A/N: Thank you for your continued support. I am pushing these chapters out faster because I have so many ideas and I need to get them on...er...Word Documents. Thank you for reading and reviewing the story. The interviews are based off the book, where all the tributes are on stage during every interview. We are almost to the Games! I'm very excited!
I am waiting backstage for the interviews. Eleora is putting the finishing touches on my outfit. It is a knee length strapless dress in a green hue, green high heels, and a rose pinned near my breast. Make-up was nonexistent on my face, giving me a natural look. My hair was curled with grass woven in. Is Eleora purposely making me homesick?
She patted blush on my cheeks as a tribute walks up beside us. Eleora finishes and walks off. Her deep purple hair bounces off as she makes her way into the audience. I look at the tribute beside me and I see Quaid. He looks natural. His golden hair has some sort of grease in it, but it makes it look smooth as silk. He is wearing a turquoise blue tuxedo with black dress shoes. In the pocket of his jacket, I saw a diamond encrusted hanky. Oh, District 1 and your luxury items.
"You look...fantastic." Quaid's voice melted my heart. No one has told me I look fantastic before.
"Thank you. You look rather dashing." I reply and see a smile cross his face.
"Congratulations on the ten." He pats my shoulder. "Lucifer really must be feeling like an ass." I smile at his remark.
"Thank you and good job on the nine. You'll win, I promise." I say.
"Remember, I win means that you win." His voice can melt everything. Butter, plastic, and my heart.
"How could I forget?" I ask. I hear more tributes walking in as Quaid's eyes look down at me. His hands are on my shoulders.
"You look absolutely beautiful. You'll definitely win over the crowd and sponsors." He...he complimented me? District 1 is known to shove out arrogant tributes. Why is he not arrogant?
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You are handsome and you are strong. You will get sponsors, not just me." Not only is he humble, he is very good at making others feel good. Not once did he laugh at someone, talk about people behind their backs (other than Lucifer), and he is just so...nice. I can't find another word to describe it.
His arms pull me in. He still smelt like roses. I didn't care if anyone looked at us. We are friends who will make it out of the Hunger Games alive. Someone calls out district numbers, starting with 1 and ending with 11. I am in the back, with three people behind me. Flitter begins the line. The stage is dimmed as we all took our places. Everyone took a seat in the shadowed part of the stage. Dusk Shine arrives, stars shooting in all different directions and her being lowered down from the ceiling. The audience starts to cheer for the host and she takes her seat.
"Hello, Panem and thank you for joining us. Tonight is when we learn about the tributes fighting in the arena tomorrow morning. You know all their training scores, how they looked during opening ceremonies, but what are the tributes actually like? Well, I have the answer. Tonight, we begin with District One's Flitter!" She introduces the first tribute and the tall, thin tribute makes her way to Dusk.
Dusk stands up, adjusting her star covered dress and hugs Flitter. Flitter smiles and sit down beside the host. Flitter's dress is a golden ball gown, showing her perfect figure. Her hair was straightened and it glistened in the lights. Her approach to the audience is sexy all the way. It normally is for District 1 females.
Flitter's three minute interview begins with Dusk complimenting her dress. Flitter blushes and thanks her stylist for the idea. I sat straight and didn't let boredom take me over. It sure took over Faith from District 7. She is slumped in her chair, not paying attention to anything. Flitter's interview ends with a buzzer and their calling Quaid Ethers. He stands up and shakes hands with Dusk.
He has the audience from the get-go. He makes them laugh, joking about the food and the showers. He always finds a way to compliment Dusk Shine, telling her the colors she chose really represent the dusk hour. "Now, Quaid. When I watched the District One reaping, my heart stopped. You were chosen and no one volunteered for you. How did that feel?"
A moment of pure anguish crosses his face. "Well, it felt terrible. Honestly. When I watched the Reapings, and I saw some volunteer, I kept thinking, 'Why didn't anyone do it for me?' When I watched my partner, Jada, volunteer for her friend, I just wished one of my friends stepped up for me." I swore I could feel every tribute looking at me with either envy or disbelief. Why did he have to mention me?
