"But I asked her about what she wanted to wear, and I pulled out a dress. But she slapped me. Right across my mouth!" I handed Shannon a bowl of popcorn. The following day it was pouring so I called a girls day with my favorite people, the maids.
"So, you're telling me that Celeste is not just a whore, but a whore that hits others?" I sat down in the reclining chair.
"Yep. She's hit Christina too." I widened my eyes.
"She's hit, my maid? Sorry. Not to make you an object." Christina smiled at me before changing the subject.
"I understand. Peta is so cute." I shrugged.
"I think Gale's cuter. But his attitude is crappy." Nicki turned around.
"You know what. Gale looks kind of like Declan, doesn't the Cat?" I blushed at the giggles of the maids.
"Whatever, the announcer guy is like Gavril. They could be brothers." I mumbled and looked to the screen. Several of them laughed as Katniss spun, lighting her dress on fire.
"Cat, I have an idea for Friday." I smiled at Nicki.
"Do I get to start a fire?" I teased.
"Something like that. This Friday we should make a bold yellow to orange dress for you; because we are not going to be able to do this safely before Friday." I mulled it over.
"No. Let's do something bold, but nothing like that. Let's save it for another day." They nodded before turning back to the screen.

I sat in the financial meeting doodling in my note pad. Flowers, my signature, people, dresses. Everything and anything.
"Catalina, where are you going to get the money for this project?" My father snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened my statistics binder to the marked page.
"I was thinking about-"Christina walked in with a tray of tea. She handed Maxon a note and winked at me. Maxon shot up and began to rush.
"Excuse me, men. And Cat." I smiled as he left.
"You're dismissed, Christina. Thank you." She curtsied and left.
"You were saying Cat?" The king prompted me.
"Oh, yes. I was thinking about reducing the amount of money the selected-"
"No." The king cut me off. "I refuse to cut anything from the selected." I sunk back in my chair. One of the advisors spoke up.
"If I may, your Majesties, Lord Rob's offer is still on the table. And if you are to take his offer, it would pay for the program the Princess wishes to set up, and strengthen the relationship with the New China." Shit.
"No." I protested. At the same time, the King agreed.
"Speaking of Lord Rob, you are spending time with him this afternoon."
"No!" I stood up, knocking my chair scratching against the flooring.
"Gentlemen, do you mind leaving us to talk in private for just a moment?" The advisors reluctantly got up and left.
"Catalina. You will do as I say, without question! Take off your shirt and turn around." I turned around and heard him unbuckling his belt.
"This is for your own good" Five in total, on top of the unhealed ones. Blood oozed from my back.
"Don't you dare go against my orders again! Lord Rob will talk with you after dinner. Understand?" I nodded and put my shirt back on. The shirt was white, so I walked quickly back to my room. I heard silent sobs came from my room before knocking and going in. Anger flushed through me as I assessed the scene in front of me.
"Cat! What-" Nicki stood up.
"I'm fine! Don't tell me that bruise on Shannon's face is from Celeste!" I shouted. Shannon held a bag of ice on her face. The bastard had the nerve to hit people! I flushed with anger. These selected could go to hell and take my father with them.
"Catalina." Nicki softly whispered.
"What Nicole?" I rarely used her real name.
"Come sit down, please. Let us help you." She put a hand on my shoulder and led me off to my bed.
"Sit. Arms up." I went to put my arms up, but blazing pain shot up through me. I screamed in pain as I dropped my arms.
"We'll have to cut the top off of you." Tears slipped from my eyes as the shirt was pulled from the dried blood. I was left in my tank-top and pants.
"Why did we have to put you in this stupid thing?" Elsie complained. The sound of torn fabric could be heard echoing off the walls of my room. Christina held my hand as Nicki and Elsie pulled the fabric. The pain was so, so bad. I wept and screamed as the fabric was removed. The door burst open to reveal Declan.
"Cat! What the Hell?!" he shouted and came over to me.
"Oh my gosh!" I covered my torso. "Get-ah!" Nicki had cut the bandages covering my torso from last Friday. Daniel's soft hand wiped my tears.
"That son of a bitch." Christina got up and left.
"I think you guys should leave. It's been a long day." Elise piped up.
"I- If you guys need anything, come back later. Sorry I can't help you." I ran a hand through my hair. The helplessness was suffocating me.
"Catalina, look at me." Shannon forced my head up. "If anything, you give us hope." And with that, she left. I laid on my stomach.
"What happened?"
"The king is making me go on a 'date' with Lord Rob." His arm tightened around me, protectively.
"Bastard." He mumbled.
"Well, I will do everything in my power to keep me here, next to you." I buried my head in my sheets as Declan's hand stroked my hair. The door opened.
"Get your hands off my sister." Maxon stormed in the room
"Go away, Maxon!" I buried my head in the soft sheets. "Damn, it hurts." Maxon sat behind me with a silver box.
"Cat, I need to unclasp your bra. Is that okay?" I paled and looked up at Declan.
"I'm out. If you need me, call. Okay?" I smiled and nodded.
"Thanks, Hun." Nicki walked in and shut the door after Declan left. Maxon fiddled with my bra before it loosened.
"This is going to sting." He put a cloth to my back and pressed lightly.
"Holy shit!" I clinched the sheets as the cloth, soaked in antiseptic, touched my wounds. I inhaled sharply as Maxon pressed a little deeper. Red dots scattered my vision. "Maxon, what happened during the meeting?"
