Chapter 4: Capitol Concerns
It was unnerving having my prep team touch me. I hadn't really been touched much in my life, except for when Mr. Palladian would hit me while we were training, to toughen me up. The prep team wasn't like that though. There was care in their fingertips as they scrubbed and waxed every inch of me; it almost made me think that the residents of the Capitol might have some redeeming characteristics. That's probably also why I didn't wince as they worked on me. I just lay on the table and listened to them talking while I smiled up at them. The man who had bright orange hair and wore purple lipstick was completely focused on my hair, but somehow he still managed to maintain his conversation with the other two. His name was Flavius, and it seemed like every imperfection they found with my appearance sent him into hysterics. Every stray hair and every cluster of coal dust that traveled with me from District 12 was a scandal to him. The largest one, Octavia, had green skin. This fact would have worried me if she were the one in charge of my own skin, but that worry faded when she went to work on my nails. Seventeen years of the mixture of coal, dirt, sweat, and the blood from the butcher shop kept her quiet and furious during her attempts to make my nails look presentable. The member of my prep team that scared me the most was Venia by far, but not because of her looks. Her aqua hair was jarring at first, and the golden tattoos above her eyebrows weren't like anything I had ever seen back in District 12, but I could chalk all that up to Capitol eccentricities. She frightened me because of her job. She would put warm wax on my skin that felt soothing at first, but then she would pull it off in loud rips. It was hard to maintain my fake smile while she did this, but I knew I needed to keep up my grateful façade. If I could get them to like me, even after seeing all of my flaws, then I might have a chance with the rest of the Capitol.
The minutes passed, and the trio seemed to get more and more excited. It took me a long time to get up the courage to talk to them, but I knew that I needed to take this chance to pick some Capitol citizen minds.
"How am I doing?" was all I managed to squeak out in-between the rips of the wax.
Venia shot a closed lip smile down at me as she applied more wax. "Good, but the dirt is really in there. We might need to do another scrub down before you see Cinna."
"The coal dust gets on everything in my district." She pulled another strip off and a breath shot out of my nose in reflex. "Who's Cinna?"
"The lead stylist."
Octavia looked up from my toes with a grin on her face. "He's amazing. You'll love him."
I wasn't expecting the Capitol people to be this friendly, but I guess it's the least they can do. Chances are I'll be dead in a week.
No. You can make it. You just have to make them love you, then you'll get sponsors. Just make them love you.
My prep team was going to be my best bet for practice, other than Effie, before the inevitable interview at the end of the week. I needed to use this time to figure out how to make the Capitol love me. I looked around at each of them before speaking, "When you're done working on me, am I going to be beautiful like you?"
Flavius stared down at me from the top of my head as he spoke, "We're actually just getting you all cleaned up, then Cinna will see you."
"I'm nervous."
He smiled down at me with his purple lips. It felt genuine almost. "Don't be, you already look so much better than when you came in."
Vulnerability, maybe that was my ticket into their hearts? "Really?"
The time passed quickly once I started talking to them. They asked me what life was like in District 12, and everything I told them seemed to completely horrify them. When I told them about how sick my parents were getting, and how I worked with Mr. Palladian to afford the herbs from the mother of the girl that I volunteered for I saw Octavia tear up under her green skin. I told them I was worried about the Games, and they cared enough to ask me why, so I told them what Mr. Palladian and I had planned for me to tell Caesar. I was only 17, and I have spent all my time at school or supporting my parents. I haven't had time for friends, so I was worried that the sponsors and the other tributes wouldn't like me. I haven't had time for so much; there was still so much I haven't gotten to do. I was just worried that I would die before I got the chance to really live.
As I spoke my rehearsed lines I felt my eyes start to heat up. There was so much truth behind these lie. Were they even lies? I haven't had time for friends in District 12, and I haven't done much other than train with Mr. Palladian and lie awake to the sounds of my parents coughing each night. I haven't lived at all, not really. By the time I had calmed myself down I noticed that the team was getting emotional as well, and when I was done they helped me put my robe back on and they each hugged me before they left me alone in my room to wait for Cinna.
Cinna. He wasn't a stylist I had ever heard of from the other games. Normally District 12 got some washed up old stylist.
