Oh my god this is a long chapter, I hope you like it since it is so freaking long, I'm sorry if it is too long for you, but I had to put this in one chapter. :P
I wake up and I roll back over to the other side of my bed, I know what this day holds in front of me and I'm not that excited. The whole day is going to be spent getting ready for my interview. This day is for Evertt and the prep team, they need to make me look so good, no matter what I say people will gawk at me and automatically love me. I don't know how much longer I have until I need to get up, so I plop my head down on the cooler side of the pillow, just then my door is opening.
"Hailey, wake up." I hear coming from the other side of the room, I groan expressing everything I am feeling within it. "I know, I know, you have to get up though." I turn my head to see only the purple eyed girl from my prep team. Avia, I at least liked her. She helps me out of bed and she makes me change out my clothes I was sleeping in and change into a robe. We walk out of my room and I am so tired I don't even care that Nick is walking out of his room with his prep team, seeing me with bed hair and in a robe.
When we get to wherever we went Evertt is there looking into his sketch book intensely, he looks up looking me up and down like he so often does. It seems as though hair has grown back on my legs and I need to get waxed again, like I said I am not excited.
After hours of waxing my legs and trying different ways of doing my hair, Evertt finally decides what to do with my hair and I of course no nothing of what he is doing, I have to wait until the end. I can tell though my hair is up. Evertt leaves the room while the prep team goes to my make-up.
They get working on my face right away, putting long eye lashes that when I blink I can see the dark black lashes. They coat my lips with bright red lipstick, the same I wore for the chariot rides. When they are finished, as on cue Evertt walks back in with my dress, I can't see it though, it is covered. I am curious to see what I will be wearing on stage in front of all those people and cameras.
I start to peak over Everett's shoulder when he turns around, "Hey, no peeking, turn around and close your eyes." He says jokingly but I know he really doesn't want me to see so I turn towards the door with my eyes closed.
The next second I felt the fabric of the dress going around my body. The dress was strapless I guess because Evertt didn't put any straps on my shoulder, it takes all my will to not open my eyes and look down, I at least want to know the color. The fidgeting stops and there is silence in the room, not even a peep from my prep team who is usually chatting their heads off.
"Can I open my eyes?" I ask while my eyes are sealed tight. I hear a yes from Evertt and I don't hesitate to open my eyes. I fling them open to the mirror in front of me. Oh gosh, Evertt is perfect at designing dresses for me.
I look at my hair first, I was right it was up. All my hair is pulled to the side into a bun it's not perfectly neat but you can tell it was made by professionals. My bangs swooped over my forehead parting towards the right. There was one strand of hair that hung from my bun that was curled perfectly and rested on top of my right ear.
My dress, oh my dress, I loved it. The shiny gray color of it couldn't help but remind me of Nick's eyes. The dress really makes my Blue eyes pop and makes me love them even more than I did. The dress is floor length, my shoes I am wearing aren't as high as the ones Effie gave me to learn how to walk, so I feel confident standing there in them. The areas of the dress by my breasts have jewels, beautiful ones, there covering the tops of the dress. On my lower waist there is a clip that bunches up the dress, only a little, to make it beautiful. I can't look at myself without wondering, who is this women in front of me? When did I grow up?
"Oh Evertt, it's beautiful." I say breathlessly "Thank you."
"You're beautiful Hailey, Thank you." He smiles at me and he opens his arms to me and I don't hesitate to go in them. He hugs me carefully not to ruin my hair, when I am hugging I think of mom and Cinna, maybe I'll never have a relationship with Evertt like mom did with Cinna, but I still like Evertt, I loved the way he knew what I wanted to wear, what I was thinking and how I felt about things.
Evertt tells me he will see me right before I go on, I nod and he tells me mom is coming in to see me. Everyone leaves and I am walking around the small room in circles to get used to these shoes, I think I am able to, which is good. I am going for likeable, not clumsy.
Mom walks in, when she sees me she immediately gets a smile across her face. Her smile is contagious and makes me smile back at her too. She comes into my arm carefully hugging me.
"You look beautiful Hailey." She says looking into my eyes. I look at what mom is wearing, a medium length purple dress and her hair is wavy.
"Thank you, mom, so are you." She smiles at me and sits down on the chair I sat on while I was getting my hair done.
"Remember, you're going for charming and likeable." She starts "You have to make it seem like you're enjoying yourself, smile at the other tributes, laugh when they make jokes, and when your with Caesar act like your natural self, like your sitting down talking to Will." Oh how I wish I was sitting down and talking to Will instead of Caesar Flickerman.
We meet up with the rest of District 12 by the elevators; Evertt is there with Cherisa who is standing next to Nick, who is wearing a black suit, looking handsome as ever. He has blue accents on his suit on the sleeves and collar, and I can't help but wonder if Evertt and Cherisa made me wear a gray dress like Nick's eyes and have Nick wear a black suit with blue accents, like my eyes. It's a possibility.
Nick is again looking me up and down, like he was for the chariots, and I catch myself getting embarrassed, but I cover it up by stealing Nick's move by giving him a wink when I catch his eyes. He smiles at me. I'm pretty sure my heart skips a beat at that moment because his smile is so flawless, it's unreal. Dad is there too looking at me with smile.
