I was jolted awake by a loud bang in the hallway. I groaned and rolled out of bed. What the hell is going on? I thought irritably. When I opened my door I saw Spencer standing up while an Avox girl was down on the floor with a bloody nose . I looked at Spencer. "What the hell?" I asked.

Spencer didn't get a chance to speak before Johan, Marcy, Loriana, Aft, and Forta arrived. "What in the world is going on here?" Marcy asked.

I moved into the hall and helped up the Avox girl, seeing that no one else was going to. She nodded her head in thanks and quickly walked away. "I was walking around and she was in my way," Spencer explained, without remorse.

"So you punched her?" Aft asked in disbelief.

"Pushed, to be exact."

"Then why did she have a bloody nose?" I questioned.

"When I went to push her, I accidentally hit her with my head."

"The fact that you can be so open about it, without expressing remorse, is truly disgusting," Loriana said to him.

"She was asking for it. She's the help around here, so I can do what I wish to her. My dad said they're traitors to Panem," Spencer said to her.

"This is why I will take great pleasure in killing you soon," I said. "You hurt a defenseless girl who can't speak on her own behalf. Is that how you get off? Hurting girls when you aren't happy? I suppose Miss District Seven has to be careful around you."

Spencer opened his mouth to retort but Aft cut him off. "Kristen has a point Spencer. You hurt a girl who can't even talk. You think she's below you because she works around here. Once it gets out, and trust me, it will, you will be the first target in the arena."

Spencer didn't say anything, just stormed off. "Johan, go after him. It's time to start anyway," Aft said. "Kristen, go with Marcy."

I sighed. Interview preparation. "Can I get dressed first," I asked.

Aft nodded and I walked back into my room. I brushed my hair, brushed my teeth and got dressed. As soon as I had the shirt over my head, Marcy came through the door holding heels and a dress. Oh no, I thought. Dresses and heels, I hated them with a passion. "I don't know why Aft told you to get dressed. Go put these on," Marcy said.

Over the course of four hours, Marcy tried to teach me how to walk, sit, smile, keep eye contact, use hand gestures, smile, and have good posture. Walking in the heels was horrible. I kept tripping and stumbling. The dress got caught in the heels too. "For goodness sake Kristen!" Marcy yelled after I tripped for the fiftieth time.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled back. "I never did this before!"

"Just take them off! I'm sure Aft is going to put you in flats anyway," she said angrily.

Sitting and posture were combined. It was just as bad as walking with heels. Every time I sat in a chair, I slouched. Every time I got up, I slouched. "Kristen, stay straight!" Marcy exclaimed.

"It hurts!" I yelled. I wasn't lying. Sitting and standing straight was painful. Slouching was much better.

"I will have Aft fix a brace into your outfit to make you be straight!"

"I'd probably find a way to slouch then too," I mumbled.

"I bet you would," Marcy replied. "Let's try smiling."

"Great.."

After making me stand in front of the mirror for an hour practicing smiling, Marcy got fed up with that too. "Stop faking it!" she yelled. "Pretend you like these people, not wanting to kill them!"

"Oh yes, because I totally want to like people who are betting on how long I live!" I yelled back.

"I said to pretend! You pretended on the parade!"

"That was because Aft asked me to! It was also the day we arrived!"

"Then I'll get Aft to ask you, since his request means so much to you!" she yelled sarcastically while rubbing her temples. "Let's try eye contact."

I failed at eye contact too. Unless I become really angry, I cannot keep eye contact. The only time I could keep eye contact was when I was saying something, which was normally not for a long period of time. "Great," Marcy said. "You can't sit up straight, stand up straight, walk without tripping, smile, or keep eye contact for an extended period of time. I'm not even going to suggest us practicing hand gestures because I know you're great with them."

She was referring to my use of them when sticking up the middle finger at Spencer. I smiled at the memories. It usually went with him saying something, me giving him the finger, and Marcy going off about manners. "Why didn't you smile like that before?" Marcy asked exasperated.

