Blaine Abernathy: A Canary Caged

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games

Chapter 9: Interview Practice

Blaine's POV

The following day, Haymitch, Effie, and I were having breakfast. The interviews were tomorrow, and we only had today to prepare them. Caesar Flickerman is someone the tributes needed to please. If they can efficiently work with Caesar and impress the man, then we can easily get more sponsors.

However, we have a slight problem.

"What are we going to do with Katniss?" Effie asked during breakfast early to help us prepare for tomorrow's interview. "The girl has no social skills."

"Effie, I didn't have social skills either," I replied before taking a bite of my crepe.

"But that's different. You were taught and learned to be a lady. That girl doesn't, heck, she would probably throw the chair at Caesar." Effie protested.

Haymitch chuckled, for it's probably true. Katniss isn't much of a talker, and it would take a miracle for her to cooperate. So far, we have twenty percent of sponsors due to scores, and we need more to fund us on significant items, for example, food and water. I sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair out of my face and putting it in a messy bun when I saw Peeta coming in to join us for breakfast. He looked serious in what he was going to say, and I know that look countless times.

"I want to work separately," Peeta announced.

"Are you sure?" Haymitch asked.

Peeta nodded, I sighed, and it was about time. Effie excused herself to fetch Katniss while the boys talked. By the looks of it, I'm probably stuck in teaching the girl how to be active. I groaned and swatted Haymitch's flask and took a gulp from it. The spirit burned my throat, but I didn't give a damn. I will probably need something to ease my nerves to prevent hurting the little star.

When Katniss arrived, she finished her first portion of stew. Though the whispers between Haymitch, Effie, and Peeta caught her attention while I slouched in my seat. "So, what is going on? You're coaching us for interviews today, right?"

"That's right," Haymitch confirmed.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time," Katniss said.

"Well, there's been a change in plans. About our current approach," Haymitch spoke first.

"What's that?" Katniss asked, a bit unsure what was going on.

Haymitch paused, thinking of the right words to say. I groan, dropping the bomb. "These idiots want to coach separately!"

Betrayal was written on Katniss's face. But she let it slide quickly and took a bite of her stew for a moment. After she was done, she looked at us again. "Good. So, what is the schedule?"

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four hours with us. Katniss, you'll work with Blaine, and I'll work with Peeta." Haymitch answered.

Katniss gulped, staring between Effie and me. Though separate, the escort and I were serious about our work in the Hunger Games.

I smirked and winked at her. "Better decide who you want first, Girl on Fire."

Katniss gulped again.

.o0o.

Katniss decided to work with Effie first. I bet she regrets it. For I haven't forgotten Effie's etiquette training. She spent so much time teaching me how to walk, sit, and stance. I believe there was bruising on my shoulders, for Effie would dig her nails into my shoulders to correct my posture. Yes, after the games, the remake corrected my posture, but I still have the mental scars of those acrylic nails digging into my flesh. The thought gave me a shudder.

Four hours later, and lunch, Katniss and I sat in the sitting room. Facing each other, examine her while going through my notes. A scowl was plastered on my face, and there was nothing I could do with her.

"What?" She finally asked.

"Trying to figure out what I'm gonna do with you," I said. "How to present you. Because how you act can get you sponsors. So, are you going to be Aloof? Passionate? Humble? Sexy? Bright? All we got were the surprises of ingredients. You volunteered for your sister as a base, Cinna being the icing that made you unforgettable along with the eleven. But now is the time for the decoration. The people are fascinated by you. They want to know you. You get my drift?"

"What was your approach?" she asked. I guess this girl was hunting when my game happened.

I sighed, leaning back on the couch. "Fun–loving, if not a bit elegant, with a hint of sexy. However, when you project yourself, you become sullen and hostile. Loner yells it out."

"I do not!" Katniss objects.

"Yeah, and where's the Miss cheery, wavy girl from the Chariots? I like to work with her than the huntress at the moment." I murmured sarcastically.

"And you give me so many reasons to be cheery," She countered.

God, I want to slap her right now. How come Parsley, Ivy, Melody, and Harper were so easy to tolerate and work with. Though, Katniss reminded me so much of myself and Haymitch: stubbornness, commitment, and other things. When I arrived, I wasn't kind to Effie or Chanel, yet they slowly worked their way to make me presentable to the Capitol.

A mask, I thought, remembering Chanel's words.

I mentally shook my head, for that is not what I want to do with Katniss.

I sighed, crossing my legs.

"Listen, I'm not the one sponsoring. So, pretend I'm the audience. If you show me your good, we'll end this early, and you can sulk in your room?" I offered. "Do we have a deal?"

