Chapter 2:
Sorry it took so long to make another chapter! I've been busy with HW! I hate homework please Enjoy!
I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES!
We get to the capitol early in the morning. So early that when we step out of the car I'm still rubbing sleep out of my eyes and the sun isn't up. I mort likely look like a mess for the pictures their taking of me. One reporter gets all up in my face with his camera and I push him aside. I stumble blindly into the tribute center and go up to my room without a word to anyone, leaving Avril to stand downstairs posing for pictures.
Sometime last night they found the boy from our district on the roof attempting to throw himself off it and you could hear Mata shrieking like a mad woman when they got him down. I don't think any one has ever tried suicide before?
I slam my door closed and fall onto my bed. I got back to sleep.
I'm woken a few hours later by Mata banging on my door telling me to " get to the dining room because we need a big big breakfast for the big big day!". Like I could care less about today. All it'll be is getting me ready for the chariot rides and meeting my stylists.
I groan and put on jeans and a grey t-shirt, run a brush through my hair and brush my teeth, I'll take a shower later. I'm hungry.
I march to the dining room and only grunt when people talk to me during the meal. I stuff myself with food. The only thing I like about this place, I probably just ate more than Mother and I would eat in a year. The thought sobers me and I push my plate away even though I'm still hungry.
Avil comes in a moment after me looking flushed. She still has on that brown dress and her hair is braided into a bun at the top of her head. She looks regale. I can imagine her getting a lot of sponsors in the arena, especially with her being so fragile and small looking.
"Good morning." She says with a smile bright on her face. I grunt, I don't want to make any words. Mata and Wemly make conversation for a while, I don't pay attention, just play with my food.
"Ember? Ember! Did you hear what I just said?" Mata raises her voice so it cracks and I look up bemused.
"Sorry no, I don't listen to long conversations. Could you repeat that again?" I ask and Avil makes a choking sound, which means she's trying to keep from laughing too hard.
"I asked you what your strengths are?" Wemly says calmly. I hate how calm he is. I usually infuriate people and I enjoy that.
"Um… I can throw I knife and catch things tiny like darts. I can fight hand to hand too but I doubt I'll have the chance to do that." I mumble. Avil looks solemn.
"I can't do anything. Just shoot. But I can't really hit anyway." She says dejectedly. I want to tell her she's good, but the fact is that she's not. I hate myself for thinking it.
"Well at least you can do something." Mata says. "The last pair we had couldn't lift a sword."
Last year's pair we poor children without homes that lived off the street and were bone thin. They were the first ones killed so I hate Mata for saying that. I make a point only to speak to her harshly after that. I don't have to say anything after that because we are taken to meet our stylists. We finally meet the boy from 12 too. Jashe is as tall and muscular as he was in person. Upfront he looks downright intimidating.
My stylist is very nice. They have Avil and I sit in the same room while they do our make-up and hair. They make Avil's hazel eyes look like chocolate with all the dark eye shadow they put on her. My blue eyes look like the sky. My blond hair is just braided and put up around my head like a crown. Avil's hair looks lie fire on her head.
Derta (our stylist) is talking to our prep team about something in a hushed voice. She shakes her head once more then ushers them out she sighs and holds up two plain black dresses. They look simple. but when the light catches them I see little tinny black marble beads woven into the sides in swirling patterns. You cant tell they're there unless there's light. But I know that there will be enough light in the circle to blind me. We'll look like we're wearing black fire.
"Lovely isn't it?" Derta says in her capitol accent. I think I have a migraine already…
"Yes, very nice." Avil says. I grunt. It's almost noon so we go to lunch.
After Mata teaches us how to wear high heels. I think I sprained my ankle twice. But Avil is a master at all this Why is she so good at everything like this? She can't shoot but she could run a mile wearing 24'' heels!
Soon it's dark and they slip the dresses over our heads. It's really heavy. Jashe comes in looking like he just got hit in the head with a boulder. He's running away from some capitol stylists with makeup pads. He looks purely horrified. It makes me laugh and it's good to know that someone else is as miserable as I am.
We are shoved into the elevator and sent down in a hushed way. I'm dazed as we zoom down ward. Avil is humming some kind of tune. Jashe is looking anywhere but at us and I'm lost in thought about how they're going to put three in a chariot that fits two.
I'm so lost in thought that when we step out of the elevator I trip right over my dress and tumble into someone's arms. I'm about to tell them to bug off when I see who it is. The hot one from four, what's his name, Jash? Ya, that's it.
