It wasn't till the next morning that the news spread to the rest of the team. Effie came banging on my door, ordering me to get up and go to the living room. Everyone but Haymitch was already there gathered around the TV. I took the seat beside Peeta as Effie stormed in and began to pace.
"Are you crazy!" She spun around towards me.
"I'm sorry. I just got mad." I explained to her.
"Mad? You realize that your actions reflects badly on all of us. Not just you." I clench my hands into fist and looked away from her.
"They just want a good show. It's fine." Cinna said. Effie scoffs.
"How about it's just bad manners, Cinna! How about that?" Effie waves her fan at him in frustration. "Well, finally! I hope you noticed we have a serious situation." Peeta and I looked over, seeing Haymitch walk down the stairs. He looks towards me and gave me a thumbs up. A big smile spread over my lips.
"Nice shooting, sweetheart." He sat down in a chair across from us. "What did they do when you shot the apple?" He asked while laughing.
"They looked pretty startled." I said with a bit of glee tinting my voice.
"Oh, yeah." Haymitch let out another laugh, spinning the chair. "Now, what did you say? "Thanks for . . ."."
"Thanks for your consideration." I told him, snickering a bit.
". . .your consideration. Genius! Genius." He stated with a bit of pride.
"I don't think we're going find this funny if the Gamemakers decide to take it out . . ." We all went silent at Effie's anger.
"On who? On her?" Haymitch pointed to me. "On him?" He gestured to Peeta. "I think they already have. Loosen your corset, have a drink. I would have given anything to see it." I smiled at him. Effie huffs out in annoyance before turning on the TV. Caeser with his blue hair appeared on screen.
"As you know, the Tributes were rated on a scale of 1 to 12 after three days of careful evaluation. The Gamekeepers would like to acknowledge that it was an exceptional. . ." I tuned out his voice, just staring blankly as District One Tributes ratings appeared on screen. "From District Twelve. Peeta Mellark." I tuned back in, now watching the screen nervously. "A score of eight." Everyone gasped with excitement.
"Excellent." Cinna said. "Bravo."
"Peeta!" Portia exclaimed.
"We can work with that." Effie cheered.
"Good job." Haymitch stated. Peeta lets out a sigh of relief and sits back.
"And finally, from District Twelve, Calla Lily Everdeen." Caeser paused and looked at his paper with shock. I sat up rigid in fear. " With a score of . . . Eleven." I stared at the screen with horrified shock while everyone gasped and cheered. All of my senses went dull, I couldn't hear or breathe. I began to shake my head fast.
"Calla Lily." My body began to shake. Everything sounded muffled like I was underwater. Haymitch appeared in front of me, grabbing my shoulders. "Calla Lily!" His yell broke the spell that had taken hold of me.
"No. . . no." Haymitch shook his head confused.
"No what, Calla Lily?" He asked. Everyone was looking at me with concern and worry.
"I'm dead aren't I?!" I sobbed, Haymitch's eyes widen a fraction before nodding.
"Your probably on the top of their list, yes." I covered my face with my hands for a moment then wiped my tears away.
"Well, I'm going to give them a show they'll never forget." I said with determination. Cinna stood up holding his drink out to me.
"To Calla Lily Everdeen, The Girl on Fire!" Everyone but Peeta and I toast. We all went our separate ways until dinner. Everyone was at the table eating but Peeta and Haymitch.
"Oh! Haymitch, you should join us we're having some of your favourite for dinner." I glanced at Effie for a second. Her tone had almost sounded flirty.
"Oh, lovely." I snorted at Haymitch dry reply. I looked over to see if Peeta was with him but he wasn't.
"Where's Peeta?" I asked with a frown.
"He's in his room. Now listen, tomorrow's the last day and they let us work with our tributes right before The Games, so you and I will be going down at nine." I stared at him.
"What about Peeta?"
"He says he wants to be trained on his own from now on."
"What?" I asked, feeling a bit gutted.
"This kind of thing does happen at this point. There's only one winner, right?" I turned to my food, trying to keep the tears back while my heart began to make cracks.
"We should have some chocolate-covered strawberries." Effie said while she waved to a Avox. I rolled my eyes and silently ate my food and maybe a few chocolate covered strawberries, they were becoming my favorite dessert here. I went to bed later that night after talking to Haymitch about the interview that was tomorrow. As I fell asleep it was with a heavy heart and terrifying dreams.
~o~
The morning of the interviews, Cinna came to my room to get me ready. I stayed silent through the whole process, I could tell that Cinna was concern from the looks he would give me in the mirror but stayed quiet for my sake. He did my hair up in a bun with braids circling it. The dress he put me in was a fiery red that touched the floor. He place red, orange, and yellow jewels on my shoulder and down my back to meet the dress like a strap. I spun around a few times in the mirror, watching the flames flare from the hem of the dress.
