A/N: Long chapter! The Games are about to start. Let me know what you think!
The next day, I desperately need to talk to Kai alone, but Isidora has me busy from the second I wake up. I'm still rubbing my eyes as they adjust to the light when she orders me out of bed and leads me to the kitchen. We are the only two there.
"I'm going shopping later, so I wanted to get the sessions done as soon as possible. I allowed Kallan to bring a tray of food to the boy so we won't be interrupted. Of course, he probably would have taken the food anyway. I just can't seem to get him to eat at the table," she babbles.
"Hold on," I stop her. "What session?"
"I'm teaching you presentation for the next four hours in preparation for your interview tomorrow night. After that, you'll eat lunch and I'll trade you over to Alec while I instruct Kai." Her voice raises just a bit when she says "trade you over to Alec." She must still be suspicious of the relationship we fabricated to play a prank on her.
I nod and sink my teeth into some delicious ham and fried eggs as she begins her lecture. I'm still sipping my frothy hot chocolate when she motions for me to come see. In her hands is a frilly pink bag from what must be a very expensive store. She pulls out a pair of golden five-inch heels that have various jewels embedded in them.
"Put these on and practice walking," Isidora instructs. She then retires over to a chair and watches me expectantly.
It's a more daunting task than it seems. I immediately feel wobbly when I stand up, and I have to clutch the sofa for support. After several minutes, I am able to walk around shakily without falling down. That in itself seems like a huge accomplishment. I smile at Isidora triumphantly.
She just looks unimpressed. "Mags, sweetie, that isn't graceful at all. At least you're at a respectable height now."
I'm pretty sure I would rather be short and able to walk than average-to-tall with a broken ankle.
"Can we downgrade it a few inches? I think I could handle that much better," I say, trying to muster up a look that will make her take pity on me.
"Sorry, but you need the height. Shortness is undesirable," she says dismissively.
I give an aggravated sigh. It takes two and a half hours for me to master walking normally with the five-inch monstrosities. When I do, Isidora presents me with a new challenge: Walk without looking down at my feet.
It's a disaster.
"Oh dear," Isidora says, bringing her palm to her face as if I am the biggest disgrace she has ever seen. I'm really getting annoyed now, but I force myself to stay quiet. We eventually work out a compromise. I can look down at my feet every so often as long as I spend a majority of the time making eye contact, smiling, and waving.
The shoes are not my only challenge. According to my escort, I sit like a man, so I am forced to endure a lecture about crossing my legs. Putting my hands to the side and tugging on my dress nervously is by no means acceptable, either. My smile doesn't look genuine enough. I don't cup my hands the proper amount when I wave. Everything I do is wrong.
My heels are screaming in protest and I feel exhausted by the time the four hours are up. My good mood has been extinguished as well. I'm taken by surprise when Isidora leans over and hugs me, considering she criticized my every action.
"Thank you for being so well behaved and patient," she says. "It really was a relief. You should have seen the girl last year. She didn't listen to a thing I said. And the language she used towards me, oh, it was awful!"
"No problem," I say, unsurely now. I'm starting to regret all the nasty thoughts I kept to myself during the session. Her comment about last year's girl reminds me of something Alec told me, though. He explained that he was mad when we first met because his tribute last year didn't even pretend to acknowledge his help and he thought I might do the same. I don't see the point in that at all. Four is one of the few districts lucky enough to even have victors to mentor tributes. Why not listen to the advice of someone who actually won the Games?
Thinking about Alec reminds me it's almost time for my session with him. Surely it will be an improvement over this. Isidora is really in a hurry to get done with Kai and go to some store, so she orders a servant to pull together two plates of lunch and sends me on my way to Alec's room.
When I walk in, Alec's hair is dripping wet and there's a crumbled towel on the floor, so I assume he just got out of the shower.
"I've got lunch!" I announce and bring the food over to the bed. His room looks a lot like mine, except it's messier and there's more of a feeling of permanence. There are some personal belongings scattered about the room. Technically, this room has been his home for about a month every year for the past three years. I am just a temporary guest in my own room.
We sit on his bed and eat for a while. When we finish our trays, I look up and ask what's planned for the next few hours.