The elevator opens and there is the stage, looking at it makes my heart speed up. The other Districts are on the stage getting their seats in the arc that we sit in until it's our turn to get interviewed. I see Jace and Keanan sitting towards the front, Jace who looks gorgeous with her blond hair curled down to her shoulders wearing a short puffy purple dress. Keanan is wearing a skinny purple tie that matches her dress. Jace sees me and waves showing her big white teeth. Nick and I wave back as we take our seats, at the end of course. I look back at Nick one more time and stare back towards Caesar.
The interviews are long and boring; it's hard to act like I am enjoying this. I have to laugh with the audience, and kept a grin on my face the whole time. I do pay attention when it is Jace's interview she does a good job making herself look like likeable; I think she is going for a sexy kind of pretty girl to get sponsors from her looks, which she can totally pull off. She talks about being back at District 4 and how she and Keanan have been friends for a long time.
Another interview I am paying attention to is Kyler, it seems he is going for humorous, the crowd laughs at his jokes, and collectively awe's when he smiles. That is the only time I laugh genuinely. Kyler talks about his older sister, who seems like a nice girl.
Quickly after Kyler Caesar Flickerman is calling my name and my heart skips a beat. I gasp quietly and I stand up, at first wobbly on my feet but I picture myself walking across the stage making every head turn, and that's what I do. I walk taking long strides with my legs making sure I put my weight equally on both sides of my body, Effie would be proud to say the least.
"Ah, Hailey, I've been waiting so long for this moment" he says with a big smile on his face, I don't know why anyone would want to see me that bad.
"Oh have you?" I say flashing him a big smile sitting down in the chair, making sure my dress is completely flattened underneath me.
"Oh yes, you're one of the popular tributes here in the Capitol," he says looking at me. "Say, I just saw your parents behind stage before this, they sure are looking great!" he says, I smile again.
"Yea, they do, don't they?" I say as I spot my parent in the city circle, front row. I wave at them, "Hey mom, dad." I say, the camera flashes to them waving back to me quickly then back to me and Caesar.
"So Hailey what's it like having the girl on fire as a mom eh?" I laugh a little; I swallow quickly looking at dad whose straight face helps me.
"Well, it's hard to get by with anything, that's for sure." I say laughing along with Caesar and the crowd. "But other than that, she is the best mom you can ever have." I saw blowing a kiss into the direction of mom to see her smiling unbelievably big. The crowd collectively awe's at my happiness towards my mother.
"Oh, and how about your father?" I look at dad again and think for a second, thinking of something to say.
"Dad can always make me feel better, no matter what is going on, and that's why he is the best dad in the world." I say looking at dad with a smile, more awe's from the crowd. We small talk a bit more about District 12 and my life there.
"So, Hailey I understand before Nick over there volunteered, it was your brother who got reaped?" I swallow hard, not wanting to talk about Will.
"Yes, his name is Will." I say with no smile on my face.
"What do you think you would be thinking right now if it was your brother sitting in Nick's place right now?" I wait a few seconds to gather my thoughts.
"I think I would be scared out of my mind, I can't thank Nick enough for what he did; it meant the world to me. " The crowd is silent. "Will means a lot to me and I think if he was here next to me instead I would do everything to protect him." I add last minute. The crowd awe's again.
"Now, that's Sibling love," Caesar says smiling, which reminds me I was supposed to be smiling and I smile back. "So about Nick, which we will get to later, he is the son of Gale Hawthorne, who was popular during the rebellion, along as your parents. The audience can't help but wondering if there is a relationship going on between you two." Hearing the question shocks me as much as hearing Jace said it days ago did. I blush immediately, wishing he wouldn't talk about Nick.
"Uh…um… No… Nick and I are just friends….that's all we are, I mean what he did for Will was great, and I love that he did that, but I only… like him as a friend." I sound like a complete idiot; every chance of being charming just flew out of the window. I hear a chuckling towards the arc, and I never wanted to punch Nick in his attractive face never more than now.
"Oh well Nick finds this funny, which makes me wonder about your answer?" Caesar says holding in a laugh himself. The crowd is laughing at my expense, at my embarrassment. "And you can't deny the shade of red on your cheeks!" Caesar says. Oh my, I wanted to cry.
"No! Were just friends!" I yell but I put a smile in my words so I at least sound somewhat likeable still.
"Oh come on, so if you had a chance, you wouldn't run over to him and kiss his attractive face?" my mouth is wide open I can't believe Caesar is saying this; my cheeks are going to start a fire if I don't calm down. Just then the buzzer rings and I couldn't be happier. I smile huge at Caesar, as if saying, HA.
"Well saved by the bell! Good luck Hailey Mellark! Next let's bring, Nicholas Hawthorne!" I get up walking away wanting to crawl up in a ball. Nick is looking at me when we pass each other, but I don't look back I look towards the ground and sit down.
"Nick! Nice to meet you!" Caesar says shaking Nick's hand as he sits down.
