"But how could you be sure there's no way to really know" holden says sitting on the floor with me. I nod, "morning sickness is the only way for me to know, I never got my…you know period, and I don't always crave things" I say, tears rolling down my face.
Now that im going into an arena it just means that I need to win for the survival of me and my baby…if the surgery worked. Holden holds me as I cry. Why, why did this have to happen. I know haul and I really wanted a baby but, had we known, I wouldn't be pregnant, and he wouldn't possibly lose two people he loves.
I sit up wiping my eyes and look around, "where's a phone I need to call Haul" I say. "do you really want to do that" holden asks. I shake my head, "yes. I have to tell him" I say. "but it will just make him worry" Frent cuts in. once again, he's right. I can't tell Haul about our baby because he's already scared to death about me, and if I tell him…I cant put him through that.
"Fine you're right. I won't tell him" I say and stand up. "is there a bathroom" I ask ducking my head a bit. "yeah I'll lead you" Lane offers and we leave the room.
She shows me the bathroom and then walks out. I lock the door and wash my face. I try to hide the tears but they keep coming and coming. I sink to the floor and cry in my knees. I do all kinds of things to stop myself from throwing a complete tantrum.
Snow did this. He wanted me dead so he rigged the bowl again. He supported the surgery because he knew Haul and I would try for a baby immediately. He knew this would happen, he wanted to have me killed and even worse, my child. He still believes children pick after their parent. I was, but I promised not to! And he did this anyways. He lied to us. "and I'll make sure that you don't get chosen for the reaping…". Uggh how could I be so stupid!
Now I'm going to die, and it's my fault. I should have known not to agree to the surgery.
"Then why did you" Frent asks. "Because I wanted a baby" I answer. I lay my head on the table and cover my head with my hands. I feel a hand on mine and I look up, "you don't need to worry rye. Haul and I talked. I agreed to help you out in anyway that I could, and I will do what I can I promise" he says. "you don't have…", "I want to" he says. He's just like Haul, always insisting, never changing his mind.
"Thank you" I say standing up and holding my arms out. He gets up and I hug him. He's the same height as me so I can hug him regularly. "thank you so much" I whisper. "your welcome" he says back and when I let him go he sits back down.
A few hours later we reach the capitol. We exit the train and enter the station where more people swarm us. Frent and I wave nicely to the people as we're led out of the building and into another car. We're taken to a building and separated. I'm put into a room with three people who look like they could pass as murals.
There are two men and a woman. The first man has pale skin and yellow eyes. His head is shaved on the sides but up in a thick mowhawk on top that is a mix of blue and green. He has on a black t-shirt with aquamarine plaid lines on it. His pants are blue and tight. And he has on black shoes. He says his name is Blye. He second man has white powder on his face and a swirly red design on the side of his cheek. He has on eye shadow and lipstick. His hair is straight and black with lines of red and yellow. His hair stays as if he put hair spray in it. He wears a red jacket that's open and shows his bare chest. His black pants are baggy and have red polka dots on them. I cant tell if he has shoes on or not. His name is Bise. The woman has on a yellow tubetop with gray sequins. She has on gray shorts and yellow sequins. She wears yellow slippers and has very very light pink skin. Her hair designed to look like a bow then has it down as a ponytail hanging from it. She has big earring on and a piercing on her tongue, her name Sagitarria.
I guess there my prep team.
They get to work right away. First they strip me down and remove every last piece of hair from my neck down. They arch my eyebrows and remove the hair from my knuckles. They wax under my arms and between my legs which is the most painful by far.
They hose me down and Blye begins trimming my hair. He has to cut about 4 inches off of it because I never bothered to take care of my split ends. Then he evens out my bangs. And Sagitarria gets to work on my nails. She clips them, and then files them. She paints them brown along with my toe nails and Blye gets to work on making my hair silky and luxurious.
When the two are done Bise starts on my make up. He keeps it simple but just giving me a sparkly shade of eyeshadow over my eyes and black eyeliner. Her puts brown lipstick on me. And a tan blush.
Usually I wouldn't care about men seeing me naked but since I stopped with the whole prostitution thing Haul has been the only one to really see me. I feel uncomfortable at first but then it starts to fade. "Kern will be here in a minute" Bise says and they all leave out. I look around for a mirror and find one at the other end of the room. I go look in it and see they've made me look beautiful. I also notice that I have curves now. Living in the victors village has made me gain weight. Im not that skinny little twig any more.
My hair is now at chest level and my nails are just noticeable from the inside of my hand. Im hairless, which makes me look so smooth. I rub my arm a little and sure enough I was right. It's baby soft. Baby.
