Chapter ten

The make over

Last night hadn't been what I had expected, but then I didn't know what to expect from Peeta anymore. 'Him caring about whether I live or die wasn't my intention,' I think as I brush out my long wavy locks, I've been up for what feels like hours taking advantage of the hot shower while I have it, I'm dressed in tight black pants with black stiletto boots that stop an inch before my knees my t-shirt is gray and flows gracefully around my shoulders but tightens up below my bust. The outfit seriously looks kickass, I just hope my blue eyes and soft brown hair doesn't take away from my look. I need to look strong, like I can hold my own because today is the day we arrive. 'It's nice though.' I think smiling softly, getting up I place the hairbrush on the dresser on the far wall, above it hangs a mirror that reflects a girl that I nearly recognize to be me, everything about her screams tiny from her too small of a nose to her height even with the six inch heels. 'So much for looking tough,' I internally scoff 'at least I'm clean.' I haven't looked this clean since I arrived, from the crash to living in poverty personal hygiene fell somewhere to the background.

A light rapping at my door caught my attention as I reach for my locket that lays on top the dresser, "Up, up, up." Effie calls as I roll my eyes, I know I have to cut her some slack and knock of the hostility if I want her on my side and that it isn't her fault that she was born in the capitol, I try to picture her being born elsewhere, but with all of her makeup and wigs it's hard to picture her actual face under it all let alone her living in a district like twelve.

"Come in," I interrupt whatever she was in the middle of saying. There is a brief silence but soon my door is opened and she is popping her head in.

"Oh, you're dressed." She says sounding generally surprised as she takes in my form standing in front of the dresser, I fight back the urge to roll my eyes and try to smile.

"Actually would you mind giving me a hand," I say lifting my locket in a gesture to show her what I was talking about.

The light that fills up Effie's eyes is immediate as she takes quick strides to stand beside me before taking the locket gently from my hand, I pull my hair to the side to make it easier for her to do the clasp. "It's beautiful," She whispers placing the necklace around my throat allowing the heart to fall lightly on my chest. Once she has finished securing the lock she is quick to take a side step so she can easily see either my face or the locket I can't be sure, "what made you choose that as your districts symbol?" She asks.

"It belonged to my mother." I reply taking the opportunity to form a connection with Effie, "it's the last thing I have of hers." Effie nods understandingly but doesn't question me further on my family.

"Well I believe it was a good choice," she pauses "after all today is a big, big, big day and first impressions mean everything." I know she's right, and still I haven't decided on how I want to play it I'm not even sure if it matters. "Come on let's go join the boys for breakfast." Effie breaks my thoughts and leads the way out of my room, I'm quick to follow because I have nothing else left to do. When we enter the dining car Haymitch and Peeta are already seated around a table, whatever conversation they were having stops when Haymitch sees our entrance.

"Come on, sit down!" He waves me over, Effie makes a bee line for the table off to the side that houses the coffee. Making my way over I can hear the click of my heels, that draws both Peeta's and Haymitch's attention to my feet, Haymitch raises an eyebrow at me as I take my seat. "So, you can actually walk in those, didn't see that one coming." He states as a plate of food is place in front of me, it's loaded up with eggs and bacon, ham and piles of fried potatoes I can feel my mouth water at the sight. And I realize just how much I've missed having food like this, the things I grew up with no wonder everyone thought I was from the capitol. There is a pitcher of orange juice, and one filled with hot chocolate I smile at the memory of piling little marshmallows on top of hot chocolate and trying to drink it only to end up getting a white mustache. 'I wonder if they have any marshmallows.'

"They call it hot chocolate," Peeta tells me confusing my stare for curiosity, I open my mouth about to tell him I know, instead I smile. 'He doesn't need to know I grew up with all of this, that while his district starved daily I ate more than my share' "It's good." I nod taking a sip from the cup, without the marshmallows it almost tastes bland. We eat in silence after that, if you can call the way Haymitch keeps tossing back his white liquor 'eating' someone should really tell him that you don't cure a hangover by drinking.

"So," I say gaining the attention of my current company "you're supposed to give us advice."

Haymitch's nose crinkles, "didn't we already do this bit?" He asks causing me to freeze up, I couldn't be messing up already. Sighing he shakes his head and eyes his glass, "you want my advice?" He asks as Peeta leans in close looking afraid to miss the important information "Stay alive." Haymitch's face is dead serious until it cracks and he starts laughing like he had just heard the funniest joke around, and I know now why Katniss threw a knife at him. He isn't funny.

"That's very funny," Says Peeta his face is hard as he clench's his jaw, his eyes are alight with anger when he strikes out at the glass in Haymitch's hand sending the cup filled with red liquid to the floor I hear it shatter as my fingers close around a butter knife. "Only not to us." I watch Haymitch as his glare is on Peeta, I know what he will do next and he's fast but I'm faster, the reason for this probably has a lot to do with his substance abuse dulling his senses. Either way my butter knife is pressed against his jugular, and my chair is lying on its backside tossed over in my hurried attempt to gain control of the situation.