"I'm supposed to work with you on content for the interview. Basically, we need to figure out how to portray you and then practice with some basic questions. Don't worry, I already thought out your angle," he says proudly.
"Well it better be good for you to decide without my input," I say with a smile.
"It will be. At first I was thinking we should go the sweet route, but I think you have a lot more potential than that. I think we should go with kind and trustworthy, but also smart and resourceful. That way, sponsors will be interested and whoever you decide to ally with might trust you more."
"You really did think this out," I note, amazed. It seems like I should have been giving some degree of thought to this. I'm lucky to have a mentor who takes care of things. "I like that a lot more than sexy or brutal."
"Those just aren't you," he says. Then, like the first night on the train, he assumes he has insulted me and tries to quickly fix damage that isn't even there. "I didn't mean that you can't pull off sexy. You're not bad looking at all; I'm sure you could do it. You're actually really pretty, I just think that if you went there, you would have to act for them, and I don't want you to have to be someone you're not…"
"Like you have to act for them," I finish for him. "Don't worry, I know exactly what you mean."
When he was fumbling for words, I wanted to say something light that would make us smile and laugh, but my words came out serious. It is serious. I still don't like that the Capitol has some form of control over his life. I know he doesn't like it either.
It occurs to me then that I might have said something I shouldn't have. What if someone heard that and they punish Alec for telling me. I can see the caution in his green eyes, but he mouths, "I think it's okay." Then he changes the subject by posing a series of questions for me to answer. They are pretty generic and not hard to respond to, but I know it will be much harder on the stage with the whole country watching.
That goes on for about an hour before we fall into other conversation. I tell him I have decided who I want to ally with, but I need to talk with Kai before it can become definite. Eventually, we are both lying on our backs on the big white bed and talking about our lives. He asks a lot about my family and I'm glad to answer his questions, but I can't help but notice he dodges a lot of my questions about his family. Despite this, I do learn some things about him. He likes to draw, and he's had a lot of time to explore his talent since he won the Hunger Games. He has a wiry-haired dog at home named Russ that he takes out on his boat. He's hopeless at cooking anything besides fried fish.
I laugh at the last part. "I'll just have to cook for you when I win!" I exclaim. Immediately, I am astounded by the confidence I had when I said that, then dismayed when I realize I most likely won't be returning.
Seconds later, there's a knock on the door and Kallan walks in. "Alec, man, you realize the session ended an hour ago, right?"
"It did?" we ask simultaneously and look at the clock on the nightstand. Sure enough, I have been in here for over five hours. Then I realize this is my chance to speak to Kai.
"I have to go talk to my cousin!" I say, and then I am running past Kallan and down the hallway. I'm grateful that Isidora isn't here to tell me not to run indoors. I spent the greater part of last night trying to figure out whether or not to ally with the careers, and it was very late when I reached a conclusion. I need to talk with Kai now because our alone time before the Games is running out.
When I burst into his room, I slam the door open a little too hard, and it leaves a small dent in the wall. I'll pretend I never saw that.
"Kai! I need to tell you something!" I exclaim, but there is no reply. My eyes scan the room, and I spot him curled up in bed. Asleep. Apparently my crash into his room did nothing to awake him.
This could be tricky. Kai has slept through hurricanes before. I jump on his bed, pinch him, and yell in his ear, all to no avail. Finally, I resort to pouring cold water on his face, making sure to put a towel under him first.
As soon as the water hits his face, Kai jumps up in confusion. "Mags? What was that for?" he booms angrily.
"You wouldn't wake up," I reply. I wonder for a moment how Isidora wakes him up in the morning.
"Is it time for dinner?" he asks, and I swear his whole face brightens.
"Not yet," I admit. "Sorry about the water, but I really need to talk to you about alliances."
He pulls himself into a sitting position and the anger in his blue eyes is exchanged for confusion.
"What's there to figure out?" he asks. "We're careers now. Of course we're allying with them."
"That's the thing," I say quietly, twisting the sheets apprehensively. "I don't think that's a good idea. I can tell when I talk to them that they're lying about going to the final five. I think they just want to use us to get past the Cornucopia. I'm telling you, we're going to end up with knives in our backs."
"They use spears, not knives," he says in response, and I can feel anger bubbling inside of me.
