Chapter Six:
I don't own the Hunger Games.
Patiently, I wait so patiently (patiently I wait and sit and speak)
Honestly, I need you honestly (honestly I need you here I'm weak)
Constantly, you haunt me constantly (constantly a ghost you're frozen black)
As planned, I wake up early in preparation for my interview. I don't have much time to do this, as today is the interview day. I don't need much time anyway; Skittora will do most of the work. I'll still try my best to make sure she doesn't create a girl out of me.
Emberlynn gives me a few tips while we eat. "When anyone's getting their interview, Caesar is going to focus on three main things: Your home life, your training score, and what you think of the Capitol. If your Reaping was interesting enough, he'll ask you about that. That's certainly the case with you. Just make sure not to tell him you knew any of the others beforehand, except Parker. The Capitol doesn't need to know you've been illegally training with people from other Districts. Same with you Parker." He was half asleep until Emberlynn mentioned him.
Enobaria also attempts to help. "Try to focus on a certain personality people will appreciate when they think of you. For either of you, it could be that you're bloodthirsty are prepared to kill, or sarcastic and witty. Just pick something. Also, Aqua, if Caesar mentions Cato, try to show a soft side, whether it's real or not. And please, don't say you're gonna try as hard as you can to kill Prim; everyone loves her. The only person you'll impress will be President Snow. I doubt he's eligible to sponsor you."
"And Parker," Emberlynn chimes in, "try to find something in your life to focus on since nobody's going to know anything about you. Fabricating a touching story can't hurt. Oh, it looks like it's time to go to your prep team… Good luck to both of you!"
As we're walking to our prep teams, Parker must notice the worried look in my eyes. "You nervous?" he asks.
"A little," I admit. "I just really hope Skittora doesn't dress me up too much. Do you think, if I put water on my hands and rub it on my eyes, they'll look like tears?"
"It's a good idea if you can make it work. Are you gonna do it when Caesar asks about Cato?"
"Yeah…" I really do care about my brother, but that's only because he was so strong. Without him, I would've had nobody to teach me the fine details of becoming a Career. Honor was lost in my family. Now it's my turn to redeem it.
It looks like my outfit will be similar to what I wore on Reaping Day. The stylists draw black flames that swirl up my arm. Thankfully, they leave my hair down, the way I usually wear it. I look in the mirror, and I see how dark and evil I look. Sadly, that might change with the outfit.
Skittora seems overly excited about the dress she's giving me. Then again, she's always like this, so it's not a surprise. "I'm sure you've been wondering what I've made for you, Aqua. Don't worry, I knew you wouldn't want something girly, so I'm made a few altercations to what the others had in mind! Close your eyes and I'll put you in the dress!"
I can tell that the dress is short and frilly, which is the opposite of what she and I are both going for. Skittora also sticks me in a short-sleeved jacket and short boots that feel a lot like the ones I'd worn to the Capitol.
Skittora squeals in delight. "You can open your eyes now!"
I open them slowly, hoping not to cringe when I could see clearly. I can't believe I actually… like it. Skittora has made me a short frilly dress, as I thought. However, this dress isn't glittery and pinky and poofy, it is bright teal. The frills on it are shredded and make me look dangerous. Or that I'm homeless and weathered. Either way, I'm not more feminine than necessary.
And the jacket is black leather, like something you would see a criminal in. The boots were exactly like the ones I had before, only these are newer looking, and have sharp black spikes all over them. The outfit is amazing.
Skittora is grinning proudly to me when I turn around to congratulate her.
"Wow, this is amazing! I can't believe that you made a frilly dress look like something I would wear by adding the tears! I love it!" I exclaim excitedly. We hug each other, which feels a little odd because I don't really like hugging people.
"Now you go up there and do your best!" she pinches my cheeks and sends me on my way.
Parker and I go into the elevator together. He's wearing a pure black suit and black dress shoes.
"Well aren't you fancy," I remark. He shrugs.
"Have you looked in the mirror lately?"
"Pfft. I am dressed like a warrior."
Parker laughs. "I guess out stylists had the same idea.
When we get out of the elevator to where the tributes are waiting to go onstage, I have to go between Hunter and Parker again, which means I'll be the third tribute to be interviewed. There's a TV above my head, so I can watch Stingra and Hunter before I go.
Caesar introduces Stingra, walking onto the stage in a puffy red cocktail dress and with red streaks in her hair. Stingra seems to be going for a fun personality.
