An hour later we finally arrive at the theater. Tyson and I get out of the limousine and enter the big building. I gasp because the inside is pure white and very beautiful. There are chandeliers with burning candles and jewels that decorated the walls the same way shells decorated my house in District 4.
It might be architecturally stunning, but, like everything else in the Capitol, I hate it.
We are taken backstage. It isn't nearly as beautiful there. I see all the other district tributes in the waiting room. I see Mags and Tyson and Garcia, but Finnick is nowhere to be seen. I start to get nervous, Finnick promised me he'd show.
"Where is Finnick?" I ask Mags. She smiles, though it's sad, and says:
"Finnick will be here in time for your interview." With that, she gives me a motherly hug that makes me feel better.
"Welcome, tributes, to your interviews. Emerald from District 1, you have one minute to prepare." I hear a voice from a speaker say.
Against Mags's wishes, I watch her interview from the huge screen in the room.
Emerald looks fabulous with her pure green eyes, not anything like mine, and her gold hair that tumbles down in curls. She is wearing a long green dress that shows one leg and sticks to her body, showing all her curves that I'll never have.
"Hello, Caesar!" She says, as if they were old friends.
"Hello, dear." Then he turns to the crowd and says: I'm Caesar Flickerman and this is Emerald, the fabulous tribute from District 1!" Loud cheers come up from the crowd, coming from not only the speakers in the room but through the walls.
"So, Emerald, you volunteered, correct?"
"Yes, Caesar, I wanted to take part in this honorable event. I don't understand why so few people would." She answers, only getting more applause. I look to where Mags should be but she is gone and I remember she had to go to the audience to watch. That's where Finnick is. I remember his face as he took both of my hands and promised me he'd be here to watch. I decide to return to seeing the interview.
"So, what are you good at?" Caesar asks.
"Oh, a whole lot of things; I'm very talented with knives, I can make anything with fabric or a few jewels, and I have my few private talents." I don't understand what she means, but the crowd goes crazy. She leans forward, showing almost all of her body. She's been using a very sensual tone so far, I notice. I realize that it is the strategy that Finnick used in his games and I knew I could never pull it off. I shudder at the thought of having to show that much of yourself off to others.
"Well, I'd watch out for you if I was in the arena!" Caesar jokes. She laughs and the crowd cheers some more. "Final question, do you have a message for the folks at home?"
She smiles and looks straight at the camera. "Hey everyone, just sleep tight knowing that I feel great here in the Capitol and that I'm coming home a victor or not coming home at all." She meant to say it bravely, and she did, but it just means that she might not be coming home after all. Caesar says:
"Well, our time is up. Everyone, the gorgeous Emerald!" They stand up, holding hands and putting their hands up. The crowd cheers once more and she leaves. The boy from her district comes out.
"Hello everybody!" He yells, making the people cheer for him.
"Hello, Gloss." Caesar says. Gloss has black hair and brown eyes. He is huge, the biggest boy I'd seen in my life. He's wearing a leather brown suit that resembles armor and makes his square jaw look even tougher. "I understand that you are named after the great Gloss, victor from your district." A ton of cheers erupt at the mention of the former victor and the camera switches to show him in the crowd, arm in arm with his sister, Cashmere. He waves to the crowd and points at his tribute proudly.
"I am, and I'm going to bring glory to our name, and to the name of our district!" He yells, shooting his fists up. More applause.
"So, what are your special skills?" Caesar asks.
"Well, I can handle any weapon, especially a sword, like nobody's business."
"Before time runs out is there anything you'd like to say to your folks?"
"See you in a week!" He says. Caesar and he stand up, brandishing their joined hands in the air.
"Everyone, the brutal Gloss!"
The District two tributes go next: a scary-looking girl and tough-looking boy. The girl, Kristen, has a pointed yet pretty face, beady black eyes, and long black hair. The boy, Tobias, has dark brown hair and blue eyes like the night. All they talk about is bringing glory to their district. I find out that Kristen fights with a sword and Tobias is a knife-thrower and can fight just as well with a spear.
Next come the District 3 tributes. That girl looks quite smart and I know I'm going to have to watch out for her. She has light blonde hair, almost white, and startling blue eyes. The boy, Stewart, is the typical tribute from 3: a scared-looking young boy with a calculated face and scrawny frame.
"Annie Cresta, District 4, please advance to the stage." I look at the screen, at the audience.
I see all of the posters, all of the signs with his face on it.
I see the special row of seats saved for the mentors.
I see Mags.
But not Finnick.
My heart sinks and my hands start to shake. Suddenly, I'm extremely nervous.
"Annie Cresta, please go to the stage." I feel a slight push and turn to see Tyson giving me a little smile. I'm stepping forward, about to go into the stage, in the view of the audience, about to cry because Finnick promised he'd be here for me and I know I'm not going home, but the least he could do is help. Suddenly, I hear a loud sound of a door and turn around to see Finnick running into the room, trying desperately to find me. Finally, his eyes see me and I run towards him, embracing him in a tight hug.
