When All Else Fails
Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games (though I would like to). I only own my own characters.
Note: Hey guys! I just went back in to edit some of the chapters.
Enjoy!
Chapter 2- The Parade
"Lana! Lana! Time for breakfast!"
Noooooo.
I groan and roll underneath the covers. I'm much too comfortable and screw him if he thinks I'm gunna move anytime soon.
The door slides open and footsteps make their way over my bed. I swear to god.
Suddenly I'm jumped on. ARG. The douche had his knee going into my stomach and was jumping up and down. Great, my stylist isn't going to like the fresh bruises. I grumbled and rose quickly, flipping him off the bed.
"FEE FI FO FUM! WHO DARES RAISES ME FROM MY SLUMBER?"
"IT IS I, DEV! Now get your ass up, you hoe bag. It's time for breakfast."
I narrow my eyes at him before we both smile and I jump on his back. He gives me a piggy back ride to breakfast and we burst through, laughing. Finnick and Zelda are both startled by our arrival and stare at us like we're crazy. As usual, we don't really care about the strange looks and we sit ourselves at the breakfast table.
"You guys still act immature I see." Finnick shakes his head and goes back to buttering his toast.
"Sorry for still trying to live our lives to the fullest. If I'm gunna die, supposedly, I'm going to at least have some fun." I shoot back.
He continues to shake his head and send us a smile before biting into his toast.
"After you're both done, I want you both to return to your rooms and get ready. We'll be arriving at the Capitol in a half hour and you both must be more…presentable." She shoots us both a look. Dev still was in his sweats with bed head and wasn't wearing a shirt. I had failed to notice that apparently. I was still in my shorts and tee while my hair was up in a messy bun. If it was up to us, we'd just walk out like this. Haha, if only.
We both roll our eyes but agree. After munching on bacon, eggs, and toast, I get back to my room and found that there was a black bag laying on my bed and a strappy pair of heels lying on the floor underneath them. I unzip the bag and hold it up to take a look.
"You have got to be kidding me."
I grimace as I look at myself in the mirror. The dress was black and was scandalously short. The back held a zipper going up the spine with ribbed cut outs in the back. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline. Simple, but still way too short for my liking. Usually, I'm not the type of girl to wear dresses. If I had to wear one, you'd have to hold me down and force it on me. Oh the awkward memories that came with that. With a little help from Finnick, Zelda managed to wiggle me into the dress but I sure as hell gave her a hard ass time with it. After I got dressed. Zelda help me with my makeup, only applying mascara and some lip gloss. I brushed out the tangles in my hair and left it in waves cascading down my back. I may not be a pro at walking in heels like Zelda but I'm able to handle walking in them to an extent.
I hear a cat call from the bathroom door and turn to see Dev standing there wearing black suit pants and a white button up shirt.
"Looking smooth," I laughed
"Beautiful as ever," he replies.
I smile as we link arms and exit the train when it comes to a stop behind Zelda and Finnick. The second our shoes touch the concrete, cheers erupted and photographers were snapping photo after photo. It felt so overwhelming. The people looked even stranger than Zelda. I didn't know that was possible. We both wave and send a smile, making the crowd erupt into another round of cheers and screams.
"Tribute Lana! Tribute Devin!"
We walked closer to the crowd and the girls erupted again as they hand roses over to Devin and he accepts them, winking at them and blowing kisses. I have maybe a good cluster of gentlemen calling me over and a good amount of them hand me roses. A particular one hands me a whole dozen and I accept with a huge smile. I wiggle my finger from him to lean closer and I plant a kiss on his cheek. The crowd goes crazy again and he swoons, fainting into the crowd behind him. Over dramatic much? I wave at the crowd once more and return to my place next to Dev. The tributes were led into one huge prep room and I was stripped of my roses and clothes and was put on a prep table. Soon, three extremely colorful people are surrounding me. The first one spoke.
"Oooo! She's so cute! My name is Bella," she cooed. She had vibrant purple hair and lavender skin. Her eyes had swirly black tattoos at the outer creases. Her lashes had little diamonds glued on them and her lips were painted pink.
"Like a little china doll. My name is Tatiana." She was regular skin toned but her hair was fire red and was pixied cut. She had golden eyeshadow and red lips.
"Claude." The last one spoke. The only male on my prep team with snow white hair and golden eyes.
