Next chapter... the interviews! I just watched Catching Fire again and I can't wait to write it. I have a lot of ideas I've taken notes of so I don't forget so hopefully we get there soon. But I do want to spend a bit of time developing relationships within the victors between now and the quarter quell. But I'm also very excited and kind of want to get right into it haha!
twinia1: It was about time he told her!
"Finnick!" Tyler called out as he entered Finnick's bedroom. "Hey, Finnick, I need to talk to you," he said as he knocked on the bathroom door. "I can't find Taiya, she's not in her room. We really don't need a missing tribute on our hands."
Taiya lifted her head from Finnick's shoulder and smiled gently as they stood up and opened the door for Tyler.
"She's fine Tyler," Finnick assured.
Tyler looked between the two of them, observing their tear-streaked faces as he put two and two together. "Oh thank god you told her man," he sighed. "You both need to get cleaned up. If Moxie sees any of this she'll gossip. Let's go kiddo," he said, ushering Taiya out of the room. "Everything makes sense now?" he asked as they entered Taiya's room and she nodded. "He wanted to tell you. We all told him to tell you but he was so scared you wouldn't understand."
"I know," Taiya nodded as she sat down.
Tyler sighed before he sat down next to her. "Are you ok with this?"
"It's horrible Tyler. I just… I don't understand who could do that to someone."
"The Capitol works differently than the districts. They see victors as nothing more than celebrities they can control."
"Like dolls," Taiya suggested and he nodded. "Did you ever have to do it?"
"I'm an orphan so I never really had any family," he answered. "I had a girl though."
"Aila? You told me about her the other month."
"You remember what I said? They wanted me to be a certain type of victor and I said no and then she's shot by peacekeepers?"
"It wasn't an accident," Taiya realised.
"No. That's what Finnick's trying to protect people from. He couldn't save yours or his parents but he can save everyone else. That's the difference about growing up in a community, you have more people you love," he said softly, placing his hand on the back of her head before standing up to leave.
"If I win…" Taiya started.
"Yes," he answered, not needing her to finish. "I don't want to lie to you. You're a beautiful young girl Taiya. With those looks, we can help you survive the arena, you'll attract plenty of sponsors. But then you'll have to survive when you're out as well. That's what they don't prepare you for."
On the third day, they start the private sessions with the Gamemakers. They all get called District by District, first the boys, and then the girls. Everyone sits waiting in silence for their name to be called.
"District 4, Theo Cresta," the announcer called out.
Theo stood up and turned to Taiya, "don't miss your targets."
"Same to you," she smiled before he left.
Taiya looked to her left to look at Eddie from District 5. He was so young. His leg was bouncing up and down to try and contain his nerves. Taiya averted her eyes to look ahead of her. She couldn't afford to feel anything for these other tributes. They'd try to kill her the first chance they got.
After 15 minutes the announcer turns back on, "District 4, Taiya Ambersnow."
Taiya took a deep breath before standing and strutting out of the waiting room and into the gymnasium. As soon as she walked in she smiled at the Gamemakers. She made eye contact with one and shot them a wink. They hadn't been here long enough to get bored, but she still had to keep them entertained. She looked over at the agility course, she hadn't tried it during the regular training sessions, as per Tyler's instructions, but now she needed to impress. She straightened up and sauntered over to it. As soon as she got to the start line, she took off running. She ran as fast as she could. She sprinted around obstacles and over moving platforms, transitioning straight from agility to the ropes course. As soon as she finished the courses she looked over to see she had 5 minutes remaining.
She took a steadying breath before she made her way over to the knife station. She picked up a ring dagger in each hand before she hurled them straight at the dummy, one piercing the heart, the other piercing the head. She kept throwing from different angles, none of them missing their target until there were only 30 seconds remaining in her session.
She had time for one more trick so she picked up one last knife and turned around and threw with all her might. The knife flew all the way across the gymnasium and into the shoulder of the dummy at the archery station. Not a perfect shot, but impressive enough.
Taiya turns to look at the Gamemakers, their faces not conveying much. "Thank you Miss Ambersnow," the head Gamemaker nodded.
Taiya shoots them one last smirk before she turns and leaves.
After dinner, everyone is in the sitting room waiting for the scores to be announced. Moxie, Tigris and Rhodes were all whispering together on one side of the couch, leaving Finnick, Tyler, Taiya and Theo on the other end. Taiya and Finnick were sitting on the farthest end, using Tyler's body to block the way of the Capitolites seeing them hold hands.
"It's starting," Theo spoke loudly when Caeser Flickerman's face appeared on the screen.
"As you know, the Tributes are rated on a score of one to 12 after three days of careful evaluation. The scores are as follows. From District 1, Hero with a score of 9. From District 1, Cotton with a score of 10. From District 2, Marcus with a score of 10. From District 2, Calista with a score of 10. From District 3, Dell with a score of 6. From District 3, Techna with a score of 5. From District 4, Theo," he said and the whole room leaned forward. "With a score of 10."
