This Is All Just A Game [The Hunger Games]

o7 - The Last Hello & Goodbye

Chapter 7: The Last Hello && Goodbye

Ace spun me slowly, checking for any loose threads one last time before it was time for me to go out and take my seat along with the other contestants. He bit his lip, cocking his head from side to side, before he tugged on the vine in my neatly braided hair and smiled in satisfaction. “Perfect.”

“Would you like to see?” one of the stylists, Eminaro, squealed, bringing her hands together.

“Of course she wants to see!”

Before I could protest, they had spun me around to face the large mirror. Just like the dove appearance; I am stunned.

I do a once over, checking for any sign that this girl was me.

My hair was extended and braided, with vine streaks symbolling District 11, and at the top sat a perfect vine crown of flowers and grass. My eyes stood out, with long green eyelashes making that possible. My lips sparkled with hints of green. My strapless dress was short, made of an unrecognisable green texture, with vibrant blues in some places and brown in others. I was barefoot, except for the vine that spread down my exposed legs and curled around my feet.

But of it all, what really had me happy, was that my ‘token’, my bracelet, stood out the most.

Looking at me was like looking at a forest Queen, or looking into the forest itself. I would have blended in perfectly if I was in a forest, actually.

I relaxed. I felt at peace.

I felt like I was at home.

Then I tensed and almost cried... for this is the closest I’ll ever come to home again.

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The beeper buzzed, and I am called to the love-seat to talk to Caesar Flickerman.

I smiled and waved at the cheering audience, doing a small twirl for them to show off my appearance, before sitting down.

“Hi, Elenie Tilk!” Caesar beamed, obviously happy from the cheering and whistling I had caused. Caesar was relatively new to this job; he got the job three years back, when the first interviewer died tragically. I quickly groomed him with my eyes. He was the same as every other time I’d seen him in the interviews on TV, though he changed his hair colour and eye colour every year. This year he was an extremely bright purple.

“Hello!” I replied, doing just the same amount of enthusiasm, like I was hyped. This was my angle for the interview. “Wow. What a crowd.” I smiled, waving once more.

“Yes, and they all seem to love you. But, really, we would love to hear more about you. So, what have you got hiding, missy? What could have possibly scored you an 11?” he asked me, bobbing his head, and clasping my wrist.

“Unfortunately,” I sighed, as if upset about it. “I’m not allowed to talk about any of the things that happened in the training area or such. But I can tell you all... that...” I leaned toward the camera, acting mischievous, and glinting a deadly smile. “I have a lot of secrets. And, woops, they all seem to be coming out.” I laughed carelessly, leaning back. It was as I had expected; they were hanging on my every word.