"Don't put your hands like that." Said Francine.
"How am I supposed to have them?" I had them on the sides of the armchair I was sitting on. I looked at Francine confused. She was slowly losing patience with me. She has been teaching me, how to sit properly.
"Place them naturally in your lap." I placed them like that, but Francine didn't like it.
"Not affectedly. But naturally." She sighed tiredly.
"I am going to take some pill. You are giving me headache. I can't work with you anymore, because I will be completely exhausted."She said dramatically and left me.
"That didn't went well." Elma walked into my room and sat on my bed.
"It was horrible. I mean, who the hell cares how I will sit?" I asked her.
"Just be yourself and.."
"That is not a good idea. I will surely say something stupid." I interrupted her.
"It doesn't matter. Just go with it and we'll see." I nodded at her and sat on bed too.
"We have to come up with an angle for you. I can't imagine you being sexy. No offense. Definitely not dark and bloodthirsty. So I was thinking about sweet, funny and a bit daring." She said looking at me.
"It could work. But I will be a wreck and nervous anyway. This can have just two outcomes. Bad, I won't say anything and make a fool out of myself. Better, I will joke around, say stupid things but I will make a fool out of myself anyway." I groaned and turned over so that I was laying on my stomach. My face was pressed into the mattress, making it hard for me to breath.
"Don't worry, honey. It will end up somehow." She patted me on my back and left.
I raised my head to breath and considered thinking staying there and not breathing at all.
"Sweetcheecks! How are you?" Lyons came into the styling room in full parade with glittery pants and some weird hat.
"Hi! You know, all the same old here."
"So what direction are we going?"
"Definitely not the straight one." I said jokingly. I saw as his face froze and I instantly wanted to disappear.
Why don't you just shut your mouth Cory?
"You don't mean the dress, right?" He asked with something in his eyes.
"No." My whisper echoed like a scream in the silent room.
And then he started laughing manically so loud that I thought my ear drums will burst. I stared at him incomprehensively, until I let out a small chuckle.
"That one was good! I have to give you that." He said brushing away tears that leaked from his eyes. He fanned his face and took a deep breath.
"So what angle are you going for?"
"Sweet, funny and a bit daring."
"Okay. I can work with that." And he started sketching right away. I tried to take a peek at his work, but every time I would strategically lean to see on his papers, he would turn to block my view.
After my fourth unsuccessful attempt, I huffed and crossed my arms. Thank God, after 15 minutes he had the sketch done and went to have it made into a dress, otherwise I would have died from the anticipation.
"Close your eyes!" He called from behind closed doors.
"Why?"
"I want it to be surprise." He explained and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Okay. You can come in!"He slowly opened the door and walked in.
"Aaaaah! Don't look!" He screeched upon seeing I was looking and left the room once again.
"You didn't close your eyes." He said disapprovingly. The door opened once more, but this time, Charm stepped in.
"I'm here to make sure you won't look." She said and put a blindfold on me.
I could hear fabric rustling and hushed sighs of awe. Hands undid my robe, but before I had the chance to feel embarrassed, I felt soft material sliding down my body.
Someone put down my blindfold and I finally saw what I was going to wear to the interview. It was a beautiful soft violet empire floor length dress with beaded detailing in the waist area. The dress had just one strap. On it were small butterflies in various shades of violet and purple.
"What do you say?" Asked Lyons.
"It is beautiful. Thank you."
"I know." He said with a smug grin on his perfectly sculped face.
"Daring in the deep décolletage, high slit and open back. Sweet in colors and material. And funny in butterflies and you."
"Do I have shoes this time?" I asked curiously.
"Yes you do." He went to the corner of the room and handed me a box. I opened and saw a pretty pair of silver strap shoes. They were to my surprise elegant and not overdone.
I put them on, raised and almost fell over. Lyons steadied me and told me:
"I know you may have never walked in high heels before, but I am not letting you go out there barefoot. You have 1 hour to learn how to walk in them and I don't want to hear no for and answer. Girls!" He ordered and the rest of my prep team rushed into the room with professional boxes presumably full of make-up.
They didn't even let me sit down, saying I will wrinkle my dress. It didn't take them long thankfully. My hair was done already so they left it falling down in loose curls.
