Today is the day that we will go on the tribute parade. I know my costume is going to be amazing because we have the best stylists. I found out that we would be gladiators, whom of course I know all about, and I think that is a wonderful idea.
The costume is really heavy though, but I can handle it. It is gold, real gold, with a headpiece and wrap up sandals. I like it because both of our costumes are fitted to show off our best features. Before we left District 2, we had to get our measurements taken so they could start designing the outfits. This way, they wouldn't be too baggy or short.
We are in the stables before it is time to go out. My prep team, who I guess are pretty nice, is fixing my makeup. I see Cato out of the corner of my eye, making intimidating faces at Katniss. We already decided to get her out first. We've also made plans to have Thresh join us. We could use him. He is pretty big and I'm sure he would love to join such a skilled group. He sure would last longer with us, until, well, his services weren't required anymore.
My stylists help me up onto the cart and then attach the horses to the front of it. Cato steps on a little bit later. I avoid eye contact. I hear them introducing the tribute parade and then I see Glimmer and Marvel lurch forward into the street. We follow shortly after.
I keep my head tilted high, giving out a few nods and even fewer waves. I'm strong, not girly. Towards the end, I stick my hand up, giving one final wave before we pull in before President Snow. The crowd loves us and several flowers are being thrown my way.
On the monitor above, I can see the other tributes filling in behind us. Nobody's costume is as good as ours. After 11 rolls by, I look down at my nails. Cato, however, nudges me and I look up.
They're on fire!
Katniss and the boy are on fire! And worst of all, everyone loves it, even though Katniss has the stupidest possible face right now. And then, the stinger, they hold each other's hands and hold them high up in the air. So many flowers rain on them it looks like a garden.
How could they do that? Just stealing everything I've worked so hard for. I swear I will be the one to kill her. And I will do it happily.
When they park, President Snow gets up and delivers some speech that I'm too infuriated to hear and the crowd is too excited to hear. I'm sure that is the same one as always though. I just pretend to listen, clenching my teeth the entire time.
I'm sure that my stylist will do a better job with my interview dress. He better. Katniss is not going to steal my spotlight again. I'll make sure to take that away from her when I kill her.
The carts move back into a garage on the opposite side of the street and we get off. I go to my dressing room to take off the heavy costume and put on something nicer. By nicer, I mean jeans and a t-shirt. I head upstairs to the room with some other girls in the elevator. Luckily, Katniss isn't here. If she was, she might be dead before she even makes it into the arena. I think that they are from 7, 9, and 11. The girl from 11 is even smaller in person. I'll assign her death to Marvel. It will make him feel important, killing someone.
I get upstairs, the first one off the elevator, still fuming. I make my way down the hallway, not exactly sure where I'm going, my fists clenched. A door opens up on my left that I don't know what it leads to, and a hand clamps around my wrist, pulling me in. Judging on the size of the hand and the situation, it's Cato.
Yep, it's Cato.
"What?" I say, annoyed, wrestling my wrist out of his grasp.
"I need to know one thing. Why?" He asks, leaning against the wall of what appears to be an Avox closet.
"Why what?" I respond, even though I know exactly what he is talking about. I haven't bothered to look up from my wrist.
Silence. I look up, but this time he is looking down.
"I want too, but with the games… I just can't take any chances," I explain. My heart seems to crack in half. The games are being pushed out of my mind by what is happening now. I might not be alone anymore. I can't leave that. More silence follows.
"But, maybe, this could be fun. We only have a little while, so what the hell?" I say my voice quieter than normal. I rub my hand down his arm, linking my fingers with his. He lifts his head up, staring directly at me.
"Besides, I really do like you, a lot," I promise.
"Really?" He asks, questioning me.
"Believe me, if I was lying, you wouldn't question it." And with that, I kiss him. We break away for a short moment.
"Good," is all he says, but I know that it means much more. He kisses my nose before moving back down to my lips. He wraps his arms around my waist and I tangle my fingers through his hair.
We stay in that closet the entire night. We just talk, briefly about home because it hurts, but not about the games either. For the first time, I don't want to go in the arena. That's when it ends. When we don't talk, we kiss. It seems to get both our feelings out; anger, happiness, relief, worry, more anger.
I fall asleep resting my head against his shoulder. That night, I have dreams about killing Katniss and Cato being there the entire time.