Starlight // Final Ceremony - Aza, Frankel

As soon as the meeting was over with Viola, Ben contained himself in a dressing room, before the final ceremony was to begin. A producer of the show suggested that he write down a little speech for the ceremony, they wanted to review it before he recited it to the camera, being slightly concerned about what could exactly fall from his lips. After all, it was an entertainment show; they wanted it to be as entertaining as possible…for the deluded viewers of course.

But it’s difficult for Ben conjure up words that he finds best suited. Why must I beg for hand, we hardly know each other… Forced love isn’t true romance and Katelyn is being forced to choose who she falls for. He wouldn’t mind if she goes for the younger woman, he understands that choice but why does she even have a choice in the first place? That’s not how love works. Katelyn’s life has already been changed for the sake of Capitol entertainment, why is she being made to do it again? What does the president really want from these victors? They’ve already survived the brutal games that he put them through, why must he exploit them even more? The victors are just the Capitol’s play toys.

Why did I even sign up got this? Screwing up a piece of paper, he’d toss it into a trash can at the other side of the room, missing it by a few inches. Emotions collide inside of Ben, putting his brain into meltdown. He questions his intentions when he signed up for the show, a reckless idea, a way to help advertise his business, he didn’t expect to get this far…And now he is struck with feelings. He cares for Katelyn’s welfare, like he does every other human being’s…but there’s more mixed in with the feelings he possesses for the female District Eleven victor. The whole idea for the show was to find a lover for a victor and even in its ridiculous set up, it has worked. He actually loves Katelyn…

Placing a clean sheet of paper on the desk, he better write something, just to please the pushy producer but he can’t be truthful in the words that he plants on that paper…

Before he has the chance to jot down a single letter, a bundle of stylists burst into the room, carrying various pieces of equipment and the clothes that they intend for Ben to wear, for the final time. One thing he won’t miss about this show, are the stylists with their undesirable tastes. Dressing him up in a midnight blue tuxedo, they begin to poke their brushes on his face. He’d grab hold of the pen while they do their work, trying to get something down on that piece of paper.

When the stylists finally step away from him, revealing their finished product, Ben looks into the mirror, quite pleased that they finally learnt how to fashion someone.

Jotting down a little note on a separate small sheet of paper, he’d slip it into his pocket, not knowing whether he should reveal it to anyone.

Leaving the main piece of paper on the dressing room table, he’d leave the room. ”Do you have that speech, I asked for it ten minutes ago?” The producer says, blocking Ben’s path in the hallway. ”Oh sorry, I left it in the dressing room…” Ben would push pass the producer, hurrying down the corridor.

Grinning as he walks, he imagines the producer reading the piece of paper that he left.

Sitting on the couch next to Bay and Katelyn, Ben waits for Tinsleton to complete his recollection of the past dates. He really had no clue what he was going to do; he should have taken up on the producer’s idea of writing out a speech. He’ll just have to leave it to the team of his heart and brain, hoping that they string something together at the right moment.

“Who’s going to take the plunge first?”

Looking to Bay and then back to Katelyn, Ben almost felt like he had been thrown into the spotlight so he pushes himself off the couch, moving himself closer to Katelyn. He almost felt like an automated robot or a puppet with strings attached to the hierarchy of the Capitol as he bent down on one knee in front of Katelyn, taking one of her hands. This was so expected of him, these actions…the gentleman as so many described him. Pulling out lavender rose from his tuxedo; he places it into Katelyn’s hand. ”You have been handing out so many roses, when it is you who deserves one.” A smile crosses his face as he looks up at Katelyn, that smile likely to remain if he finds something romantic to say.

Keeping his lips close to Katelyn’s ear, he’d want the small engagement of them together to be purely private, out of the view of the audience and opinionated Tinsleton although the obstacle of the various microphones will be hard to overcome. ” You shouldn’t be forced to pick one of us, this isn’t how love works.” Biting his bottom lips as he talks, his heart pounds against his ribcage as his forehead begins to spike with pain. Is this the right thing to say? Should he really be saying, what he has been thinking all along? ”Remember what I said before, you deserve someone from your own home, a relationship can’t work when there is such a far distance between us.” But could he change that? The note he wrote earlier reminds him of its presence, how was he to get it to her, without the producers noticing? That note could totally ruin his current life but if all went to plan, it could help him create a new one…”I have the business to run here in the Capitol but then…” Lowering his voice as his eyes are fixed on Katelyn, he tries to get the message across.”But then I remember people need feeding in District Eleven too.”

The note feels like a ticking time bomb in his pocket, the note he wrote so fast, he somewhat regrets ever making it. Katelyn, I can leave my life here in the Capitol. I can come to Eleven if you want me. He was just being too hopeful, too pushy…He can’t just force his life onto her.

Rising to his feet, he can feel the agitated people that stand behind the camera, he hadn’t given them what they expected but the conclusion he has suddenly planned may be sufficient enough for them… ”You need someone to spend time with when the days are rough. Someone to help you forget about the burdens that rest on your shoulders, Katelyn you work so much and I can see you’re very passionate about what you do but you need a break.” Taking a breath, the speech that he should have wrote earlier suddenly finds itself in his brain.” I believe I can be that person, the person you can vent all your troubles too. I can be that person who is kind and gentle with you. I know there is the obstacle of my age but I’ll understand if you go for Bay because that factor. But as you might know, I really don’t act my true age.” A chuckle finds itself in his words as his smile transforms into a grin. He’d take her hand one final time, planting a kiss on it. ”Katelyn, do whatever your heart desires. I am sure we will both understand your choice.”