Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic time this season. Thanks for reading!
I. Am. Humiliated. District 2 is always made to look strong and intimidating. I've seen tributes with weapons before or lifting up heavy rocks representing masonry. I really should have tried to bulk up some more. I'm silently cursing the genetics which gave me my slender figure and accentuated curves as I walk over to the chariot. I try to feel positive that perhaps this risque dress will get me some male sponsors, but I'm more insulted really. I'm a career. I'm deadly. I'm not some sexy girl for men to goggle at. I do have to give some recognition to Drala though. The dress really is quite pretty... If only I could wear a slip under it. The sheer material is almost like a mesh cloth that is a deep red. There are thin painted nude lines across the fabric, the entire dress looks like a pattern of bricks, so at least I represent my district in some way. I look around to see what the other tributes are wearing and notice that almost every older male tribute is staring at me, even district 1 who has an extremely attractive partner. Oh god, now I am even more pissed off at my situation.
I see that Cato is already sitting in the chariot so I step up into the cart to join him. He gives me a look over and opens his mouth to make what I am sure will be a sarcastic remark. "Don't say anything." I warn him. He closes his mouth, changes his mocking expression, then says, "You look really hot, Clove." "You look ok." I tease him after giving him an up-down. Cato looks amazing, better then I have ever seen. He is in a pair of slacks that are made to look like granite, and nothing else. His hair is slicked back with a few pieces ruffled up strategically, and appears to have his skin oiled up so it looks almost reflective. I wonder whether they had done anything to make his abs and biceps larger because they look fantastic right now. Cato just winks at me and gives off a sexy grin. He knows he looks great. Honestly, his cockiness can get a little annoying sometimes.
"So," he begins, "We have a little while before the parade starts, want to make some allies?" I look around and notice that all the other tributes are in their chariots either alone or with their stylists. "Are we allowed to go talk with them?" I ask. "I don't see why not. Besides, if we approach them they will automatically see us as the top dogs." "Alright. Let's go." Cato hops out of the cart then helps me down seeing as I am in four-inch stilettos. "Should we start with District 1?" I ask. "Sure." We walk over to the chariot directly to the left of us and introduce ourselves to our future allies. "Hey, I'm Cato. District 2." "I'm Clove." I follow. "Marvel." says the boy. "I'm Glimmer, nice to meet you." says the girl with flowing blonde hair. "Your dress is so pretty." she tells me. "Thanks." I reply, with just as much fakeness as she had in her comment, "I really like yours too." Then to add to the girly-girl charade I was putting on to become friends with her I add, "It's super glimmer-y." She lets out a nasally laugh and I can practically sense Cato rolling his eyes behind me. Glimmer then turns her attention to Cato and after giving him a look over shoots him a flirty look and says, "You look great too." Cato, however, ignores this comment and says, "So are you two trained?" getting down to business. "Yeah," the boy replies. Oh shit, I already forgot his name. "Spears are my thing and Glimmer likes bows and arrows." "Excellent." Cato responds. "So are you in for an alliance?" "Yes!" says Glimmer, a little too excited. "Good. We'll see you at the training center." Cato tells them, then he turns and walks away as I follow him, trying to keep up in my heels and restricting floor-length dress. "Let's keep it short with District 4, I want to have time to ask 11 if he is in." Cato tells me as he quickens his pace.
I was already having trouble walking at the previous speed in my shoes and I now actually have to ask Cato to slow down. Instead of slowing down, he grabs my hand and practically drags me over to the District 4 chariot. He obviously has his mind set on the large boy from 11 being in our alliance. We keep introductions fairly shorts with the pair from 4 and recruit them for our career pack after learning that both are trained (Nathaniel in nunchucks and Odessaly in Karate). However, we end up not having enough time to walk all the way over to District 11's chariot so we head back to our own cart. Cato helps me into the chariot just as District 1 starts to move into the Capitol Circle. Drala and a lady who I assume to be Cato's stylist have appeared next to the horses tell us to look intimidating and ruthless. But then, as if to counter that, Drala tells me to put one hand on my hip and arch my back slightly so that my assets look larger. Yes, that was the actual wording he used. Cato made no snarky comment though, so I assumed he hadn't heard that exchange.
Our chariot starts rolling and the brown horses begin their trot around the City Circle. The crowd cheers for us at a louder volume then they did for District 1. Excellent. I stare them all down with a cold expression then remember Drala's advice and arch my back a bit. Cato noticed my shift in position and leans towards me saying, "Oh yes, don't forget to make your assets look larger." Great, so Cato had heard Drala. Annoyed, I turn to give him a glare when I see that he has his nose scrunched up in a passible imitation of Drala's nose. Before I can stop myself, I burst out laughing and then arch my back even more causing Cato to laugh as well. Oh, how proud Zura, Nilo and Darlie must be that their scary career tributes have dropped the menacing act completely during their official introduction to the Capitol. I really couldn't care less though. Even though I know that either Cato or I will die for sure in the upcoming weeks, I'm glad that he is here with me at this moment.
