I wake up, once again to Merinetta banging on my door. "What"? I scream as I rise out of bed.
"Get up now. We have a big, big day ahead of us and you can't afford to sleep in" her squeaky voice shouts back. I groan before getting dressed in a simple white blouse and blue denim jeans. I pull my hair up into a ponytail before opening the door.
Merinetta is standing there looking very cross with me. I scoff before barging passed her. "I need a coffee" I say as I go and get a cup.
"And we will get to work straight after" she tells me. I just nod before adding 3 sugar cubes to the coffee and drinking it. Merinetta then leads me into her room and gets an Avox to set up to chairs. "Take a seat" she says as she sits. I do as I am told and take a seat.
"What is this all about? How will you help me?" I ask.
"Well, I am here to help you become more graceful" she replies. I take another sip of my coffee before placing it on the floor beside me.
"And how?" I ask. She doesn't talk, she just gets up and walks over to her wardrobe. She comes back with a pair of blue high heels in her hands. "Oh hell no" I almost shout while jumping out of my chair.
"You need to wear these for you interview" she says as calms as ever.
"Why?" I shout at her. I don't know why I am shouting. Maybe it is the stress of knowing that tomorrow could be my last day on earth.
"Oh calm down dear and just try them on" she says as she hands them to me. I decide to try them and as soon as I stand I fall flat on my face. I try again and only manage to take one step before falling again. "Come on dear, it isn't that hard" she squeals at me.
"Easy for you to say. You were probably born with a pair attached to your feet" I say, sarcasm evident in my voice.
"I can reassure that I most certainly was not" she replies as she helps me up. "Now, try again" she says. I do as I am told and actually manage a couple steps before falling once more. This is going to be a long day.
My feet and head are aching like hell. I have just spent 3 hours doing nothing but walking in my high heels. And to top it all off, I have had to have speech lessons with Merinetta. She taught me how to speak with a posh accent and we had a little mock interview to prepare me. I just hope that Caesar's voice isn't as irritating at Merinetta's.
I enter Andre's room and he smiles at me. I don't return it, I just take a seat. "How are you?" he asks.
"Well, I have had to spend my morning in high heels which have destroyed my feet and I have a pounding headache because of Merinetta's stupid high pitched voice. How do you think I am?" I say, voice dripping in sarcasm.
"That bad?" he asks.
"Uh-huh" I reply.
"Right, well you will be prepped for the interview after this by your prep team and Darius will fit your dress. For this hour or two, we will be working on your angle for the interviews." He says.
"What do you mean 'angle'?" I ask.
"How you will come across on stage. District one usually go for sexy or strong. District two shows there strength and so on, and so on" he says.
"Can't I just be myself?" I ask.
"You can, but you need a small angle to play. Sponsors are looking for something in you that will make them want to back you up. They want to see a fighter" he says.
"Then I will show my strength. I will show them that I am a competitor in these games and that I will fight to the very end" I say.
"That's good, but how will you show that?" he asks.
"I will tell them straight. I won't take any shit from anybody. If they want a fighter then they can have one" I say plainly, as if it was natural for it to come out.
Andre looks at me and sighs. He sure does have a lot on his hands and I will bet you any money that Oak wasn't this hard. Andre helps me in ways to show my strength and he also told me to add a little sexy to it, but I doubt I will. I am not here to sell myself like Finnick fucking Odair. He was sold after he won the 65th games and after he turned 16. I am not going to be sold, I refuse to.
"Well, looks like you are as ready as you will ever be" Andre says as he gets up. He opens the door for me and I go back to my room, hoping that I will have a couple minutes of rest.
I open the door and sigh, no such luck. Smiling at me is my prep team. Well, Cat and Carvo are. Sibley is just looking blankly at me. "Hello dear" Carvo yells.
"Carvo, calm down" Cat says as she places a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry" Carvo says before calming down a little.
"Well then, let's get to work" Sibley says as they get to work on me.
The most painful 3 hours of my life pass by and I had to fight to hold back tears. They got rid of all the hair that has grown over the past 3 days since the tribute parade. They also scrub my body down and remove layers of skin leaving me red raw. That is soon soothed by the same cream they used the first time they put me through this torture.
"All done" Sibley says, looking at me impressed.
"You look beautifull again" Cat and Carvo say simultaneously which is kinda creepy. They suddenly leave without saying another word and then Darius comes in with a clothes bag.
"Hello dear" he says as he hugs me. I cringe but smile when he looks at me. "In this bag is your outfit. I am certain that you will be beautifull" he says.
"Let's see it then" I tell him.
He unzips the bag and inside is the most beautifull dress I have ever seen. It is my favourite shade of green, a dark urban green, and is strapless. I run a hand down it and feel the silky smooth fabric under my fingers. "Wow" I mutter as I take it from him.
I just strip down naked in front of him but it doesn't seem like it fazes him. It doesn't bother me because he has already seen my naked, before the parade. I put the dress on and it stops just above my ankles and he zips me up. "Absolutely gorgeous" he says.
"You done a good job" I say as I let my ponytail loose. Darius can't wipe the smile of his face as he watches me. "What about the shoes?" I ask.
"Ahh, here you go" he says as he hands me a white box. I take it and open the box to see a pair of darker green high heels. I scowl at them but decide to put them on. To my relief, they are not so bad. Much better than the ones I had worn earlier today.
I turn to the mirror and I have my breath taken away. My hair is in curls outlining my face. My lips are a rosy red colour and the dress fits my body perfectly. The whole thing makes me look younger then I really am and I like it. "It is perfect" I say as I feel a tear form in my eye.
