imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

e l e v e n

In the morning I wake not to the sound of the maids coming in- though they had- or my bath being drawn- though it was. I wake to the light coming in through my window as Tig gently pulls back the rich, heavy curtains. She hums a quiet song to herself, absolutely happy with her task.

I'm not ready to move. It had taken me a long time to come down from getting so worked up, and even more time to relax after I had realized exactly what the conversation in the garden would mean for me. If I get a chance, I will apologize to Peeta. It will be a miracle if he lets me get that far.

"Miss? Are you awake?"

"Noooo," I moan into the pillow. I haven't had nearly enough sleep, and the bed is far too comfortable. But, Tig, Stacy, and Annie laugh at my groan, which is enough to make me smile, so I decide to start moving.

These girls will probably be the easiest to get along with in the palace. I wonder if they can become confidantes of some kind, or if training and protocol would render them completely unable to even share a cup of tea with me.

I move slowly against the monstrous bathroom floor, every step echoing against the vastness of the tile and glass. In the long mirrors I see Annie eyeing the dirt stains on my nightgown. Then Tig's careful eyes caught them. Then Stacy's. Thankfully, no one asks any questions. Yesterday, I was thinking they were prying with their inquiries, but I was wrong. They seemed to be overly concerned with my comfort. Questions about what I was doing outside of my room- let alone the palace- would only be awkward.

I'm not used to being naked around other people, not even Mom or Prim-but there seemed to be no way around it. These three will be dressing me for as long as I'm here, so I will have to bear with it until I leave. I wonder what will happen to them when I'm gone. Do they get assigned to other girls that need more attention as the competition draws on? Do they already have other jobs at the palace they were temporarily excused from? It seems rude to ask what they used to do or imply that I'm leaving soon, so I don't.

After my bath, Tig dries my hair, pulling half of it up with ribbons. They are light blue and accent the flowers in one of the day dresses my maids created for me, so that's what I wear. Stacy does my makeup, which is just as light as the day before, and Annie rubs lotion on my arms and legs.

There's an array of jewelry to choose from, and I decide on a golden necklace with a song bird on it. I also choose the smallest pair of earrings, little pearls.

Tig, Stacy, and Annie look over me and smile at the results. I take that as a sign I am decent enough to leave for breakfast. With bows and smiles, they wish me well as I go to leave. Annie's hands are trembling again.

I go to the upstairs foyer, where we had all met yesterday. I take a seat on a sofa to wait for the rest. Slowly, girls begin to trickle in.  I quickly notice a theme. Every one of the girls look phenomenal. They had their hair pulled up in intricate braids or curls, pieces of hair pulled away from their faces. The makeup is meticulously done, dresses pressed to perfection.

I had probably chosen the plainest dress for the first day, while everyone else has something sparkly on. I saw two girls walk in, both realizing they're wearing the same dress. They both leave to change. Everyone wants to stand out, and they all do in their own ways, even me.

I thought it had taken me a long time to get ready, but apparently it had taken the other girls so much longer. Even when Effie comes in to take us downstairs, we still had to wait for Glimmer and Cashmere.

Once we are all assembled, we begin to move towards the stairs. We all expected to be taken into the dining room, but instead we go into the Great Room, which was set up with tables and chairs, with no plates or glasses sitting on them. There isn't any food. Not even a hopeful smell.