"You have been chosen by your parents, who have very elite positions here. Remember that anything you do can and will be enforced on them. We need a multitude of new escorts, to bring the tributes the Capitol and hide their flaws and craft their expertise. Stay when you hear your number called. Yes, first round begins now." Ms. Worthiness says. I rub my sticker that has been attached to my bright pink blazer. I need this job.
I grab my best friend's hand, Tabia. We both have wanted to be escorts since we were 5. starts reading off a list of numbers. Here, no one knows our name, just our number. I swing my legs, listening anxiously. I wipe my empty hand on my matching pencil skirt.
"12…73…101…62…" 62 is Tabia's number. She looks very surprised and leaves with a huge smile on his face. She goes up to the stage. I realize only two spots are left. I am sending her brain messages to to pick me.
"5…and finally 45." 45 is me! I practically leap up on seat and run up the stage. Tabia and I hug and then turn back around to .
"Congratulations, new escorts! Report tomorrow because we will post the district assignments on the door. You may leave now." escorts us at night. When we get outside, the shrieking starts.
"Oh my God, I can't believe that we both got in! What district do you want?" Tabia asks me. I think for a moment. It is an escort's dream to get 1, 2, or 4 but those normally go to escorts that have been doing this for a long time. I'm just a first year.
"5. Think of all the power plants." I say, as we walk down the streets, trying to find the perfect outfit for our first reaping. We have been taught what to say to freak the kids out, how to pick the name, how to encourage them, and how to flatten their hopes.
"Can you believe we are leaving the Capitol?" Tabia says as we open the door to our favorite boutique, Glitters and Glam. We start shopping and I end up with two bags full of clothing, shoes, and accessories.
Finally, we part our separate ways as Tabia heads toward the middle of the Capitol and I head away. My family isn't rich but we are still pretty high up in rankings.
"I got in!" I scream when I step inside. My mother comes running into the front hallway and gathers me in her arms.
"I'm so proud of you! I just knew it, from the day you were born! You'll be a wonderful escort! Do you have an outfit?" She asks me. She is beaming ear to ear.
"I've got a couple." I say, holding up my bags. We take them into the middle of the living room and start picking out which ones I should wear.
My mom leans back against the couch and takes a good hard look at looking at me.
"My little 16 years old, heading off for the real world." She wipes away a tear that is forming. She looks back down at the outfits.
"You should wear the red one. It suits your current hair color." She says as she goes to answer the door. My mom's boyfriend, Fabian, comes in.
"Guess what I heard? Effie's getting a job as an escort!" He says, hanging his jacket and scarf on the coat rack.
"Yep!" I say, leaning over the couch.
The next morning, Tabia comes over and we both do our hair really fancy. Tabia got a new hair coloring thing and I have a hair curler, so we both use them. We decide to wear matching green outfits and I wear my new shoes from the Victors' collection. They are these shoes inspired by the Victors. I'm wearing Finnick's pair; the heel is made out of a trident.
We walk down the street, talking about what we should say at our first reaping. We were told not to say anything that would purposely freak them out, but make them even more nervous.
"I think you should say something about luck. From what I've seen on television, most tributes don't know if they are going in." I tell Tabia.
"Yeah, unless they are from 2. Then, arguments ensue over who is going in the arena." Tabia replies. We laugh.
"Would you ever want to go in the arena?" I ask Tabia.
"No, of course not. Who would want to be in the wild? That's why I seriously hope I don't get 11. It's probably half jungle." Tabia says. From what I've read, 11 are made up of large farmland, but I don't tell her that.
"Me neither. I could barely harm a fly." I say. I can already see a large group of people gathering in front of the door. There is no way all of them are escorts. We push to the front of the group and scroll down the list until we find our names.
"I got 7!" Tabia shouts.
"I got 12." I say. We push our way out of the mass of people.
"Ugh, 12? That means I'm going to have to work with the half-drunk Haymitch and his tributes that he doesn't care for. Neither do I." I complain.
"I have 7. Johanna might kill me. I have a serious threat on my life!" Tabia complains, but I know that she really is pleased with 7. At least they have some chances, growing up chopping trees. 12 doesn't do anything except mine and they can't even do that until after their last reaping.
"You might get someone halfway decent!" Tabia tries to comfort me. It isn't working out too well.
"Maybe, you will be the very best escort 12 has ever had." Tabia says as we make our way into the coffee shop. We don't have to go to school anymore because we already have our jobs.
"Yeah, maybe." I say, as we sit down at a table.
"You can't be the best if you never try." Tabia says. That might be the smartest thing she has ever said.
Thanks for reading! Make sure you review so I know what you want to see in the rest of the story.