Chapter 6, Interviews

Jason's P.O.V.

Her eyes narrowed and caught mine.

I felt my heart beat faster in fear.

Play along, she mouthed.

What?

She ran up to me with her hands formed into fists. 

"You adjusted my simulation?" she demanded.

Before I could answer, Kern spoke up. 

"Yeah he did! We all saw him, right?" he yelled. All the other tributes murmured in agreement, afraid of what Kern would do if they didn't lie. Of course with the exception of the Careers.

Snow smirked.

"I like your courage and spunk. Consider us allies." she said. 

It took a moment for me to process her words.

She couldn't be serious right?

"What?!?!" Kern demanded. "That's not fair! I'm the one who did it! This idiot shoved me aside!" 

Snow's expression turned stony. "That's what I thought."

Without turning around, she kicked him in the gut.

Hard.

He let out a scream and doubled over. Capitol assistants ran over. 

"Who hit you?" one asked.

Snow glared at everyone. As much as other tributes were afraid of Kern, they were most definitely more afraid of Snow.

 Kern couldn't say anything. He was gasping from pain. 

"Kern hit himself on the machine. Was running, didn't notice." Jerome said. Snow smiled at him. I felt jealously course through me again.

A couple Capitol people picked up Kern and led him into a room. The crowd of tributes dispersed. 

Snow faced me and smiled. "Thanks for playing along."

"That was very smart of you." I mumbled. She crinkled her eyebrows. "What?"

"Hitting him in a crowd of people. So the Capitol people wouldn't know who hit him."

Snow grinned. "Thanks. For the compliment and shoving Kern out of the way."

A electronic ding rang through the training room.

"Guess it's time to go back to our rooms. It was nice talking to you." Snow said before walking off and joining another Career.

"You know Snow?" a voice said from behind me. I turned to see Jerome standing there. "Kind of. You?"

"Ditto. I'd like to know her better, but I'm sure everyone does. She's very mysterious."

"Yeah." I sad nodding.

Jerome stared at me strangely. "I'll see you at interviews. It was nice meeting you Jacey." 

I didn't bother correcting him as he walked away.

"Hi Jacey!" a giggling voice said behind me. Orchid was bouncing behind me.

"Hey Orchid." I said grinning. "Who was he?" she asked. I frowned. "Some District 1 Career."

We walked to the elevator. As soon as the door closed Orchid turned toward me. "I know you like Snow." 

"I don't."

"Please Jason. I've known you forever. I can tell." she argued. I sighed, too tired to protest.

"And you're totally jealous of Jerome!" she giggled. I turned toward her. "Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"ARE TOO!" she screamed. I rolled my eyes. "Please Orchid. She's just some spoiled brat from District 2."

"I don't think she is." Orchid murmured looking down at her feet. "She was nice enough to catch me. Snow didn't have to do that. She could've just left me to fall."

I rubbed my eyes.

"Jason?" Orchid whispered.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I think she likes you too." 

I wish.

Snow's P.O.V.

"Remember, smile! Sit like this! Like a lady! Good job!" Isis said. She was preparing me for the interviews. Enobaria said these interviews didn't matter, I could totally fail if  I wanted too. Pretty much everyone was betting on me anyway. 

We had already gone through our training performances. I got a twelve. First one in the history of the Hunger Games. Kern got a nine.

"Smile the whole time." Isis ordered. 

"I am." I argued. 

"No. You're not. You can do everything I tell you to do except smile. Think of something happy." 

"Happy?" I asked. 

"Yep." Isis answered. 

Happy was hardly part of my life. I had literally no memories of happiness. My childhood was filled with training and studying. Fighting and learning. That's all I ever did.

That's all I am.

"Got it." I said standing up in my heels. They were easier to walk in then the mountain climbing boots they had us wear during training back home. If I could scale a mountain in those cinder blocks I could most definitely wear these pieces of plastic in torture form. 

"Where are you going?" Isis asked.

"I think I'm done." I said.

"Say it with a smile."

"I'm done." I said fake smiling.

Isis smiled back. "Good luck Snow. Not that you need it."

I needed it a lot more than she thought.

***

"Hello Snow." 

"Cinna." I said raising my chin slightly in greeting. 

"Sit." he instructed. 

I sat. 

"I trust Isis has taught you posture and Enobaria worked on your angle."

"Enobaria did nothing. She said I would be fine."

"Do you think you will?"

I didn't answer. 

"What's wrong Snow?"

"I...I want people to see me as more than just a spoiled girl who's just like most Careers, eager to kill others. I wanted people to like me for me. Or at least actually know me."

"And why can't that happen?" Cinna asked. 

"Because I'm advertised all over Panem." I said sighing.

"Well here's your chance to change all that."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"Do you want to win?" Cinna asked.

My default answer would be yes. But that wasn't the truth.

"No."

He didn't seem surprised. "What do you want to do?"

"Protect someone. Help someone. I have nothing to go back to. All those other tributes..." I paused. 

"They have people they love. People who love them."

"You truly believe no one loves you?"

"My parents are dead. All my friends only like me because I'm famous. Everyone else either hates me or is scared of me."

"I beg to differ." Cinna said. "I don't hate you. Nor do I fear you. I find you intriguing."

"And why is that?"

"You remind me of Katniss."

I stiffened. "That District 12 girl?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You are both very unwilling to ask for help. You both hide who you really are. And you both seek something better for not yourself but for those you care for."

I nodded. 

"You also remind me of your mother."

This made my blood turn cold.

"You knew my mother?"

"Yes. She was a beautiful woman. Smart, cunning, strong both physically and strong willed. She was one of the Capitol's best soldiers."

"She died." 