All eyes are on me and I can feel the disbelief at what I had done, I clench the knife tighter in my hand feeling the sudden build up of moisture that threatens to let it slip from my grasp if I loosen my hold, as I keep my glare trained on Haymitch who coughs and relaxes back into his seat studying both Peeta and I. I have drawn the knife back towards me but remain standing as if I was waiting for something to release me, when Haymitch laughs and slams his open palm on to the table I share a confused look with Peeta. "Look at that," Haymitch bellows his cheeks tinted red from the combination of alcohol and laughter, "I've got myself a pair of fighters this year."

Haymitch calms down somewhere between when I placed the knife down on the table and pick up my over turned chair, I'm about to take my seat when Haymitch stops me. "Don't bother, stand over there." He pauses nodding to the center of the room before eyeing Peeta "both of you," Peeta and I do as we're instructed and stand side by side a few feet away from the table as Haymitch studies us, it reminded me of when I had come to him for help six months ago. Haymitch circles us, prodding at mussels and turning our faces this way and that. Not that it was necessary where I was concerned after all since we'd been spending irregular time together I was fairly sure he already knew my physical capabilities.

"Well, you don't seem completely useless." Haymitch states standing before us, "Seem fit." He says while looking at Peeta before turning his blue eyes on me, "you've lost weight, nothing a few extra helpings won't help solve." I blush at this, surprised he noticed it wasn't so much that hunting had become more difficult or anything it was more like after feeding my adoptive family majority of what I caught or found was sold. To be honest the closer the games got the less of an appetite I had. "And once the stylists get a hold of you, you'll be attractive enough," Haymitch stated before continuing on "and you've already caught the attention of the capitol." He finish's off looking at me as I hold his gaze, "you'll have to play that to your advantage. Don't give them too much at first because they'll bore of you fast, just tidbits to keep them wanting more would be best." I swallowed around the lump in my throat and nod, the thoughts of the kind of questions they would ask plagued my mind and after the nightmare I had last night I wasn't exactly eager to answer any of them.

"All right, I'll make a deal with you." Haymitch states gaining our attention once more, and I smile because I know what is to come next and it makes me feel the tiniest bit better knowing Haymitch is officially on our side, I'm still working on swaying Effie which may take some more work with how little time we've spent together, but it the end hopefully it'll have been worth it. "You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you." He's looking at Peeta when he says that, apparently spilling two drinks has labeled him the troublesome one. "But you have to do exactly what I say."

"Fine," Peeta and I both say in unison.

"Good," Haymitch nods picking up his bottle of liquid courage, and I wonder if it actually helps him to face the capitol after going through the games. "We'll be arriving in a few minutes," he states glancing at an old wooden clock, "you'll be tended to by your stylists when we arrive, they'll be doing some work on you. You won't like it, but no matter what it is, don't resist." He's quiet for a moment, "if there is anything you'd like to do before we arrive now's the time, you want to look your best because when we pull into the station the cameras will be back on." He states.

Peeta has excused himself, probably taking Haymitch's words to heart and getting cleaned up before we arrive. But I can't make myself care enough to double check my appearance or to take another shower, instead I stand staring out of a window even though we are moving too fast to be able to take in any scenery. "You seem nervous," Haymitch says, turning I'm surprised to see him still standing in the dining car, "I'd of thought you'd be more excited."

"Being nervous is human," I say without denying the fact, "sorry, about earlier." I say referring to our less then appropriate breakfast behavior. If Effie had been in the car at the time I no doubt would have to apologize to her as well.

Haymitch shakes his head coming to stand closer, "never apologize. It's interesting though, when you claimed to want to protect our male tribute I didn't think you meant from me." He says, but I can see that there is something else he wants to say, "What is your relationship with that boy?" and there it was.

"Peeta," I breathe his name turning to look back out the window, "he's my best friend," I answer easily, "my first friend at the district."

"You'd die for him." Haymitch stated, it wasn't a question because he already knew I intended to do so for whomever came into the games with me, he just didn't know that I knew it would always be Peeta. "You won't be changing your mind?" There's the question, and I turn to him with my eyebrows pulling together "I assumed as much." He states looking about ready to leave,

"Why would I?" I ask causing him pause.

"You'd be the easy sell," he states honestly, "you've already caught their interest, and I'm sure they'll be keeping their eye on you."

"For the interview," I say before hesitating, taking a breath I have to go on because I need to expel these thoughts before they consume me. "They're going to ask where I came from, aren't they? They'll want answers I can't give them." I can feel my hands start to shake as I close them into fists, watching Haymitch I wait for the answer I already know is coming.

"Yes," I nod even though I wanted nothing more than to run and hide, "it's not going to be easy, and to be honest in the long run it'd be easier for you to die in the arena." His words are like ice, but looking at him I knew what he meant because if I came back from this they would want answers even if they had to torture me to get them. That was the first time I realized no matter what I did, I would die, because the moment the capitol had found out about me I was put on their hit list.

Three hours later I'm standing in the nude being examined by three of my stylists, Venia, Flavius and Octavia have already scrubbed my body raw and stripped away all the hair that was deemed atrocious. When I asked "Can't we just shave it all?" in hopes of evading the painful waxed strips Venia, who was the one to strip my body clean responded with a look of skepticism enhanced by the golden tattoos around her eyebrows.

