Chapter 20

Wanda's POV

An hour later, I was sitting on a couch across from Eustace, my stylist.

Eustace was so kind when he came in. He had brought another Stylist, Candy, with him. She was gone now. The things they did to me, were not so kind. Shaving my legs was something that I had done, many many times before. I lived on a beach and spent just about every day there, so was used to the was foreign to me, and it hurt so bad. I screamed the first time it hurt so bad.

Now my hair was done and my body was cleaned and ready for the victory parade. I was sitting in just a rode, and all that was left was the outfit, hanging in a black bag on the wall. Candy had left. Eustace assured me that I would be properly covered and that I would be comfortable. He told me that Ian and I would be in coordinating costumes, relating to the ocean, but Eustace wanted to keep it a secret until i had it on.

I hadn't even been allowed to look at myself.

We ate some kind of pasta salad. It had lots and lots of cheese. The cheese was overwhelming. It was like the best thing I've ever tasted.

"So how are you feeling?" Eustace said, warily. This was the last question I wanted to answer, and it seemed to be the last question he wanted to ask, but I could tell it had been bugging him.

How was i feeling? Was I okay? Was I terrified? Was I worried? Was I afraid of what they were going to do to me? Was I thinking about Ian? What I happy because of Ian?

Yes to all.

"I'm okay," I told him. "I've been better."

He offered me a weak smile, "Don't worry about the Tribute Parade. The Capitol will love you. They already love you."

"They what?" I said, with a small gasp.

He shifted uncomfortably, "They are saying…...well they are saying that you are very pretty. The Capitol is all about looks."

I looked down, "Oh." was all i could say. I wasn't beautiful. What were those cameras doing to me?

"Yes, but that's the way of the Capitol and if it helps you in the games….."

"Yes," I said, quickly, "Yes of course."

He glanced at the clock on the wall, "It's time to get ready."

He stood up and I followed suit.

He reached the black bag and turned back towards me, close your eyes."

I raised an eyebrow but had learned not to question him. That only got me in trouble.

I closed my eyes.

He dressed her quickly.

She was not used to him seeing her like this. Although she wasn't completely naked, she was still extremely uncomfortable.

Finally he zipped the last zipper and straightened the bottom. The fit was perfect, as if i weren't wear a large elaborate dress. Even though i couldn't see it, I could feel all the fabric falling around my legs. It was a floor length gown. It hugs my curves in all the right places, though not cutting off the air.

He placed his hands on my shoulder and whispered, "Open your eyes."

I was drowning. I was a wave. The sea blue one strapped dress fell in ruffles from my right shoulder. I was like the waves at 5am after a night of roaring storms. Rolling, shimmering waves rolling onto the shores outside my house floated down my body. I shifted my feet and movement exploded. The artificial light in the room worked as a faux sun making the waves roll off my shoulder, moving down my chest and off my hips and down to the floor.

At the bottom the blue faded into a soft white, like sea foam. It looked almost like the bubbles, but it was the same fabric as the rest of the dress.

How Eustace and the other stylist, Walter, had managed this, had me dumbfounded.

I ran my hands down to move the fabric of the dress slightly. It shimmered with the slightest movement.

I stared wide mouthed at the mirror. I had only noticed the dress, and not me.

He had transformed my face. This wasn't my face. The makeup he had put on covered all of my skin tone, making me seem almost blue. My face and blended with the dress in a perfect way. My hair was curled all around my face and on top of my head to look like more sea foam.

I was an art piece. I was a sculpture. I was not Wanda.

But I was beautiful. And blue. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"This is…." I sputtered, trying to come up with something interesting to say.

Eustace stepped to the side and reached on top of his make up station and grabbed a small container filled with makeup he had used earlier. Only now did I see the blue tint to it. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts to notice before.

"I have a couple final touches to add if you'll let me," he said, holding up the container to me.

I nodded slowly, and he started to work on transforming her arms into waves too.

I was last to enter the carriage room. I could swear that room was as wide as my entire town and as tall too. The walls were white and boring. There were some couches off to the side that I could see some mentors, stylists, and even tributes sitting.

