Chapter 18- Nell Slatefield

"There's not much of a point in coaching you for your interviews." That's what Seeder said yesterday morning, and I think she was pretty right about it. "I know you're going to do whatever you choose onstage, and there is not a thing I can do about it."

"You're pretty darn correct," I said, grinning. The other tributes can get bossed around and controlled by the Capitol, but there's no way I'm letting them. I'm playing these Games on my terms, and nobody else's.

"Just… just don't do anything insane like yell at the President again," Seeder said, rubbing her forehead. Lotem's been a good boy the whole time we've been here, and it's grating on my nerves a little.

"Is he going to be there?"

"No, but he'll be watching. Why did I tell you that, now you're going to do something stupid." Seeder buried her face in her hands and sighed. "Please don't yell at the President."

"I've already done that; I won't do it again." It's funny, I keep doing things I probably shouldn't do, like talk to the President, or tell off the Gamemakers in my private session. And I keep getting away with it. In fact, I scored the second highest mark in the Games, a 10, being beaten only by Trestle. And what's a little friendly competition?

"Lord, now I have to worry about what you haven't done and might possibly do," Seeder says. "Just don't do anything completely insane that can wreck your chances of getting more sponsors."

"I won't."

"Thank you. Now, Harvest, what's the story you've come up with for Lotem?"

Harvest cleared his throat. "He volunteered because he's always wanted to compete in the Games, and this year he's decided to seize the chance."

"Basic, but you can build on it," Seeder said. "It's better than his 'volunteer because his mother told him to' story. Right, Lotem, you'll be with Harvest for four hours to work on content, and Taizy for four hours to work on camera etiquette. Have that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And what did I tell you about calling me ma'am?"

"Sorry, Seeder." Lotem is patient and really, really laidback. He's easy to get along with, but I wonder how that easygoingness is going to work out in the arena.

"And what about me?" I asked.

"You, girl, can run along and do what you want today. You're not going to listen to anything we teach you, so what's the point?"

It actually turned out to be a pretty boring day. Without Training, there wasn't much to do besides eat my fill of Capitol food, practice handstands and cartwheels, and flip through the channels on the television. All useless propaganda. By the end of the day, I was tired and bored, and happy to sit and listen to Seeder talk at the dinner table.

"Make them like you, that's the most important thing. If they like you, or if they're impressed by you, then they'll spend their money on you and keep you alive. And try not to make a target of yourself, Lotem," Seeder said.

"Don't you have to worry about me too?" I asked.

"You've already made a target of yourself, Nell. There is nothing I can do to help you with that. I can wish you luck, but that's about it."

But that was yesterday. Today is the day of the interviews, and then tomorrow the Games start. I don't know how I feel about it. Terrified, I guess, but I'm going in to find Trestle and then we can go off and have an adventure. That's what I'm hoping is going to happen, anyway.

"Wake up, sleepyhead! We're here!" I groan and pull the covers over my head, trying to block out the fact that Opal and my prep team are here, waiting at my door. Unfortunately, they find me anyway and pull the blankets off.

"Let's make you beautiful!" Opal says, beaming overenthusiastically at me.

Less than ten minutes later, they've got me sitting up at the end of the bed, freezing in my pajamas because they won't turn the heat up.

"It's cold in here, just adjust the temperature!" I say, trying to pull my face away from Aurelia's grip. She's powdering something over my face and it's making my nose tickle.

"The temperature is just fine in here," Opal says, distracted by something else.

"For you it is, because you're from the Capitol. I've grown up in District 11, where it is WARM all year round," I say.

"Quit talking and let me do my job!"

"Fine!" Unwillingly, I sit still while blue dyed Aurelia paints my face. Kinny, the dark-skinned woman who's tattooed all over with pictures of fruit, paints my nails, and Rolo, the man who's covered in paint splatter tattoos, does my hair.

"That's hot!" I complain as Rolo comes close to my head with something very hot that sizzles.

"Sit still, Nell, or you'll be burned!" he says. Even he speaks with a high-pitched accent. I wonder why they all got together and decided to talk like that; every sentence they speak comes out sounding like a question.

"What are you doing anyway?" I ask. Aurelia has me facing directly front so I can't see what's going on behind or to the side of me.

"I'm straightening your hair."

"What was wrong with my curly hair?" I say. I've always liked my curls; why are they taking them away?

"It's not the look I'm going for tonight. Now quit complaining," Opal snaps.