"You're missing the point, Kai! I'm trying to say I don't trust them! I spoke with Crystal, the girl from One, and I would much rather team up with her."
His reply is immediate. "Are you crazy, Mags? I can't believe you even talked to her! We're already with the careers, and she's the first one they're tracking down. They would track us down, too! That idea is probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"
I can't help but feel offended. I'm two seconds away from countering that the dumbest thing I've ever heard is when he said he quit the athletic team because he was too good for everyone else, but I find the strength to restrain myself. Instead, I speak to him through clenched teeth.
"Kai, you have to trust me. I want to keep both of us alive for as long as possible, and every instinct is telling me not to go with One and Two."
"Well you can't make me ally with the girl from One," he says, folding his arms defiantly.
"Fine," I allow. "Let's compromise, then. What about no alliances? We can stick together because we know we won't kill each other. No one else can be trusted."
He looks a little less mad now, but still not sold on my idea. "What about the careers? We can't just leave them alone."
"We have to. There can't be five winners. We'll just have to hide from them so they don't track us down. If we run while they head for the Cornucopia, we'll have a big head start. Especially since you're so fast."
"I am pretty fast." I can tell he is playing out the idea in his mind. "I don't know, but I'll think about it," he finally states. It's the best I can hope for.
The next day, the prep team has me up bright and early. I realize how much I've missed their company the past few days. Faria and Zia keep up a steady conversation with me, and Soma interjects every now and then. It still amazes me how they can completely transform my appearance with a few lotions and powders. The twins are painting my nails with the same wave designs I had for the Opening Ceremonies when Lilith steps into the room with my outfit.
It's an aqua dress that shimmers with glitter. The different colors remind me of the way the ocean sparkles in the distance. Faria helps me into it, and I notice that it falls just above my knees. Lilith explains that she wanted it much shorter, but had to settle for this length because we weren't going for sexy. I'm a little nervous about the dress exposing my feet because I'm not confident in my ability to walk gracefully in the five-inch heels they have provided me, but the prep team squeeze my hands and assure me that I will be fine.
By the end of the day, my blondish brown hair is done up in a complicated up-do that is far beyond my hair-styling capabilities. Lilith adds a seashell clip and some more mascara to my eyelashes before declaring I am ready. I have one more suggestion.
"I have a little orange seashell as my token," I say. "Do you think I can wear it on a necklace? I want my father to see I kept it."
Lilith narrows her eyes at me when I show her the shell and tries to protest that it's too small to look decent as a necklace, but the twins finally talk her into it. When I look at myself in the mirror, I can't help but smile.
"It's beautiful," I say honestly. "You are all very talented." The prep team gushes in excitement over that.
My smile is gone an hour later when I'm lined up to go out on stage. I have to grip Kai's shoulder because I suddenly feel very shaky and nervous. I don't want to go out in front of the entire country and make a fool of myself. It doesn't help that I know the only reason these people want to get to know me is so they can bet on my death and choose who to sponsor. It's all a money ploy created by the Capitol.
No matter how much I want to freeze time, it does move and, before I know it, we are all walking onto a stage in front of City Circle. The first thing I notice is the brightness. It's like waking up to a bright light; your first instinct is to close your eyes as they try to adjust. This is no place to close my eyes, though. I am relieved when I make it across the stage without tripping and sit down between the District Three boy and Kai.
Nathaniel Flickerman takes the stage, and the lights make his skin look even redder than it had on the T.V. screen. He warms the audience up for a few minutes before calling over Crystal. At that point, nervousness and stress takes over. I can feel the knots in my stomach again, and I wish I had my rope to relax me. My hands feel strange and empty. I can barely resist the urge to run them through my hair or tug on my dress as I nervously play out scenarios of Nathaniel questioning me in my head. No, I have to sit like a lady with my legs crossed and my hands idle in my lap.
I'm stressing so much that I'm barely aware of the interviews before me. I can tell that Crystal is humble and Osten is brutal. Kim is sly and Blade is determined. The girl from Three is painfully shy, and the boy is likable. These smaller details of their interviews pass right over my head.
I jump a bit when I hear Nathaniel call my name, and I can't remember a time when I ever felt more self-conscious as I walk across the stage.