"Finnick!"
"It's ok, Annie, you're going to do great, now go out there and melt those people's hearts." He says. He smiles and I feel brave again, all sense of nervousness gone, replaced by a slight hope. I walk out, smiling and waving to the crowd, who are cheering, not nearly as loudly for me as they did for the others.
The first thing I notice is the bright lights, bearing into my eyes, making it almost impossible to see. I sit down at the comfortable chair and look into the audience. Sure enough, I see a waving Finnick, making his way to his seat. He's having trouble, I notice, because of all the women sitting nearby who are tearing at his clothes, trying to touch any part of him they could reach. Finnick smiles, but it's fake. It's so fake I want to puke.
I turn back to Caesar and see he's just asked me a question.
"I'm- I'm sorry, I didn't hear that." Caesar laughs, but I'm not looking at him, I'm trying to look at Finnick like he told me to.
"I asked if you had any special talents." He repeats. It's hard to think with all the lights. I wreck my brain, trying to think of any talent that could be useful in the arena. I find that I'm almost useless.
"I'm a strong swimmer, and I- I can tie knots." The crowd laughs at me and I feel my cheeks grow red. Caesar fixes my embarrassment by saying:
"Well, tying knots could be very useful in the arena, don't you think? I mean, I know of a victor who won using knots. Can you remember him, folks?" The crowd goes wild.
"Finnick Odair!" I hear many people yell and scream. Caesar laughs and says:
"Yes, the great Finnick Odair, winner of the 65th Hunger Games!" The crowd cheers louder than with Gloss or Emerald or Kristen, making my ears hurt. "So, Annie, tell me how is it, having Finnick Odair as your mentor?" He winks and I frown, knowing what he wants me to say: that Finnick Odair is the most charming, handsome mentor a girl could wish for.
Instead I answer:
"Well, Finnick is great. I mean, he's kind and funny and he helps me when I cry. He's so nice to me, even when I don't deserve it. It is a gift, having had the opportunity to meet him because he can make me laugh as I cry and shed tears of joy. He's honestly the best mentor anyone could ever wish for."
Caesar looks genially surprised. Just what I was hoping for. This time there's no cheers, just quiet, and I look at Finnick's face and see a blank expression even though the camera is on him right now. Then he looks down, smiling a thin smile and looks back up, flashing everyone a most charming smile only he could have pulled off. Cheers erupt again from the women in the crowd. I glance towards Mags and see that she's smiling proudly.
"Well, that's all, folks! Everybody, the sweet Annie Cresta from District 4!" We stand up and our hands rise. Then I head backstage to where the remaining tributes are. Tyson gives me a pat in the back. He's so strong I almost trip. Another tribute girl, the one from 11, smiles at me, but it isn't a menacing smile. It's kind. She is very pretty, with brown waves and bright brown eyes. She isn't too skinny, she looks quite strong, in fact. I think about allies and consider her an option.
I sit down on one of the chairs offered to tributes and try to watch Tyson's talk.
"Hello, Tyson." Caesar says.
Tyson nods his head and says: "Hello, Caesar."
"So, Tyson, let's get to the point. How are you planning to win?" Tyson smiles and it chills my blood to see how different this smile from the usual.
"Simple: I'm going to crush anyone who comes in my way!" He roars and the crowd goes wild again.
It's obvious that he's going for the strong image. I watch the rest of the interview horrified because of his attitude. I know that isn't the boy that asked me if I was alright, or helped me stand up when I was pushed over. This isn't him. This is somebody else completely.
When he's done he comes back into the room and the doors on the other side open. It's Mags.
"Come, on, time to go back to the living quarters. Unless you'd rather stay and watch, we can watch from there." She says, walking towards us, smiling. We both start to walk towards her at the same time, wanting to get out. I hadn't enjoyed my interview, exactly, and I just wanted to get away from all these nasty faces looking at me with hate.
It wasn't until we had gotten in the car that I start to wonder about Finnick's whereabouts. I'm too tired from the nervous adrenaline from the interview to think much, though.
Garcia, who hadn't said much since we arrived, is now babbling on about how well Tyson did. I feel bad, knowing I messed everything up with my awful answers and description of Finnick. Although I meant every word. We enter the hotel again, but I don't go to the living room like everyone else. I go to my room, not wishing to see any more of the interviews. I open the door and something crashes into me. I feel a strong hand holding my head from behind and another hand on my back. I feel a head on my shoulder, leaning on me. I hear crying and every part of the person holding on to me is shaking, their body being wrecked by the sobs that are wetting my dress.
"Annie…" Finnick whispers. I put my hands on his back, bringing him closer. I don't know for how long we stay there, me holding him, in my doorway. By the time I let go, the top of my green dress is soaked with his tears. I hear a door shut and turn to see Mags hurrying towards us.