"Tell you what. You win this thing, go home, and show them that you could make it in the arena. How about that?" Dusk reassures him. He just gets ready to answer when his buzzer goes off.
Everyone's interviews are simple and fast. Camilla is a killer, along with Lucifer. Rahi from 3 is smart. Devin from 5 is quiet. Collin from 6 is vulnerable. Faith from 7 is weak. Everyone has a strategy worked out put together before hand. I do too, but I'm not sure how to execute it. Omar from 9 just finishes his interview when I snap back to reality.
"You know her from the chariot rides, the simple and innocent girl. You know her from her training score. District Ten's Jada Caldwell!" Music blares as I walk to Dusk Shine's side. She hugs me and asks me to take a seat. "Jada, you made quite an impression at your chariot rides. Tell me, what did you think of the simple approach?"
I sit up straighter as I get ready to answer. "I think it was a wonderful change. The chariot rides are always full of crazy costumes that show off your district. A simple sundress with a Holstein pattern worked just well for me." I brush my bangs out of my face.
"Yes, I do agree. Some costumes are too...out there even for Capitol standards." The audience begins to chuckle with Dusk. "Now, your training score. A ten! That's a first for your district. How did it feel to get such a high score?"
"It feels exhilarating. I expected myself to earn an eight, maybe a nine. I never expected to earn a ten." I reply, looking right at her.
"I believe you are the same girl from Caldwell farm, who produces the best meat. Am I right?" She knows she's right. President Rector even knows who I am. I wonder if he feels bad that I, a well-known farmer, am in the Games.
"Yes, I am. I make the healthiest cows and the richest milk...um...does it taste that way?" I ask her, ducking my head.
"I believe it does. What do you think folks? Does the Caldwell meat taste healthy and does the milk taste rich?" A roar of screams answers her question. At least now I know my meat tastes good to everyone in the Capitol
We talk more about the Capitol and how I am enjoying it. I make my answers as simple and short as possible to earn me more questions. I talk to her about the showers and how I am enjoying the living quarters I am now in. I manage to make a few jokes, making the audience laugh uncontrollably. But, I know she's going to ask me about the...
"Now, your Reaping." I knew it was coming. "How do you know the girl you volunteered for?" I try my hardest not to let tears spill over my eye lids.
"Hadley is my best friend." I start. "She wasn't as well off as me and my family. Her name was in the bowl twenty or so times. I knew she couldn't survive the games. She has a sickness that weakens her muscles and it makes it hard for her to move." The audience lets out sounds of sympathy.
"What did you tell her before you left?" She asks.
"I told her I'd try to win and I told her to expect me to come home." I say, holding my composure.
Dusk gives me a look and grabs my hand. "And try you will. I'm sorry, but your time has been spent. Everyone, Jada Caldwell!" She helps me up and we raise our hands. The roar of the crowd shows their liking. They may like Flitter or Quaid more, but at least sponsors are considering me.
When I reached the elevator, Quaid makes a point to make sure we stay there the longest. "You look lovely, Cowgirl. You are definitely getting sponsors." I smile at the niceness dripping in his voice.
"Thank you." I say, looking around. No one is here but us. I click the up button and we wait for the elevator. "You are getting sponsors, too. You kept them laughing and gave them a heartfelt story." The elevator dinged and we stepped in.
"Just click ten. I'll ride up with you." No one has offered to go to places with me. Okay, we are only going to the tenth floor, but no one offered before. I clicked the button and we whizzed to my floor.
"Thanks for riding with me, Quaid." I say.
"Nothing to it, Jada." Quaid replies. We stand in silence for a moment. I should be getting to my room, but I am just standing in the elevator looking to deep emeralds. Why can't I move?
Quaid pulls me into a hug. His grip tightens on me. I hug him back, wishing to never let go. He has to bend to reach me, but he finds a way to hug me. His wheat colored hair smells like grass. Did he use the grass option for me? Unlikely, but I didn't mind. We hugged for what seemed like forever. I didn't want to lose him.
He presses his lips to my forehead. "We'll go home. Don't worry about it. We'll make it home."
"Will you leave me alone in the arena?" I ask. I don't want a cracked promise.
"Never."