The lift in the Training Centre is made of crystal and has sleek buttons, of which Horatio presses number four. Before we got in, he and Crispus said that each District has its own floor, where the whole team sleeps. That includes the tributes, mentors and escort. I roll my eyes when he says that. I have to live with Aelia and her ridiculous outfits. However, I can do whatever I please within the apartment. If I want to eat or drink, I press a button. If I want a shower, there are over a hundred different settings to choose from. There is a massive wardrobe and all I need to do is press a few buttons and my outfit appears. Respectively, because we are from District 4, we are on floor four.
The doors of the lift open and the smell of freshly cooked meat, bread and vegetables fills my noise. I step out and a feast is waiting for me. Platters upon platters and bowls and big birds. I am too in awe of the table. Cyrus, Finnick and Aelia are already sat down, but they get up and start clapping. Congratulations all round, apparently. I get hugs from Aelia, who screeches in my ear how fantastic it was. Finnick stands in front of me and smiles.
"What?"
"I've seen you in your underwear a lot over the past twenty-four hours," he grins.
I look down at my body slightly. I'm still practically naked, with all the blue green scales covering my bust and legs. I shrug slightly and look back up to him.
"You could be looking at a lot worse," I say, biting my bottom lip slightly.
"Yeah, I could," he says, eyeing me up again. "But congratulations." He pulls me in and hugs me tight. "You're perfect."
"Thank you," I mumble.
He nuzzles his face down into my neck and inhales deep. He mumbles something, but I can't make it out. Okay, this feels awkward now. I let go of him and make my way to the table. Jasper sits next to me, his face buzzing with all the compliments he was given.
I start to pile my plate high with chicken, beef and lamb, smothering it with this yellow sauce. I haven't eaten since breakfast, probably so my stomach would appear flat during the parade. I shovel the food down; it doesn't hit the sides. The table is replenished with more food by servants in white uniforms. They are called Avoxes, normal people who have had their tongues cut out for committing a terrible crime, probably treason, and forced to serve us. Aelia scorns me for my lack of manners. But I don't care. I would have fainted if I didn't eat soon. The last time I ate was 8am, and it is now 11pm, so I think I have a valid enough reason to be greedy. And like my mentor said, I need as much energy for the Arena as possible. I'm surprised she's more concerned about my manners and not my lack of clothing. My plate keeps refilling with noodles and rice with berries and stew until a large cake covered in pink frosting is set out onto the table. I hear Jasper gasp in amazement and his eyes light up. He has at least two large slices and I can only just about fit in a slither.
After desert, we all sit to watch the parade replay on the television. The living area is similar to that on the train. There is a bright purple carpet and the large sofa is neon green. I nestle into the soft fabric curling up tight into a ball. I start to feel tired, but I have to watch it, I have to pay attention this time. The fanfare of music blares out of the screen and the gold leotards of District 1 appear.
"Here we come," mutters Jasper as the pair from District 3, dressed in outfits that look like circuit boards and wires, exit the Remake Centre.
My eyes widen with amazement. I did it! I actually did it! I made my mark on the Capitol. I truly looked like a goddess from the sea. My hair did appear to be a wave and my eyes… Wow!
"We did it, brother," Horatio says, clutching onto an almost teary Crispus.
"We finally cracked the Capitol," replies Crispus, his voice wavering with emotion.
The girl from District 5 looks on to me with an envious eye. Her stylist did an amazing job, making her glow slightly to represent power, her District's main export. She doesn't even make an effort with the crowd. I think I might have made an enemy there.
"Oh, God," scoffs Horatio. "They've done it again?"
"Done what?" asks Cyrus. We all look to Horatio.
"7! They've gone for the tree look. Yes we get it! Your District is lumber, but try something original!"
I laugh to myself. It's true. District 7 has dressed as trees since I can remember and obviously long before that.
The replays soon end and Aelia stands up and applauds.
"You did the best out of all of them!" she says. Well, I hardly did anything. I just stood and smiled. Horatio and the prep team did everything. "See! I knew we had our winner here." She looks directly at me.
I swallow hard slightly. I feel bad for Jasper. He looked amazing too, less like a child and more like a man. And he was lovely and likeable. But Horatio had more to work with concerning my costume, well, body paint. I glance at Jasper slightly, but he is still beaming. He's too young to understand the situation the way I do. I should try and distance myself from him more. I don't want it to be harder than it already is.
"You have your first training session tomorrow. Finnick and I will go through what we want you to do at breakfast. Get some sleep. You're gonna need it," says Cyrus as he traipses away to his bedroom.
I can finally have a shower and put some clothes on! I say goodnight to Aelia, Horatio and Crispus, who are still talking about how brilliant their ideas were for the parade with Aelia. I make my way to my room, after saying goodnight to Finnick and Jasper.
My room is massive, much bigger than it needs to be. My bed is larger than that on the train, and that bed was huge. It looks even softer and has more pillows. I slip out of my underwear and make my way to the bathroom for a shower. It is exactly like how Horatio and Crispus said it was. A huge glass dome with a panel for all the different programmes.