"Amazing." I turned to Cinna, who was sitting on the couch.
"I don't feel amazing." I told him.
"Don't you know how beautiful you look?" He asked me.
"No." I shook my head. "How do you make people like you?" I questioned.
"Well, you made me like you." I sighed.
"That's different, I wasn't trying." He sat up and walked over to me.
"Exactly. Just be yourself, I'll be there the whole time. And pretend that you're talking to me." I looked at him uncertain. "Or pretend that your with Peeta. Okay?" He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.
"Okay." I'm taken to a hallway with the other twenty-three tributes and put into line by district, making Peeta and I last. We watch each of the tributes interview on a big screen. Glitter or whatever her name is was first and she went with a sexy approach, then Marvel, Clove, Cato, and so on until it got to Rue. She was dress in a white dress with gossamer wings making her look sweet and innocent, which she was. Then it was Thresh's turn, he went with the strong, silent type. A stage hand came to me and walked me to the edge before telling me to go.
"From District Twelve, District Twelve . . . You know her as The Girl on Fire!" The audience began to cheer loudly. "Well, we know her as the lovely Calla Lily Everdeen!" I began to slowly walk out onto the stage, my heart thumping loudly blocking out the sound of the roaring crowd and Caeser's booming voice.
"Welcome! Welcome!" His voice was muffled. I stared at the crowd as I took his offered hand as we sat down. "Welcome. Well, that was quite an entrance you made the other day." I turned to him.
"I'm sorry?" I asked. The crowd begins to laugh, I glance toward them.
"I think someone's a little nervous." Caeser gives a little chuckle. "I said that was quite an entrance that you made at the Tribute Parade the other day. Do you want to tell us about it?"
"I was just hoping that I wouldn't burn to death." I admitted. The crowd laughed again.
"When you came out of that chariot, I have to say, my heart stopped." I gave him a sweet smile. "Did any of you experience this as well?" The crowd whistles and cheers. "My heart stopped."
"Honestly, Peeta was the only reason I was still standing. I would have fallen over if I wasn't hanging on to him." I giggled. Everyone laughs again.
"Now, tell me about the flames. Are they real?" He asked. I look out to the crowd to try and find Cinna.
"Yes." The audience exclaims appreciatively. When I found Cinna, he gave me a nod telling me it was okay. "In fact, I'm wearing them today. Would you like to see?" I asked Caeser.
"Wait, wait, wait. Is it safe?" He asked with a worried look.
"Yes." I smiled and giggled.
"What do you think, folks?" He asked the crowd. The crowd screams with excitement. "I think that's a yes." Caesar said laughing. I stand up, take a few steps forwards and began to spin. Fire danced from the end of my dress causing the crowd to yell. I kept spinning until the world started to tilt. "Woah! Steady. Steady." Caeser helped me back to my seat. "Lovely. Thank you." We both sat down. "That was really something. Calla Lily, that was something. That was something. Thank you for that." There was a pause. "I have one more question for you. It's about your sisters." He takes my hand and pats it a few times. "We were all very moved, I think, when you volunteered for her at the Reaping. Did they come and say goodbye to you?"
"Yes." My voice wavered just a bit. "They did." He nodded.
"And what did you say to them in the end?" He asked.
"I told them that I would try to win." I swallowed, "That I would try to win for them." The crowd aws.
"Of course you did." Caeser said. "And try you will." He brought my hand to his lips and pressed them onto my hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, from District Twelve, Calla Lily Everdeen. The Girl on Fire!" We stand up, him raising my arm up into the air. The audience cheers. The stage hand helps me off the stage and back into Effie care, which I was happy to be in for once.
"You did it, darling. That was incredible." she said.
"Thank you." I said, sincerely.
"Nice job, sweetheart." We turned around to see Haymitch leaning on a column behind us.
"Thank you." I smiled.
"Nice dress, too." I blushed a little. He turns to Effie. "Not yours." I let out a giggle as Effie whacks him with her hand bag, which cause them both to smile at me a bit.
"Please welcome Peeta Mellark!" We all turn to the screen behind us to watch his interview. "Peeta, welcome." We stepped closer to the screen. "How are you finding The Capitol? And don't say, "With a map."." everyone in the crowd including Caeser and Peeta laugh.
"It's different. It's very different than back home." Peeta told Caeser.
"Different. In what way? Give us an example?" Caeser asked.
"Uh, okay. Well, the showers here are weird." Which was true, I've had to have Effie help me every time I took a shower which was fine. She stayed and talked with me while I showered, I told her about my family and in return, she told me about hers.
"The showers?" Caeser repeated.
"Yes."
"We have different showers." Caeser told the crowd. I frowned, of course Twelve had different showers; we didn't even have warm water.
