We pretty much had to fight our way through the crowds. People were taking pictures and trying to interview us but we kept quiet. No one here knows that Peeta and I are married and I'm pregnant. All they know is that our love story will never have a happy ending.
Peeta got to go to our penthouse but Haymitch and I had to go to our stylists to get ready for the tribute parade. I got Cinna again this year and Haymitch got Portia. We spent hours getting prepped until we had to go. This year Haymitch and I are dressed again in all black but this year my hair has been done like it was on my first reaping.
I was sent down to the chariots. Haymitch wasn't there yet so I stood there and pet the horse that pulled my chariot. Capitol citizens screamed my name from above me.
"Hello Katniss," I hear someone say. I turn around and see Finnick Odair standing beside me holding sugar cubes.
"Hello Finnick," I say in a somewhat snarky voice.
"You want a sugar cube? These are for the horses but people like us, well, if we see something sweet we need to snatch it up," he says.
"No thank you," I say. "I would love to borrow that outfit sometime though."
His outfit, if you could call it that, was just a gold net that was strategically knotted to cover his groin area. I guess the more Finnick people can see, the better.
"You look terrifying in that getup. What happened to your pretty little girl dresses?" he says.
"I outgrew them," I say, again, in a snarky voice.
"It's really too bad that you won't get your wedding. I mean, you guys would have made a lot in the Capitol. Jewls, money, anything you want."
"I have no interest in jewls and I have more money than I need. What do you even spend yours on anyway?" I ask.
"Oh I don't deal with money. People pay a different way for the pleasure of my time," he answers.
"Oh really? What do they pay with?"
"Secrets," he says. "What about you Girl on Fire? Do you have any secrets worth my time?"
"No," I say. "I'm an open book."
"Yeah, that's true," he says. With that last sentence he turns around and walks away. Just then Haymitch walks up.
"Ah Finnick," he says. "Such a nice young man."
The alarm sounded for us to board the chariots. Cinna walked up to me.
"Katniss, don't smile or hold hands. Look straight ahead with a straight face. Oh, and here's this," he says and holds out a black remote. "Press it when you're ready."
As the chariots pull out I hold on to the remote. I don't press the button until Snow has looked at me. I press the button and both Haymitch and I's outfits burst into flames.
This year the chariots don't stop. We head right into the Training Center.