Eustane walked me through the line of carriages through all the other tributes, until we reached District 4's. I saw Ian before he saw me. He was in a full suit. Light brown and textured. Even from a far distance, I could tell that he was meant to be.

The light glimmered off his suit just like it did mine. I could almost see each little sand particle running all the way down him body.

Walter noticed me first. He was talking to Ian, LIly and Wes, and paused mid sentence once he noticed me.

I suddenly got really shy. They all turned to stare. Their mouths fell open in astonishment.

I looked down at my feet, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks. I silently thank the makeup for covering up that.

When I looked up, I met Ian's eyes.

His entire suit was a the light brown of sand. His skin was tanned. He was tan before. He both were. Living in District Four did have it's side effects. His skin was tanned to match the sand of his suit.

It was as elaborate as mine was, but it was still a work of art.

I understood it now. I was the waves and the ocean and he was the sand on the beach. A perfect match.

Eustane walked over to stand by Walter, both of them admiring their creation, that was now me.

They all stood there for a couple of moments, in awe. No one moving an inch.

Then Ian moved. He came to stand in front of me, taking me in from a closer view.

He seemed to hesitate, almost reaching for me. Finally he whispered, "I want to wrap my arms around you so bad, but I don't think that anyone would really like that, and I'm afraid I would hurt the dress." He paused, "You look beautiful."

I looked up at him, "I'm blue."

We laughed slightly.

"And I'm brown," he laughed.

"You are sand."

"And you're the ocean," he said, leaning forward, sniffing, "He put perfume on you, didn't he? Artificial ocean smell. Pitiful really."

I sighed, smiling, "You really need to let that go." I fought the urge to grab his hand and hold it.

"I will not. I will never. Capitol smells are not as great as real smell, and never will they be a proper substitute," He answered.

I laughed, "Well it'll have to do for now."

Lily and Wes walked over to them before Ian could reply

"Are you guys ready? They are about ready to start," Lily told us.

Ian nodded right away, but I hesitated. I wasn't ready, but I had to be, so I slowly nodded.

She came close to us and started whispering, "Now this is very important. The outfits and makeup cover most of your faces, and do most of the work for you, but you must be very careful. You cannot make a single mistake. The Capitol already loves you two, and you just have to keep that going. Walter and Eustace did a great job and now all you have to so is keep smiling. Wave at the audience. Love them. Pretend. And also," her voice got very strong, although Ian and I were still the only ones able to hear, "keep all of these feelings for eachother hidden, and hidden well."

Ian and I shared a quick startled glance.

"Its written all over your faces," Lily told us, "and the Capital will be able to see that. Everyone will be able to see it. Its okay if they have suspicions, but its not okay if those suspicions become true. So be careful."

We nodded.

She smiled and leaned away, "Good, then you are already." She lifted her hand and moved a stray strand of my hair back into place, "We have to go take our places. Good luck."

Wes said a parting word and left quickly with Lily at his side.

Walter led us over to the carriage and Ian got on and reached down to help me up. His hands on mine calmed me instantly. I didn't want to let go, but I had to.

Eustace came to the front of the carriage admiring his work, "You guys will be great."

"Its all because of you guys," I said to Eustace and Walter, "Thank you both so much."

"Just doing our jobs honey, but it was our pleasure," Walter said.

I smiled.

"They will start in just a few minutes," Eustace told us.

"Good luck," they both said and left.

I took a deep breath and looked up at Ian.

"You don't even look like you under there," he said quietly, "I can barely see you..."

"I thought you said-"

"Yeah, I know, but you, without all the makeup is way more beautiful than it could ever make you."

A smile broke across my face. I looked around quickly, and then I leaned forward and grabbed his hand.

He gasped and almost pulled away.

"Ian, its fine. No one is looking and the dress covers most of it anyways," I told him. He smiled and gripped my hand tighter.

A Capital Official shouted out that the gates would be opening soon. Our intertwined hands shifted to the space behind the ruffles of my dress, so it would look like we were just standing close.

The large gate that stretched out in front of us slowly opened.

Our carriage jolted and began moving. I took a deep breath and heard Ian do the same.

AN: So it's been a while and because of that, i decided to give you a long chapter. Well long for what i usually write :D hope you like it. Review!