"I'm Alexander," the Capitol boy said, shaking my hand.

"What's up with your hair?" I said without thinking.

"What?" Alexander asked.

"I mean, it looks... normal," I said, cringing. "Sorry. I blurt stuff out a lot..."

"It's fine," Alexander said, smiling. "Yeah; I don't really like Capitol hair. It's strange, I know, but I don't."

"I don't think it's strange," I said. "I think it's actually sorta cool that you don't like it."

"Well, at least somebody doesn't think I'm weird," Alexander said, smiling broadly.

"So... were you born here?" I asked.

"Yeah," Alexander said. "Well, not really. I mean, I was born in District 12 but when I was two years old President Snow let my family move here."

"That's cool," I said, wondering why on earth President Snow would do such a thing. "I'm from District 12, too."

"Really?" Alexander said. "That's cool."

"Yeah," I said. "Small world."

We stood there in silence for a moment.

"Well... I best be going," I said, trying to get out of the awkward moment. "I mean, I don't really have anywhere to go, but... ya know..."

"I get it," Alexander said, grinning. "But hey, if you don't have anything to do, want me to show you around?"

I hesitated for a moment. Could I really trust him?

"Sure," I said, smiling slightly.

"Alright, first thing you need to know is that everything around here is a little bit crazy compared to District 12," Alexander said.

"Yeah, I sort of noticed that," I said, smiling.

Show Alexander showed me around the Capitol. We walked around all day and he pointed out his favorite shops and people. Soon we reached a large house that was painted all sorts of different colors.

"And this is where I live," Alexander said, smiling.

"Wow," I said. "It's... bright."

"As I said, the Capitol can be a bit crazy," Alexander said, laughing.

"It's sort of nice, though," I said.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," Alexander said. "Hey, want to meet my family? They're sort of normal compared to the regular Capitol citizens."

"Sure... I mean, if you want to," I said.

"Of course," Alexander said. "I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you to meet them."

He took my hand and I blushed. He led me to the door of the brightly colored rainbow house and opened up the door.

"Mom! Dad!" he called. "There's someone I want you to meet!"

A woman with bright blue curl hair appeared and smiled when she saw me. Then a man with bright yellow hair appeared and gave me a questioning look.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"I'm Mel-Lavinia," I said, catching myself at the last moment.

"Melavinia?" the man asked.

"Just Lavinia," I said, blushing.

"Oh," the man said, walking over and shaking my hand. "Nice to meet you, Lavinia."

The woman walked over and gave me a hug. I didn't really hug back; just sort of sat there. Why is this stranger hugging me? I thought. She pulled away and grinned at me. I slightly smiled at her.

"Oh, you must come and eat with us," she said.

"Oh, I couldn't," I said, not really wanting to stay with his parents. If this is what he considered normal, I was afraid to meet any other Capitol citizens.

"I insist!" Alexander's mother said.

So they sat me down in a fancy table and chair and served me steaming plates of food. I tried to eat slowly, but it was hard because I'd never seen so much good food in my life.

"She's a new citizen," Alexander explained as we all ate, then told his parents that he'd showed me around the Capitol. I picked up a glass of water that was in front of me and started drinking.

"What a lovely day you all must have had!" his mother exclaimed. "Now, Lavinia, what do you think of my son? Quite the handsome fellow, isn't he?"

She winked and water flew out of my mouth and all over the table.

"Mom!" Alexander exclaimed.

"What?" his mother asked innocently.

"I'm sorry," I said, taking out a napkin and starting to dab the water that had flown out of my mouth. "I-I didn't-"

"She's just a friend!" Alexander exclaimed. "I just met her, anyway!"

"Well, I was just asking," his mother said, crossing her arms, then noticed me. "Oh, that's alright dear. We'll get the Avox to clean that up."

A girl wearing dark red lipstick walked into the room. She started to dab at the water that I had spit out. I took out a napkin and began to help her.

"Oh no, dear!" Alexander's mother exclaimed. "Let the Avox do it! That's what they're for."

"Pardon?" I asked.

"Avox's are sort of like servants," Alexander exclaimed. I looked over at what they called an Avox and saw that she was swallowing weirdly.

"Why is she swallowing weird?" I asked before thinking. Silence. I cringed and wanted to be anywhere but in the room.

"It's okay," Alexander said, realizing that I was uncomfortable. "You've never been here before, after all. Avox's are traitors of the Capitol. They... um... have their tongues cut out as punishment and then are servants for Capitol people."

"They have their tongues cut out?" I asked. "Isn't that a bit drastic?"

"Well, they are traitors..." Alexander's father muttered.

We ate in silence for the last few minutes.

"Well, I best be going," I finally said.

"Let me walk you home," Alexander said, jumping up from his seat.

"I'll be fine," I said.

"You don't know the way," Alexander said. "The Capitol can get very confusing."

"... fine," I said, knowing that without him I would surely get lost.

So he helped me walk home. Just as I was about to enter the hotel, he grabbed my arm lightly.

"Hey," he said. "I'm glad we got to hang out today. It was cool."

"I am too," I said, smiling. I lightly tugged on my arm. He hesitated, but let it go slowly. "I hope we see each other again soon!"

"Me too," he said. "And Lavinia?"

"Yeah?" I asked, turning around.

Alexander stared at me for a few seconds.

"Enjoy the Capitol," he finally said, turning around and walking away. I shrugged and headed into the Capitol and into my warm, soft sheets. The Capitol was interesting, very interesting indeed; servants who had had their tongues cut out, crazy hair, and weird houses. I was hoping that I'd get used to it, but I had a feeling I wouldn't.