"Will I get them back?" I ask.

"When you wash your hair. Be quiet!"

I fold my arms and sit as still as I can for the next couple hours. The amount of time they're taking to get me ready for tonight seems twice as long as when I was in the Prep Center. What outfit are they going to put me in tonight? Please don't let me be naked again.

"When can I move again?" I ask, my eyes closed so Aurelia can paint my eyelids. I'm going to look ridiculous when this is all over. Auntie would never stand for it, I know that. I remember one time when Rosa was maybe fourteen, and she liked a Branches boy, and she had stolen a cherry to juice and make her lips red, so he'd think she was pretty. Auntie was furious.

"You are prettier without the cover ups, girl! You're not a Capitol girl, you are a Roots girl, and Roots girls don't put red on their lips or on their cheeks. They're pretty because their good hearts shine through their faces. You let that boy go, Rosa; if he wants a Capitol girl, he can go to the Capitol to get one."

Here in the Capitol, they want everyone to look like a Capitol person, I guess. I know I do right now. I can't wait to wash it all off tonight.

"You can move soon. We're almost done," Rolo says soothingly, pulling my hair back. He's pulling too hard, and it hurts.

"Alright, get her up, but don't let her open her eyes yet; she'll ruin the liner," Opal says. Rolo and Kinny help me stand up, each taking an arm. "And pajamas off!"

"Hey!" I say, pulling away, but two against one isn't fair, and within a few seconds I'm standing naked in front of my prep team again.

"Put your arms up, Nell," Opal commands, and I do as I'm told. The quicker this is over, the better. The dress they put over my head is smooth and silky, and probably cost more than my house is worth back home. One of them does a zipper up the back, pulling the waist in tight. Someone else straps something onto my feet.

"What are you putting on me?" I ask.

"Sandals, to go with the dress."

"Can't I just go barefoot?"

"No."

I dislike the shoes; my feet were made to be free, not trapped inside cloth. The tips pinch my toes. After a few more minutes of poking and prodding and adjusting, Opal says, "You can open your eyes now, Eleanor."

Opening my eyes, I blink a few times before seeing myself in the floor length mirror. Me? That's me?

I'm beautiful.

I understand what they've been doing this whole time; my hair is straightened and the first sections pulled back slightly from my face, gathered in a blue tie at the back of my head. It's such a radical change from my usual curly hair that I just look in fascination at it for a minute or so. Then I see my eyes have been shaded with light blue and lined with black, which gives me an exotic look. They've painted my lips dark red, redder than the cherries we pick at home.

And the dress! The dress is a work of art in itself. It's greenish-blue, teal, with short straps and a flowing skirt, dotted with gold specks. It's beautiful; I'm beautiful, and I can't dislike Opal anymore, not after she's made me the stand out of the whole Hunger Games. Even the blue sandals on my feet don't bother me as much.

"Thank you," I say. "Thank you, it's beautiful."

Opal simply beams at me. "Good! You look fantastic, and it's all thanks to me!"

While they busy themselves doing something else, I just keep looking at myself. I don't look like the Nell who climbs trees in the Roots, or plays pranks in Training. I look just as beautiful as the girl from 7, but in my own way. For once, I don't feel like turning a cartwheel. I don't feel like Nell at all, actually. This dress, and tonight, belongs to Eleanor.

Seeder comes in, and stops in her tracks when she sees me. "Opal, you've exceeded my expectations," she says, coming over to me and looking me up and down.

"She cleaned up well," Opal says.

"And you got shoes on her; that's a miracle," Seeder continues.

"I'll take them off as soon as I can," I say, but I don't mean it. Not really.

"Not until after the interviews," Seeder says sternly, but I can tell she doesn't really mean it either. "I tell you, Nell, nobody is going to outshine you tonight while you're wearing that."

"They better not," I say. Tonight is my night; tomorrow is the start of the Games, but no matter what happens in the arena, I'll always have tonight and this dress to hold onto in my memories. Opal left my locket alone, and it goes well with the rest of the outfit, which I'm glad for. Oh Rosa is going to be so jealous when she sees me!

And maybe Auntie will smile, or make a comment about Capitol fashions, but I know she'll be just as pleased as I am, and Uncle won't say anything, but I know he's proud of me anyway. Rosa will steam in the corner of the town square, but she's missing me, I know that too. I miss her; I miss them all.

"Shall we go downstairs?" Seeder says, smiling at me. I smile back.

"Let's go."