"Sorry, I hate heels so much." I say quickly. I silently curse myself for babbling but he seems not to have noticed. He smiles a warm smile that shows a lot of pearly white teeth.
"'so k." he says. Avil has wandered about and is now talking to a girl from three and Jashe is standing next to our horses stroking their manes. He looks content just staying there.
"Hey," I say. "Do you know where the boys are ridding?" I ask. He looks baffled like the thought hadn't accrued to him.
"I think… we're in the small one person ones at the back." He points to twelve perfectly lined up chariots over in the back. They have only one horse and they're so tiny I can't help it I squeal.
"Oh! They're so cute!" I say, I try to take another step in their direction and fumble on my shoe. Jash catches me with a "Careful!"
"Stupid shoes." I say. "Why do we need heels? They cant even see our stupid feet!" I complain loud enough so that the stylists can hear us. Derta's ears twitch; I hope that means she heard me.
"Done ask me." He says defensively. "I'm wearing boots." He holds up his hands in mock surrender a smile playing at his lips.
"Lucky!" I say smiling. Jash helps me over to the small horses. I pet dyed-blue main of District 4's horse. Jash pats it's nose affectionately. "I love horses. I've never ridden but I want to." I say. Jash smiles.
"Who knows, they might just stick a random pony in the middle of the games." I laugh at the thought of me running into a clearing looking for shelter and seeing a random horse grazing in the field.
"Tributes! To your horses!" someone calls out. I sigh; I was having a perfectly fine time talking to Jash alone.
Jash helps me across the room and hands me up into the chariot. Before he does he whispers in my ear: "Wana' bet they won't notice that you're not wearing shoes? I dare you to take them off." I smile. I take them off and place them next to me in my skirts.
Jash bids good bye just as Avil climbs up next to me. The boys are being helped up into the small chariots and Jashe is grunting a bunch of curse words about 'too tight clothes'. It lightens my mood to know that someone is having a worse time than I am.
The doors open and the district 1 tributes go out to a wild crowd. Soon Jash and all the other tributes are out of my sight and it's only 12 left. I take a deep breath as the doors open and smile my biggest. I'm momentarily blinded and have to squint. But when my vision clears I clap my hands in delight –which is very much not like me- all the reporters and Capitol people are all lined up in rows clapping and throwing roses. I catch one and blow an air kiss in the direction it came from. About 30 hands grasp up to catch it.
All the cameras are trained on Avil and I and I understand why. We look stunning in the light catching off our dresses. Our make-up makes us look regale and cold but our warm smiles tell otherwise. I love it!
More flashes and roses are thrown in our direction. Avil is having a wonderful time catching as many roses and making a bouquet. There appears to be a lot of young men in the front rows because I hear a good deal many whoops and shouts from their direction.
We're almost to the end of our circle. I miss it already. It's wonderful to get some fame before I go and kill a bunch of people. I bet then they'll feel differently about me.
When we enter the chariot room again I'm greeted by Jash. He's standing there with a girl from four clapping. He helps me down still smiling.
"You looked amazing!" he exclaims. I blush feverously. "And you won the bet." I take my shoes our after me and he holds them up for all to see. "This Girl Just Went Around The Circle With Out Shoes On!" everyone looks up and laughs. I blush more and take my shoes from his grasp.
We are herded into the elevators and thankfully I'm with Avil, Jash, booth girls from four – Erica and Haiti- and Jashe. I get to know Erica and Avil starts up a conversation with Haiti. They have to get off at floor four though. Before Jash gets off he kisses my cheek sweetly. My face turns into a tomato it gets so red.
When they get off Avil starts singing merrily "Ember! Ember! Has a crush on Jashhhhhhh!" she drags out his whole name with glee while I try to shut her up; Jashe is laughing so hard he's rolling on the floor. I get so exasperated that when we get out on our floor I run to my room without them.
I slam my door behind me and lean against it. I think about what just happened. I still don't know why he kissed me. I'm not that pretty.
I go to the bathroom and sate off my dress. I change into some PJs and stare at myself in the mirror. The dark make-up does look pretty when you see it like that. I take my hair down and it falls in straight sheets down my head. I smear my hand across my face to wipe it of the colors. It only smears it. I splash my face with water and manage to make it drip down my face in an undesirable way. Now I look like a blind person tried to do my make-up. I wipe my face off with the towel and crawl into bed.
I don't sleep until a good four hours later.
