Chapter 15

Morning comes much faster than I'd hoped. I stare at a small crimson stain on the carpet next to the bed as the room slowly begins filling with early morning light, revealing it's color to be more and more vibrant until it's fully shown to be a rusty looking speck of blood that the cleaning people had apparently missed. I mindlessly run my finger gently along the now scabbed over cut on my leg I'd gotten from rope burn trying to race Fry up the latter.

"Dicen? Are you up?" Beatilce chitters through the door, pulling me out of me stupor. I mumble a response and push myself out of bed.

It takes me little time to get ready, and even less time to spoon down the bits of food the dark haired boy had placed in front of me for breakfast. I resist the urge to glance at Fry across the table, but I do note his hunched over posture in the long backed chair with a half hearted smugness, confused as to why the glazed look in his eyes provokes a spark of concern in me.

"I hope you both got a good night's sleep" Beatilce tells us between spoon full's of a pink, fluffy, unknown substance in her own bowl "What happens today will be very important to potential sponsors."She smiles lightly at her bowl for a moment, before a sudden realization seems to strike and her eyes go wide "Oh but no pressure of course, I just know you both will do fantastic." I wait for a sarcastic comment or at least a snort from Fry, but he does neither. "So any whom, I presume you will want to go to the training center first and then you can come back around 2 and discuss techniques for the interview? Or would you prefer vise versa, hmm?" She smiles and pivots her glances between Rassa and Skader.

"Fry and I will go train, and you can stay here and discuss techniques" Rassa turns to Skader, who cocks and eyebrow in response"And then we'll switch, good?"

"I...Um yea alright, fair enough." Skader's eyes trail back to his plate as frown lines crease his forehead.

Rassa nods and turns to Fry, who looks as though he has begun to nod off "Fry are you ready?"

It takes him a minute to drag his slightly blood shot eyes towards her and push out of his seat. "Couldn't be readier."

Skader doesn't waist any time after the door swings shut, scraping his chair out from under the table and jumping to his feet "Alright Blondie" he slaps his palms across the sides of his pants and turns to me with a funny expression that seems to be a mixture of forced determination and genuine excitement, though at first glance it would come across more as slight insanity "shall we?"

I follow him to the main sitting room where he perches himself awkwardly on the coffee table across from the couch. When I don't immediately seat myself across from him he clears his throat impatiently and gestures to the spot. I sit.

"So...the interview."

"the interview..."

"I talked to Taris last night about it...actually, he should be here." Skader calls to Taris then with no response, stands and disappears through the dining room door to retrieve him. Once Taris is seated comfortably beside me Skader begins to explain the 'categories' in which tributes choose to present themselves in the interviews "The sponsors want entertainment value in a victor's personality, like...they want to see that if they live through the games they'll still be relevant to capitol citizens, so" He frowns and his eyes trail over me slowly "we have to make you interesting."

I stare. "Well, thanks"

Taris laughs, "Not to say you aren't super entertaining already little Dicen, it's just, we need you to be media entertaining. Trust me, there is a difference."

"Right, so like Skader? I don't have to sleep with half the Capitol population too do I...?" I feel a bit guilty the moment it slips out but Skader just laughs dryly in response shooting me a glare.

"Oh no no" Taris answers blankly, oblivious to the mocking "That wouldn't go at all with the image I've already been creating for you."

"I have an image?"

"Of course!" Taris seems annoyed that I haven't already picked up on this, "Cute little shy helpless girl from District 3" He smiles "Oh and you have to see your dress by the way, it's black going with our little yin yang thing!"

"That's great Taris, and her" He sticks up his fingers, mimicking air quotes "image is good...But I was thinking a little less helpless alright? We don't need the sponsors thinking she can't take care of herself in there..."

They rattle on this way for the next hour, giving me ideas of what Caesar's questions will mainly consist of and how to answer them properly, "Make it seem like you're opening up a little...give the citizens a feel of a personal connection...but all the same don't come off as too transparent, they're has to be a bit of mystery."

"Sounds like my sister's dating advice" I mumble, earning myself a dry laugh from Skader.

"Also, make sure you're sitting tall, and if possible spend a lot of time looking at the audience, makes you look nervous...they'll find it adorable!" Taris interjects.

I try to picture the situation, me sitting on stage next to Caesar Flickerman, trying to come off as shy...but not helpless, giving the audience insight but not being transparent, trying to be charming yet reserved...all the while, all of Panem is watching, judging, lights slamming against me from all angles. I feel a bit sick.

"This will go well Blondie" Skader assures me with a small pained smile. "Now, come with me" He shoots Taris a drawling glance, obviously discluding him "...I have to show you something."

Skader leads me to his room and closes the door immediately after I enter, then shuffles across to his bedside table and pulls a sheet out of the drawer "read this, and memorize it. And.." he presses his lips together and leans toward me slighty "don't let anyone see."

I glance down and the small white rectangle he presses into my palm, assuming he's joking until I get a good look at his grim expression "What is it?"

"You'll see, just read it tonight okay? Give it back to me in the morning." I nod and shove the paper into a small pocket on the side of my jacket.

"Now lets discuss tactics shall we? First things first, how fast are you?"

"Well, I'm not slow..." I answer.

"But not fast enough to outrun careers right?"

I frown, "do you really have to ask?"