the 1000th annual hunger games

Chapter 46: The interviews

I don't trust that my dress won't do something drastic, so I'm careful about my steps. Zap, now sitting next to Sadie behond stage. Ethai wore a white v-neck shirt and jeans, really showing his muscle from lifting all those pounds of meat at his job in 15. Bells wore the exact opposite of me. A black lacy dress with a white belt. Her hair was now bleach blonde, her skin white as a snowball. Her nails were black as a raven, and she had black slightly heeled shoes. Her hair was down and longer than before. The first district up is the District Ten tributes. There's only 2 of them, but clearly, neither of them will win, when they have no sponsors or training. They're interviewed together, and clearly matched. The boy is dressed in a bull costume, modified to look attractive, and the girl is dressed as a cow, once again modified to be sexy. Their interview is nothing special, just... average. Now each District Eleven kid was interviewed with whatever Capitol kid they got in the games with them. Orangine and Rory are together. At one point they're fighting and punching. They get dragged off stage by peacekeepers. All the other Eleven and Capitols going in are peaceful, or too perky. In my opinion, of course. Primrose and Gale, clearly named after close friends of Katniss Everdeen in the rebellion, are sitting in each other's lap, insisting that the other should win. Katniss and Peeta both come out, looking fine, Katniss looking a bit hurt at the previous two's names, stuggle up together, getting a lot of 'awes' from the Capitol. Katniss' dresses burns flames that turn her sweetheart dress into a fire red one. Nice touch of rebellion, Stylist. The Capitol loves them. Suzi and Daniel from 13 come and have a sweet interview. Carli and Wench, also from 13, suck up to the the Capitol, like they were from One. Wannabe careers. Ugh. Probably the worst tributes of all. Hawk, his mother, Gina, Olivie and Cricket go for their interview first. Hawk wears a bright purple tuxedo. Gina wears a yellow sundress. Olivie wears a blue silky dress, that flows like water, and Cricket wears a light green dress with some brown mixed in. They have a successful interview. Cheddar is talking to the girls about their dresses when it hits me. Cricket and Olivie represent Earth, I'm lightning, and Bells is the thunder clouds. The reason I survive. The reason why I'm here, and even more than me, Bells is in danger. Cheddar turns to Hawk.

"How's Amaranth?" Cheddar asks.Oh dear. Don't turn the tides on me.

"We, er... broke up." Hawk replies.

The Capitol audience gasps. Some cry. Some shout to get back together. Some of the audience scream to give the other guy a chance. Who's the other guy? Ethai? We're just friends, right?

Nope. And you VERY well know that.

My conscience is not helping. I do not know that and I don't want to sort out stupid feelings. I want to survive the Games.

"Oh. How?" Cheddar says, clearly digging for gossip.

"I'd rather not say." He says. Acting like it's my fault that he's a jerk.

"Aw, Hawk, we can keep a secret." Cheddar attempts to persuade.

"Sorry.' Hawk says as the buzzer rings. Talk about the bell saving you. But it dosn't save me.

"Ladies and gentleman! Introducing, Amaranth Olivier, Belladonna Olivier, Zap Olivier, Ethai Instrusing and Sadie Instrusing!" Cheddar announces perkily. The crowd goes wild, and decides to give me dating advice. What is it? Team Hawk and Team Ethai? Ha ha, no, I'm just staying single.

"Wow, Amaranth your hair! It's really nice!" Cheddar exclaims at my new black hair.

"Thank you!" I say politely.

"You guys are so colorless! Ethai has a white t-shirt and jean, and you girls are all black and white! Sadie is black and Zap is neutral! What do you think of it?"

"Well, I think we look really nice." Bells says sweetly. I nod my head along with Ethai.

" So Amaranth, how did you get a 16! That's not even a score!" Cheddar exclaims.