Safe and Sound (The Hunger Games)

Chapter 11-The Interviews

Although the day was nice, my dream was anything but nice. I was back in district four, but this time alone. There are people walking and doing their normal things, but no one remembers me. I run to my house and find my family and Elliot's family in there. Elliot was nowhere in sight, and I can still hear Brent ask who I was.

I wake up, and the sun is rising. The orange sky is so beautiful, I wonder if I will see it when I am in the arena. Breakfast is short and sweet, because we have to get straight to work. We will have eight hours to train for the interviews. Annie will help us with questions and personality, while Flishia will help us with presentation. Elliot and I decide unanimously that we will train together, so we start off with Flishia.

"Kaya, dear, put these heels on. These aren't the ones you will wear tonight, but you have to practice walking in them to avoid falling over on stage." I blush a little, remembering how I "fell in the hallway" a few days ago. Elliot smirks a little, and I give him a little friendly push.

I get up and have my arms set out like I am balancing on a rope one hundred feet in the air.

"Hands down." She scolds me. I wobble down the hallway, while Elliot and Flishia talk about posture. Eventually, I walk down the hallway flawlessly, and Flishia approves. Elliot claps his hands, and I give him a big smile.

Those four hours go by, so Elliot and I move on to Annie's time with us. "Hi, so let's begin of how you two are going to handle the couple questions." Annie starts the session with. "Pretend I am Caesar." We go on for a few hours going through any type of situations Caesar may put us in.

After our four hours with Annie, Elliot and I are escorted down to the remake center again. Nimmi meets me and takes over immediately. She places a sleeping mask over my eyes so while she dresses me and does my hair, I can't see it in progress.

"I am taking off the mask, but just so I can do your makeup. Please don't look! I want to see your face when you see your full self." She begs me. I agree, and keep my eyes shut the whole time. She pulls me across the room, and tells me I can look now.

The first thing I see is the dress. The light blue on the strapless dress compliments my eyes and my eye shadow. It flows down to my heels in the back, and to my knees in the front. My long hair falls to my elbows, and is straight with volume. I look down to my feet, where silver heels add the perfect touch to the outfit. "I honestly don't know what to say Nimmi! The heels...makeup...the dress!" I spin around in circles, admiring the way the dress flows. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." We hug for awhile, and she pulls away.

"Don't forget this." She says as she pulls something out of her pocket. I discover it is the seashell bracelet Brent gave to me. I took it off when they were dressing me, because I thought it wouldn't go with the outfit she planned for me. Nimmi places it on my left wrist.

"Oh my-" I start saying.

"Don't cry! I'll have to do your makeup again!" She says with a laugh. I just lean over and hug her again, but this time I am holding in tears.

Time goes by, and before I know it, I am lined up with the other twenty three tributes. Elliot stands behind me, but we still hold hands. Crystal is called up first in her bedazzled dress, and the two talk about following her older sister's footsteps while Toby talks about how he will be victorious at such a young age. Brandi walks up on stage in her golden poofy dress, and talks about her family and how she will see them again soon. I am after Mason, who is talking about his friends back home.

"Just calm down. Head up high and shoulders back." Elliot mimics Flishia. I laugh a little. "You look gorgeous, and you will do amazing out there." He comforts me.