Today is the interviews, the one day I dreaded less than the Games itself. Why would they let all of Panem get to know me, when there is only a 1/24 chance of coming back? It is pointless and stupid, but the Capitol says its "Okay". I groan at the thought then get up from my bed. I pick out of blue shirt with a black skirt and somewhat black high heels. Portia said I looked great in them. I walk out the door with a clink, clank of the high heels on the white marble floor. I spot Portia putting her 10 pound makeup on, sitting on the couch. She smiles at my outfit then gets up quickly to say who knows what.
"Darling you look fantastic! The human part of you is starting to be revealed!" She speaks grabbing my hands to sit down.
"Thanks?" I say questioning of the "complement".
"So what are you trying to pull off?" She says plopping a peppermint into her mouth.
"What?" I say confused.
"The interviews, what to you want to show Panem, funny, sad, distant, bloodthirsty, etc. Every tribute needs to know what they can pull off to get sponsors."
I take it some serious thought, but still don't know what I could pull off to these people. I am not funny, or at least not now being I am going into the Hunger Games. Sad only makes sympathy and I don't want sympathy from these people, it is their fault. Distant doesn't win sponsors, just makes them believe you are a weirdo then they bet on you to die first. Bloodthirsty? No. I mash my brain around until thoughts hurt, but still nothing. In frustration I grab the remote and go to a random channel. I find it is the rerun of the last Games. I am about to turn it off when I hear something from the T.V.
"Now lets look at the interviews from last year. So many sponsor that year because of how unique each tribute watch, lets take a look." Caesar says showing the interviews from last year.
I watch ,taking notes, on the roles I should play. It takes me until the tributes from 10 last year to choose my role. Smart. I have watched these Games for years at a time and know what to expect. Not a really hard role to play but good enough for me. I place the notebook on the desk and find Tucker walking out of his room.
"What time is it?" He says still tired
I look at the clock above the elevator and respond "1:38. The interviews are soon." His face goes blank, he must dread it as well.
"We need to get to the interviews now, come on Tucker and Riley they will fix you up there." Portia says going to the elevator with her drink in hand.
"What will you show the Capitol?" I ask when we are all in the elevator.
"I don't know yet, I am freaking out." He says frantically.
I hand him the notebook that I hand tucked under my arm "What is this?" He asks looking through it quickly.
"It is last year's tribute's strategies. Read through it and find the one you like." I says as the door opens up to the interviews.
People around are frantically moving trying to get to places on time, or to watch us spill our whole lives. I look around at the beautiful dresses and suits that the others wear, we don't stand a chance. Portia escorts Tucker and I to our stylists, who will make us "pretty" again. I find Jamie in her room looking at some sorts of fabric for me to wear.
"So what am I going to wear to wow the audience?" I say sliding my hand through an assortment of fabrics.
"I am not sure what color I should use, black or white?" She says writing some stuff down for the dress.
"Why not both, but not mixed. You can do a black top half then a white bottom half, and maybe the white can be feathers." Jamie looks at me quickly, examining my face.
"For a girl from District 12, you have a good sense of fashion." She goes to the closet and finds a high-tech sewing machine.
She tells me to take a seat on the red couch while she makes the dress for me. It takes a while for her to be done, but when she is, it looks beautiful. The black and white without the mixing to make gray makes a great appearance. I slip into it with ease, and I know I look pretty. Jamie smiles when I turn to her in it.
"Why are you smiling?" I ask happily.
"No reason. Just that you look beautiful in that dress." She says looking at the floor, shielding her face from me.
"We better be going now, we don't want to waste time now do we?" I nod and start to go in line.
I arrive in the line right before Tucker does. He checks me and I know that he thinks I look good. I see that he is wearing a black suit with red outlines. Simple but makes a statement. I turn back around and wait in line as the interviews start to begin. Caesar makes his opening to the crowd with his wholesome smile and welcoming words.
The tribute's interviews go by so quickly I feel like they are being yelled off stage. Doesn't take to long until my name is called, and I start to walk towards Caesar bright-eyed. He smiles as I emerge from the curtain to the Capitol's eyes. The audience gasps at my dress then starts to clap in aw of my dress. Caesar sticks his hand out to guide me to my seat, I take his hand and plop myself in the spot.
"My oh my, Riley! That is some kind of dress who made it for you?" He asks staring at me.
"Jamie, my stylist, I helped her with the idea of the dress. She made the thought be an image though." He looks at the audience with his big smile then goes back to me.
"Well she surely made the image she wanted. Okay now to you, what do you think the arena will be, and what will you do good in?" He asks.
"I really don't know what to expect. And I am not sure what I would to good in, I am from District 12, we don't excel in anything." The crowd laughs a bit.
"Well another question, how do you like the Capitol so far?" He asks
"It is well, complicated. I am not equiped with the high-tech stuff you have here. But besides that this place is to die for, so pretty. Also don't forget giving, I have a full stomach, hope it doesn't show." They laugh but I am just playing them like a puppet, I am acting like them.
"It doesn't I assure you it doesn't. Now one last question, who do you miss back home?" I look around at the audience, gulp then start to speak up.
"I miss my family, my friends. Everybody there really because, well, there is a great chance I won't go back to them again. But the key word is chance, I am pretty smart for my age. If you ask me, nobody here stands a chance against my brains." I say finally pulling the smart act.
"Well sounds like you have the brains you are talking about." The buzzer beeps and I know my time is up.
"Sorry, but that is all the time we have for you, we all wish you the best of luck. Riley Cone everybody!" He shouts then begins to laugh as I walk off stage.
I don't think I did bad actually, I think I did just enough to grab a few idiots attention for some sponsors.
Let the Hunger Games Begin, am I right?