I was dragged out of bed early by my prep team, but they didn't mind me sleeping in front of the mirror instead. When they woke me up, my face had changed to a smooth, shiny surface, everything surrounding my eyes, which looked bluer than ever before. I couldn't help gazing at myself, and Tophia laughed at me, when she entered.

"Wait till you see the dress," she said, and I turned around. I watched her amazed as she started pulling something out of the bag in her hands. Gaping my mandible off, I reached for the blue and silver wonder to feel the velvet. It was darker than the sea but brighter than the night sky. Some places the fabric opened up to a silver petticoat. She helped me get it on and left me glaring at myself while she fetched the shoes, she had forgotten somewhere.

I'd never in my life felt so beautiful.

Deliberately forgetting all about the games, I sat behind the stage watching the other tributes interview, anxiously waiting for my turn. I succeeded convincing myself, that this was nothing but an exam. Maybe a nasty one, but it was all it was.

Finally it was my turn, and I walked in there with the biggest, most stunning smile, I could produce, and when it worked on the crowd, I smiled even more. The interviewer showed me to the chair, beaming back at me.

"Well, someone's in a good mood today, huh?"

"I'm very definitely in a good mood. Have you seen this dress? It's gorgeous!"

"Not as gorgeous as the one in the dress, I reckon," he answered, which made giggle heartedly.

"I can tell you're joking, but I will let it pass." He laughed a little, but then continued.

"Without joking at all, I can tell you we were all very surprised about your good score. How did you manage a 10?" he asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know," I said. "I dropped a sword on my foot in there. One of my toes is still blue. Want to see?" I quickly launched a spell at my foot as he nodded.

"Here it is," I announced loudly when I'd gotten the shoe off and swung my foot up in the air. Unfortunately, I'd put too much power in the rapid spell, and the toe was almost black.

"That looks nasty," he said. "And you've just walked around on that since yesterday?"

"It looks worse than it is," I claimed and put the shoe on again.

"Are you scared about tomorrow?" I flinched.

"I'm actually trying not to think about it." In the same moment, a buzzer sounded, and I was quickly led of the stage to make room for Kim.

"I think the gamemakers are a little off, giving her 10," I heard Dya whisper as I walked back to my chair.

"She'll be an easy one," Yilo answered.

I smiled, smug that my plan worked.

"You are an idiot, Jessica," Coleene barked at me as soon as we got back into the apartment. "Tell me, what did you think? Huh?"

"I made the other tributes forget my score! Aren't you supposed to be happy about it? It's what you wanted!" I yelled at her.

"Forget about the other tributes, you just made your situation a whole lot worse by making a fool of the gamemakers!"

"I'm not fighting the gamemakers in there!"

"No, you aren't. But they control everything! They can make the ground disappear under your feet and you'll be dead before noticing. And it is these guys, you've just insulted. Still content?" My eyes widened.

"Thank you for telling me before I screwed up," I whispered, my voice cold as ice. Before she could answer, I left the room.

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