I was walking up and down in the hallway, getting used to these shoes. I found out I can handle walking slowly, but when I pick up speed, I look like an impaled zebra. It's just horrible.
"You look pretty."
I turned on spot and saw Morris leaning on wall. He was wearing black suit, crisp white shirt and a dark green bowtie.
"Thanks, you look great too."
"Will you sit down with me?" He gestured to the chairs on the other side of the hall next to small fountain.
"I would love to. But I can't."
"Why?"He asked furrowing his forehead.
"Lyons forbid my so. I tied to sit, but every damn time they come before I have the chance to do so. It's like I have an alarm in my butt or something."
"That is weird." He said sitting down.
I propped myself on the wall, heart beating loudly in my chest. I was nervous that I was going to screw everything up and look like an idiot on a screen.
"I'm sorry that I left you alone for these last days."He said, looking down. I smiled a little and gently hit in the arm.
"It is hard to resist young love." I said dreamily. Morris blushed and refused to look at me.
"It's alright. I was Peeta and with…. With Peeta most of the time." I stumbled over my words, nearly revealing that I was with Cato.
"And with whom else?" Asked Morris, obviously catching up at my mishap.
"Just somebody." I said trying to avoid telling him the name.
"I don't belie…" He was cut off by an avox, who handed me a small envelope and left right away. I looked at Morris curiously and opened it. Inside was a letter with my name on it. I would recognize it anywhere.
"It's from my dad." I said to him.
Dear Coreen,
I am sorry that we didn't have the chance to say goodbye. I will regret it for the rest of my life. We are doing here as good as is possible in given situation. It is hard here without you. You looked beautiful at the chariots. We are proud of you.
We love you. Mom & Dad
Tears were slowly falling down my face. I handed the letter to Morris to read it.
Our mentors suddenly appeared. I quickly dried my face and we were rushed off to a common room for tributes, where we were waiting.
There were cameras already and few tributes as well.
In just a few minutes, the room was crowded with all tributes. I spotted Peeta but Katniss was still around him, keeping him on a tight leash.
I leaned on a table, watching Morris holding hands with Rue. My eyes found in the crowd clear blue one's and I knew I was looking at Cato. I lowered my eyes downwards, blush creeping on my cheeks.
Then the interviews began.
Glimmer, wearing scandalously sheer pink dress, was in for sexy and seductive.
To me she looked awkward and unnatural. I was grimacing the whole time she was being interviewed and Marvel was having a blast watching my faces. When he stood next to me, ready to go next I told him:
"Don't make do those faces when you'll be there." I threatened but he just grinned and went on the stage.
He was very funny and confident. I was smiling the whole time and when he came back, I gave him thumbs up.
Next was Cato. I couldn't tear my eyes from the screen. He presented himself as a ruthless vicious killing-machine. But boy, did he look good. My stomach was doing flips watching him. It was strange but I was insanely attracted to him. His power and arrogance suited him really good.
Till now, Vale didn't make himself known to me. But the second Cato left, who walked quickly next to me almost breathing on my neck.I didn't dare to move a lot, scared that I would touch him.
When Cato came back, he went to stood next to me when he noticed Vale He gave him such a look, that he would have dropped dead right away. Vale understood the unspoken message and backed away. Cato then stayed not too close tome to stir suspicion, but not too far either. He purposefully leaned on the table as well, his arm brushing against mine.
I completely forgot that I was supposed to be interviewed taking in his smell of spices, woods, musk and a touch of lingering fruits.
I would have easily dosed off to a deep slumber, but he put his hand on my bare back.
"You're next." He whispered into my ear.I didn't even realized that time flew so fast.
I didn't dare to look at him. I probably wouldn't have handled it.
I stood by the entrance to the stage and was listening closely to catch my name being called. When it happened, my nerves escalated again and I nearly passed out. Thankfully, my subconscious mind took over and I slowly walked to standing Caesar.
I sat down and looked Ceaser in the face.
"Wow. You're so blue." I said surprised. He looked a bit different live than on the screen.
"I change color every year. Do you like it?" He asked, smoothing back his hair.
'I love it." I said enthusiastically. Now I knew that I will joke around, say stupid things and make a fool out of myself.
"Why thank you." He responded with a huge smile on his face.
