather ethically questionable therapy that still makes my head itch thinking about it, my evening has been booked by a Mania Rogue. One thing I have learnt about Capitol events, there always seems to be food involved. If I had my dad’s appetite, I’d be lapping it up. But I have inherited my mother’s skip breakfast lifestyle.

I am sent to a restaurant in Saturn City that I have never been to before, it is the type that serve twelve tiny mouthful dishes and a glass of wine to accompany each. That means it is going to be a long night, a lot of talking. Great. I love talking to Capitolites.

Cameras grab every opportunity to snap their portraits of me as I walk up to the entrance of the restaurant, wearing a shiny dark blue half unbuttoned shirt and I am pretty sure they’re leather trousers, but the stylist assured me they weren’t. There is something missing while I am walking up. My hand feels bare. There is not a gloved one, interlocked with my fingers. Facing the Capitol after our arrival without him, I feel exposed.

My company is not here yet and I wait with the server by the table like I am one of the staff. When she does arrive, I am courteous enough to pull out her chair and let Mania take her seat before I take mine. Or was I meant to kiss her cheek? Shake her hand? The public relations fact sheet is too long. ”It is a pleasure to be your company tonight, Ms Rogue.” I welcome her. It will be more of a pleasure when I see the sponsorship figures afterwards.