Nathaniel greets me with a smile. "Magnolia Brine, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hear you go by Mags."
Words fail me, so I respond with a nod. This isn't good. I need to talk.
"So Mags, how are you feeling about this year's Hunger Games?"
Alec and I practiced this one. I clear my throat hard and force words to exit my mouth. "I…I think it will be a year to remember. Living in Four all my life has allowed me to pick up some skills that can help me in the arena, so I think I stand a pretty decent chance."
Nathaniel nods and looks out to the audience. "Do you hear that? Something tells me this girl will go far!" The audience cheers some in response.
"Mags, I'd like to get to know you a little better as a person. What do you value most?"
Alec and I didn't practice this one, but it is easy enough to answer. "Family," I say confidently.
He laughs and nods. "Indeed! Family is very important. My wife and I just got married, and we are enthusiastic about starting a family of our own very soon."
"Family will always love you no matter what mistakes you make," I add. I want to look back at Kai and make the big reveal that we are family, but I think he wanted to do that. It was his mentor's idea to announce that we're cousins here so no one will forget us.
"Very true! I'm sure your family is very proud," Nathaniel replies. "I have one last question for you. What is it like to have Alec Calder as your mentor? After all, we've all heard the rumors!"
"R-r-rumors?" I ask. This is completely outside of what I prepared for.
"I don't want to give anything away," he laughs, "but it involves a bed!"
Suddenly, it clicks in. Isidora must have told her escort friends, and they told everyone they knew. This can't be happening.
"No, it was just...uh…we were...um…this isn't…um…uh…no," I babble and my face flushes red from embarrassment. It's the worst feeling to not be able to communicate. I'm lucky that this is only a temporary lapse in my speaking abilities because I can't imagine living a life where no one understands me.
Nathaniel laughs and the audience laughs with him. I look out into the crowd and see Alec sitting with the other victors. I try to apologize with my eyes because I messed up his strategy. He must take it as a plea for help because he stands up and commands attention. The cameras head straight to him.
"Nathaniel, there is no reason to doubt Mags. She is good to the core and very trustworthy. We were only playing a prank on our escort, Isidora Satin." My muscles automatically relax in relief. Then Alec speaks up again. "Besides, I wouldn't lie if I had slept with her. Look at her; she's hot!" he says.
This makes me feel bad all over again. The audience cheers but they are cheering for the wrong reason because that isn't the real Alec. That's the Capitol Alec. The real one is so much better.
A buzzer goes off and Nathaniel turns back toward me. "I would love to continue talking, but it appears our time is up. Best luck to you, Mags Brine!"
I struggle to keep my head high as I walk back to the sofa, my face still as red as Nathaniel's. Kai is called up and already looks much more composed than me. He looks nice in his dark suit and shiny blue tie. After a few questions, it's clear that his angle is strong and determined.
"One last thing. What do you think of the Capitol, Kai?" Nathaniel prods.
"It's pretty incredible. The food is so much better than what Mags and I used to eat at my table at home." It's pretty clever how he just fit that in there.
"Oh, you and Mags were friends back in Four?" he asks.
Kai smiles wide. "Mags and I have known each other for as long as we can both remember. She is my older cousin, after all!"
The audience is in an uproar. I'm pretty sure this is the first time family has been reaped together. Well, actually, only one of us was reaped. Kai volunteered.
Sure enough, the camera is on my face. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Smiling seems completely wrong because this situation is a very unfortunate one. I look at the other tributes, and their faces are in various stages of shock. Blade is the only one who doesn't look stunned, so I assume Kai told him.
Nathaniel looks at Kai sympathetically as the buzzer sounds. "I'm very sorry, but our time is up. Best of luck to you and your cousin. Hopefully one of you will make it back to your family."
I am so relieved that our time in the spotlight is over that I am finally able to focus on the other interviews. The boy from Five and the girl from Seven both make an impression by acting threatening. The little girl from Twelve cries in the middle of the interview when Nathaniel brings up her poor training score. After the last boy finishes, I can say with certainty that Kai and I were the most unforgettable.
I hope that means we will have a lot of sponsors. We'll need everything we can get to survive after our "allies" decide to hunt us down.