Chapter 19

Caesar welcomed her to the stage. The futuristic seat was difficult to get used to. Blake scanned the crowd, millions of people were sitting in the audience, cheering on the brunette. There were so many lights and colors in front of her, bliding her at a certain angle.

"My, my! Look at you, aren't you a beauty. I love that long beautiful brunette hair! Makes me jealous of that length. I should grow my hair long like yours. What product do you use?" Caesar compliments her. Blake blushes and turns red like a tomato.

"Whatever is in the tribute center shower" Blake never thought of her hair as attractive. The crowd seemed to laugh at her response. Was it supposed to be funny? This audience confused her.

"Well, I better sneak some of those products when I visit there again." The crowd laughed at Caesar's response. Blake felt really awkward, was she supposed to talk about herself or her game? He didn't ask about her love life, that's a good thing.

"Now, your brother was arrested after your reaping, he had threatened Finnick Odair. What was the reason for his cruel outburst?" Blake's heart dropped. Glenn was arrested? It was that serious, were they torturing him? She tried to keep her response blant as possible.

"He's very overprotective, it would break my family's hearts for me to die. That's why I'm going to try and survive. I'm winning for you guys." she blew a kiss at the camera, hoping her family was watching. Blake couldn't bear the thought of her funeral, nor could she picture it.

"Now, it seemed like you personally knew Finnick Odair before the games, is that correct?" Caesar asks. Blake scans the room, hoping for Finnick to give her the thumbs up for her to answer yes or no. She didn't see him, she was going to answer truthfully.

"I knew him when we were children, we were best friends. My family treated him as their own. When the 65th Hunger Games were over, he wasn't the same. We hadn't spoken to each other since his reaping" Blake wiped a singular tear from her eye before anyone noticed. She lied about the last part. She didn't want to mention the trap in her foot.

"That's a shame, I hope you can make it home to your family. Now, I must ask. Can I touch your hair?" Caesar giggles. The crowd is a heterogeneous mixture of gasps and cheers. Blake felt uncomfortable by this, what was it with her hair? It's just hair, everyone has it, was it the only thing that made her attractive?

"Sure..." Blake leaned in so Caesar could feel the silk brown hair between his fingertips. He nodded excitedly and then let go of her locks.

"That was worth it! I will always remember you for your long silk hair, Blake Grey. If you die, I will grow my hair as long as yours!" Caesar told her.

"And if I win?" Blake smirks.

"I will get any haircut you want me to have!" The crowd giggles with the excitement of Caesar with a new hairstyle.

"Blake Grey everyone!" He grips her wrist and raises it into the air. The audience stands up and cheers for her. She smirks into the crowd, and throws a few winks. Blake escorts herself off the stage. Her eyes lock with Finnick's, his sea green eyes look like glass, watery glass.

"How did I do?" Blake asks. He pulls her in for a hug, squeezing her tightly, not wanting her to leave.

"I'm sorry I had changed so much after my games." he apologies. Blake breathes heavily.

"You don't need to apologize. I understand, it wasn't easy in the arena" Blake lets go, and glances at the television. Koland was on the screen.

"Serpen had expressed feelings for you, do you feel the same way?" Caesar is really asking the deep questions tonight.

"I feel the same way, even though we might not make it out alive together, I will still feel the same way." The crowd was awwing, that's one way to touch them in a heartfelt spot.

"Well, goodluck to you both. Koland Elrod everyone!" Caesar smiles. The crowd goes wild for him. Of course he was attractive, but would looks get him to the end? Or a tragic romance?

Koland enters the exit of the stage, meeting with the rest of the foreigners from district 4. Koland had a big smile on his face.

"I think I made a good impression, hopefully I will get a lot of sponsors!" he exclaims.

"So the Serpen and you thing? Is it all an act to get sponsors?" Blake asks suspiciously.

"No! Of course not, we are just using our love to get sponsors. Everything between her and I is real." Koland admits. Something didn't seem right to Blake.

"Koland, what if that isn't what Serpen thinks? What if she is using you for sponsors, and none of her feelings for you are real?" Blake says. Koland scoffs, he doesn't believe that Serpen would use him. If she wanted to just fake the romance, she would tell him.

"She's not that kind of person, she wouldn't use me like that. We understand each other." Koland ignores Blake's thoughts.

"What if that's what she wants you to think? She has experience with this kind of stuff, you don't. You barely know how the game works" Blake warns him. The three of them enter the elevator. Finnick stands in the corner to let the tributes work it out. He didn't want to partake in their argument.

"I do too, just because I haven't had any training like you have, doesn't mean I'm not smart." Koland accuses her.

"I never said that! I'm warning you! She knows boys, boys like attention from older girls. She knows how to make them feel special. What if this is her plan?" Blake overthinks.

"Whatever Blake, Think what you like. I'm not going to fight you on this." He leaves the elevator, followed by the other two.