The pranced around the prep table and Bella started dragging a really warm liquid down the length of my leg. Okay? She firmly pressed a white strip of paper on it and without warning ripped it off before I could blink.
'Holy mother of fuck!' I whimpered before I could stop myself as Bella applied another layer. Claude was ripping at my brows while Tatiana was ripping at my...lower region. This is effing torture.
So far I've been washed numerous times, waxed, and plucked. Both set of nails were done with French and my hair was super soft and silky with all the treatments it was put through. My skin felt so raw and fresh that it stung to touch it but when I did, it was silky smooth and extremely soft like a baby's bottom.
"She's so much more beautiful that before!"
I gave a small smile at my little cute prep team. They really were sweet. Even if they tortured me for a hour straight. I was finally given a robe and was placed in a room to wait for my stylist. I didn't have to wait that long.
"Oh my, my, my!"
I turn quickly at the sound of her voice. She was scrambling over to me with a huge smile on her face. She wasn't as dressed up as I expected her to be. She only wore a simple pink one shouldered dress that had light frills and strappy heels. She had heavy eye makeup though and hair that was lightly curled and delicately framing her face. I decided she wasn't so bad to look at.
"You're the prettiest tribute I've seen so far. Prettier that that District 1 girl and trust me, that's really, really pretty."
Oh yeah, I definitely like her.
"The moment I saw you at the reaping, I had the prefect outfit planned out for you," she squealed excitedly. She then hands over the folder she's been holding. I raise a brow at her before opening the folder and looking down at the design.
'Wow.'
"Let's get started!" My prep team returned holding arm cuffs and a big black bag. "Now, close your eyes!"
I did as told and they started tugging at my hair and applying makeup to my face. It felt like it was taking forever and I was growing more and more anxious at the results. Please don't put in a fish costume. A couple of years ago the stylist thought it would be fantastic to portray District 4 as fish caught in netting. Needless to say, I was more embarrassed than they were.
"Costume. Now." Her voice was stern. I wasn't expecting that since I heard her light feathery voice earlier.
"Yes, Serena," Bella squealed and I heard her heels tap against the marble floors. I was stood up and the fabric was pulled down over my head and adjusted.
"Alright! Are you ready?"
I nodded at the sound of Serena's voice.
"Okay! Open!"
I gasp at my reflection in the mirror. The girl in the mirror wasn't me at all. She looked beautiful. A goddess in the flesh. The top of the dress wrapped over her left shoulder and had a gold shell attached at the armpit, cinching it. It expanded over the chest in silky fabrics and wrapped to her backside where it twisted and connected to the rest of the dress. The top was rimmed with blue felt fabrics and held different sizes of diamond stones. The dressed wrapped to the front, leaving her upper stomach exposed just above her navel. The front stopped mid-thigh while the rest flowed down the back of her legs in waves. It was white as snow until it reached the bottom where the waves gradually turned darker shades of blue until it was dark as midnight. Flecks of gold and light blue and silver glitters covered her arms and legs so it looked like she had just stepped out of water, beads dripping down her skin. She looked perfectly bronze. Her make up looked mysterious and slightly dramatic. Smokey black on the inner lid with gold flecks that expanded from a light shade of blue-ish- green to a hue of sky blue and she had long fluttery jet black lashes. There were light gold shimmer on her cheeks emphasizing her cheekbones and clear gloss on her lips. Her hair was lightly curled and was mostly up with only the bottom layer flowing down her back and small curls framing her face. All of it was wrapped with a gold crown covered in shells and pearls. I couldn't help but stare at her.
"Absolutely beautiful," I managed to whisper. I'm smiling ear to ear and tears started to brim my eyes.
"Ah, ah, ah! Don't mess up my work!" Claude said, wagging a finger at me.
I fan the tears away and smile widely at them. Gold arm cuffs were the last accessory and I was laced up with gladiator heels. Finally we leave the prep room and walk down the hall to the waiting chariots. I hear several cat calls from multiple male tributes but nothing beats the booming voice I hear next.
"OH MY FAIR AMPHITRITE!"
All tributes are looking at us now and I wanted to smack the back of Dev's head for drawing so much attention. I shake my head as I approach him.
"Calm yourself, Poseidon."
Dev was looking good. He wore a snow white long toga with dark midnight blue trims and gold arm cuffs. He wore the same shelled crown and held a huge trident in his left hand. We were Poseidon and Amphitrite, god and goddess of the sea. How fitting.
