Ice Cold Fire// F. Odair

7

Interview day.

After last night, I had gone straight to bed, skipping dinner with everyone, as I needed to get as much rest as possible before my interview in front of the Capital and Caesar Flickerman.

I had woken up in the early morning, around 6 AM, before the Avox could come inside to wake me up at 7. So I decided to get ready on my own, as once 7 AM rolled around the Avox merely brought me a garment bag with my name on it and left, clearly meaning nobody was going to help me today to get ready. Even if I heard everyone gushing about Clay outside my room door.

Idiots.

So now I was finishing up my hair, as my hair lay in an updo plait, little flowers woven into the crown of my head, along with a white lace bow hanging in the back of my plaited hair. Not even try to attempt to put makeup on, apart from the weird stick labeled gloss, which I knew was for my lips, after watching the stylists put it on me for the opening ceremony, I was done and just in time for interviews. Quickly stepping out of the bathroom, I opened up my bag hanging in the closet, to see a lavender puffy short dress, with small crystals encrusted into the corset-looking top. I quickly stripped off my sleepwear and slipped the dress right on.

The dress was easy to tie, as it reminded me of the makeshift dresses my brother would buy from the older seamstresses in town for me to wear when I began to outgrow my baby clothes. At the thought of my brother, my hand automatically snapped to the ring necklace I had lying on my neck, making me relax a bit knowing I had a little bit of him with me. Shaking off the urge to cry, I put on the overly tall heels given to me and looked at myself in the mirror. I wobbled a bit, not accustomed to the heels yet, but looked at my reflection in the mirror. Instead of looking 14, I looked like a mere 18-year-old, with far too much skin exposed and for the exploitation of the Capital's pleasure.

It was disgusting.

But no further thoughts could run wild, as suddenly my door had opened and in a blur, I was rushed out of the penthouse by stylists and Effie, Haymitch, and Clay following behind. And within a few moments, I blocked and I stood backstage waiting for my interview with Caesar, Districts 1-4 already have given their input.

The career Districts had given the same speech promising lots of "gore and blood, along with death," which honestly bored me internally, because externally I stood petrified like the little aspiring actress I was. Then the other districts either were too sad at the mention of their families or were scared of the blinding lights and audience. When it came to District 10, I watched Jillian go up and shyly wow the audience with her talent to sing, which made me genuinely smile at. But, I then groaned annoyed, when suddenly District 12 was called and I stood in the backstage area of the stage, as Clay had just been called to go onstage.

The audience began to cheer loudly, just as they did for the career districts. Clay had sauntered over to Ceaser with a firm handshake, a fake plastered smirk on his face. His cocky demeanor was nauseating. "Ladies and Gentleman, Clay Sandstone from District 12!" Caesar cried out, as he clapped and patted Clay's shoulder proudly, then motioned him to sit down on the couch next to him. As they both sat down, the crowd slowly calmed down, to a quiet chatter. Looking around the backstage area, I could see Effie and Haymitch in the wings practically throwing hearty eyes at Clay, and Haymitch having a small smirk of approval on his face at the audience's reaction to Clay.

It made me sick to my stomach how utterly unbelievable they were being. I was in District 12 also, you know?

Looking at the small TV broadcasting what the viewers in the districts could see from onstage, Caesar turned to Clay with a charmed smile, as his purple hair practically shimmered in the stage lights with some sort of spray glitter. "Now in the trials, you scored a 9 Clay, which is one of the first times since ever in District 12's history!" Everyone cheered, as Clay shrugged with a smug look and gripped his own mic tightly, "Well, Haymitch has been giving me a few tips on training which has helped me a lot. His support is what reminds me of what I came here to win Ceaser." He flashed a wink to the audience, which the women in the crowd screamed out, and everyone cheered at his words.