"Yes, but did you know she sacrificed herself for the good of others? She fought well and hard. I believe it was her wish that you do the same."

"How can I do that? All the other tributes either are scared of me or want to kill me."

"Tell the truth. Show them who you really are."

"Okay." I said taking a deep breath.

"Let's start with your outfit."

"What does my outfit matter?" I asked.

Cinna pulled out a dress. "This was your original choice." 

The dress was black with red splatters and had slits all over it.

"But it certainly doesn't make you seem any less than murderous does it?" Cinna asked.

I shook my head. 

He leaned down and looked through a trunk. Finally he pulled out a simple gold colored dress.

"That's the dress Katniss was supposed to wear when she won."

"How did you know that?" Cinna asked curiously.

"President Snow showed it to me when he came to visit. He told me that it would look nice on me. I said that it was very kind of him but I didn't want it."

"Why?"

I could've lied and said it was too big at the time.

But I didn't.

"It reminded me of my mother."

"How?"

I pulled my pin out of my hair. "Exact same color. This is all I have left of her."

Cinna nodded. "We'll pick something else."

"Wait!" I said holding up my hand. "I-I want to wear it."

Cinna raised an eyebrow. "Alright."

"Thank you."

***

The light reflected off the gold fabric. My shoes were simple. Something Cinna called "weges." They were the same color as the dress. As for my nails, they were painted gold, red, orange, and pink. Each nail looked like a sunset.

My hair was curled. But it wasn't a Capitol style. It was a style from District 3. Where my father was from.

"You look lovely Snow." Cinna whispered. 

"Thank you. For helping me."

"Remember. Answer honestly. No matter the question."

"Even if the answer is offensive?"

"Especially if the answer is offensive."

***

I stood as still as possible. All the tributes were lined up against a wall. I tried not to shake or tremble like other tributes were. It was one thing to be honest. 

It was another to be weak.

Jerome smiled at me. "Good luck."

Vena gave me an evil eye. I ignored her.

"Thank you. You too." I said.

"You look lovely. Different, but lovely." he added. I smiled. "Thanks. I'm not beating people all the time you know." 

He laughed. 

Ceasar Flickerman's voice echoed through the hall. "Welcome to the 80th annual Hunger Games!" 

Applause.

"Let's welcome our first tribute! District 1's Vena!"

Vena walked out of the hallway. We watched her face appear on the large panels in front of us. She was smiling and waving. Pretty, I had to admit.

Her interview was a blur. All I remembered was something about her saying that she should've gotten higher than a nine. 

"Thank you Vena! Now our next tribute...Jerome!"

I smiled at Jerome to assure him, he smiled back.

Ceasar and Jerome talked for a while, apparently he was going for the funny angle. He was pretty good at it as well.

"So, tell us about the girl you volunteered for." Ceasar said. The audience quieted down. I watched in interest.

"Her name is Willow and she's only thirteen. She's my sister and she means everything to me."

"Are you going to win for her?"

Jerome paused. "I told her I'd try my very best."

"I bet you will." 

I remembered Katniss having almost the exact same conversation with Ceasar six years ago.

The buzzer went off. 

"Jerome from District 1 everyone!" Ceasar announced. People clapped.

"Next, we have our Ambassador and District 2's prodigy Snow Pristeen!" 

Applause filled the room. I slowly walked out of the hallway and onto the stage. 

"Welcome Snow." Ceasar said shaking my hand. "Thank you." I answered.

"Are you excited for the Games?"

Answer honestly.

"I guess. I mean there's suspense but I'll do it and then I'll be done. That's that."

I bet they thought I was playing it cocky.

"Interesting. I love your dress. We've heard it wasn't your original choice."

I nodded. "This was Katniss Everdeen's victory dress."

"Why did you decide to wear it?"

"For my parents." I pulled the pin out of my hair. "My mother gave me this right before she left for the war. This is all I have left of her." I whispered.

 "That's beautiful."

I looked away. "My mother and father. They made who I am today. They had to leave me to fight for the greater good. And I want to honor them."

"Tell us about the girl you volunteered for. Did you know her?"

"No."

"Then why did you volunteer for her?"

"She was about to be separated from her family. And she was young. I couldn't protect my parents but I could protect her. So I did."

"Are you ready to win?"

Tell the truth.

"I'm ready to fight. But I want to make a difference. I don't want to be known as what I am. I'm not the girl you see on the news. I train constantly but I don't kill. I want people to know...I'm not who they think I am."

I took a deep breath.

"People think I'm murderous." I stared at the audience. "You all see me as nothing more than the Capitol's pampered child. I didn't volunteer for that girl so I could kill people in the Games. I volunteered for that girl because I thought it was wrong. I have no family. Nobody who cares enough, but that girl..."

"She had people who loved her. I only had that once and those people disappeared from my life. I never will have that. My goal is to save someone. Someone who I care about. Someone who I love. Even if they don't love me."

Ceasar opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"I was told to tell the truth. The truth isn't something anybody knows about me. I actually have a heart. I'm like you. I care. And I want the best for those I care about. Even if means dying."

"Snow, this is quite the surprise." Ceasar said.

"It is." I agreed. "But that's because for eighteen years I've been portrayed as a Prodigy. A fighter."

I paused again letting myself take a deep breath. 

There were panels all around the room. Most showed my face but a few showed the other tributes standing in the hall. I stared at Jason's face on the screen.

My hands pushed my body upward and I stood and faced everyone. 

"I am a fighter. But I don't fight for the things you think I would."

I was aware that all of Panem was listening to me. I was also aware of what Panem saw me as.

"I'm not who you think I am." I announced. 

The buzzer went off.

The truth had been spoken. I was done. 

With everything.