Stretching, I turn over in my bed and look at the clock, 11.30.. On my BIRTHDAY! I jump out of bed, new energy to my movement, and run downstairs, with a manic grin plastered on my face.
As I gallop down the corridor and into the kitchen, I wonder if this anticipation is what the tributes feel when seeing the Arena for the first time, no that anticipation would be so much more. I shiver with delight as I remember the special significance of this day and not just for myself!
"Happy Birthday!" chorus my Mom, Dad and older brother, Flavius. I grin in return, praying for the perfect present. I had left hints everywhere, very subtle clues in the form of leaflets and without fail talking all the time about it- the event of the season!
"Guess what we got you, sweetheart, tickets to the Opening Ceremony-" my Mom is interrupted by my squeal of delight. I bulldoze into them for a massive hug. I guess they got the hint this year, my grin widens in euphoria.
"Omigosh that's this evening! All the preparation I need, what will I wear? I simply have to look my best," I babble, my voice gradually rising, pitch by pitch to an incessant squeal.
"Shut up, you are starting to sound like you're gonna spontaneously combust or something! Here, did you even look around your room this morning? That dress that you saw in last week after we saw the rerun of the 24th Games in the cinema is hanging up in your room, stupid." Flavius sniggers. He had marked that dress out, not me, but his fashion sense is amazing so it will be good.
I extricate myself from my family and run back to my room, where I see the dress. A gorgeous electric blue, knee length dress lies on my bed with a black jacket, ripped tights and black lace-up boots alongside. District two last year had an almost identical outfit. Immediately, I grab my mobile and call Amelia, my best friend.
Two hours later, I emerge from my room, having gushed with Amelia and then updated all of my close (and not so close) friends with the news that I, Alexandra, have outdone everyone once again. If I say so myself, this present even outdoes last year's! Last year, we had Brutus, a victor from a few years back come to my party to discuss life as a victor and, of course, the Games. It was talked about by everyone for at least six months, until the Victory Tour of the District one victor Garnet finally came around.
Everyone has Hunger Games- themed parties but mine are always best. It's because my birthday usually falls during the Games or the in the run-up. Getting Brutus last year was no mean feat- luckily he no longer had to mentor during my party- his Tribute had been defeated by then. But it also means that my parties are actually relevant and this year I'm going to have it over the last few days of the Games. You may wonder how I'll achieve it but as soon as there are four tributes remaining, all my closest friends are coming for an epic sleepover until the Games end. I snap myself out of my reverie, getting more excited by the minute but the Ceremony begins in five hours and there is still much to do.
Flavius is dancing around the kitchen, washing the dishes with a strange vigour. I swear he enjoys my birthdays more than I do. "Alex!" he bounds over to me, like a radioactive rabbit with his fluorescent green hair. (that hair dye is amazing, it actually glows in the dark- the District one tributes used it last year for the Opening Ceremonies and, as Garnet won, it has been all the rage)
Personally, I prefer the latest animal theme, I adore my panther- style hair. It's a dark, almost black blue with pitch black rosettes- like a leopard's skin.
"Hey, Flave, I adore the dress, it will match my hair perfectly"
"I'm grievously wounded that you even had that moment of panic earlier, how could you have nothing to wear with a brother like me?" he whimpers in faux misery.
"A moment of madness, I assure you" I laugh jabbing him in the kidneys.
"I can't wait for you to see the other dresses I have designed- Aurelia is putting them together, all based on previous years' Opening Ceremony outfits, of course" his eyes glaze over in anticipation of my dresses. Aurelia is his girlfriend, that pair will be magnificent stylists in the future to rival the likes of Tigris.
"Um ok, but where is Mom?" it can be unnerving sometimes when Flavius makes my clothes but he is the best designer I know. In comparison to male tributes, Flavius is so.. feminine. Most of my friends have boyfriends who are so Capitol, like Flavius, but I'd much rather a guy from the Districts like Finnick Odair. So masculine, strong and drop dead gorgeous.
"She's in her room, getting ready, like you ought to be" he sighs good naturedly, shoving me towards my room, back upstairs and in the door. He throws the dress in my face and runs out, shutting the door behind him. With no choice remaining, I begin to get ready, still twitching with excitement.
Having gotten ready, I scan over the reapings again on my mobile. It's the latest model, seven- centimetres wide and thin as my thumbnail, with 1000 hours audio playback and all my personal updates along with a constant news stream. Having heard from Brutus the honour of being reaped and the potential fame to be gained from winning, I wonder why some tributes look scared.