"Nice Meeting you, sir." Nick says charmingly. They small talk about moving from District 2 to 12 talking about Gale and his mother.
"So about Hailey." I hear Caesar say. I want to walk over to the buzzer and make it sound; I don't want them to talk about me. "Your thoughts on the relationship?" Nick smiles and chuckles lightly.
"Well, here's the thing, I wouldn't mind being with Hailey, I mean look at her, she's beautiful." My cheeks are red and the cameras on me so I can't cry so I try to pull a smile, but I can't, I am too embarrassed. "But I guess she's right, we're just friends. Nothing more." he says still having a smile on his face. At least he didn't proclaim his love for me like dad did to mom; I think I would have had a heart attack if that happened.
"Ah, yes I understand, some people are just better off friends. Just ask Jace and Keanan" Caesar says and the camera flashes to the two of them sitting next to each other. They talk about other stuff but I am just not paying attention because I am really embarrassed.
The interviews end and I put on a smile for Evertt, Nick, mom, dad, and Effie, because they think I did well, and I don't want them knowing I'm embarrassed for something so stupid. We go back up to our floor and eat.
I can't sleep, I can't imagine anyone can. Staring at the ceiling won't make me tired; it makes me think this time tomorrow I won't have a ceiling to look up at. I get up from the bed slowly; I'll just take a walk, that I'll make me tired. I open the door slowly and close it behind me guiding it until it closes so no one can hear.
"Can't sleep either?" The voices Startles me and I gasp. When I turn my head I see Nick, he is standing by his door, he snuck out too.
"I was going to go for a walk." I say to him he puts his hand out motion me to walk. He follows me, were not walking anywhere in particular, walking in silence until I say,
"Nick, I never really said thank you for what you did for Will personally…thanks." We stop walking because Nick leans against the wall nearby, putting his head against.
"It was nothing." he says. It sort of angers me to hear him say that, was he trying to impress me? He slides down to the floor, I sit next to him hugging my knees.
"No, it was very brave." I say keeping a solid tone.
"You think acting out of despair is brave?" he says looking at me instead of looking at the ground.
"Despair?" what is talking about?
"I did it because I know you didn't want to see your brother die yes, but I was shocked when you were called up there, I was frightened, I thought I was going to lose you, before we had a chance…a chance…" He doesn't finish, Nick is showing me a side never seen before. One that wasn't charming, that was scared. He is staring at me with his sparkling gray eyes. I could be wondering about what he was trying to say, but I could look away from his face, not a second.
Before I know it Nick is leaning in getting closer to my face. I don't have time to do move away, and I don't even if I even would if I did have time. I am too busy staring at his face and I'm mesmerized by the sparking tint of his eyes.
His face is only inches away until I realize what's happening, but I don't stop it because it's too enjoyable having Nick this close. His lips touch mine, his lips are soft and instantly I feel like my lips belong on his. But I can't do this! I open my eyes and take my lips away quickly. It was nothing more than two lip just touching, but I am disappointed in myself.
"No," I say keeping my eyes on the floor, so I don't get sucked in those eyes again. "In less than a week, one of us, if not both could be dead. I can't do this, sorry." I steal a quick glance of his pained face.
I get up quickly heading toward my room, not looking back, I feel my cheeks burning, and how did I let this happen?
"Hailey wait, I'm sorry." I can't believe I let him kiss me, as enjoyable as it was, I said I wouldn't do this. I turn the corner and walk into my room, I don't make sure my door is soundless; I have many other worries on my mind. Once I'm in my room I let myself let go. I slide down against the door hugging my legs and putting my head on my knees. Tears are forming in my eyes, and I let them fall, I cry for a long time but I don't sob, I don't want Nick to hear me, so he would know I have a weakness for him.
I hear shuffling feet down the hallway, Nick; he was walking slow, not picking his feet up. Then I hear a door from the left of my room.
"Too many things on your mind?" I hear, its dad. "You have no idea." Nick answers back with no emotion.
Dad gives a light chuckle. "Oddly enough I do, just lay down, clear your mind, think of something pleasant, you'll fall asleep eventually.
Nick I think clears his throat. "Thank Mr. Mellark."
"Please, call me Peeta." More tears are falling and now I am actually fighting to keep my sobs in. "Thanks Peeta." Nick says. I hear his door than dad's shortly after, which means he wasn't going to come into my room. I get up from the floor wiping away my tears. I go up to my bed pulling the blankets back so I can finally get to sleep. I think I did it though, I made myself tired.
Why am I so upset? Then I picture Nick's face that one brown strand that was covering one of his eyes as he sat next to me tonight. His face was filled with pain, who knew if it was caused by me, it probably was. I had no idea that Nick had real feelings for me; I thought our flirty friendship was nothing but my imagination.
I am still trying to find why I am upset? Is it because Nick took my first kiss? No, I couldn't be more happier Nick took my first kiss.
But then I know why I am go upset. This is the first time I am admitting this, even in my head, everyone else can see, Jace, mom, dad, and Caesar, I never wanted this feeling to come in but now I have to let it come in and overcome me.
I have feelings for Nicholas Hawthorne.