Hey guys, here's chapter 11! We hope you like it! (: And as always, we'd love it if you commented/reviewed!
Maysilee
"Maysilee, time to get up!" a voice singsongs. It takes a moment for me to register that this isn't apart of the dream I was having about a peaceful day in the spring when my sister and I were having a picnic in the meadow. I groggily turn and stare at the clock. It's 6 am. I groan. Today is the day we practice for our interviews that take place tomorrow.
After I take a quick shower and change I head to the main room and throw myself down on the couch. No one else seems to be up, that's strange. I'm not the only one who is practicing today, and there had been someone up who had woken me up…..
"Ah, there you are Maysilee!" says Rosale who walks in from the dining room with a cup of coffee. "So, this year is going to be a little different. Usually you spend four hours with your mentor and four hours with your escort. But seeing as there are double the number of tributes this year, you will be spending two hours with me and two hours with Damon."
Relieve floods through me; thank goodness I don't have to spend eight hours prepping for tomorrow. "Alright," I say. "Sounds good. So who is with Damon right now then?"
"Haymitch." She replies.
I try to fight back the urge to laugh. I bet Haymitch is thrilled! Something tells me that it wasn't a random pick that Damon choose Haymitch to be one of the tributes forced to get up early.
"With me you will practice your etiquette. Let's head back to your room."
For the next two hours Rosale teaches me to do things that I will probably only use one day in my life; the interview day. First, she has me walk around the room in a dress and high heels. When she is satisfied that I can do this without considerable fault, she has me sit down in a chair with good posture.
"Sit nice and tall, and smiley broadly! That's it!" she tells me. Finally we work on a proper handshake. I'm not kidding; we practice how to shake hands. I laugh to myself at the absurdity of this.
She tells me things like, "not so fast", and "a little firmer dear", until I feel like my arm has turned to jelly.
Finally she announces that I am fit for being in front of the crowd and instructs me to wait for Damon to arrive.
Ten minutes goes by before Damon finally saunters in.
"Okay, so, I will be coaching you on how you will answer the questions during your interview and how you are perceived in front of the capitol."
He studies me for a moment before saying, "I've been observing you these last few days, and I think you seem like the Panem's sweetheart type mixed with a intelligent girl. You were smart enough to try most of the stations and you seemed to pick up something useful for the arena. The whole country is curious about you, you seem nice and they are all wondering how you got that score of yours. While you can't tell them what happened in your private station, I want you to open up more and let everyone know more about you. Maybe talk about your family and how you are doing so far here in the capitol. Try to make your intelligence show through but not enough so that the other tributes mark you as a huge competitor; someone they need to keep an eye on."
I am taken aback by his words. I had no idea what Panem's perception of me has been, and I'm kind of pleased to be marked as a sweetheart. On the other hand, this is also a disadvantage as sponsors probably don't go for the sweetheart type as they are usually the first to die. I bet he's right; everyone probably is very curious as to how I obtained a 9. That's something that I'm quite curious about myself. While I do like to identify myself as being pretty smart, I usually get some of the top grades in school, I never considered myself to be intelligent. This pleases me tremendously. If Damon saw this quality in me, maybe the sponsors will too!
Damon asks me a few questions here and there as a sort of mock interview the rest of the time and I offer him the best answers I can think of and before I know it he's telling me that our time is up.
"Well, I think you will manage to get at least a few sponsors once they find out more about you tomorrow. Just remember, open up and show your smart side too. Just not too much. The rest of the day is yours, do whatever you want. Just make it on time to dinner or else we'll all have an unhappy Rosale to deal with." And with that he leaves.
I'm not sure what to do for the rest of the day at first, but it doesn't take long for me to think of the garden on the roof. It's my favorite place here in the capitol. It's my own little sanctuary, which Haymitch frequents with me.
As I rush out of my room and up the stairs to the roof I wonder how Haymitch's prep time went. I'll have to ask him when I see him next. That moment seems to present itself in a matter of moments for as I step out onto the roof I see that he is already here sitting on one of the benches in the garden. He spots me and smiles.
I make my way over there and plop myself down next to him. I pull my legs up and underneath me and lean my head on his shoulder.
"How'd your prep time go?" I ask him.
Haymitch
I slept pretty good last night. I'm not really sure why though. Maybe it was because of the score I got. That will hopefully make it so I will get more sponsors. I think that is it. And the fact that Maysilee got a good score, too, makes me feel better.
