In case you haven't noticed, I've been correcting these for typos and errors in the plot and such. So if you spot anything please give me a shout.
I get there with seconds to spare, Lumina and Debbie giving me weird looks while Ally just winks at me. I dive onto the sofa between Vivian and Ally and stare at the screen. The district one male is flashing at me now. A nine! I shiver. He's the one to look out for then, the sexy girl from two gets an eight and Dral gets a seven, which means he's in the careers and so am I, as long as my score isn't too terrible. Not too terrible, I wish. Score number one, here I come. Hopefully people will be thinking I held myself back. The tiny girl from district seven gets a six, which surprises me and I almost choke on the salty nuts I am munching on. I wonder what she's so good at. Then Vivian's score comes up. An eight! Then I actually do choke and am bending down, unable to breathe as my score comes up.
As per usual, I miss all my important things and look up just to see district nine's boy, the really scary looking one, getting a nine just like the district one boy. Those two shouldn't be messed with. But before anything like that occurs in my mind I look up at my stunned team as I spit out the peanuts to stop myself from choking again. They are just staring transfixed at me.
"Yeah. I'm choking," I cough, "Don't worry about me, I didn't see my score, only Vivian's eight which you are all so flabbergasted about that you can't even speak any more. So, how was my one or two, or perhaps did I break a record? Did they give me a zero?" Hercules slowly shakes his head and I pause, maybe they gave me a two for that accuracy with the knife thing. Ally is the first to speak.
"Kara," He says softly, "You got a ten." My face freezes for a moment then I snort.
"Yeah, yeah. Very likely. Hilarious, my sides are splitting, wind up the poor girl who got a two in her training score." I say, annoyed. But Ally just shakes his head.
In the end it takes the replay the next morning to convince me that they're telling the truth and then I just stare, blankly. I don't understand, I threatened to kill a Gamemaker, then blew a kiss to him, was disrespectful to the head Gamemaker and made a message in the wall saying 'I WIN'. How could they have given me the highest training score?
"I guess they like your spunk." Says Hercules, breaking the silence; Spunk, I now hate that word and make a mental note never ever to say it.
"But why would they do that – give me a ten, I mean?" I ask.
"They want an interesting game." Chipped in Ally, "You're certainly interesting. Now you'll have both sponsors and tributes out there, braying for your blood. Though I think the sponsors are slightly more welcome."
I smile then sigh. "I better go then. I've got an interview to prepare for."
I dash off to Ally's styling room and pick up the ridiculously short dress. As I pull it on I don my smile as well as the clothing and look in the mirror. Perfect, except I'm missing something...
Ally enters the room and smiles knowingly. "Your hair," He explains, "It's too weak. We need to fluff it up, make it look crazy!" I stand in front of the mirror as he adds mousse and various other gels and such like into my hair until it shines a fiery gold, almost like the heart did. It has puffed out, the fluffiness engulfing my shoulders, but not my face. That steers clear of the elegant tangle my hair has become. I smile and my pure white teeth steer the look into pure style.
"Why didn't you use one of those Capitol machines that does it all for you?" I eventually ask, trying to think of something to say in marvel of the masterpiece perched on top of my head that barely feels like mine.
"They don't though." Says Ally, "It lacks that special something, that oomph that you can only mould with your two hands." I nod encouragingly and listen out for more. Ally laughs.
"You really can't pull off the eager look, well, I've got to go and see the designer for district four, he wants to see me, something about his girl tribute's outfit. Doesn't fit properly, probably. Might see if I can put a spanner in the works for her in the form of some 'friendly' advice, just for you. See you in the interview then. Remember to see Claudia and Bart for makeup. We were going to try and coach you but I think Vivian needs it a bit more than you; anyway, you go girl!"
So I stand here looking at the reflection of myself, pondering over what to do and I start singing. It starts quietly, me singing a happy tune and then I've burst into full blown song.
See the little birds cheep,
Oh my, it's so sweet,
How the trees sway in the wind,
But I don't really care,
If other people stare,
At my love for life.
'Cause I'm on top of the world, baby,
In love with the world, I know it's crazy,
But I'm on top of your world, baby,
And I'm not coming down.
Hear the water trickling,
The berries ripe for picking,
Know how we're all happy,
But I don't give a bit,
If people think I'm sick,
Due to my love of life,
'Cause I'm on top of the world, baby,
In love with the world, I know it's crazy,
But I'm on top of your world, baby,
And I'm not coming down.
Smell the forest pine trees,
Feel the rippling breeze,
Peace and harmony together,
I don't mind if people think,
That I might need a shrink,
Since I love life,
'Cause I'm on top of the world, baby,
In love with the world, I know it's crazy,
But I'm on top of your world, baby,
And I'm never ever coming down, yeah!
Suddenly my stomach churns and I have an odd feeling that someone is watching me so I suddenly spin around to find myself face to face with Dral. He looks shocked that I've caught him in the act of listening to me.
"What are you doing here?" I snap, glaring at him hostilely.
"Suzie's designer sent me to get Ally. Suzie, the female tribute from my district." Dral murmurs, "But then I heard you sing and..."
"OK, I get the picture." I chip in, and then soften down a bit, "How are you?"
"Fine, fine. How can you sing like that?" He asks.
"Badly?" I murmur.
"No, it's great, you're great."
I smile, "Well, I guess I'm just gifted."
I look at him. He's all smartened up and is wearing a dark green dinner jacket with a black tie and matching trousers. I carefully back away.
"You're wearing your interview outfit." I murmur, "We're not meant to see each other in these before the interview."
Dral looks at me and smiles awkwardly, "You're wearing yours, too, aren't you?"
"Nah," I say, "Just an ancient thing I slipped on."
Dral looks at me, stunned. I giggle playfully at his shocked reaction.
"I was just joking Dral. Do you really think I dress like this normally?" I ask, glancing down at my dress, or rather my 'shirt'.
"No, no." Says Dral, his head turning away from me, "Well, I better find Ally then."
"Oh." I say, "He said he was going to see a district four designer. I guess you two just missed each other in the lifts or something."
"Well," Dral says, looking around awkwardly, "I better go then."
"Bye," I say almost reluctantly.
"Bye," Dral mutters.
Dral shuts the door and I glance around the room and see another door I never noticed before. I creep up to it and push it open with a slight creak. I enter and see Claudia and Bart, my styling team. They're sitting down with a cup of tea in their hands relaxing on a sofa when I enter. They both jump up, startled. When they see it's just me Claudia smiles and Bart grunts.
"Ally told me I should see you for makeup," I explain.
"Of course he did, cherub," Coos Claudia as she drags me in front of a seat, "Now, Bart, what did he tell us to do to this dove?"
Bart hums, thinking hard and then smiles. "High complexion on upper face contrasting the lower concentration gradient used on the cheeks and neck, slowly drifting down the scale. Then rainbow gleam placed on the upper forehead after a full facial waxing and natural Mediterranean herb cream application – Mauritius, I think it was, after opening the pores of course and closing them mid-cream application, oh, and not to touch her hair."
I smile, not having understood a word of what he has just said and Claudia gives me a reassuring grin.
"It's not all that complicated, it should only take a couple of minutes."
An hour later of primping, grooming and slathering some honey-like substance on my face I am ready. My makeup is done so I took truly golden, and there are speckles of rainbow dancing around on my face. I grin at myself in the mirror, and even the cheesiest of grins doesn't make a difference. I look rich, powerful and most importantly, smoking hot.