At seventeen years old, as of today, I'm the same age as many contestants and would kill for the fame of winning the Games. Most of my friends agree, Hunger Games being the best childhood game, closely followed by Fashion Show. I guess it is because the Tributes are scared of the dishonour of losing and also the prospect of leaving home to come to the Capitol. It's kinda stupid though, they get the best stylists and prep teams, along with the latest technology. For example, in the training centre, they can order any food they like at the touch of a button- my family certainly doesn't have a whole kitchen of Avoxes at our disposal, only two who serve at dinner and do general housework. (Flavius' dishes are punishment for breaking curfew)
"Alexandra!" shouts my mom, "time to go darling!"
"Coming," I call, running downstairs for the third time today and still in the same state of utter bliss.
Later, in the car towards the City Circle, I think about the tributes. A career will probably win- the Tributes from Districts one, two and four have always been stronger contestants, the Districts in question being suspected of training their tributes from an early age. But, I hope another district will win this year- those are always the interesting years. Underdogs always have to be either terrifyingly clever or else ridiculously strong. That boy, Thresh, from District eleven looks scary but who wouldn't look like a hulking giant besides his minuscule twelve year old district partner who will likely be destroyed in the initial bloodbath in the Cornucopia.
Finally, we park the car and and make our way to the gates. My mom got VIP tickets so we get to be at the front. Flavius stands at the ready with his camera and I peruse the program, chatting excitedly to my friend, Gaia. Her dad is the stylist for District four this year so she got tickets too. My mom was promoted this year to Gamemaker, it is her responsibility to decide what wildlife roams the arena. Before, she was only an assistant so this is a massive promotion but tickets to the Opening Ceremonies for a newly- promoted assistants are rare- she must have pulled a lot of strings for VIP tickets.
I hide a smirk when I realise that I'm in the best place for the cameras to notice me and my arch- enemy, Agrippina, is nowhere in sight. I hope she turns green with envy when she sees me, looking wonderful, at the opening ceremony! It would clash horribly with her fluorescent pink hair. The atmosphere becomes even more charged as a mutter runs through the crowd.
"District one, Marvel and Glimmer"
I notice my hands trembling and hug myself in glee as I ride the tidal wave of screaming, waving and cheering people. I ignore the massive screen showing the District one chariot, wanting to catch the first glimpse myself. Soon enough, shining white horses float by. I adore horses, these pulling the chariots are the best of the best, bred solely for their purpose. They trot proudly, pulling the glowing silver chariot carrying a smiling girl and gorgeous boy, the image of what tributes should be. Glimmer and Marvel, definite career tributes and fair competition for the others.
As he passes, Marvel looks me in the eye and winks. I swear I would have fainted if it weren't for the envious glare of Gaia., which pulled me back to earth. All of the Tributes' outfits are themed according to the product of their District. Each of the twelve Districts carries out a specific service for the Capitol, for example, District three is electronics, four is seafood and twelve coal mining.
The others are all pretty as per usual but stunning nonetheless. Most look terrified, completely shellshocked. Until District twelve. They were the definition of spectacular. I want their stylists so much I could scream! The cheering trebles in volume as they pass, literally cloaked in flames. Against the pitch black coats of their horses and the obsidian chariot, they are stunning, tongues of fire rising from the coals of their District.
Even the other Tributes watch them, faces illuminated by the blaze before them. Every set of eyes in Panem follow this pair and I join the chanting of their names- after checking their names on my program. I had them down as the usual District twelve Tributes- unable to capitalise on the media attention and destined to fall within two days of the beginning of the Games. Now, they are likely to get more sponsors- who will send them essential gifts while they are in the Arena. I might even make Mom and Dad send something to one of them!
As one, we clamour for their attention, showering them with flowers. Forget Marvel, Peeta is my new celebrity crush, his blonde hair gleaming in the dusky evening amidst the fiery inferno.
"Obviously he's taken" murmurs Flavius in my ear, drawing my attention to Peeta's hand tightly clasped in that of his district partner. Talk about killing the buzz! Weird or what? I shift my gaze to the District eleven tributes, standing with as big a gap as possible between them. They are competitors- one standing in the way of fame and fortune for the other. Only one Tribute can win the Games.
I can't wait to see the interviews, I think to myself as President Snow begins his speech about the rebellion and Panem rising from the ashes and the Hunger Games to remind the Districts that they shouldn't rebel etc. I think i speak for all when i say that all eyes (even that of the camera feeding to the big screen) was still locked on the dazzling girl and boy on fire from District twelve.