I turn to the side and look at my stomach. I can just imagine what I'd look like with a large pregnant belly. It's what I've been wanting for the past two months. For all I know that surgery probably didn't even work and I'll probably just end up miscarriaging like I always do.
The door opens and I turn around and see a man walk in. my stylist I guess. He introduces himself as Kern and holds out his hand when he walks over to me. I shake it and he tells me to go stand by the table I was just on. He brings a hanger over with an outfit that reminds me of the whet field back home. It's a one piece outfit with a belt made of woven wheat. There is a slit in the middle going down until it reaches the belt. He carries boots in his other hand.
"I had begun making this about a month ago, and when I saw you at the reaping I thought it was just my luck that a girl as sexy as yourself was chosen" he says setting the boots down to take my outfit off of the hanger. "excuse me" I say, for some reason offended. He looks up, "what" he asks. He's a grown man, and he called me sexy. That's perverted. "Never mind" I say. Holden told me to be seen not heard. Kern nods and has me step into the outfit. I look in the mirror and see how revealing it is. It's the part of my chest that needs to be covered but through the slit you could see my breast. It's like two large circles.
The belt is above my belly button and under the belt the bottoms are shorts so at least I won't be stared at by these perverted men here. I think back to Lauder, the head peacekeeper. I can't imagine what the regular citizens are like.
I put on the boots. They're the same creamy color as my outfit and go up above my knees, and have heels. "you know how to walk in heels don't you" Kern asks. "yes" I say. I've had plenty of practice over the years. "great" he says an says, "so, lets go ahead and meet everyone" he says and leads the way out of the door.
We meet up with everyone in a large room filled with chariots and the other tributes. We watched a recap of the reapings while on the train and I remember everyone's name.
District 1, Lartius and Iberis, District 2, Skene and Winnow, District 3, Raff and Fannia, District 4, Struve and Pleione, District 5, Alto and Eunia, District 6, Leonis and Gliese, District 7, Whytt and Columbae, District 8, Jardine and Vibia, District 10, Rendwick and Auricula, District 11, Tiberius and Saffra, District 12, Martial and Grey.
Frent is dressed in cream colored shorts with dark brown boots. He doesn't have a shirt on. He's muscular for his age. His dark hair has been brushed a little to the side to cover his eye. I have to say he's handsome, not many young boys back home look like him.
Holden instructs us, "make sure you two smile and wave. You already look good now you need to act good" he says pushing our hair infront of our eyes more. He helps us onto the chariots and says, "good luck". The mentors and stylists back away as the doors to the city open, and music blasts in my ear barely drowning out the crowd.
The chariots go one by one and pretty soon our chariots move. As soon as we make an appearance I hear whistling and see fingers pointing as Frent and I. we are both attractive but still, I don't see the reason for all of this extra-ness.
"district nine!" I hear someone in the crowd yell and I have told hold back my laugh. Instead I smile and wiggle my fingers as I wave. Obviously I was made to look sexy, so I need to act like it too. I wave and wink at the men, tucking my hair behind my ear when one of them waves back. I act as if I'm blushing and look away. I blow kisses and giggle a little. They love it all.
When we reach the presidents mansion he walks out on his balcony and gives a speech. A very long and boring speech. All I can think about is how it's his fault I'm here. He stares into my eyes as he talks and I don't look away at all.
When he's finished he walks back inside and the chariots start up again and go through the doors. When we stop we climb down and meet with Lane and Holden. "rye the president wants to speak to you" he says. I swallow, "okay" I say and walk off in the direction of the mansion. My heels clack as I walk.
While I pass the other chariots the boys whistle and call my name. I smile and wave again at them then continue on my way.
When I reach the front door of the mansion an avox opens the door for me and leads me to his office where Haul and I went the last time we were here. I go inside and snow greets me. "why am I here" I ask immediately. "because I want to talk to you" he says gesturing to the chair infront of his desk. "no, why am I here, in the capitol. You said that we wouldn't get picked". "I was talking to mister rendom when I said it. I was looking at him and specifically said that he wouldn't get chosen. I was never talking to you" he says.
I start to cry silently. "you did this on purpose" I whisper. "indeed" he says. "so now you want me dead". "I've always wanted you dead, and if you survived I wouldn't make it easy.". "what are you talking about" I ask. "if you survive these games, then I'll leave you and your little boyfriend alone" he says. "what about our baby" I say. He looks surprised and I realize what I just said. He must've not known. "so you're pregnant" he says, a small smile on his face. "yes" I say back and he chuckles then shakes his head.
"you should have known there would be a catch. I don't let people go that easy. The road will be bumpy, but if you get through, then ill leave you be." He says and leans back in his chair. The only way for me to get home is to win. That's the only option. I shake my head, that's never going to happen. I'll probably die on the first day.