I snort. That won't last long.
She is a fun person, but watching her brutally murder children doesn't sit well with thinking she's 'fun'.
Hunter goes up next, wearing a dark blue and white suit. He's trying not to show the part of him that'll kill others, but it doesn't seem to be working for him, and he keeps slipping in comments like, "Well, I'd say the killing part isn't a big deal for me," and, "I wouldn't want to one of those weaklings." Thankfully, the audience thinks he's joking.
"Next up, Aqua Pyrette, the girl from District Two!" Caesar exclaims, and the audience goes wild.
I walk up on the stage beaming at the audience, and sit down on the chair facing Caesar Flickerman. I shake his large, warm, hand.
"Well, well, well Aqua, where to start…" He rests his chin on a bejeweled fist. "I guess my first question would be why you volunteered, and certainly, what occurred in the process." The audience is on the edge of their seats.
I smile sweetly to him. "To put it simply, I volunteered because this was my last year I could. I wanted to either show the world what I could do, or, die trying. The honorable way. But I'm pretty sure that's not gonna happen. And if by 'in the process' you mean knocking over another girl, I just did it so I could get to the stage first. I really didn't care what I did before I got there; I just needed to get onstage." I'm trying to act humble about it, like, Oh, that? It was just a noble act. I had no idea! Truthfully, I feel exhilarated, proud.
The Caesar and the audience laugh as if I've said something funny, and then Caesar moves on. "Now I'm not sure if all of you in the audience remember this, but in the 74th Hunger Games your brother was a tribute. Would that have anything to do with you volunteering?"
"Yes, actually. My family always wanted one of us to be a victor, so obviously that didn't work out well the first time…"
I suppose this is a good time to start 'crying'. I carefully lift my hands up to my face without spilling the little pocket of water I'd kept in my palm. I place a tiny droplet on each of my eyes while trying to make it look like I am covering my eyes while I cry.
I give a little sniffle and move on. "So this year I wanted to show everyone that my family isn't weak, and that I could win this game."
My act must be good, because some of the audience starts crying and bowing their heads as well.
Caesar pouts. "I'm very sorry for you loss Aqua. How about changing the conversation to your Training Score? How'd you do it?"
I know I'm not supposed to tell, but it's so tempting. "I guess the Gamemakers liked me. The last few days I've been training I got really good with a few weapons, so I'm sure that helped." This whole "humble hero" thing is harder than it looks.
More laughs. I'm either really good at this, or the audience is just that gullible.
He places a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure it did help, Aqua. Now, how is the Capitol different from home life?"
"It's a lot fancier, I can tell you that. I love being able to get my favorite meals just by pressing a button, that's definitely new," I honestly state.
"Yes, that is popular with most people. I see you're wearing the same colors as you did in the Reaping, what was your stylist trying to do with that?"
"I think she wanted to recreate that kind of look. Maybe it kind of shocked people when they saw me not wearing something dressy at my Reaping, so Skittora wanted to emphasize that."
"I see. Well, I know it sure shocked me! I believe that was part of what gained you so much attention. While we're on the subject, were you trying to become as popular as you became?"
"No, actually. My Reaping outfit was something I would wear anywhere; I never dress up. Everything after that, things like my Training Score, were things I had to do only to get sponsors. I guess you could actually consider as trying to become popular, right? Other than that though, I was just doing what I had to do."
At this point I'm really surprised that I haven't made anyone hate me. Beside my friends, people loathed me for my coldness and lack of hospitality. In fact, the Capitol seems to love me.
But then Caesar asks something that I can't answer without sounding like the horrible person I am. "I bet you were surprised when you saw Prim Reaped. After all, Katniss killed your brother, Cato," he states sympathetically.
I don't have time to think about what I'm saying. The words roll from my mouth unfiltered. "Truthfully, my first thought was 'I have to kill her.'" Since I said 'my first thought', the audience found it funny. They won't for long. "It was also my second thought, and the third, and the fourth. Along the way I was also thinking of giving Katniss the same excruciating pain me and my family endured. And if I didn't already say this, I still want her dead and gone."
Now everyone is looking at me, appalled instead of amused. Even Caesar had a disgusted look on his face. I had to say something to recover myself, but what?
