Lovers In The Arena \\ Gale Hawthorne

Chapter 5: The Interview

Y/n's POV

Today at training we did everything we did yesterday, knife throwing, snare setting, fire starting, rope climbing, quizzing each other on edible and nonedible plants, all of it. As we continued training we noticed some of the career tributes looking at us. This time they didn't look jealous or mad, they looked impressed. I have a feeling they're gonna ask one of us to join them in the games. 

After dinner and training today I went up to the rooftop garden and looked at all the flowers, they reminded me of the meadow Peeta and I always sit in. I realized how much I miss Peeta, I wish he were here, I really need my best friend with me right now.

About an hour later I got cold so I went inside. I went into my room and tried to fall asleep but I was still cold, I grabbed the sweatshirt that Gale gave to me on our first night here, I put it on and it still smelt like him. I fell asleep thinking about Gale again but dreading the Games.

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After day three of training, at dinner

"So, your private training sessions will take place tomorrow. Have you guys figured out what you gonna do?" Haymitch asked us.

"I'm just gonna do my best, and if I get a low score hope that everyone else just leaves me alone," I say "And I'll probably throw knives or something"

"Yeah me too, but I don't care what score the game makers give me, high or low I know what I can do. That's all that matters" Gale said

"Like the attitude" Haymitch added "And the day after tomorrow you'll have your interviews with Caesar Flickerman. He'll ask you questions about home, your families, your training scores, -but you cant tell them what you did during the private training session- what you like about the capital, you know, stuff like that. So be ready for anything"

"Alright," Gale and I said

"You'll each have four hours with me, and four hours with Effie to prepare for your interviews. Effie will help you with appearances, I will help you with how you want to go about your interview. You can act fierce, cute, sexy, mysterious, or like you don't care at all. Whatever one you choose you to have to be good at so that the capital will love you and you can get sponsors"

"Could we just be ourselves?" I ask

"If "yourself" is a pleasant person who the capital will love then yes. But if not then put on an act."

I thought about what act I should do. Fierce? No, I could never do that. Cute? Hell no. Sexy? No dress or amount of makeup could help me pull that off. Mysterious? I don't think so. I guess I could pull off I don't care Because I honestly don't. When I'm training with Effie she's gonna make me put on killer heels and a dress and make me walk with a book on my head or something similar to that. With Haymitch, I can already feel the criticism about my personality or my acting skills.

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Today we're doing our private training sessions. I'm gonna throw knives at dummies and hope I can get higher than a five. Gale and I waited, sitting next to each other. Were district 12 so were gonna be the last people to go in. I'm gonna be the very last person because the male tribute goes in first. About an hour passed then they called Gale's name.

"Good luck," I said

"Thank you," He said. I waited about 7 minutes more, then they called out my name. I walked in, and none of them noticed me, they were all talking and laughing.