Part 9- The Interviews

This chapter is really cringey, don't judge please haha when i was editing i couldn't find a way to improve these

I'm sitting on the bed and the prep team walks in,

"Let's get you ready!" Jay says the second he enters. Like last time, I'm shoved into the shower and this time I take 30 minutes, which earns me some approving nods. They all talk about what I assume is normal Capitol things. How that party they threw yesterday had no carrot sticks but thankfully nobody noticed. How there was a very clever and funny joke someone told on TV this morning. How they didn't have much for breakfast so now they may as well be dying of hunger and they now understand how "they" feel. I take offence to this one, though I don't say anything. First of all, how children are dying of hunger in some districts and they compare themselves to them after having a "small breakfast", and secondly, they assume all of us are like that, It's disgusting.

Thankfully, they don't need to wax me again. My makeup is generally light-ish. I have more insane eyelashes with gold specs on the tips, winged eyeliner, and gold glitter on my eyelids, with matte pink lips. My hair is done like it was at the parade, with light blue and gold seashells in it somehow. I have my seashell necklace, too. Dotted on my chest, shoulders and cheekbones are mini golden glitter gems.

"Hello my darling!" Trisiana bursts through the door,

"Hey! What will I be wearing?" I say,

"I think you'll like it! I decided to relate with the whole sea thing this year. To see how the public reacts," She says, leaving the room momentarily. She comes back in with yet another two hangers. On the first lies what I presume is the dress. A structured, light blue, sparkly dress. It's strapless and long, the structure stops at the waist so there's most likely some invisible bodice underneath, and there's a big, poofy skirt with what looks like millions of layers. It's dazzling, literally. On the second is a big, tightly woven net with a bit of gold glitter sprinkled on it. There's also large holes in it where i assume my arms will go,

"You like?" She asks,

"I love it!" I say.

I go into the bathroom and the dress is very hard to change into. After many tries, i settle with steeping in from the back, after trying head first, feet first, hands first, and a weird array of other variations before i realise i was wasting 10 minutes of my life overthinking it when i should have just stepped forwards, lifting my feet over the skirt, holding it in front of me. I emerge from the bathroom with a flourish, making Tristiana laugh,

"What happened in there?" She laughs,

"I couldn't get in," I say,

"Oh, sorry about that," She smiles. I still haven't gotten used to the "Capitol smile" everyone here has. They all have massive, dazzling smiles, yet their eyes don't quite dazzle like the smile itself. I can't blame them for having it, I just can't get used to it.

She zips it up and hands me the net. I put it on and slip my feet into gold platform heels. Luckily, the heels aren't too extreme. The outfit is complete, and it looks amazing.

I walk in to gasps and compliments. I sit down and wait for Bruce and I have no idea what's taking so long. I'm just thinking that when he comes in wearing a smart yet casual blue-grey suit with matching pants and a white shirt. He has a tie, but it's very loose, and the top button on the shirt is undone. Josepha clearly embraced the charming aspect. I expect Bruce told him, so they decided to loosen the tie and unbutton the top. It also looks as if they took a lot of time on the hair. Messy, but not scruffy. Gelled, but not outstandingly. Fluffy, but not insane. All of this must have been why he took so long. We both get seemingly infinite compliments before we head to the interviews.

~

We get there and only Titus and Evangeline are there. Titus is in a white classic suit with a jacket and black tie. It suits him, complimenting his brown hair and eyes. Evangeline has a white, lacy dress. It's like one of those Capitol wedding dresses you see when you leave the TV on after a nation-wide announcement and the lunch-time fashion daily show comes on, yet more muted. A white silk standard dress underneath, lace over the top and her shoes are very very high. Her vibrant ginger hair is in an elaborate bun with plaits. It probably took ages to do. She's in minimal makeup, allowing her freckles to show, but she also has crazy eyelashes, bringing out her amber eyes. She looks about my age usually, but her stylist has made her look older. We all talk until a minute or two later, when Em and Mars come in. Mars is wearing a grey suit, somehow making his blonde hair look darker, with no tie and the top of his suit unbuttoned, like Bruce. Em's stylist definitely went with emerald as a theme. She has crazy green eye makeup, making her striking eyes more vivid, with red lips. She's in a poofy green off-shoulder dress and black flats. Her fair hair is down. She's classically beautiful without makeup and with.

"You look beautiful, 4," Mars says. The other two girls start giggling at me,

"Shut up," I say, failing to keep in a smile.

There's loud chatter backstage. I can hear most of us are complaining about their escorts or mentoring sessions earlier today. Everyone's talking for 5 minutes or so, until we're hushed and ushered into a line, double file by district. I can just see Caesar Flickerman onstage, talking to the crowd. He's going for green hair and eyebrows, but still wearing the same suit as he has for years. He goes through the same general thing. Happy 87th Hunger Games, how is Panem doing, are you excited, let's meet this year's tributes.

First to be interviewed is Emerald,

"Hello Emerald!" Caesar starts,

"Please, call me Em!"

"Alright! I can see we're matching today!"

"Yes we are! What a coincidence!"

"Okay then, Em. Are you excited?"

"Oh very, Caesar. I'm very excited to win!"

"To win? So you're very confident?"

