The Prep Teams

Selena Yodis (3)

The bathroom is glorious. There's a porcelain tub with a showerhead that sprays hot and cold water. There are half a million buttons to press. I tried about six of them this morning. I got lavender shampoo lathered into my hair, pink melon body wash, summer blossom face cleansers, lychee conditioner, and strawberry hand soap.

The walls are a light azure color. It reminds me of the clear skies I used to see in my home district. It makes me feel kind of homesick. I turn away, and rub a circle on the foggy mirror. I see the dark circles under my eyes. I dry off and get dressed in a pink blouse and dark blue skinny jeans.

When I emerge from the bathroom, there are three – Capitol – people standing beside my bed.

"Hello," one says. Her electric blue hair is piled high atop her head. "We're –"

"Oh, dear, just LOOK at her hair. What a bad highlighting job!" a man interrupts.

"I have natural highlights, not professional…" I retort softly.

"Just LOOK at her eyebrows! IT'S TIME TO PLUCK!" a woman with purple curls screeches.

"Don't be rude, dears," the electric-blue-haired lady says soothingly. She smiles at me, apologetically. "Hiya, I'm Zindaya."

"I'm Konnrea," the woman with purple curls says excitedly.

"I'm CHARLIE!" the guy exclaims.

"Um, nice to meet you," I say uneasily.

"Ahaha, that's what they all say," Konnrea chuckles.

Sparkz Bell (3)

I wonder if the prep team is trying to kill me.

They'd given me scalding hot baths and sprayed me with awful smelling cologne about thirteen times, so far.

"We're almost done!" one piped up. "You almost look HANDSOME!"

"Um, thanks," I say uneasily.

"Ah, don't thank us!" another yells, even though I'm RIGHT NEXT TO HIM.

"Um, okay…" I say. I have NO idea how to respond to that. I sigh and sit back. The ceiling is kinda pretty.

"NOWWWWWW… FOR YOUR STYLIST!" one screams.

"Presenting… MALICIA!" one of the three shouts. My prep team scurries away, and a tall, beautiful woman enters.

I like her immediately. She has dark hair with dark blue streaks. She sounds scary, but she's really kind.

She makes me close my eyes. I do so, and she puts me in an outfit. It's surprisingly comfortable, and I ask if I can open my eyes. She says no. I almost fall asleep, I'm so exhausted.

"Open!" she says.

I open my eyes. I'm dressed in an electric blue tuxedo. There are blinking lights on it, like fireworks. It's stunning. I grin at her, and she comes behind me. "You like it?"

"Thanks, Malicia."

Coral Sheems (4)

I am a mermaid. My stylist put a sparkling hairpiece with a five-point starfish. There are tassels hanging down from the starfish, and red fluff comes from behind it. My hair is down and falls in ringlets. Blue eye shadow has been dusted on my lids and my lips are a shiny, dark pink color. The bodice of the dress is hot pink, with seashells. The skirt is a mermaid tail. The scales are a dark teal color, and they sparkle when I move. The bottom of the tail is made of teal tulle.

I am stunning.

Jared Quinn (4)

I am, like, the ULTIMATE KING OF THE SEA. I have this really weird, turquoise-ish tail, like a mer… mer… merman? Merdude? Whatever. The T-shirt I'm wearing is white, but the sleeves are cut off. I have a golden trident in my hand. I feel so powerful… except, it's REALLY hard to walk in the tail.

BLUE HORSES are going to pull me (the mer… merdude), and my district partner on a chariot! I think that the horses are airbrushed, or something, 'cause horses aren't blue.

People laugh when Coral and I are pulled out into their view. We're smiling, and they watch us sparkle.

Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle…

The district seven people are wearing matching fabric. The girl has a gown, and the guy has slacks and a shirt. It moves with ripples, like the heavy rains. I guess that's supposed to be what keeps their trees alive.

The district nine boy has a brown, leather hat with a red feather. He has a white, long-sleeved shirt with a black belt. His pants are beige, and he has black boots. The girl has an ocean blue dress that matches her eyes.

The district ten boy has… well… an abacus… and the girl has a short, silvery, sparkling dress that goes down to mid-thigh. She seems uncomfortable. Her high heels are strappy and silver. She's sparkling everywhere…

The district twelve boy is a coal miner, and the girl is in a dress.

We finish, and I rush out of there. I get rid of the tail, but I keep the trident.