The door opened and a man stepped in. He didn't look at all like the rest of my prep team. In fact, he actually looked remotely normal.
He stepped over to stand beside the table I was sitting on and took my hand. "Hello Phoebe, I'm Cinna. I'm going to be your stylist."
I forced a side smile as I spoke, "I'm excited."
"It's okay." The side of his mouth curled up, and he laughed as though I had said something stupid. "We don't have to pretend you really want to be here. We both know what this really is."
I was surprised when my lungs let out a sigh of relief without my consent. This wasn't in the plan. This wasn't in the plan. But when I looked into Cinna's eyes, scoured them for any malice or falsehood, all I saw was a genuine person.
"I assume Mr. Abernathy told you what a stylist does?" I shook my head. Haymitch hadn't really said much, outside of our brief conversation on the train. Cinna squeezed my hand in reassurance. "Well, I am just here to help you make an impression, which will help you get sponsors, which will help you in the arena."
"I'm supposed to make them love me," I paused, hesitating, wondering if I said too much.
"I can help you with that, but first I need to know that you trust me."
I stared at him again, as if my eyes could somehow coax him into confessing he wasn't to be trusted. He didn't flinch though. He just stared back at me with warmth and concern, just like my parents had when they said goodbye to me, just like Mr. Palladian. "I trust you."
"Do you have any problem with flames, Phoebe? Fire?"
I shook my head again, but I felt my skepticism escape my eyes.
His smile turned into some kind of mischievous smirk that concerned me. He must have noticed the concern on my face because almost immediately his face righted itself, and he spoke, "Don't worry. You can trust me, remember? Tonight we will make it so that no one will forget the brave volunteer from District 12. I still have to put some finishing touches on your outfit for tonight, so I am going to give you back to the others. They know what they need to do."
When he left the room I felt this overwhelming feeling of comfort. For whatever reason, I felt as though I was in good hands with Cinna, and I needed all the help I could get. Besides, it was nice to have a minute to talk to someone without having to fake it.
The rest of my prep team returned, and went into a whirlwind of tasks. I felt as though I was being tugged in a thousand different directions, the whole while small words of encouragement were tossed my way. It felt like only minutes before Cinna returned with a headdress for Flavius to secure onto my head. It looked as though it was made of coal, but when it was put on me I knew it wasn't. It didn't have that smell. It smelled like something else, something sweet almost. It was only a few more minutes before Cinna returned again, this time with a dress of the same fabric. They all helped slide it onto me, and when they stepped away all of them except Cinna let out these small sighs of wonder.
"Beautiful."
"A complete improvement."
"No one will recognize you."
I took all their words as compliments, and thanked them for making me as beautiful as they were, Then I was told to step into strange looking shoes. Immediately after I was whisked off my Cinna.
"Now Portia, the stylist for the boy from your district, and I both collaborated so that you will match."
"So he's also wearing a dress?" The words shot out of me as though I was talking to Mr. Palladian.
I looked to Cinna with eyes widened. Worried I had insulted him, or misspoken, but instead of anger I found him smiling. I could swear I heard him laugh, but I couldn't be sure because we were moving so fast.
When we reached the others, Effie let out this odd gasp and quickly clapped her hands together and spoke, "You look absolutely lovely. Cinna! You did such an amazing job."
Cinna gave a humble smile and pulled out a large match and turned to me. "When the time is right, touch this to your dress and his suit."
I looked over at Demetri. He looked less frightened than he did during our time on the train. His suit was made of the same fabric as mine. I looked around for Haymitch, but he was nowhere to be found.
The woman,who I assumed must have been Portia, and Cinna both escorted us to our chariot and Effie waited behind. It took me a moment to feel stable enough to let go of Cinna's hand, and the moment I did he whispered in my ear, "Hold Demetri's hand, and don't forget to light your dress."
The second he stepped away I grabbed onto Demetri's hand. He looked completely bewildered, but I just smiled back at him. "Come on, isn't this fun?" I laughed lightly through my lie and tried to replicate one of the smiles that Mr. Palladian and I had practiced.
Now I just have to make them love me. That and not burn my skin off.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I would love to hear any and all input or comments you might have. :) Sorry it took so long to update, I wanted to get the Remake Center right.