"Yes!" Everyone in the room cheered.
"You did it!" Taiya smiled as she pulled away from Finnick and dived on Theo.
"From District 4, Taiya," he announced and everyone in the room paused their celebrations to watch the screen. Theo tightened his hold on Taiya as they waited anxiously. "With a score of 9."
"Taiya!" Theo cheered as he jumped up from the couch with her in his arms. Taiya wrapped her legs around him to keep her balance as she giggled madly as he jumped up and down.
Taiya looked over his shoulder at Finnick who was smiling at her and shot him a wide smile back. They'd both gotten great scores.
"Oh, and after your interviews they're just going to adore you here in the Capitol!" Moxie cooed excitedly. "My tributes. Capitol favourites again!" Taiya watched Finnick stiffen up as he heard this.
Theo lowered Taiya to the ground and she made her way back into her seat next to Finnick, reclaiming his hand in hers.
"Ok," Tyler said the next day at breakfast. "I know you two wanted to be coached together but for the interviews tomorrow it'll be easier if we coach you guys separately."
"Why?" Theo asked.
"You two have different tactics. So I'm going to do Taiya's coaching and Finnick will do yours, Theo," Tyler announced and the table was silent. No one was going to agree with Tyler.
"Are you sure this is…" Theo started.
"Yes, I'm sure. That's what we'll be doing," he said bluntly and Theo and Finnick looked at each other awkwardly. "Moxie will help me with Taiya's presentation at the start and then I'll send her over to you guys."
"Straight straight straight!" Moxie ordered.
"My back is straight," Taiya whined.
"No, no," Moxie shook her head, walking over to Taiya and pushing the middle of her back. "Like that! That's it," she encouraged. "Now walk."
Being the mayor's daughter she was practised in walking with heels, but none of this seemed to satisfy Moxie. Taiya took a few steps forward in her high heels only to hear Moxie groan behind her, making her freeze. Taiya heard a snigger and looked up at Tyler who was smirking as he watched them.
"Sweetie," Moxie smiles as she walks in front of Taiya. "Keep your back straight. Chest forward, shoulders back ok?"
"Think of it as if you want everyone to be staring at your chest," Tyler told her bluntly and she frowned.
"But I don't want everyone staring at my chest."
"You do now ok? Head up and walk again," he instructed. Taiya puffed her chest out and walk forward a bit and Moxie clapped excitedly. "Yes! That's it, my dear! That's it. Now we'll work on your laugh."
"What's wrong with my laugh?" Taiya asked with a frown.
"Nothing my dear it's just a bit loud."
"Oh."
"Sit down as I showed you and we'll practise," she said and Taiya sat down on the couch with her legs eloquently crossed. "Ok, now laugh."
"Pardon?"
"Laugh," Moxie encouraged and Taiya nervously laughed. "Oh, dear," she shook her head in disappointment.
"Alright Moxie," Tyler said leaping up from his seat. "Maybe it's time for Theo to get some training? Taiya will be fine with etiquette she's already had decent training with her father. We need to work on her content more than her presentation."
"You're right," Moxie sighed. "Keep working on that laugh," she said as she left the room, Taiya glared at her as she went.
"Your laugh is fine," Tyler assured.
"Thanks," she responded bitterly.
"Alright, so, content, we've already discussed that a bit but you need to charm them. Just do what comes naturally, you've got a talent for it. Ok, I'm going to throw questions at you and you answer them. Once I'm happy with you we can go to lunch ok?"
"Fine," Taiya groans.
"Act the part, imagine you're being broadcast to the whole of Panem. Smile," he instructed and she beamed at him. "Better, but I can feel the sarcasm through the smile," he snarked.
For the next two hours, Tyler took over the role of interviewer and Taiya answered all his questions with blushes and giggles, throwing the occasional smile at the 'audience'.
"Ok can you take this a little bit more seriously please?" he finally spoke up.
"What's wrong now?" she groaned.
"You're not being genuine. I'm not buying this act at all."
"Maybe I just don't want to flirt with you."
"You're not going to want to flirt with Caeser Flickerman but you're going to have to."
"I'll work it out then," she insisted.
"You need to practise Taiya."
"I've had enough!" she snapped loudly.
"What's with the attitude huh, kid? Where's this coming from?"
"It's coming from I've had enough of this."
"We need to keep going."
"No, you need to give me some space!" she yelled.
"Woah hey, hey, hey," Finnick shouted as he ran into the sitting room. "What's going on here?"
"I need a break," she snapped leaving the room and heading to the foyer where Theo was. "Hey," she greets as she sits down next to him.
"What's going on in there?" he asked. "We could hear you yelling at each other."
"I don't know," she stuttered. "I just snapped. I don't know what came over me," she admitted as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Woah, hey," he comforted, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her towards him so her head rested on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok you know?"
"No it's not," she sniffled. "This will never be ok."