I hear a knock on my door.
"Wake up. It's time to start our training session, Haymitch." That's weird. Normally Rosale wakes me up. I wonder why Damon is. Did Rosale already come by and went to get Damon when I didn't get up?
I get up and cross the room to the door and open it to see Damon, not angry looking, but not particularly thrilled.
He comes inside.
"Order some breakfast for us and we'll start you training. I am going to help you with you interview preparation today." He tells me.
"Just one question. Why me first?" I yawn. I wish I could've gotten more sleep.
"Because you and Maysilee are the ones I think are the most likely tributes, from District Twelve to win. Rosale is already working with Maysilee, so it's my turn with you. And I really don't feel like starting my day with two hours of Jarod nagging me to tell him what you and her are doing that I approve so much of." He quickly tells me.
"What is it that we are doing that you approve of?" I ask.
"You and her became friends. Not something that I would suggest, but it has helped you two. You seem to have gotten over the fact that you will probably be dying and are living the rest of your lives as best you can. Lucy and Jarod are still crying all the time and feeling sorry for themselves." He explains. "You just have to remember that your new best friend may be dying soon and you'll have to be able to except that if you are the one to live and win the games. Same thing with her."
"Ok. So what are we working on today?" I really don't want to work on anything. Especially since I don't think I'll use anything they'll teach me.
"Well, don't take this the wrong way, but you are a lot like me. So I think we should try to play out your interview like I did. Well we are going to see if that works now." He says. "Now, I think you can fit the arrogance and cocky category. What do you think?"
"That sounds just like me… So I should just be myself? Is that going to get me any sponsors?" I ask. Well if it works, I like it.
"Well, if the audience thinks you are smart enough to win, yes. That's why you got to play it right. You have to manipulate them if you're going to do it that way. You have to make them think that you are the winner." He tells me. He pretends to be an interviewer and asks me questions about myself. I answer and when he is impressed with my interviewing skills he gives me advice.
"When something drastic happens in the arena, the Gamemakers are trying to draw you together. So beware of that. Always keep an eye out, and when you do have to sleep, find a hidden place where no one will find you. You don't want to be slaughtered in your sleep. Keep moving and when you have to attack someone, take them by surprise. It'll be much quicker and you'll have a much smaller chance of getting injured, thus keeping you able for other fights. Don't let them take you by surprise though. And one last thing, if you have an alliance with Maysilee, don't let it go on to far. You don't want it to come down between the two of you. If you guys are close, you won't be able to kill each other and the Gamemakers will make it happen one way or another. They would starve you, torture you with mutants and weather, do anything to make sure there is only one winner." He floods me with all of this information. Then he gets up and heads to the door. "And by the way, good job on your training score." And he leaves.
I relax and snack on some bread for about five minutes. I think about all of the advice Damon gave me. Now that, I will defiantly use. And from what he told me, the Gamemakers are truly evil.
Rosale struts in. I can tell she's not looking forward to working with me.
"I have two hours to turn you into a gentleman." She tells me.
I laugh. "Haven't you heard, Rosale? I'm going to be myself tomorrow!" I tell her. She looks astounded. Like that's the worst idea anyone could come up with.
"Well, I don't see how that's going to help but I'm still going to teach you proper etiquette." She says, trying to put some authority in her words.
"Ok then. I'm not sure if you can do that to me in two hours though." I laugh again. She's got this determined look on her face.
She's has me working the whole two hours. First, she teaches me how to walk 'properly' because apparently I've been walking "all wrong since the day I learned" is how she put it. I really don't notice any difference from the way I walk to the way she wants me to walk. Then, we go over handshake, smiles and eye contact. After that, she makes me talk properly. Never say yeah, say yes. Oh and don't forget to smile. She constantly has to remind me to smile.
"I don't know what Damon is thinking, having you be yourself for the interview. You want the audience to like you!" She keeps going on and on about that.
Finally my two hours are up and she leaves looking worn out. Well, I was practicing for the interview, I think to myself.
So, not knowing what to do now, I head up to the roof. Maybe Maysilee will be there. She's not. But the day is so nice, I decide to stay and sit down on a bench.
I hear Maysilee coming up the stairs and turn around to face the door. When I see her I smile. She comes and sits next to me and puts her head on my shoulder.
"So how'd your prep time go?" She asks.