"Fine!" she snarls.

The next hour, I take the role of the interviewer, asking questions that Caesar Flickerman would use. Katniss tried to answer my questions with a winning attitude. But her responses weren't appealing, and it got us both angry. Damn it, she's only sixteen, and I feel like I'm working with a rock. I asked the most straightforward questions, what she thought of the Hunger Games. What is her favorite thing since being in the Capitol? What are her strategies? Any ideas of what to do as victor? But all we got is a waste of valuable time.

"Stop, just stop," I groaned. "New angle, since all I got was crap that would put you six feet under. How hard is it to talk about your friends and family? They want to know you."

"But I don't want them to! They are already taking my future! They can't have a thing that mattered to me in the past!" Katniss protested.

"Then lie, damn it!" I snapped. "How hard is that?"

"I'm not good at lying?" She confessed, looking at the red vase on the coffee table.

"Tsk, it's easy, and you better get something fast because I'm working with a dead corpse." I snapped. Then took a deep breath, "try being humble. That's easy."

"Humble," she echoed.

"Yeah, humble. A girl from Twelve can't believe she got this far. Talk about Cinna's outfits. The amazing architecture or the food. Better be a kiss-up and compliment them than tell us how you truly feel. Usually, I would say, be yourself . . ."

Katniss sighed, and we did another hour. Except it was agonizing that I asked an Avox for a spiked drink. We tried everything, cocky, mysterious, funny, political, intelligent, hell, even sexy. But Katniss Everdeen has no personality. I practically had a migraine, and the small amounts of alcohol from my cocktail didn't satisfy me. I can't believe I'm working with a gray blob for the first time in my life.

"Are you that anti-social?" I muttered.

"What?" Katniss asked, a bit hurt.

"Anti-social. A loner because I'm about to give up, and I hate leaving stuff unfinished." Then I picked up my journal. "Listen to what I wrote since I met you,'Katniss Everdeen is an independent survivalist and possible hunter but good at thinking outside the box. Though on certain occasions, she's stubborn and determined on her goals. She's caring towards her sister and probably selfless and selfish, if not being aloof.' Thinking outside the box can be useful since my friend Johanna on the seventh floor did that. But we need to see you. If you can't bloody hell act, then be yourself. Don't answer things that will get you killed or tell the audience that you despise them."

Katniss looked a bit hurt, but what I said was the truth. She stood up and ran to her room. I sighed before standing up and going to the elevator. I pressed the lobby floor as some mentors who had stubborn brats were having a drink at the bar. I spotted Johanna and sat next to her as she handed me a cosmo. Guessed she knew I was coming.

"Who was it?" Johanna asked.

"Katniss Everdeen," I muttered, taking a sip. "You?"

"Oak Shire, the boy thinks he got what it takes," Johanna answered. "Should have done Molly. At least the girl can listen."

She then took a gulp of her rum.

"You can say that again," I murmured.

Johanna and I talked, just random things, about how things are going at home. She and I had something in common. We were outcasts back home by the district citizens. We killed with nothing on our sleeves but the desire to return home. However, Johanna became the most desirable person that people who wanted to sleep with her. President Snow thought he could take advantage of that and made her an offer. But Johanna laughed in his face and told him no. Not long after, Snow executed her family. And there was me. President Snow started with my voice and soon my body. All I do to protect Haymitch and my District. Even when my district doesn't care for me, they don't understand what I do to keep them safe.

People who truly understood this were Finnick and Johanna. We have become siblings and try to support one another in any way. Johanna has been like a sister to me for the last few years, and I wanted to help her in any way I could. I can handle her snarky, sarcastic remarks, and she can deal with my snappy mood swings.

"Well, how's Snow's Canary?" said a soprano voice.

I groaned as I turned on the stool to face Cashmere. "Peachy, how was your day?"

"Perfect. Glimmer is a wonderful girl compared to your rift rat," Cashmere said, sitting next to me and asking the bartender for a Martini. Gloss stood behind his sister and gave an apologetic look. Though the siblings were also part of Snow's Profit Circle. Modeling was their thing, as many photographers wanted their classical beauty. But they were prostituted as well, but they enjoyed it. Even though they model, they are still being used.

Sometimes I think Cashmere is a whore as she gossips about her clients, stating the sexual experiences she had been pleasurable. I tried to ignore those comments. Other than Seneca, mine have not been pleasurable. I received no satisfaction, just being used until the client was done and simply acting.

"So, the Girl on Fire, sparked an eleven." Cashmere started. "You must be very proud."

"Yes, and Peeta Mellark as well. Must be a shocker that a coal girl beat a Career score." I murmured.