I stare at it for a moment before selecting a random combination. I am showered with hot water and the paint starts to drip off, the floor turning blue, green and sparkly. I am lathered with soap and oils and a special pulse detangles my hair. I step out, refreshed and cleaned and onto a mat which instantly dries my hair and body. I look at myself in the mirror. It feels like forever since I looked this normal. My skin is back to its natural tan colour, my eyes their normal deep green and my hair just brunette.
I programme into my wardrobe that I want some cosy pyjamas, and sure enough, a pair of soft white silky pants and white silk camisole appears on my bed. I dump my towel and put them on. The silk runs along my newly hairless skin effortlessly, making my spine tingle with its cold gentleness. All I need now is some warm milk to help me drift off. I walk out into the dining area to the hatch where you can get snacks, small meals and drinks from. The room is dark but softly illuminated by the lights streaming through the window from the Capitol. I press a few buttons and my drink appears, warm and steaming. I turn around and make my way back to my room, gently sipping the milk, when I see Finnick standing in my open doorway, obviously trying to find me.
"Can I help you?" I say.
He turns around and smiles. The slightly dim light catches his eyes and makes them glisten slightly.
"Oh, hey. We really should stop meeting like this," he smiles.
"Like what?"
"At night or when we're half naked," he says. "Both, really."
"Yeah, I guess," I smile.
"I wasn't sure if you were awake. But I completely forgot," he says. I furrow my brow in confusion. He holds something out, but I can't quite see it. "Your necklace."
"Oh!" I say, remembering that Horatio took it from me. "Let me put this down…"
I go into my room, Finnick following closely behind. I leave my milk on the bedside table and turn to him.
"Thank you for keeping it safe," I say.
"No problem," he grins. "I haven't seen a pink pearl in real life before, only in books at school. Where'd you get it from?"
"It was my grandmothers' token when she was Reaped from her boyfriend, my grandfather. He found it diving one day and had it made into a necklace, so she would always remember him, throughout her toughest times."
"That's so sweet. It's worth a fortune, you know, it is that rare," he says as he fondles the chain and looking at the pearl.
"Of course it's priceless. It has an amazing story behind it, my family's story," I say. I knew he meant it could sell for lots of money. But I would never sell it, not for all the money and jewels and luxuries in all of Panem. They can't replace my grandmother's legacy.
"Let me put it on you," he says.
I turn around and brush my hair out of the way, leaving my neck exposed. He dangles the chain in front of me, pulling it slightly as he hooks the clasp in the chain. I grip onto the pearl and bring it up to my nose. I close my eyes and inhale deep. That sweet elegant scent. How I miss her.
I open my eyes and Finnick is stood in front of me. I let go of the chain.
"Sorry," I mumble, slightly embarrassed. "It's just it still smells of her."
"May I?" he asks, reaching for the chain. I nod. He bends down slightly, his skin tickling up my chest as he scoops up the silver jewellery and brings it to his nose. He inhales and exhales, his warm breath floating over my skin.
"It smells like you," he mumbles, continuing to breathe in the perfume. I laugh to myself.
"You mean I smell like it?" I say.
He drops the chain and smiles, looking up at me.
"Something like that," he beams, his eyes looking deep into mine. "You really are beautiful, aren't you?"
What?! I swallow hard. Is he being serious?! No, he can't be! Play it cool, Annie. He's just testing you again.
"I bet you say that to all the girls you meet," I giggle.
He stares at me, his face unchanging. He stands up straight, his eyes still locked with mine.
"No, I don't," he says.
"Oh," I mutter, feeling incredibly awkward.
"I like you without the mermaid paint. I like you now, as you."
Okay, I don't get it. He's got the entire female population throwing themselves at him and he is stood here, trying to flirt with me. Well, I don't know. Is it flirting? I am so confused!
I can see him moving closer to me, his eyes flicking from mine to my lips. No, please don't.
"I… I need my sleep. I have training tomorrow," I say.
He stops his slow movement towards my lips and glances down slightly, almost looking disappointed.
"No, of course. I'm keeping you awake," he mumbles, running his hands through his hair. "Good night."
"Night," I say as I watch him traipse out of my room, shutting my bedroom door softly.
I climb into bed and gulp down the remains of my milk and shut my eyes. But no matter what I do, what positions I get into, how much I plump my pillows, I cannot sleep. Even if my eyes were glued together, I wouldn't be able to. I am nervous for training, extremely nervous. How are the more skilled Careers going to react to me? I haven't trained my whole life for this event so I don't have any weapons skills. I can learn and improve while I'm there and hopefully they will accept me. I want to make an alliance with them, that which I'm sure of. They can kill the other tributes for me. Plus I might not be as useless as they think. Like Finnick said, swimming is a skill to be treasured.
Finnick. Oh god… I don't know what to think. Maybe he finds it sexy that I don't find him attractive in that way, that I'm not drooling when I see him. He's my mentor, I couldn't think like that, even if I wanted to. Yes, there was a moment, but I was slightly intoxicated. I can step back and say he is handsome, but no, just no. I don't think he's even my type! Let's not over think it.