"I have a question for you, Caeser." Peeta said. "Do I smell like roses to you?" Caeser a gave a weird face. The crowd was eating it up. "Take a whiff."
"All right." He agreed. Caeser leant in and smelled Peeta.
"You see?" Peeta asked.
"Yes. Do I smell like it?" Caeser asked. Peeta leant over and sniffed Caeser.
"You definitely smell better than I do." Peeta told him.
"Well, I've lived here longer." The crowd laughs.
"That makes sense." Peeta agreed. They crossed their legs the same way as they sat back while the crowd cheers and laughs.
"Very funny. So, Peeta, tell me, is there a special girl back home?" I bit my lip as Peeta face fell for a moment.
"No. No. Not really." He shook his head.
"No? I don't believe it for a second. Look at that face. Handsome man like you. Peeta, tell me." Caeser pressed. 'Don't tell them, Peeta. Don't tell them.' I chanted in my head.
"Well, there . . ." He pauses for a moment. "There is this one girl that I've had a crush on forever. We've been sort of seeing each other for about a year now until the reaping." The crowd aws.
"Well, I'll tell you what, Peeta. You go out there and you win this thing, and when you get home, she'll have to go out with you. Right, folks?" Caeser told him. The audience cheers, Peeta just stares at Caeser.
"Thanks, but I don't think winning's gonna help me at all."
"And why not?" Peeta took a deep breath.
"Because she came here with me." I slowly glared at the screen. He just painted a target on our backs, even if it wasn't intentional.
"Well, that's bad luck."
"Yeah, it is."
"And I wish you all the best of luck." Caeser told him.
"Thank you." They shook hands and stood up.
"Peeta Mellark." The crowd cheers. "District Twelve!" As we walked back to our floor, Peeta came from the other side of me. Glaring still, I grab hold of his jacket lapel and slam him into the wall.
"What the hell was that?!" I yelled at him while Effie shrieks in surprise. "You don't talk to me, and then you tell them that we're dating?!" Peeta stared at me in shock as I kept going. "Is that how you want to play it?" Haymitch grabs hold of my waist and drags me off of Peeta.
"Stop it! Stop it!" He yelled.
"Let's play then!" I screamed at him. Peeta just stares at me.
"Hey!" Haymitch yelled again. I quieted down not taking my glare off of Peeta. "He did you a favor." I scoffed and looked away.
"How?" I asked them.
"He made you look desirable, which in your case, can't hurt, sweetheart." I stare at Haymitch.
"He's right, Allie." I looked towards Cinna.
"Of course, I'm right." We look back to Haymitch. "Now, I can sell the star-crossed lovers from District Twelve. And being in love with that boy might just get you sponsors, which could save your damn life." I stay silent which causes Haymitch to sigh. "Okay. Why don't you get out of here?" He said to Peeta. "Maybe I can deliver you both in one piece tomorrow."
"Manners!" Effie points at me as the three of them walk away.
"Manners?" They all turn to me, I gave them a sharp smile. "Why in the hell would I be nice to the people who just ended my life?" I let out a laugh and shook my head, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" I said in a mock Capitol voice. Then walked away, leaving them all stunned staring after me. I got out of the dress, changed into sleep wear and went to bed. But I couldn't go to sleep, so I got up and walk to the living room. I found Peeta sitting at a window, so I quietly walked over to him.
"You, too?" I asked him.
"Hey." He looked over to me, a little startled.
"Can't sleep?"
"No. Of course not." He looked back out the window.
"I'm sorry I went after you. I was angry, but not at you, at our situation." I told him as I took a seat.
"I know, so am I." I smiled at him which he returned. I stared out the window in disgust at the Capital citizens shouts and screams.
"Listen to them." I whispered.
"Yeah. I just don't want them to change me." I turn to Peeta.
"How would they change you?" I asked confused.
"I don't know. They'd turn me into something I'm not." He said. I looked down at myself and back up at him.
"Too late for me on that part." I sighed, Peeta shook his head and took my hand into his.
"No, your still the same." He told me, but I knew I wasn't the same girl. I had change, not only in looks but my personality too. It was becoming darker little by little and it frightens me. "I just don't wanna be another piece in their game, you know?"
"You mean you won't kill anyone?" He shook his head again.
"No. I'm sure I would, just like anybody else when the time came. But, you know, I just keep wishing I could think of a way to show them that they don't own me. You know, if I'm gonna die, I wanna still be me. Does that make any sense?" He asked me. I stared at him, thinking. 'Show them that they don't own me . . .'
"Yes, it does Peeta. But I have my sisters to think of." He gave me a sad smile.
"Yeah, I know." He stares at me for a moment. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I smile at him.
"See you tomorrow." He gets up but not before placing a kiss on my cheek, and goes to bed. I stay up, sitting at the window watching the crowd below for a few more minutes and then head to bed for tomorrow.