This made Chaff, Johanna, and Blight snicker.

Cashmere scowled. "Yes, maybe she was stolen from a career district?"

"I don't think so," Cecilia said. "The textile on traits doesn't show the beauty of One or the strength of Two. But the simple use of Twelve."

"If I didn't know any better, I would say the girl and Blaine are cousins," Blight said as he chugged down his ale. "Are you two related?"

"How often do I have to tell you, you asshole?" I growled, "We Twelve's may look alike, but we are not, I repeat, are not related!"

Damn the Seam's gray eyes, deep color hair, and olive skin. Then again, I inherited Haymitch's grayish/blue eyes. I used to have olive skin, but after the remake, the Capitol lightened my skin to be a light tan. Along with my dark hair, now a light chestnut brown with highlights. The Capitol changed me, killing the girl and placing her damaged soul in this body. The body many lusts for. The only thing that was my own was my eyes.

"Just checking," Blight snickered.

Cashmere rolled her eyes and then took a sip of her drink. "So, rumor has it that the Canary is going to perform for the Interview tomorrow . . . Again."

"Let it go, sis," Gloss murmured to his sister, rubbing her back.

"No, how come she's Snow's favorite? I can sing." Cashmere exclaimed.

I scowled, "Listen, Cashmere, I'm not Snow's favorite. I'm practically the opposite. I do what I do, so grow up."

"And who are you going to sing with," Cashmere asked with a hmm. "They say it's a duet. So, who's your partner in this? It isn't the little cowgirl?"

"Leave Miya out of this," Seeder growled.

We all stood up, glaring at Cashmere. When it comes to young victors who aren't of age, we leave them out of this discussion. And Miya is one of them. The young girl went through a nightmare of witnessing her fFriends' death at such a young age of thirteen. Cashmere backed down and finished her martini. Without a goodbye, she took off. Gloss looked back and nodded an apology before following his sister.

"Man, I hate that woman," Johanna muttered, ordering something stronger to drink.

"Here, here," I said, finishing my cosmo. I

No one really likes the Career Victors. The only exception would be Lyme. As the Career's are intimidated by her. Then again, Lyme is not like Enobaria or Brutus. She is unforgettable, standing over six feet tall. She was middle aged, with short blond hair that held two sides. She can be glamorous for the Capitol or basic when the cameras are not nearby. She is the victor during the 40ths game. When she comes to Mentor, which has been rare, you better be respectful. Lyme was also one of the few Victors who helped me after my game. As she showed me remorse when dealing with a tribute's death. She was the one who gave me the advice to write things down instead of locking them up.

It would have been nice if Lyme came this year.

I sighed, placing a tip in the jar.

"Well, I better get going," I said. "See ya tomorrow."

"Tell Haymitch he owes me a drink," Chaff said, only to receive a slap on the back of his head from Seeder.

I chuckled, shaking my head, before giving Johanna a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder before going up. I leaned against the glass wall, staring at my manicured hands. Though clean, I still see the bloodstains on them. Setting my hands down, I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. The mask slowly slipped off my face. The mask I've been wearing since I was seventeen.

I swallowed, tasting the aftertaste of the cosmo in my mouth. Though, weirdly, I can hold my alcohol better than Haymitch. Then again, I don't drown myself in strong spirits or pure alcohol. I've almost become like Haymitch after winning the games…drowning myself in alcohol and pills. I shook my head, not wanting to relive those horrible memories. I needed to be strong since it was the Hunger Games. I would have been binge drinking with the others if it wasn't.

When I got into the loft, I heard glass shattering. It was coming from Katniss's room. Effie marched up to me.

"What did you say to her?" Effie demanded.

"Nothing other than that she needs to come up with a plan to wow the audience," I said.

Effie paused, leaning forward to smell the alcohol on my breath. "Were you drinking?"

"Yeah, so?" I said with a shrug.

"You're underage!"

"Effie, I'm twenty-one, and I've been drinking here and there since I was sixteen," I reminded her, heading toward my room.

Seriously, does everyone have to be so damn annoying? I thought bitterly.

I slammed the door and headed to the bathroom. I think I'll call it an early night. Not in the mood to see or talk to anyone. When the tub was full, I put in some herbal oils, shed my clothes, and slid into silky water. The water relaxed my tight muscles. Oh, I really needed this. I placed a damp, cold washcloth over my eyes and listened to the music.

"Meow," Midnight spoke, sitting on the marble counter.

"Oh, shut up," I grumble before sinking my head into the bubbly water.

Out of curiosity, what do you think of the changes so far? I'm curious and would love to hear your critique of the original to the new.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review.