"I really am. I'm very lucky to be able to participate this year, and I'm very proud to represent my district,"

"Who are you winning for in particular?"

"My mother, and my sister, who was unfortunately volunteered for,"

"We have some young tributes here this year. How old are you exactly?"

"I'm 16 years old,"

"Wow, I would have assumed you were 17 or 18 by just looking at you!"

"Me too, but it won't stop my chances," It goes on, all throughout, Em is very giggly and smiley, a perfect conversationalist

Next up is Mars.

"So, Mars. With a 10 in training, what do you think your chances are of winning?"

"Very high, definitely,"

"I agree! So, tell me, how's your time in the capitol been?"

"It's been amazing, I mean, I'm going to the Hunger Games!"

"You are, you are! Anyone special back home?"

"No, but there's a girl I'll be fighting for,"

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Now why would i tell you?" This earns a lot of laughs,

"Ah, well, why would you?"

"In front of the whole country? I haven't got a clue!"

"Right, what weapons will you be using?"

"Anything I can get my hands on. I didn't get a 10 for nothing!"

Next to be interviewed will be Evangeline.

"Well, Evangeline! What a beautiful name!"

"It really is Caesar, I agree. Of course, your name is brilliant too,"

"Well thank you, my dear,"

"You're welcome!"

"Now, onto the questions. What are you good with?"

"A bow and arrow. I shoot straight every time, no fail,"

"Well i'm sure there'll be one right there for you!"

"There'd better be!"

"That's the spirit! You're fiery as your hair, clearly,"

"Well I like to think I am!"

"So what family do you have back home?"

"Where to begin! My two brothers, two sisters, my parents and the cat. It's a large house!"

"Sounds like it is!"

Titus is next,

"Titus, you look prepared!"

"I'm more prepared than I have been in my life,"

"Well that's good,"

"Do you know what my name means?"

"Oh, well, no i don't think i do!"

"Me neither," This earns shrieks of laughter from the audience, "I think it's some sort of strong, warrior thing. The point is, it's a strong, warrior sounding name. I was born ready,"

"Well said!" There's applause all over the audience. Titus is doing amazingly,

"Thank you!"

"You sounded like you really like that line, don't you!"

"Oh i do. This morning I spent half an hour rehearsing it in the mirror," The crowd loves this. Titus'll have so many sponsors the gifts with flood the arena,

"Well we all love you, clearly. What about at home? How popular are you back there?"

"Oh I'm the most popular guy in town," He puffs his chest out, showing it's a joke and the audience laps it up, He continues acing the interview and I can only hope to do even half as well.

~

I don't pay attention to the two from 3. It's only worth knowing about my allies and there's no chance I'll be allying with them. And oh no, it's my turn. I'm being walked to the edge of the stage and I suddenly really need to pee. I walk onto the stage and sit down in a way that, in my opinion, would make Amanda proud,

"Hello Brianna! You're squirming a little, are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I just need to go to the toilet a little, that's all!"

"Well why didn't you go before?"

"I didn't need it then!" The audience laughs, so I laugh with them,

"So what's the Capitol like, in your opinion?"

"Well the food's a little bland," I smile in a way I hope implies I don't mean it hatefully. I think it worked, since everyone laughs,

"Well i've heard you have very salty food back home,"

"I think we do!"

"Now, you're the youngest and probably smallest out of all our high scorers this year. What can you do?"

"Well, I can fight hand to hand and I have a little advantage because I'm small-ish and quick. I'm good at climbing, from the boat nets, I'm pretty smart and i guess i'm okay with a knife," I try to balance humble with letting the sponsors know i'm good enough to sponsor,

"Okay with a knife? You must be better than okay to get a high score! Am I right?" He looks up at the gamemakers up in a special box at the back. I never noticed them there until now. The Head gives a small nod,

"So how do you feel about all this?"

"The Hunger Games? Well it's amazing here, for starters! I'm nervous, definitely, but I think i have a chance!"

"I agree! Ladies and gentlemen Brianna!". I made it! I know Bruce will do much better though.

"Bruce! Hello!""Hello, Caesar!"

"So how are you doing!"

"Brilliantly! You?" He smiles perfectly, like he practiced.

"Well I'm doing very well! So how are you feeling? What's going through your head?"

"I'm not worried at all,"

"No?"

"No. Well maybe a little, but that's just natural,"

"I'm sure it is. So what are you good with?"

"A sword, possibly a spear. Long things,"

"Long things, wow!"

"I'm not very good at explaining!" This exchange makes the audience laugh, and Bruce manages to both smile and laugh while showing just the right amount of teeth,

"If you win, what will you do when you get home?"

"Go for a nice long swim,"

"Ah! Classic District 4!". None of us 6 listen to the rest of the interviews with an exception to the boy from 6. All of us, especially the boys, hang onto every word, looking for a weakness. His name is Dominic, and he's an only child. He's good at using heavy weapons like axes and he's pretty strong. He's 18 years old and was reaped normally. He reckons he has a good chance of winning if he plays right since he's most likely smarter than all of us. I highly doubt it. He's career-level cocky and arrogant and only careers can get away with that. I look over at the others and Titus looks especially infuriated and he looks as if Dominic will be the first one he hunts down.