I just shrugged. She opened her mouth to retaliate before Loriana knocked and opened my door. "Lunch," she said looking at the both of us with a curious look.

Finally, my time with Marcy was finished. After lunch I would be with Loriana. For lunch we had some chicken with an orange sauce on top of wild rice. "How did it go?" Loriana asked us.

"Great," Johan replied. "We know what Spencer's tactic is going to be."

"What's that?" Marcy inquired.

"You guys are going to see it anyway. He's going to be charming but threatening."

I nearly choked on my forkful of chicken and rice. Spencer? Charming? Impossible.

"Are you okay Kristen?" Johan asked. I nodded and he continued, "How was your time?"

"Oh," Marcy laughed nervously. "There are no words."

We finished the meal in silence. After the Avoxes cleared our area, Loriana and I went into the sitting room. Once we were situated she said, "We need to work on your interview angle. Fierce, ruthless, sexy, aloof, something."

We tried the sexy angle first. I just didn't have the confidence to go along with it. Then we tried the fierce angle but apparently there was something about me that gave off a sense of vulnerability. After humble and aloof failed, Loriana suggested that we try to pull of ruthless.

"I don't want to be a psychopath," I said. It was true. I didn't want to lose my sanity.

We tried mysterious next. It almost succeeded but Loriana called the mysterious angle quits. "Hmm..." she said. "We can try a mix."

"A mix of?" I asked. I was curious.

"Mysterious and aloof with touches of ruthlessness and humbleness."

"How is that working?"

"When asked about the Capitol, give vague answers with an indifferent voice. When asked about the other tributes, make it seem like you're ready to fight. Caesar will ask you one or two personal questions, so show off you humble side with that."

"Sounds good."

That night, I ate alone in my room. I just felt like being alone. I ordered a bunch of food. Lamb stew, potatoes, roast beef, chicken, corn, salad, and turkey. After I ate, I stacked the plates by the door neatly for the Avox, did a morphling injection, and went to bed.

I woke up the next morning to see it was still raining. I sighed and got up to go get breakfast. At the table the prep teams were sitting. "Hi Kristen!" Septa said.

I groaned out a hello and sat down at the table. Breakfast was oatmeal. I ate slowly while listening to the TV Marcy had on in the sitting room. "A hurricane, passing through the coast of District 4," has left us with some of its rain.." a weather reporter said.

After breakfast my prep team worked on me until about four in the afternoon. My skin was washed down and made to shine. My nails were cut and clear nail polish was put on them. My hair was put into a braid. Ents went to work on my face. He put blush and some eye makeup on. He used a fine layer of cover up to make sure no blemishes were showing. Finally, everyone but Septa left and Aft entered the room.

Aft had my dress and my shoes with him. I was grateful because I was naked. Being naked wasn't something I did often so the feeling was still new. "Close your eyes Kristen," he instructed.

I did and I felt the dress slip on. I stepped into my shoes with the help of Septa. "Open up Kristen," she said.

I opened my eyes and saw me dress and my flat shoes. The dress was a nice shade of silver, came down to my knees, had thin shoulder straps, and sparkled lightly. The shoes were also silver but a lighter shade. I ran my hands over the fabric and felt something hard towards the back. "Marcy demanded something be sewn into the dress to help with your posture," Aft explained after seeing my confused look in the mirror.

That little...I thought angrily. "I thought she was kidding about that," I said, trying to keep the anger inside.

Aft just shrugged. "You ready?" he asked.

"I guess," I said.

"Marcy doesn't seem to optimistic," he said. "She asked me to ask you to pretend."

"And?"

"Pretend to like these people?"

"Fine. Marcy seems to think I'm an angry person anyway."

"You are angry, around people who nag you all the time. Just pretend you're talking to me."

Soon enough, it was time to go. The stage constructed in front of the Training Center has a roof added on because of the rain.