"Think about it, how would you feel if you saw your own, dear brother die on national television? It was an insult to my family. I wanted so badly to insult the Everdeens. I'm so sorry, everyone, for scaring you like that. I've been bitter all these years since Cato died, and the Reaping must've renewed it. Can't you forgive me, Caesar?" A fleck of mascara irritates my eye, and they're blurry, like I'm about to cry. The audience buys into this.
Now that everyone was contemplating what I've said, they seem to realize what I'm going through. The whole area is deadly quiet.
Caesar interjects. "Indeed, dear Aqua. How could we be so inconsiderate about your situation? It takes so long to recover from losses of loved ones. I'm sure we all would react in the same manner." He realizes I am almost out of time, so Caesar ends my interview before I can infuriate anyone else. He perks up. "Be proud, dear! We cannot wait to see you in action. Give it up for Aqua Pyrette, everyone!"
I smile and wave to the audience as I walk off stage. I hope they forget what I said. Stingra and Hunter are standing in the hallway I come into. We'll have to remain here until everyone finishes.
In the meantime, I watch Parker's interview. He's pulls off the charming, friendly, handsome guy very well. I don't pay much attention to the other interviews until Prim comes on.
She's playing sweet and innocent, and concerned about what I'm going to do to her. It's not like she shouldn't be, but why is she acting so weak? I hear her suggest that her and I should make amends and ally with each other. My friends and I double over with laughter.
As I expected, the audience adores Prim. Even though she doesn't have a chance of living, I can tell everyone will sponsor her. Katniss will definitely assist her in that.
The Capitol's residents are crying their eyes out when she talks about being Reaped a second time, without her precious sister to save her. I can't resist laughing like a maniac. She's so pathetic! Her acting skills, along with everything else, are fake and overplayed. They're really going to despise me when I kill her. Something so cruel shouldn't be thought of from me, but I can't help it. I'm warm and fuzzy inside.
When Prim and Cyrus finally finish their interviews, we return to the Training Center tower, where our mentor and escort are waiting for us. They both look like they want to use me as a training dummy.
"Aqua! I told you not to mention Prim, didn't I?" Emberlynn shouts at me. I was really starting to think that she's nicer at the Capitol than District Two, but it looks like I'm sadly mistaken.
"Yes, ma'am," I stutter.
"Exactly! And what did you say?!" she bellows.
"That I want her dead…"
"Well maybe you shouldn't have said that! Sure, you might've saved yourself in the end. But next time, don't slip up!" She grits her teeth.
The feeling of being ashamed turns into anger. "What, so I can't tell people that are going to die that I'm gonna kill them?! Isn't that basically the whole premise of the Games?"
Emberlynn's voice softens. "It is. I know it is, you know it is. Everyone knows it is! Even so, that hurts your chances of winning." She slips into her living quarters without another word.
Enobaria moves on with the conversation. "Aqua, everything up to that point you did very well. Even then, you recovered perfectly.
Parker, you were absolutely charming. You were charismatic, and I think quite a few girls will gladly sponsor you. Thank you for helping Aqua as well."
That last comment confuses me, but I guess I'll see what she is talking about now. The interviews are about to be broadcasted. I turn on the TV so we can watch.
When I come on, you can pinpoint the exact moment it went wrong, when Caesar asked what I thought about Prim being Reaped. My expression changed from my cheesy fake smile to when I show my true colors. I did clean myself up in the end, but I can tell everyone wasn't as intrigued as they were in the beginning.
When Parker comes on, he looks perfect. He's not talking not about killing his enemies, which was about the only thing we did before the Reaping happened. He discusses how amazing the Capitol was, and his life in District Two.
"The only bad thing about being in the Hunger Games is that one of my best friends volunteered with me, and only one can come out alive. Obviously Aqua and I are gonna be allies. We work well together, but volunteering with her was definitely a bad idea," he explains. He is genuinely disspointed.
"Wow. Thanks, Parker," I say, grinning. My face falls. "You're right about volunteering. I wish we barely knew each other." He nods solemnly. "I really don't think I would be able to kill you if I had to. I really wish I wouldn't have volunteered now…" My voice trails off.
He stays silent for a few seconds. "What's done is done. Obviously, President Snow can't make us both victors. I really can't believe we did this. And of course with our only friends from One and Four, nonetheless!" He runs calloused fingers through his dark hair. "It was all such a bad choice."
I really never thought about it that way. We really were stupid.
Why not wander where she's been?
Why forget the hell she's in?
'Trainwreck' by Kopecky Family Band