Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Presidential Mansion (pt1)

Maize was relieved for a grand total of two minutes after the interview was over. All it took for the tension to seep back onto her shoulders was for Goldie to squeal on the elevator ride up to the eleventh floor -the space she'd shared for a small amount of time with Cana- about the party in the evening. Seeder and Chaff had exchanged a frustrated look over the oblivious escort's head. Maize only let out a weary sigh before nodding and humming absentmindedly so that she didn't have to respond to the giddy woman.

Lunch was a light meal, where no one really spoke of anything of real importance. The stylist crew spent the whole time gossiping over who was invited to the party in the evening and who wasn't, Orion interjected every few moments to either correct them or add his own two-cents over which stylists were going. Goldie was so excited that the woman was practically vibrating in her spot as she babbled. Seeder and Chaff spoke in soft tones about anything but the party in the evening. They'd gone over the incoming events so many times with Maize back home that despite her discomfort she was just ready to be over and done with the party already as impatience settled over her bones.

After eating, well Maize only downed a mango nutritional shake and tried some of the breaded calamari at Goldie's behest, she was ushered by the stylists to get started on her look for the evening. The braids were carefully undone before Maize took a long soothing shower, working out all the knots in her back and came out feeling refreshed before the stylists pounced. Oils and creams were rubbed onto her skin while one of them got rid of the fresh coat of blue nail polish that they'd painted for the interview this morning and replacing it with a soft white color. Her outfit for the evening was as beautiful as it was unique. It also wasn't something that Maize would have ever worn because of its revealing nature. At least not in public. Where people she didn't like or trust would be there.

She didn't really know how to describe it. Orion claimed that it was a style called bohemian, and he promised that despite the holes in the fabric caused by the pretty patterns, no one would actually be able to see anything. The white color of the dress was emphasized by Maize's natural dark olive coloring. The skirt started at her mid-drift and covered her feet where there was slip going up to mid-thigh so that she could still walk around comfortably. The top came to an end three inches away from her breasts so that some skin on her stomach showed and ended at her collar bone. Empire like sleeves with a slit passed her and ended below her hips aligned with the top at her collarbone, there was fancy piece that covered her neck and laid gently on the top of her shoulders.

Her brown locks had been carefully styled so that the top of her hair laid mostly flat so that it wouldn't entangle with the beautiful and delicate piece, while the rest was left in a tamed curly wave with sparse tiny immaculate braids intermingled with the loose strands. The weirdest part was her footwear.

Circo had coated the bottom of her feet with what he described were 'spray-on shoes' that would last for ten hours. They would basically form a hard clear covering on the soles of her feet and her toes to protect them while she walked because what they wanted her to wear was a white pair of beautifully made crochet barefoot sandals to go with the white bohemian themed outfit without Maize accidentally hurting herself because she'd step on something sharp or hard. Not that it would hurt Maize too much. She'd gone barefoot in this life more times than not. Even in the orchards where there was a much higher chance of stepping on gnarly roots than miraculously avoiding them.

Honestly, despite being one of the seemingly most revealing outfits Orion had dressed her in... Maize felt almost, beautiful. Like she was walking on air. It sort of reminded her of the beach themed wedding dress one of her cousins had worn in her first life. Maybe it was the barefoot sandals. She'd worn many of them in her previous life as she walked along the beach. Yurida retouched the lipstick one more time before spritzing her face with a special spray to prevent the makeup from rubbing off before Orion declared her to be finished.

Maize spent the next half hour sitting on the couch in the living area with Chaff and Seeder in comfortable silence while the others finished getting themselves ready. Goldie... was particularly colorful. Her hair was still green, and makeup, though it was a more muted pastel color now and she wore a matching ruffled green dress with white flowers. Actually now that Maize was paying attention to what everyone else was wearing, they all had something white to tie them together with Maize's outfit. Well, that was intentional.

Goldie excitedly escorted everyone downstairs and back into the town cars before the driver pulled out of the Training Center and to the Presidential Mansion.

Overwhelming.

That was the word that came to mind as Maize struggled to follow behind an excited and self-important Goldie through the very touchy-feely crowd of Capitolites. Seeder and Chaff had arrived separately from Maize and Goldie, and were probably intermingling with the other Victors by this point since Maize and her escort had to walk down this special red carpet for new Victors before entering the party. Honestly, Maize's eyes were still recovering from the incessant flashes of the cameras.

Just as Chaff had told her, the crowd around her disregarded Maize's personal space and took any chance to touch her skin or dress as she walked through them with her head held high and confidently. Even if each touch felt like the Capitolites were taking the chance to claim a piece of her for themselves as she passed by. By the time they finally made it inside of the mansion, it felt like a million years had gone by. Goldie happily made small comments about faces she recognized in the crowds or about the large mansion as they walked. The escort was truly basking in all the attention.

"Only the most elite are invited." she tittered conspiringly, "And they'll all be lining up to meet you."

The sight of the packed and beautifully decorated banquet room is also overwhelming. Maize smiled politely at all the partygoers that catch her eye as she follows Goldie into the room. The escort quickly leads them over to Orion and the stylist trio, who are equally basking in all the compliments over the various outfits they'd fit her in, by one of the many tables that lined the walls laden with an overabundance of food. Maize eyes the nicely arranged glasses of defaeco with clear distaste as people start coming to her and introducing themselves.

It was at some point after the Presidential Welcome, the only time in which the President would actually be present during the festivities, when the party truly hit full swing.

Still, she finds herself anticipating being called away as every moment passes.

Words 1259

(HAPPY NEW YEAR!)