"Someone is looking smoking hot!" Dev yelled.
I shoved my hand over his mouth to shut him up. It worked…before he decided to lick me.
"Eww!" I squealed out before we both started hysterically laughing. We probably looked like freaks.
"Alright guys!" Serena clapped her hands together to get our attention. "The second they call you out, Devin, hold up your trident. Do not lose your grip on it. Smile, wave. Make the crowd love you, okay?"
We both nod at her instructions and she leaves to take her seats in the front of the audience outside.
"Looks like you have admirers," Dev whispered.
I scoff, not bothering to look at any of them. "Could say the same for you."
Devin spins around and we both catch the girls glimpsing in his direction. He smirks and sends a wink to the District 1 girl. She giggles and gives him a small wave and then narrows her eyes at me. I just roll my eyes. Oh please. Dev steps onto the chariot first before lifting me easily next to him. The door opens wide and the parade begins. Once our chariot begins to shift forward, Dev raises his trident high in the air. It starts to pulsate and a golden glow shoots thorugh the whole parade. The crowd erupts in cheers, screaming our names. The chariot disappeared underneath us and started to look like waves. It looked so real that I thought I was going to be drenched at the end of it all. But once I reach out to touch them, they just pass through. I smiled big and waved at the crowd, blowing kisses and catching their roses. We came to a stop next to District 2 and waited for the rest of the districts. Soon another wave of cheers erupted. I look up at the screen and see District 12 literally on fire.
"Whoa."
Dev held as much shock on his face as I did.
"Dude…"
"I know," I stated.
All the chariots came to a stop and I already find myself drifting in and out of President Snow's speech. Why do they find a need to get in a speech every chance they get? I snap back to attention as the chariot abruptly starts moving again and Dev has to pull me back before I fell on my ass off the chariot. The double doors close behind us and Dev helps me off the chariot.
"Nice, Lana. Should've let you tumble. Would've been hilarious," Devin laughs.
"Oh, shut up."
"Ah! That was wonderful!" Zelda, Finnick, and our whole prep team surrounds us.
"We would have been best if it wasn't for District 12," Devin muttered.
We all turn to glance over at District 12, which is pretty much what everyone is doing. Who would believe District 12 would out shine all of us? Apparently, their mentor caught whiff of someone's hardcore glaring and decided to leave. I catch Katniss turning to look back. I follow her eyes and find myself looking at District 2. Sure enough, the blonde brute was sending them death glares. Then his eyes caught mine. Blue clashed with brown and I found myself in a stare down with him. Great, already making enemies.
A short, little, stubby man with a photographer announces for the tributes to gather in the training room for pictures to be taken of our costumes. We trudge inside and they start taking picture of each district, first as a couple then individually. Dev and I snicker at the molting pink costumes of District 1 but he stops as she glances his way and sends him a flirty smile which he returns. Ew. The oh-so scary District 2 was up, then 3 and we take our place next. I stand a bit in front of Dev as he stands on my left side behind me. We both send a subtle smile towards the camera and the picture was taken. Dev's picture was taken and he stands tall holding the trident firmly in his grasp. Give him a cape and he'd look like some cocky superhero. I laugh at my own thought and I take my place after him. After a seductive smile and the picture was taken, we stand off to the side watching the rest of the tributes. I find my eyes resting back on District 12.
"Hey."
I tilt my head at the sound of Dev's voice whispering in my ear.
"District 2 is seriously eye fucking you."
I look at him confused and he nods over in the direction of the Careers. I look over to the group and sure enough I find myself in another stare off with the brute of District 2. His smirk is so aggravating. I'm not intimidated but the way he was looking at me made me feel naked. I stood my ground and stared back. Acting scared makes you look weak. I tilt my head to one side and continue to stare at him.
"I wouldn't do that," Dev whispered.
"Do what?"
"Antagonize him."
I smirked a bit at his comment. "Aw, why can't I have a little fun?"
"Your idea of fun isn't exactly appropriate." Dev rolls his eyes.
I laugh. It was true. I smile at the brute, which confuses him, and send him a small wave with my fingers. I nudge Dev and motion for us to leave. I can still feel his burning gaze on my back as we exit and head to our floor.
There's chapter 2 guys! Please read and leave your reviews! Can't wait to hear from you guys! Bye!
