Hi, sorry for another short chapter, but I'm working on it! I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Special thanks to: Everlarkmakorraforever, JessiD624, BindYourLove, DannyBoy09, TrisMellarkHerondale, dCookieBman, Aerith's imaginary world, and guest for the reviews, favorites, and follows! They really encourage me! I'm sorry if I forgot someone or misspelled their username.
Hope you enjoy and please review, favorite, or follow!
Chapter 9
We never talked about my angle for the interviews. I don't know what I am. I'm not funny, or witty, or even vulnerable. Peeta thinks I shine in every angle, so he's really no help. I went to bed thinking about that and woke up with my prep team hanging over me. Today is for Cinna. I wonder how Peeta is doing. The team works until late afternoon, stenciling my skin, painting flames, weaving strands of red into my hair, and doing my makeup all red. Then Cinna enters with my dress. "Close your eyes," he says, slipping my dress on. I can feel the weight. It must weigh forty pounds. I blindly step into the shoes. "Open your eyes," Cinna says softly. My dress is covered in reflective pieces that give off the illusion of fire whenever I move. I am as radiant as the sun. "Oh Cinna, thank you," I whisper. I twirl and move and the prep team goes nuts. Then they leave and Cinna smiles. "You ready?" he asks. I can trust Cinna. "We have the plan, but I don't know what I will do for my interview. I'm not witty or mysterious or anything!" I exclaim. "Well, why don't you talk as if you're talking to me? Just be honest," he says. I nod. That will work. Soon it's time to go. I meet Peeta who looks striking in his black suit with flame accents. I stand by him and whisper to him subtly, "I love you." "I love you too, Katniss," he says. Effie is dressed up and gushes over Peeta and I and I accept the compliments. Haymitch just nods at me and I know exactly what it means. I see the locket on Peeta and I want to kiss him so badly. I cannot believe that only one of us might come out of this, if not none. The thought brings tears to my eyes, but I blink them back. I will not give them the satisfaction of my tears. The doors open and we are lined up with the other tributes. "Good luck," Haymitch whispers before we go on to take our seats. Being on the stage makes my breathing shallow. I sit down and take in my surroundings. It is bright as day and then Caesar Flickerman, the host comes on stage. It's a little scary because every year his face is the same with the same suit and all the white makeup seemingly untouched. He starts with a few jokes and then the districts seem to slip by. I can't seem to pay attention to any of them except maybe for Rue who looks wonderful and she seems confident. Then they're calling my name and I float out onto stage and I shake his hand.
"So Katniss, what's impressed you the most from the Capitol?" he asks, and then I realize the questions are rolling. My mouth goes dry and I catch Cinna's eye and he smiles encouragingly. "The lamb stew," I say. Caesar and some of the audience begin to laugh. "Oh I eat it by the bucketful!" Caesar says. "Now Katniss, what did you think of your costume?" he asked. Be honest. "You mean, after I got over my fear of being burned alive?" I asked. They laughed and I continued with how I loved my costume. I twirl for Cinna and the audience goes crazy. He tells me not to stop but I have to; I'm too dizzy. I talk about Prim and how I love her so much. Then the buzzer goes off and my time is done and I sit down. Next is Peeta and I give him a reassuring look. Peeta has the audience from the beginning, sniffing Caesar and making anecdotes about the shower. That's when Caesar asks him about the locket. "What's that? Something special from a special someone?" he asks. Peeta shakes his head unconvincingly. "Come on, Peeta, you can trust us," he says. Okay, get ready to blush. "Well, we've been together for almost 3 years now. And I love her more than anyone else," he says. "Who is it?" he asks. Peeta's eyes look downcast as he opens the locket and Caesar gasps and I know the cameras have zoomed in. I blush a little but in truth, sadness has overcome me. "It's Katniss," Peeta whispers and I see a tear fall down his face and suddenly I have tears falling as well. "Oh that is a piece of bad luck," Caesar says, sadly and I can hear the crowd moaning. The buzzer rings. "Well best of luck Peeta Mellark and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts our hearts go with yours," he says and Peeta chokes out a 'Thank you' and walks back to his seat. I will my tears to stop and quickly lean over and wipe them off of his cheeks. The crowd moans and claps.
We file out to the elevator and eventually all the tributes are gone. We walk out to the District 12 floor and I immediately kiss him as soon as we step out, pouring all my emotions of sadness and anger at the Capitol in it. The whole crew is suddenly there and I can hear Effie calling for change and Portia is… is she crying? I don't know but I focus on Peeta and we only stop to breathe. "Peeta," I whisper. "It's okay, it's okay," he says trying to soothe me, but I've had enough. "NOTHING IS OKAY! My boyfriend, my best friend is going into an arena with me and I know for sure that we'll never see each other again! Peeta, I love you… how can they do this to us?" I scream, my screams slowly dying out. Peeta strokes my hair and my prep team and Effie is going out of all sorts. Slowly I calm down and we go for dinner. Now I can openly be with Peeta. Then we watch the interviews. We will not be forgotten- the star-crossed lovers of District 12. Tomorrow at dawn we will be awaken for the Games. Effie says her final goodbyes to us and Haymitch offers words of advice. "Don't stick together until 8 tributes are dead," he says gruffly. Peeta and I object but he sighs. "I've done this before, kid. Trust me," he says and I nod with Peeta. Then he leaves as well. We go into our room and take our showers and try to fall asleep, but I can't. I go into Peeta's room and we spend the night in each other's arms, kissing and in a halfway world between consciousness and unconsciousness. We are awoken and I don't see Peeta after that. A hovercraft appears out of nowhere and I am placed inside there. A tracker is placed on me through a slightly painful shot. Then the hovercraft stop and I am let down to get ready. I shower and it is hard to keep my breakfast in. My clothes are put on and my Mockingjay pin is put on by Cinna. I can't eat and before I must go on the plate, Cinna whispers to me, "Remember, I'm still betting on you, girl on fire." I whisper thank you and I step on the plate, the glass covering me and suddenly I am being lifted into the sky. For a moment I am not conscious of anything. Then the voice sounds. "Ladies and gentlemen, let the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"
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-district12demigod