Our names echo around the theater as a curtain opens in front of us, and I'm propelled onto the stage. My legs move automatically, carrying me behind Damien as he approaches the friendly host. Ross offers us a blinding smile, gesturing to two plush chairs across from him. Just like we practiced, Damien sits next to Ross, while I take the further seat.

The crowd's cheers settle to a murmur, but I can still hear thousands of whispers. How many people are staring at me right now? I want to fidget with my dress, but I hold myself back. I'm on camera now.

Just like we practiced, just like we practiced... I repeat in my head. Do what Simon and Laurentia told you...

I make sure to sit up as straight as I can, stretching my mouth wide to mimic Ross's smile. By the time I've fully adjusted to being on stage, Damien's already breezed through the first question - something about Damien's disappearance at the Parade. Simon told us it would be fast-paced, but I wasn't it expecting it to be like this. I guess they have a lot of interviews to get through.

"Damien, Luna," Ross says, looking at each of us individually. "As we all saw, I just spoke with Russell and Lily from District Four, who told us about overcoming their large age gap in the Arena. Now, your gap may not be as large, that much is true... but it is impossible to ignore. Were the two of you as close in your home District as you appear to be tonight?"

"Absolutely," Damien says, flashing a grin at the audience and resting a hand on my shoulder. "You know, Ross, I was able to graduate from school early and move away from home to start work, so being able to reunite with Luna has been such a joy despite the circumstances."

The crowd sighs in admiration at Damien's response, and I know that this is my cue to jump in. "It's so amazing to be back around my brother again," I say as convincingly as possible. Ross looks at me, raising his eyebrows as if this is the most interesting thing he's ever heard.

"Damien has been such a role model for me my whole life," I lie. "This experience of being reunited with him has been so amazing, but still... it hurts that we will eventually be separated."

Some of the women in the audience cry out loudly - clearly, Laurentia isn't as dramatic as I thought compared to some of these people. I'm glad, though; I said exactly what Simon told me to, and I didn't even stutter.

"Understandably so, right folks?" Ross asks, turning to the audience. "With a training score like that, you must be a role model for many people across the nation, Damien! Tell us, how did you do it?"

The crowd cheers, and my heart swells. Maybe I was wrong about being so worried about Damien's training score. Clearly, he's a fan favorite now.

"I can't reveal any of that, Ross," Damien says cheekily. "You'll all have to see in the Arena. It would be foolish to reveal all of my cards so early."

"Genius!" Ross cheers. "And this, folks, is a master at work!"

The crowd roars once again as Ross settles back into his seat.

"Now, Damien and Luna, I have one more question before we're out of time," Ross says into his microphone, but I notice that he's only looking at Damien. "And it's a popular one... anyone special rooting for you back home?"

"Well, Damien has a girlfriend and a daughter back at home," I jump in with a knowing smile. "And she is just the cutest little thing!"

"I would never let any boy even touch Luna," Damien says. Just like we practiced. "But..."

The crowd murmurs as he turns to them with a glint in his eye. My heart nearly stops.

"I have seen a certain boy making eyes at Luna for some time since we got here..." my brother says, but he's cut off by a ringing bell. I let out a sigh of relief; whatever Damien's trying to pull, he didn't pull it fast enough. Our time's up; now it's time to get the hell off this stage.

The crowd roars at the sound of the bell; some of them even stand from their seats. I'm appalled - do these people really care so much about something so trivial?

"Oh, alright, alright," Ross says, beckoning the audience to quiet down. "We'll allow another minute. Spit it out, Damien... the people want to know!"

"I don't want to be one to gossip," Damien says with a laugh. "All I'll say is that you've met him already tonight, Ross. And I think if he weren't making eyes at my sister, his younger brother would be."

The crowd gasps as Ross escorts us from the stage. "Quite the development!" he exclaims. "Now, our next tributes hail all the way from District Six..."

My head is spinning as a woman in all black escorts me down the steps from the stage. If he weren't making eyes at my sister, his younger brother would be.

I feel light-headed. Ross has only interviewed four boys before us tonight - Russell, Jax, Midas, and Trent. Only two of those boys even have a brother with them, and it's the last two people I would've wanted Damien to mention.

"What were you thinking?!" Simon seethes, storming at us. Laurentia follows him with a stern expression on her face.

"I'm trying to save us," Damien says, rolling his eyes. "Everyone will be talking about this, Simon. People love this stuff."

"Yes, but not them!" Simon exclaims. He looks on the verge of pulling his own hair out. "There's a line that you do not cross, Damien. And you've crossed it. You saw what happened to Hal Chapman last summer, and you know what will happen to all of us if you keep this up. I'm done! If you're expecting any help in that Arena from me, you are sorely mistaken!"

I feel like I'm going to vomit. Damien wasn't just targeting the boys from One, he was targeting one of them in particular. The older twin... Midas. And I know exactly why: after that fight they had in training, Damien wanted to get the last laugh. It was perfect - Midas' interview was before ours, so there would be no way for him to clear his name. Now he looks like an idiot for groveling over a weak girl from a poor District.

A man with flowing, dark red hair approaches our group, and he looks even more furious than Simon.

"Simon Chung!" he barks. "What have you done?!"

"It wasn't my doing, Maroon," Simon says, grabbing Maroon's finger as it points at his chest. "I would've never approved that and you know it. It's the boy, I can't stop him!"

"Control him," Maroon says, ripping his hand from Simon's grip. "Or I'm sure that Helvius will have a field day ripping him apart with rabid dogs!"

I'm on the verge of tears now. Everything we've built since the parade, everything we've worked so hard for, is crashing down before my eyes. Our interview went so well, and Damien had to ruin everything right at the very end. Without Simon's support, we are nothing; we have no chance without his help.

The pair from Six exits the stage, making eyes at Simon and Maroon as they pass our group. I watch on a nearby monitor as Ross makes his way back to the center of the stage.

"Please welcome, from District Seven..."

"Laurentia, take them away," Simon grunts with a wave. Laurentia nods, but Maroon holds out an arm in front of the woman.

"No, I want to talk to him, Simon-"

"He's still my tribute," Simon says, cutting Maroon off. "Not yours. Get them out of here."

Laurentia nods, slowly making her way over to Damien and me. "Off we go," she says, gently pushing on my back. I crane my neck to see Sienna enter the stage, but I only get a glimpse of her green dress before I'm whisked away and shut back up in my room.

Danggg looks like Damien has some strong enemies in the Arena now! We'll see if this helps or hurts him later :o

~S