Lovers In The Arena \\ Gale Hawthorne

Chapter 2: The Capital

When we got to the train station, we were about to go into the train car when Y/n and I stopped and looked at district 12, because it could be the last time we ever get to see it.

"Come on now," Effie said 

Y/n's POV

Gale and I went onto the train where there were lots of candies, desserts, drinks, and a ton of food. We sat across from each other at a table. We listened to Effie talk about her new hair, which we all know is fake, but she doesn't know we know. It was falling off of her while she was drawing our names.

"Yes, it took a long time to get my hair this color" She continued to rant on about it.

"I don't think she's fooling anyone" Gale whispered, we both laughed but tried to cover it.

"What's so funny you two?" Effie asked which made us laugh more "whatever, I'm gonna go find Haymitch" She left, leaving Gale and me alone struggling to make conversation. But I finally thought of something.

"That was really cool, you know when you volunteered for your brother," I said

"Oh, yeah. Thank you, I couldn't let him go into the arena, he's way too young" Gale said, I smiled and tried to hide my blush. 

"I wonder what the arena will be this year," I said

"Yeah me too, I hope it's something I know how to work in, like a forest," says Gale

"Yeah," I was gonna say something else but then Effie walked in with Haymitch behind her. Haymitch was clearly drunk.

"This is Haymitch, your guises mentor. He will tell you strategies, and give you tips for the games" Effie said and left to a different car. Haymitch opened a metal bucket and looked mad when he saw nothing in there.

"Where's the ice?" He asked

"I don't know," Gale said, Haymitch sat down next to Gale.

"So, about the games. How did you win?" I ask

"Woah, Woah, Woah there, slow down and give me a chance to wake up," Haymitch said, Gale and I looked at each other in disbelief because this guy, this drunk who doesn't know that he's already awake, is our mentor. "I'm not here to keep you guys alive and make sure you win"

"Well then why the hell are you here," I said

"The refreshments," He said as he poured some vodka into juice.

"So you aren't gonna help us at all?" Gale asked, Haymitch just took another shot of tequila. "Okay that's enough" Gale tried to take the flask out of his hand, but Haymitch punched Gale right on his jaw causing him to fall out of his chair.

"What the hell!" I said loudly

"Don't worry sweetheart, your boyfriends gonna live," Haymitch said

"He's not my boyfriend," I said quietly, Gale got up and sat at the other end of the table now, away from Haymitch. I saw a big purple bruise already forming on Gale's jawline. We sat in silence until we saw the capital appear through the window. I was annoyed that the capital is this beautiful, huge, rich place when most districts are dying of starvation. 

We pulled up and everyone was cheering for us.

"Go ahead, wave," Haymitch said

"No." Gale and I said at the same time. We both hate the capital with every bone in our bodies. 

Once we got off the train we were taken to this place in the capital where we had to get groomed. I was first told to take a shower, when I was done showering I was laid on a table where they started grooming me. They plucked my eyebrows, waxed my legs and arms -which was super painful- they trimmed stray hairs on my head, after they waxed me they rubbed lotions and oils into my skin. It was weird. The people who were grooming me all looked crazy. One of them had bright orange short locks on his head, another had a purple tinted skin color, and the other one had teal spiky hair. They all had weird makeup on, they looked ridiculous. But so does everyone else in the capital so I guess it's the tributes who look ridiculous to them.

Once they were done grooming me, they had me stand up, with not a thread of clothing on me, so that they could "inspect" my body. It was super fucking weird okay, they weren't touching me, but they were staring at my body and taking in every inch of it. And sometimes saying something like: 

"too skinny" 

Or 

"You could gain a few pounds"

"Well what did you expect? I come from a district where everyone is constantly starving" I said, but they all just laughed.

"Okay, it's time to take you to Cinna" One of them said, I was handed a bath robe that I immediately put on. I was taken into a different room where there was another person, he didn't look as weird as the other capital people, he had some gold eyeliner but that was it.

"Hi, I'm Cinna, I will be your stylist" The man said

"Y/n" I wasn't about to trust anyone here in the capital. Why should I? They all just want to watch me die for entertainment.

"I am sorry that this happened to you. I'm here to help you in any way that I can" Cinna said

"Most of these people just congratulate me" I said

"Well I dont see the point in that. So tonight, at the tribute parade, they take you out and show you off to the world"

"So youre here to make me look pretty"

"I'm here to help you make an impression" Cinna corrects me. "Usually they dress in the clothes from their district"

"Yeah, mines coal miners" I say

"Yeah but I dont want to do that, I want to do something they're gonna remember. Did they explain about trying to get sponsors?"

"Yeah but I've never been good at making friends"

"You have no friends back home?"

"One. Peeta. He's like a brother to me"

"And the boy you came here with?"

"We've met, I guess were sort of friends"

"Dont worry, the sponsors will love you" Cinna said "But if we want to make and impression, then you shouldn't be dressed in some stupid costume now should you?"

"I hope not" I said