Clato : Till forever falls apart

Chapter 9 - the telvised interveiws

The games start in Two days, tommorw will be the televised interviews. We'll train hard for it. It might be the hardest part of all. Something you never learn in district two is how to be pretty, or walk in high heels.

"So..." I say as the avox's are clearing away breakfast, I see some walking in and out of Catos and Mine room as well probably cleaning the shattered glass, or whatever damage Cato has done. "What's the plan for today?"

Brutus looks at Enobaria. She normally has the plans. "You'll each take it in turns for four hours with Nimit" Nimit smiles and raises her hand at the sound of her name. "For presentation and then four with us for content." She looks between us "Cato come with us first." The three of them walk over to the sitting room and Nimit squeals and shakes her hands in excitement

"This is one of my favourite parts"

"Yay" I say sarcastically

Nimit isn't put down by this, she beckons me to follow her into my bedroom. By this time the glass is cleared off the floor and has all been replaced like nothing happened. She walks over to my wardrobe. I sit down on the bed. She pulls out a puffy dress and high hills that are so tall they make me at least 5'7. Then she commands an avox to bring a chair from the dining room and they obey.

First she teaches me how to hold my dress so it doesn't catch on my heels but still looks good.

Next how to walk stright in the heels, I much prefer my boots, but I have pretty good balance so I master it quickly. We then put the walk together she tells me this is the first time I will smile at the audience. Even the way I smile is important it can't look to fake, but it also can't look to sweet. I even have to re-learn eye contact. I apparently look like I'm about to throw a knife into the heart of whoever looks at me. I thought that was a good thing. Apparently the capitol people don't like to feel threatend this way. Even the way you sit is important. She teaches me how to cock my head and move my hands when I talk. And where the most important places to look at. By the time she's finished I'm more exhausted then any fight could make me.

We have lunch together talking about what we have learnt it's more cheery than this morning and we eat well. They all laugh when I tell them about the heels. And agree with Nimit when she says I look murderous whenever I catch someone's eyes. I learn Catos going to make a kind of charming impression, make himself seem excited to get in the arena and desirable. Not too different to when he bounded on to the stage at the reaping. Appearing this way should be no trouble for him.

After lunch I go with Brutus and Enobaria to the sitting room. They tell me how I'm going to play the interview. They say the rest have the looks. Before me will be glimmer ,marvel . So I know what his saying is true there looks will easily outshine my own. Brutus says I look cute and I've never wanted to swing at him more than now. But that would be stupid. He'd see it coming.

"So we need to find the best way so the audience don't see you as a scrappy little Chihuahua" finishes Brutus

All they've done so far is insult me
Enobaria starts

"But you looked tough at the reaping and the parade, but you hardley spoke then . so we're gonna take that and make you look unattainable. You need to have the biggest... no not biggest most memorable personality out of all the careers. Make sure the audience know you could kill them"

"But Nimit said they don't like that" I interject

Brutus speaks this time "we're not going to make the audience like you, like we did for Cato. We're going to make them fear you"

I smile at the thought. They teach me how to answer questions to leave the people wanting to know more about me. Leaving things unanswered to give a sense of mystery. By the end of the fourth hour they are confident in my ability.