Soon we're ushered up to our room. Each district gets their own floor, you just get into the elevator and click your districts number.
The elevator was one of the weirdest experiences in my life. I've never been in one before. Our Justice Building has one, but it was broken yesterday, so we took the stairs. When we enter the elevator, April leans over to click a button, and we shoot up. The sensation makes me laugh, and everyone else in there looks at me like I've sprouted an extra head, but watching the people outside its glass walls turn to ants is amazing.
I thought April would've left when we got to the Capitol, but she's sticking round until we actually go into the arena. A small part of me thinks until we die but I quickly quash it. I can't afford to think that.
Instead of joining everyone else for dinner, I go straight to my room, which is the size of my entire house at home, and peel myself out of the dress, leaving it on the floor. I walk through to the bathroom in just my undergarments and begin to scrub the make-up from my face, chuckling when the sink looks like I've scrubbed off coal at home. This thought makes me very tired, and I grab a towel, drying my face as I walk back into my room.
I'm pulled up short however, by the sight of Jesse St. James sitting on the edge of my bed, still in his suit, although he's lost the bowtie and the top few buttons of his shirt are open.
"What do you want?" I hiss at him, irritated. He smirks at me and makes a show of running his eyes up and down my body. I visibly shudder.
"I just wanted to talk" He says, in what I think is his 'seductive' voice. It's making me sick.
"Well, Creepy St. James, I don't want to talk. So get out." I move over to the door and open it.
His face falls. "Oh, so you're one of those kinda girls, huh?" I cock an eyebrow at his statement, confused. "I saw the way you were eyeing up that blonde tribute from 8 earlier." I gawp at him, unable to think of what to say for a second, before my brain kicks into action.
"I know that back home, you're a big shot, but right here, now? You're a little boy, and the only action you'll be getting is with your right hand."
He sneers at me. "I'll have no problem killing you in the arena." He tells me, trying to look menacing.
"Oh, little boy, Auntie Tana is gonna teach you a lesson before she's done with you."
I slam the door in his face.
In the morning, I enter the breakfast room, and pile my plate high. As I sit, April enters, grabs a plate and sits herself down next to me. She chaises me for being so anti-social last night, but I tell her I was tired, which was the truth, although I didn't much feel like socialising with a group of people that were grooming me for my death.
An avox places a cup full of a dark brown liquid in front of me. I look at April. "What is this?" I ask, pointing with my fork, mouth still full of food.
"It's called hot chocolate. Try it." She laughs. I pick up the cup and sniff it experimentally before taking a sip. It's the nicest thing I've ever drank. I quickly drain the cup and put it back down on the table, where the avox refills it for me.
"Awesome!" I laugh, and April joins in as the door swings open, and in walks Sue, slowly followed by Jesse, who is still sneering. He fills his plate up high and eats quietly as Sue talks about strategy. He's still scoffing every time I open my mouth to reply to Sue, and as soon as he's finished, he practically jumps from the table, leaving the room just as fast.
"Well, what's mashed his potatoes?" April asks, looking bemused.
"He wants to kill me" I inform her casually. She gapes at me. "He turned up at my room last night after we'd arrived, looking for a bit of hot and heavy, and I turned him down. He's having a bitchfit. I hope the boy from district 4 gets his hands on him."
Sue laughs at this. "I hope so too, he's an ass, and if I want to bring someone home, I want it to be you. "