"Shave? Who shaves anymore?" Venia asks while shaking her aqua spiked head, "No, this will keep the unwanted hairs away for much longer."

After this is done Octavia takes over, she is a plump woman with skin dyed the colour of light peas, Octavia offers me a robe and instructs me to take a seat in the cold metal chair like I have been doing repeatedly in the past few hours, before she starts to work on my nails. Octavia files them to perfect oval shapes before applying polish, while Flavius my only male prep member runs a brush through my hair occasionally spraying it with some kind of mist that smelled of strawberries.

When they are done I'm instructed to stand once again and shed my robe, normally I'd be uncomfortable and if I didn't know that the other twenty three tributes were going through the same invasive grooming I would have bolted the moment they told me to strip. The three of them start to circle me, hair plucker's in each of their hands; I can't help the grimace that pulls at my lips I hated the instrument with a passion enough to make me wish for the waxing strips back. Venia catches my look, trying her best to look sympathetic she apologizes, "sorry, nearly done. Just need to spot the stray hairs, always have a few."

Her statement does little to make me feel any better, so instead of dwelling on the inevitable plucking that is about to take place I try to start a conversation. Faking a laugh I say, "I bet I'm taking the longest."

Flavius catches my eye and gives me the tiniest of smiles, I wonder if they are trained not to get attached, they must be or their job would feel unbearable. "You're doing very well, actually." He says before reapplying his purple lipstick while the girls finish up and step away, I watch them curiously as they examine their work marveling in the nearly finished product. I see them nod in satisfaction before Flavius continues, "if there is one thing we can't stand it's a whiner, grease her down." The last bit isn't directed at me, as they all move to apply lotion to my body that instantly starts to sooth the raw skin.

"Look," Octavia exclaims when they are finished, turning to see the full length mirror I'm met with my reflection, though it felt more like I was looking at my former self the girl I used to be before my life got turned into some sort of sick fantasy. "You look presentable now." She says with a smile.

The same time that Venia coos, "you look like a human being!" and Flavius nods with a grin, agreeing with his female coworkers.

Turning I manage a genuine smile, "Thank you," I say honestly because the image is a reminder of why I am here and what I am fighting to get back, my life. "It's really rather difficult to look nice back in twelve." I say, quietly which causes Octavia to clasp her hands together as she looks at me.

"Of course, you poor darling! And after such a transition," Octavia pauses long enough for Venia to scold her and a sharp look causing the pale green woman to clasp her hands over her mouth looking mortified by her own words. Confused I look between my three stylists, besides Venia's obvious scornful look Flavius looks uncomfortable.

"It's alright," I tell them, curious why Octavia's words would cause such a reaction out of them. When no one changes the topic, or continues to speak at all I continue confused, "really I don't mind, if there is anything you want to know?" I leave off watching as they exchange looks before both Flavius and Octavia are looking to Venia for her permission. Sighing the woman shakes her head as a single to go ahead.

"Obviously the first question is, is it true?" Flavius starts looking eager.

I laugh a little, when I expected the capitol to drill me for answers I expected it to be horrible and feel uncomfortable, but in this moment it's almost like talking to friends, or at least a class full of students. "That I'm not actually from twelve?" I ask, the two nod, "Yes, it's true. My hovercraft crashed in the forest near the district, I was lucky to survive." I tell them for dramatic effect, it works because Octavia gasps, but mostly I can't help but realize how true it was. I was lucky to have survived the crash, and to find my way to a relatively safe place. If you could call this lucky, that is.

"You'll have a good chance at winning!" Octavia exclaims, ever the happy bordering on hyper one of the three, "don't you think?" she asks turning to her companions, "I mean she's survived a hovercraft crash, I think we may have a winner on our hands. How great would that be? To prep the next victor?"

I laugh shaking my head causing my waves to sway, "Sorry," I apologize when they look at me like I am mad, "it's just when I anticipated telling people I'm not from twelve I expected more hostility." If I hadn't won them yet, then I did as they all seem to want to inspire me with kind words like.

"Not at all, this makes you special." Flavius states with a kind smile,

"Everyone will love you, will want to be you and know your story." Octavia states as Venia nods along with her finishing off their words of encouragement.

"It's all the advantage you will need to get sponsors." She states, I smile thanking them again because I hadn't expected them to end up being so nice, even if their motives were unclear it was reassuring to hear what they had to say. "Alright," Venia breathes all business like, "it's time, let's call Cinna!" They say before retreating, Octavia barely having the time to hand me my robe before bustling out of the room after her partners in crime.

Alright so here it is, chapter ten, yay! I know I've been MIA for awhile, truth be told these past three months have been some of the hardest I've had in a long time maybe the worst three months ever and I just couldn't write not for this or anything else but it's time to pick up where I left off and keep moving forward. I'd explain what happened, but truthfully I don't think anyone would really care, lol you come for Kira's story not for my life's story.

Moving on, let me know your thoughts on how this chapter panned out :)