Because we have lost control of ourselves in the chariot, we are almost too distracted to notice the commotion that has occurred. However, Cato turns around and stares, mouth open, at an entering chariot. I turn too and gasp as I see two of the tributes on fire. Why couldn't we have gotten that stylist? The jealousy in me builds as the crowd starts chanting the names of the boy and girl, then goes crazy as the girl blows them kisses. But then I realize that those tributes are from District 12. The kids reaped from there are always pathetic. We should have no trouble taking care of them on the first day. The opening ceremonies don't even matter that much. It's the training scores and your success on the first day in the games that gain you sponsors. While the crowd may love them now, they will forget all about the pair on fire once they both receive 4's in training.
President Snow's speech goes by in a blur and before I know it all the chariots are back out by the training center. I turn to get one last look at the District on fire when I notice that the tributes are holding hands and probably had been during the parade as well. It's that small gesture, not the fact that they outshone Cato and I in the chariots that makes my blood boil. I stare her down, consumed by rage that I don't completely understand. Am I mad that I didn't get to hold hands with Cato? Am I upset that I have to act like Cato means nothing to me in front of the audience while they are presented as a team? Cato brings me back to the present by saying, "Let's make it our goal to make their deaths memorable for the viewers." I can tell that he is also envious of the pair and agree, hoping that this means he will remove the boy from the list of possible allies.
I see our mentors and escort approaching us, looking pleased. "We saw you two talking with the other career districts. Did you get them in an alliance?" Nilo asks. "Yes, sir." Cato replies. "Alright, well I'll make the pack official tomorrow when we meet with the other mentors?" "How did your ride go?" Zura asks us. Cato and I exchange a quick glance before saying, "Fine." at the same time. All three know that something is up. Instead of telling them about how we broke character, I tell them, "Well, we got showed up by District 12. The tributes were actually on fire." This satisfies them and causes a heated discussion all the way back to our floor. Maybe if we distract them enough with this, they won't be paying attention to the the recap tonight on tv and won't see us laughing. Zura tells Cato and I that we can shower off before dinner and we are dismissed. "Think there's any chance they won't notice our laughing?" Cato asks me as soon as we are out of earshot. "Not likely." I respond. "Our best hope is that the camera crews were filming district 3 by then and we weren't on tape." Knowing that we are about to be told off, we both head back to our respective rooms to shower without saying anything else.
After I'm all cleaned up and in a t-shirt and pair of lounge pants I head over to the dining area where I have to wait out a few awkward minutes until Cato joins us. "Sorry, I took so long. I couldn't get the body oil off very well." he apologizes as he struts over to the table. His hair is all fluffy and sticking out all over the place from being dried off and a few pieces are really bothering me. As he takes his seat next to me, I instinctively reach up to smooth out his hair. "God Cato, how did you manage to mess your hair up so badly? I mean they have a special dryer that untangles it for you." I tell him as I run my hands through his blonde hair. He smirks at me for a split second before his expression changes as he realized what just occurred. I catch my mistake a moment after he does and quickly detract my hand and back my chair away from him. Luckily Zura and Nilo let it pass without comment, but it had not gone unnoticed to Darlie who was now eyeing us with increased interest. Shit, shit, shit. I knew we had to be extra careful and I was not doing a good job so far.
"We should watch the recap of the opening ceremonies." Zura suggests brightly, oblivious to it all. She turns the television set on and we begin our meal as the District 1 chariot enters the circle. Nilo lets out a low whistle as he sees Glimmer blowing kisses and waving. "Oh man, check out that girl. Pretty hot, huh Cato?" I try not to seem too interested as I turn to Cato, waiting for his response. I'd never before heard Cato's opinion on other girls. "Yeah, but she's not my type. Anyways, this is the Hunger Games. I'm here to kill the other tributes, not to get all mushy for them." Take that Glimmer! I think. She was so obviously interested in him it was almost pathetic. I wonder what will happen in training tomorrow if she continues to flirt with Cato. I turn my attention back to the opening ceremonies and see Cato and I make our entrance. We look strong, powerful, the two to beat. By some stroke of a miracle, the camera swoops to get District 3's entrance just as Cato leans towards me in the chariot. Thank god our mentors didn't see us loose our composure. Instead they all congratulate us on making a good impression and looking so put together and dangerous. Nilo then turns the tv off, seeing as none of us wants to see District 12 take our spotlight. All three adults then head to their rooms to retire for the night, Cato and I head directly to his room and talk about how much we lucked out tonight before climbing into his large bed. We are both tired from the day's events and I drift to sleep after only a few minutes, feeling safe with Cato's body pressed up against mine.
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