Hours later, it's time to view our scores. Were all huddled around the table and I am digging my fingernails into my palm. The careers all get high scores in ranges of 8-10. Jace and Keanan both manage to get a 6, which is alright. The most surprising score was definitely Kyler. His face pops on the scream and surprisingly he gets a ten, what did this week little boy do to get such a high score? Clora pulls a 7, good for her I think.
They show Nick's face on the screen and put up the score next, at first I don't want to look, but I'm so tempted so I just look. There flashing next to his name is a ten, a ten. I look at him and he has a smirk on his face, he catches me glancing at me and gives me a wink. I want to know how he pulled a score that high. Before I say anything I hear my name.
I see my picture and there it is my score, not bad at all, an eight. I'm happy with my score, not as good as Nick's, but I don't care. Mom and dad are congratulating us on our scores, since we actually did well. Effie is cheering for us, and hugging me and Nick.
It's time for dinner and I realize I haven't been eating that much and I am actually very hungry. I'm still very curious as to how Nick got a ten.
"How'd you get a ten?" I say to him.
"What's the matter Hailey? Jealous?" he says jokingly. I smile and shake my head to let him know I'm not. "Sorry can't tell you, it's top secret information between me and the Gamemakers." He says walking away.
"But Nick, we're allies, you pinky promised." I say widening my eyes towards his face when he turns around. He smiles and says.
"I didn't do anything special, I just did archery and knives, I guess I was really good." I trust Nick, but I find it hard to believe that he got that high of a score just doing normal stuff.
In the morning at breakfast Effie says we will begin training for our interviews. Hearing her say our interviews scares me. I really hope I can get on the stage and not faint, I'm not exactly very comfortable in front of the camera. Nick on the other hand will be great and charming, I know he will be, he's just a likable person, and it's not just because of his looks.
We are going to train together with Effie, but then we are going separately for strategy for our interview, me with my mother, and Nick with dad. The sessions are both four hours, so we start right away.
When we are with Effie she gives me a pair of heels, I just stare at them, I have never wore high heels in my life, and I could definitely be afraid I would make a fool of myself, falling on my face. I'm not lady-like at all when it comes to things like this, but no one can blame me. I spent most of my days in hunting boots.
"Put them on Hailey, There not for Nick." Effie says making a joke. At this moment I don't find it quite funny. But Nick does, he is laughing at me, motioning me to put them on. Effie comes back with a tie for Nick and when she is tying it around his neck I strap on the heels. I'm clutching the table close to me, not letting go. Effie could have at least given me smaller heels to start. Effie turns around to see me hunched over the table.
"Oh, Hailey." She sighs, "Can you at least try to be a little lady-like?" I can't help but feel a little embarrassed since Nick is there. He is trying to hide his smirk from me, without success. Effie takes my hands from the table holding me up, I feel actually confident until Effie let go and I feel like I will fall forward. I stand up straight and I am not going to walk a step, not with Nick watching me. Effie stands a few feet in front of me.
"Walk over to me," She says I look at her with a blank stare.
"Effie, are you serious, I can barely stand."
"I swear, your more like your mother than you know." She says sighing. "Just give it a shot, don't worry about looking good, just focus on walking and not falling." Easier said than done
At the end of three hours I manage to be able to walk over to one side of the room to the other, without falling. I get a little better at trying to look sexy as I walk but my legs just won't let me make long strides.
For the next hour Nick and I sit at the table practicing sitting up straight. Finally something that isn't that hard. Effie yells at Nick for slouching every time his back gets tired. Then Effie orders us to show her our best smiles, I can't help but glare at Nick's flawless smile.
"Nick, nice, charming," she looks at me I can hear the criticism already. "Hailey good, pretty, but you have a tendency to duck your head down when you smile…" she grabs my jaw lightly and pulls it up positioning it to a place that is not comfortable for me.
After that, eye contact more smiling, sitting, and hand gestures we finally are done with the four hours and it is time for one on one with our mentors.
Mom is waiting for me in the sitting room; she pats her hand down on the couch motioning me to sit. When I walk my feet burn, It still feels like I am wearing my heels and there digging into my feet. They still hurt when I sit down and I feel like taking off my shoes and rubbing them right now.
"How was training with Effie?" Mom asks with a smile, I don't know if she is asking as a mom as my mentor. I roll my eyes and mom laughs.
"Do you know how hard it is to walk in heels?" She nods her head laughing softly.
We talk a little about my training session with Effie and how I was at walking and smiling.
"So, your father and I talked about what we want your approached to be," she starts "You're obviously very liked already seeing as your name is well known. I feel like you can pull off a likeable persona." I would feel pressured if I had to be likeable, seeing dad's interview when he was likeable; he was naturally humors and was an easy talker. It probably was hard doing that when my personality with cameras related most to moms.
"I know what you're thinking, I wasn't able to pull of likeable like your father could, and rumor has it you take after me." She smiles at me "But I won't tell you what Haymitch told me when he was my mentor. 'You have as much charm as a dead slug.'" I can't help but laugh, I wonder if Haymitch had been sober when he said that, or he was just drunk and saying anything he felt like it.
"What did dad think I should do?" I ask her.
"Dad thinks likeable and charming is a good way to go. He had to give me pointers on how to be likeable, but I'm pretty sure you got enough of your father in you to pull off the Mellark charm." She's right, it's a good idea to be likeable and charming, and I already have a head start at that. I can act less stubborn on camera, I can act like my dad, and I still have likeableness in me. And I think I was ready for my interview.