"You looked very relieved to sit in this chair. I'm intrigued. Most tributes are a bit nervous. Why is that?" He looked genuinely interested. He was doing his job very well.
"My shoes are killing me." I crossed my legs, the slit revealing my 4 inch shoes. Audience laughed and I could see few Capitol women nodding in agreement.
"And my stylist Lyons didn't allow me to sit, saying I'll wrinkle my dress. He is such a diva." Caesar laughed and I let myself relax.
"What about those butterflies. I believe I'm right when I say that those were butterfly's wings at the Chariot ride?"
"They were supposed to be. But I though they looked more fairy-like. District 9 is the perfect place for butterflies. They fly around nearly all year long. "
"You seem like a very likeable and funny girl. Have you befriended some of the tributes?" He asked curiously, his brown eyes looking into mine.
"Thank you. Actually my best friend is here. His name is Peeta. I have known him for so long. But I dare to call my friend even more tributes, especially Morris, my district partner. He looks young, but he is wise beyond his age." By the 'more tributes' I meant Clove, Marvel and Cato. But I rather kept that to myself.
"And have you taken a liking to somebody?" He half whispered half shouted for everyone to hear him. I blushed, immediately thinking of Cato.
"She's blushing." He notified and the audience made an 'ooh' noise.
"So there is someone.. Who is it?" He asked, leaning forward eagerly.
"That's for me to know and you to find out." I said with a wink and laughed.
Caesar stood up, taking my hand in his making me stand as well.
"Ladies and gentleman, the Daring Butterfly of District 9, Coreen Mahoney!" He shouted and the audience cheered. I waved at them smiling and walked away.
When I was in the tribute room, I noticed that only the ones that were next were left. I took of my shoes and sat on a couch. Morris was already with Caesar, talking animatedly about his experience here. He was doing good. Caesar asked him about volunteering for his older brother and the audience was getting tearful.
"He is putting on quite a show, isn't he?" Said a voice next to me. I didn't bother checking the person's face and instantly hugged him.
It was Peeta. I tugged him close to me, breathing in the familiar smell of freshly baked bread and honey. I relished in his warmth, leaning into him.
"I'm so scared." I whispered into his jacket.
"Everything is going to be fine. We'll figure it out. I promise." I looked into his warm dark butterscotch eyes.
"I trust you."I said, my voice breaking at the end. He didn't say anything, just pulled me closer.
"Dad wrote me a letter. He said they were doing fine."
"That's good."
"I know. But he didn't mention mom. How she was doing. Do you think that something bad happened and he didn't tell me?" I asked worried and looked Peeta in the eyes.
"I'm sure that not. They are all right. Don't worry. I have to go Cory, I'm next." He said and we stood up and went to the door. He had a bit nervous but determined look on his face.
"Go and steal their hearts Peeta." I said and kissed him on cheek. He smiled at me and walked on the stage.
I turned to sit on couch and watch him. Glimmer stood there with a forgotten stole in her hands smiling cruelly. I just gave her a look and sat down.
Peeta did absolutely amazing.
He really did steal their hearts. I thought when I was putting on my pyjamas. I snuggled deep under the covers and closed my eyes.
My door opened and I could hear a shuffling of feet. Someone slid under the covers and wrapped hands around my middle.
"I couldn't sleep." Mumbled Morris.
"It's okay." I said softly and ran my fingers through his hair. His breathing slowed down and he started slightly snoring.
I hoped it's okay. Tomorrow, we were going to the arena. To a certain death. And I don't feel very okay about this fact.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Hunger Games.
Unfortunately, I have to go to school tomorrow so I won't have so much time to write. It is my personal goal to update at least two times a week. Hopefully, I will create some routine and later settle for the same days in week to update.
I already have in my mind what I am going to do with this story. For now, I have planned a completely different ending than in the books. In the next chapters, I will alter some events and order of them,so that it would suit my story. But maybe it will change. We'll see.
nicolio: Thank you. Vale is really creepy and scary. And that ginger hair doesn't add him on likeability. I'm looking forward to the arena as well.
SadieKaneNico39 and creativewriter17 thanks so much for favoritng my story.
The Wind Whispers To Me and creativewriter17 thanks a lot for following my story.
Thanks for reading. Lia