"Don't cry darling, you will ruin your makeup" Darius says as he hands me a tissue and uses one to wipe away his own tears. I dab at my eyes and then throw the tissue away.
"I am ready" I say and he takes me arm and leads me out of my room and to the elevator.
I come to the room behind the stage and I see all the other tributes. I spot Alex who is gorgeous, maybe even more then I am. Her black hair is in waves and her purple eyes have been brought out by some black eye liner.
She is wearing a blue dress that has one strap over her left shoulder. The dress stops halfway down her legs, showing a pair of white flats which make the whole outfit perfect. Man I envy her for wearing flats. She flashes a smile my way and I return it.
Chip is looking handsome wearing a black suite with an orange skinny tie. He nods my way and I smile at him. Thorn is also looking good, wearing a grey metallic looking suit with a black tie and black trousers. He doesn't notice me so I walk over to Oak.
Oak has on a green suite, the same colour as my dress, and has a white under shirt and a tie of the same colour green. He looks to me and I see a blush spread across his cheeks, what a little cutie. "Hi" I greet him.
"H-hello" he replies with a stutter. Even more cute! We don't talk anymore because we are all lead on stage to our chairs. Caesar sits center stage while we are seated behind him in order from district 1 to 12, girl and then boy.
Caesar then takes to the stage and the applause almost deafens me. Caesar has not changed a bit. From past games I have been forced to watch from 20 years ago and he hasn't changed. He is rocking the blue colour this year. His hair is light blue while his suite is a dark blue. "Welcome Panem to the tribute interviews" he says and even more cheers are heard. "Up first me have Glitz Vega from District One!"
The interviews go by without much attention from me. He asked Chip about an alliance and Chip replies with a 'Wait and see' comment and then his interview finished. Alex is going with the withdrawn angle. She answers with one word answers and doesn't reveal to much about herself, leaving the audience holding on for more.
After the boy from 6 finishes it is my turn. "Give it up for Maple Serena from District Seven" Caesar shouts. The crowd roars and I stand and take a deep breath. I get to the interviewing chair and stake a seat. "Hello Maple" he says.
"Hello Caesar" I reply with a fake smile.
"How do you like the Capitol?" he asks.
"Well to be honest, I do think it would be more enjoyable if it was under different circumstances" I reply. The crowd laugh like I had said a joke when I am just speaking the truth.
"I bet it would" Caesar says. "Now, about your score, a ten. Were you surprised by that score?" he asks.
"Well yes I was. I was hoping to get a high score but nothing that high. I guess the Gamemakers just liked me" I reply with a wink to the Gamemakers in the high corner.
Caesar laughs and the audience joins in, "How did you get that score?" he asks.
"Oh, if I told you that then I would have to kill you" I say, meaning every word but it was just a joke to him and the crowd.
"We wouldn't want that now would we?" he asks the audience.
"NOOOOO!" they all shout and laugh like I am some puppet show. If only I had an axe right now.
"Right, now the last question. Do you have an alliance?" he asks. I want to say yes, but I don't want the other tributes to know about it yet.
"Nope, not that I know off" I say with a fake giggle. The buzzer sounds and I stand.
"Everybody, give it up for Maple Serena" Caesar shouts. The whole square erupts with applause. They must love me. I take my seat and just wait for the interviews to be over. The games start tomorrow and I need the rest. Oak goes for the shy boy act and Thorn goes for the tough guy act. He is tough and is built like a career tribute. I am lucky to have him on our side.
We all have to stand afterwards and bow to the crowd before we are let go. All of us anti-careers get together and get an elevator to ourselves. "You were all great" I tell them.
"Thanks, you were to" Alex replies with a smile. She takes my hand a squeezes it, "Does everybody know what to do? This will be the last we see each other until the games tomorrow."
"I do"
"Me too"
"I am ready"
"Me too" I say as I give Alex a squeeze back. Chip is the first to get off and the Alex. Oak and I get off and Thorn carries on up. That night everyone celebrates but all I am thinking about is sleep. I will need it for tomorrow.
"Goodnight everyone" Oak says as he leaves. He has come out of his shell a little since I first saw him. He is no longer the shy little 15 year old, who wouldnt talk.
"I am going to bed too. I need all the sleep for tomorrow" I tell them all. They hug me and say goodnight before I make my way to my room. I strip from my dress and put on a pair of pyjama's before climbing into bed.
As I am about to fall asleep I hear my door open, "Maple, are you awake?" I hear Oak say. I sit up and he is looking upset, his eyes shining with tears.
"Yeh, come in" I tell him and pat the spot next to me. He climbs on the bed and looks at me.
"I am scared" he says and a fresh set of tears fall from his eyes. I am too but all this time I have hidden it, it isn't good to look weak in a game of kill or be killed.
"Don't worry, I will be there for you" I tell him as I wrap my arm around his shoulder. If I do die, I want him to win. He will take back food to my family. "I will help you as much as I can" I say, feeling my own tears come. I haven't cried since the day on the train and I have held in all my emotion until now.
"What if I get caught in the bloodbath?" he asks.
"You won't" I say while pulling him tighter, my silent tears falling. "I don't want you to run into it" I tell him. "I want you to run and hide. I will find you" I say. Over the past week or so, he has become a little brother figure to me. I don't want anything bad to happen to him.
"Ok" he replies and he wraps his arms around me. I hold him close and without realising I fell asleep.
A/N: Awww, a little scene of Maple/Oak friendship there. I am planning on those to become even closer during the games, but remember, only one will win. We see a little more darkness from Maple in this chapter during the interview. Do you guys like the dark side of her?
The games will start tomorrow and I can't wait to write about them. Until then, goodbye~