"One of the girls needed me." I scoffed.
"Riiiight." Max pressed the cloth deep into my wound. "Ouch! Fuck me!"
"Cat, the girl I was talking to… She told me this story of her and her family starving. It was hell for me to listen to her." I nodded and felt Declan moved my hair away from my back. "Oh, and I have your note pad and binders." I nodded. Max rummaged around in the silver box for something. "Did you find money for the program you wanted?" I shook my head.
"No, I was going to cut some money from the selected fund, but, the King said no. Instead, the stupid advisor said: 'Why don't we just marry her off to Lord Rob?'" I sat up so Max could wrap me.
"You're not actually going to let them marry you off, are you?" I quickly shook my head and said no. Christina, Elsie, and Nicki came inside with a garment bag.
"What's in the bag?" Maxon reached the bottom of my chest as Declan turned to see me.
"Arms up." I glanced at my maids and Declan. They have graciously turned away from me. I put my arms up in a T shape. He carefully finished the wrap.
"Y'all can turn around now. And show me what's in the garment bag!" Elsie held the hanger that peeped out of the red and blue bag as Christina unzipped the bag. Layers after layers unfolded. "Holy-"I stood up, still in my pants, and moved to see the dress better. The corset had sparkles and a low neckline. I was smiling until Nicki pulled out the undergarment.
"Oh hell no! I refuse to wear that!" Max smiled and put a hand on my shoulder, chuckling
"See you at dinner, sister." I nodded.
"Have fun eating in that, Cat." Declan kissed my head before leaving.
"Oh, bite me!" Nicki motioned for me to turn and asked me to raise my arms. "Put your arms on the bedpost." I did as I was told. "Remember to breathe using your lungs, not your diagram." I sharply inhaled as Nicki pulled the strings.
"Is this thing supposed to make my boobs look huge?"
"Mumhum." Nicki hummed. The strings tightened one last time before they let me move.
"God help me. I can't breathe." I put my hand on my stomach. Elsie gave me a sympathetic smile.
"Arms up Cat." The soft fabric descended over my body and was fastened behind me.
"Wow." Nicki stepped away and looked at me.
"You could say that again." Elsie agreed breathlessly.
"Whoa. Catalina, you look amazing." Christina walked in from the bathroom, holding my pin.
"Thanks, guys." I pulled on my loose, curly hair. Nicki shook her head, her strawberry blonde hair shaking.
"No. Take this." She handed me a sheer black wrap as she pined the arrow that pointed north to my dress. Small acts of defiance.
"Thanks, ladies. Wish me luck." I took a shaky breath and began my way to the dining hall. The doors had a double door entrance.
"This damned dress." I shuffled the skirts. The guards, who stood on either side of the doors, chuckled.
"Do you need both doors open, Princess?" The shorter of the two joked.
"Only if you fine gentleman is offering." I lightly smiled. They grasped the door handles and opened the door dramatically. The selected looked at me in awe, as did my mother and Lord Rob's wife. Lord Rob had a hungry look in his eyes.
"Hello everyone." I took my usual seat next to Max's empty chair. "Where's Max?" I turned to my mother.
"He and your father had work to attend to. They will be here soon." I nodded and started to eat. Lord Rob though had other plans.
"So, Catalina-"
"It's either ma'am or Princess for you." I snapped.
"Catalina! Manners." I rolled my eyes at my mother. Maxon walked in at that moment with the King. Everyone stood up but me.
"Oh, goodness, dear ladies and Lord Rob, please sit." My father said with that fake smile plastered like paper upon his face. Maxon still stood.
"Ladies, I have an announcement. I know you were all promised compensation for your participation in the selection; however, there have been some new monetary allocations. If you are a natural Two or a Three, you will no longer receive financing. Fours and Fives will continue to receive compensation, but it will be slightly less than what it has been so far." How had he gotten the King to agree with this!
"I do apologize for any inconvenience, but I will explain this all on the Capitol Report. And this is a non-negotiable situation. If anyone has a problem with this new arrangement and no longer wants to participate, you may leave after dinner." And with that, he sat down. I glared at my food. Why would the King give money to Maxon for his use when I asked him first? I shot up.
"You know what I hate Maxon?" I glared at the King.
"Catalina, don't do this." Maxion whispered.
"I hate arranged marriages and tyrants who lie to me." I looked at my father in the eye. "You sicken me, you bastard." I dramatically swooped my dress and stormed out of the dining hall. I could hear at least one person following me. I walked out to the garden, nodding to the guard. I scooped up my skirts and ran. I ran till I couldn't breathe anymore. I ran till I could only hear the birds and my thoughts. I quit running and looked around. I was a fair distance from the hell hole. A tight brick path leads off into the shrubbery. So like the responsible and smart young adult I am, I followed the path. My shoes clicked on the stones as I pulled my skirts that occasionally got snagged and torn on the rose bushes. I walked out into the open. The path leads to a small peninsula in the middle of a pond. The peninsula had a small gazebo with a bench in it. I hurriedly walked to it. The sun was only starting to set, so it was still slightly hot out. I sat down and hiked my skirts above my knees and pulled them to my chest. I felt so betrayed. Why would the King do this to me? Why would Maxon do this? I put my head on my knees and shut my eyes. I felt so emotionally dead, I just wanted to be anywhere but here.