In front of the elevator, Marcy, Loriana, Johan, Forta, Spencer, and Spencer's prep team were waiting. Spencer was dressed in a black suit with a silver tie. His face had also been covered in blush and cover up. His hair was left alone though. "Ready?" Forta asked before we stepped into the elevator.

When we stepped out of the elevator, the 22 other tributes were being lined up. I would be on half way through, before Spencer. The girl always preceded the boy in the interviews. Marcy comes over to Spencer and I before we parade onto stage. "Remember, straight Kristen," she hisses.

When we stepped onto stage to take our seats in the arc, I got an overwhelming feeling of stage fright. I looked around to distract myself. A seating unit, with a covering on top, was set up in front of the stage for the high standing citizens. They stylists had claim to the front row. On the balconies, television crews were setting up their equipment. The interviews would be broadcasted live tonight. The City Circle and the streets were packed with people. I was sure the power would be on everywhere.

Caesar Flickerman, who looked much younger than he was, came up onto the stage. Caesar had been hosting the interviews for about 40 years. His looks didn't change much. Still caked up with makeup. Same haircut. Except this year it was green. His eyes and lips were green too. Once he sat down, he smiled and told a few jokes.

The girl from District 1, the girl I fought with, went to the center of the stage. I can tell she's going for the confident angle just from her demeanor. I smirked when I saw the healing cut by her nose. She sat down across from Caesar. "Oh dear," Caesar said. "What happened for you to get that cut?"

"Let's just say, District Six is not very friendly," she replied, send a look towards my way.

With that, the audience let out a sigh of sympathy and the buzzer went off and I realized she may have just killed a chance at sponsors for Spencer, not that I cared, and me.

The interviews went by as I tried to think of a way to save myself. I caught Aft's look and realized he knew we were damaged. I watched him turn around to someone behind him and attempt to start a discussion with them.

While thinking, I heard some of the other tributes' angles. The District 1 boy was ruthless and bloodthirsty. District 2's girl was the same. District 4's girl was being aloof. When the buzzer sounded for the boy from 5, I got ready. I had already thought of a way to take out one's girl.

I went for the center of the stage when they said my name. I sat down across from Caesar and put on my best smile. "Hello Kristen," Caesar said. "So tell me, do you like the Capitol."

Vauge with indifference, I reminded myself. "It's okay," I said.

'"How did you find training?"

"Interesting."

"How about the other tributes?"

I laughed. "They're okay. Except for District one. They're not very nice to the others."

I noticed some of the audience shot looks towards the District 1 tributes.

"Oh," Caesar responded. "Are you ready to fight?"

"I'm ready to go."

"Very good, very good. So tell us about home. How is it?"

"It's good. I live with my mom and my brother."

"I bet they think you look wonderful. That's a nice dress, don't you think?" Caesar asked the audience.

I noticed the cameras focus towards Aft while the audience screamed their approval. "One more question," Caesar says. "Who at home gave you the necklace you were wearing when you first arrived?"

"Jonathan," I replied. "He gave it to me to remind me of home."

"That's nice," Caesar said as the buzzer sounded.

I sat back down in my chair while Spencer took the center stage. He complimented Caesar's color and his suit. Suck up, I thought.

The two exchanged some jokes and commentary. "Are you ready for the arena?" Caesar asked.

"Oh yeah," Spencer replied. "I'm definitely ready."

"Good, good," Caesar replied. "Any special person back at home?"

Spencer laughed. "No."

Caesar laughed as the buzzer went off. Spencer took his seat. The rest of the interviews went on. The District 7 girl kept hinting about a "her and Spencer" relationship. The District 9 boy was quiet. After the District 12 boy went, we stood for the anthem. On the way back to inside the Training Center, the crowd slowed out progress, everyone trying to get one last glimpse of us before we go into the arena. In all the chaos, I was separated from Aft and the rest. I turned a corner and walked in on something I would never forget.

Spencer and District 1's male. Together. Kissing.