I wasn't able to fall asleep again that night, and Blaine had stayed with me down in the Control Room. At 6:00, he sent me back up to get ready for the big day.

I got dressed in a brightly colored pleated skirt and matching collar shirt, the most stylist ensemble in Capitol attire. I puffed up the shoulders on my shirt and buttoned it all the way to the top. I pulled my hair into two low buns and colored my lips to match my skirt and put jewels on my eyelashes. My favorite pink buckle-up boots extended almost to my knee and after dabbing rose oil on my wrists, I was ready. Sure, no one was going to see me, but it was important to me to look god today.

At 7:00 sharp, an Avox brought me breakfast, and by 8:00, I was in the Control Room, nerves finally under control. I pressed a small bud in my ear, and had Scot test it to make sure I could hear.

10 minutes later, we got final word that the arena was ready and that the tributes were on their way.

I allowed myself a moment to think about Glenn. Who was he beside? What was he wearing? Did he have a strategy? Was he scared?

Blaine's voice, as it always seemed to, broke my thoughts.

"Wow. You look…incredible."

I blushed. "Thanks. Just thought…should try to look good for my first day. First real day."

"Well, you do," he smiled, a real Blaine smile.

He ran his fingers through his hair and reached out his hand to me. "Weapons are in place, Cornucopia's filled, the Feast is ready for whenever you want it…wanna see your arena?"

I lit up, nodding madly. I grabbed his hand and he led me to my place. The entire arena stood before me as a hologram, finalized.

I squeezed Blaine's hand. "This is really it." I couldn't take my eyes off the hologram.

A voice squeaked in my ear, saying the tributes were in their changing rooms and in half an hour, they would ascend to the arena.

"You're on, Head Gamemaker. Good luck," Blaine whispered, dropping my hand and leaving me to my post.

I took a deep breath. "All right!" I yelled. My voice rang through the room, silencing everyone instantly. They turned towards me, looking expectant.

"They're changing now. 30 minutes to show time!" Everyone nodded simultaneously.

"Miss," Evangelos summoned me. He gestured towards a screen. "Panem."

The screen he pointed to showed The Square, a courtyard in the middle of the Capitol. There were huge screens that would play the Games continuously so every Capitol citizen could enjoy them.

My mouth dropped when I saw all the people. The crowd was bigger than I'd ever seen. Tons of teenagers, all grouped together, stood cheering out "Hunger! Hunger!" Those who'd caught sight of the camera waved and blew kisses.

"They're all for you. For your Games," Evangelos smiled.

The shot widened to show one of the huge screens, replaying training scores and betting odds.

"Most people have money on the pair from District 2, the girl from 11, and the boy from 7," he told me.

I nodded. "Logical choices."

I watched the crowd for a few minutes longer before returning to my post. I surveyed the Control Room: tons of Gamemakers, in white coats and slacks with a rainbow of hair colors, huge screens lining the walls, the huge hologram in the center. I folded my hands triumphantly. All this at my disposal. I could do anything I wanted. I could make trees grow, I could knock them down. I could make it snow one day and sunny the next. I could kill a tribute just to shake things up. I could…

My eyes grew wide with the realization: I could save a tribute as easily as I could kill one. I could save Glenn. He could win. All he needed…was me.

I shook my head violently. No. A Head Gamemaker has to be impartial. If only for his or her first year. You only use your power to kill when necessary: when things get boring or things need a little shake-up. Never just because you can.

"But this is different. You love him," the other side of me kept saying. "Plus, you'll never get caught." But if I did…

I sighed. Even if he did win, what could I do then? Move to District 6? No way. He'd be here once a year for the Games, as a mentor. That's something, I guess. Enough, at least, for me to decide to just stay out of it until I had more time to think. I was confident he could at least make it part way on his own.

I shook my head again. Now was not the time to have a moral conflict.

I turned my attention to another screen in the Control Room, where all 24 changing rooms were live.

"Can you send the 15 minute warning please?"

A red-headed Gamemaker flipped a switch and a female voice rang through the changing rooms. "15 minutes."

I watched the tributes carefully. The girl from 2 was jumping up and down, keeping her body moving. The boy from 12 was repeatedly practicing his knife-throwing motion. The girl from 8 was broken down in tears, barely able to catch her breath.

My eyes finally landed on Glenn. He was picking at a plate heaping of beef stew, bouncing his leg nervously. His eyes were dating around nervously as they so often did. His stylist was beside him, trying to coax him into eating.

I sighed. He still looked so handsome, in the dark red jacket and dull orange pants, perfect for hiding in the fall sector of the arena. 5 other tributes were dressed identically.

Of the remaining 18, 6 were dressed in white for winter, 6 sported bright pinks and pale yellows for spring, and 6 had on bright green that matched the summer grass perfectly.

"5 minutes," rang out the voice again. I went back to my Head Gamemaker place.

"5 minutes! Take your places, we're almost to the gong!" I yelled.

For about 3 minutes, the room was a blur of white as everyone took their places. Blaine gave me a thumbs up from behind the hologram.

"20 seconds," the voice boomed through the changing rooms. The tributes stepped inside their tubes, and 20 seconds later were being transported up to their platforms. The one minute countdown began.

The tributes flipped their heads around, taking in their surroundings. Some shaded their eyes from the sun. Many eyed the Cornucopia.

30 seconds to the gong.

I glanced at the shot of Panem. Everyone was going wild.

Back to the tributes.

10 seconds.

I saw Glenn take a deep breath.

"You got this," I whispered. "Win it for me."