Too Clever

Chapter 9

    I sit on the couch next to Lila, trying to keep a straight face, awaiting Caesar Flickerman to announce my training score in front of the entire country.
     A picture of the boy from District 1 flashes before us.
     "Marvel," says Caesar, "with a score of...nine." Big applause from the live audience. Caesar continues on as the pretty girl from District 1 appears on the screen. "Glimmer, with a score of...ten." More applause.
     The two tributes from two, Cato and Clove, both receive a ten as well. This is not surprising, as Clove was extremely skilled in knife throwing and Cato portrayed brute force and excelled with a sword. I don't even pay attention to what the tributes from 3 and 4 get; I'm too nervous to find out my own score.
Maybe the Gamemakers won't give me a terribly low score. Maybe I'll just receive an average score because I did make a snare and pass the edible plants test, which could even out with the poor job I did with the knife throwing. Or maybe they'll give me one of the lowest scores because it's the Capital and they could care less. What if—
"Fleta Riverwood," says Caesar, interrupting my thoughts, "with a score of...five." A sound of relief escapes my lips, and I can finally sit back and take a decent breath. I fill my lungs with air and exhale, letting it out slowly and evenly. I received an average score. I'm not worthless, and my family will know I've done okay.
"Well done, Fleta. Average is good. It can't hurt what other tributes think of you," says Nicolas. And he's right; an average score is probably the safest score if you're not part of the Career pack. With an amazingly high score, the Careers will try to weed you out early in the Games to get you out of the way before they all decide to turn on each other so that there are no other serious threats. On the other hand, if you get a horribly low score, no one is intensely afraid to go after you and attempt to kill you. I decide that I'm more than happy to receive a five.
Alec scores a five as well, which makes him frown a little. I'm guessing he's just mad that I won't be his ally and wanted to outscore me just to get me upset. Really, it's amazing how ignorant he can be.
Most of the others receive an average to low score, although Rue gets a seven and Thresh scores a ten. Then Hunger Games history happens and Katniss Everdeen scores an eleven. I'll make sure to stay away from her in the arena.
"Good job, both of you," says Lila. "Now I suggest you go to bed now. Interviews are tomorrow."
     "And that means we've got the whole day to prepare!" exclaims Cordelia as she straightens out her rainbow-streaked wig.
So I climb into bed with thoughts of the interviews tomorrow and what Cordelia could possibly have us do that would take almost a full day. But one more thing comes to my mind as I drift off to sleep. I could come back home to my parents, to Nora. I could see Calla and all my friends again.
I can win these Games. And I know I'll have to try.
*********
     "Good morning! Time to get up!" squeaks Cordelia as she knocks on my door. "We have to start preparing for interviews as soon as possible!"
     "Coming," I moan through my pillow. Must she be so loud and obnoxious all the time? I check the digital clock on the wall, a luxury we don't have in district 5. It reads seven-oh-one—leave it to Cordelia to make sure everyone sticks to the schedule.
     I find Alec, Lila, and Nicolas at the breakfast table, chatting quietly as they wait for Cordelia and I to show up so we can get down to business.
     "Good morning," I say pleasantly to Alec as I stuff my plate with eggs, bacon, toast, and breakfast potatoes.
     "Morning," Alec mumbles, looking down at his food to avoid eye contact.
     Suddenly Cordelia struts, like always, into the room and says, "We have a long day planned. We have to start at exactly eight o'clock if we want to be in time for the interviews. From eight to twelve, Fleta will be with Lila and I, and Alec will be with Nicolas. Then, at twelve, we'll switch, and the sessions will end at four o'clock. We'll leave for the Remake Center at four-oh-five."
     "What are we doing that takes us four hours at each station?" asks Alec, mirroring my thoughts.
     "With Lila and I, you will be working on manners, posture, being pleasant to the audience, that sort of thing. And with Nicolas, you'll be working on building character for the interview and deciding how you're going to present yourself," replies Cordelia, applying another layer of lipstick.
     "But that will take a full eight hours?" says Alec. When will he learn when it's the correct time to speak?
     "Look," says Nicolas. "We're just trying to help you win these Games in any way possible. All the stuff we will be doing today will be significant in your performance tonight. It is crucial that you play the part right in this interview if you have any interest at all in getting sponsors. That's why we're doing this today."
     "Okay, jeez, I'm sorry I asked," says Alec, putting his hands up defensively.
     "It's okay," says Nicolas. "I just had to get the point across. If you want to win the Games, you do as your mentors tell you to do and don't question it."
     Lila looks at the clock. "I think we should get started now," she says. "It's eight o'clock."
     So Cordelia takes me into the living room and has me put on a pair of her gold, six inch heels and tells me to walk around the room five times.
I wobbly make my way around the room, staggering a few times, but keeping my balance. But on the third lap around, my ankle rolls out from under me and I crash onto the ground with nothing in range to hold onto to catch myself.
"Are you all right?" asks Lila, offering me her hand. I take it and shakily pull myself back onto my feet.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just, I've never worn heels quite this high before," I say.
"It'll take some practice and getting used to, but how do you think I manage it all day?" says Cordelia. I find I can't come up with a logical answer to that question.
     Afterwards, Cordelia sets up two chairs facing the couch, where Lila will be sitting pretending to be the audience. Cordelia sits in one of the chairs and acts as the interviewer, Caesar Flickerman, asking me several possible questions and having me answer them as nicely and pleasantly as I can. She has me smiling at the appropriate times and looking back and forth from her to Lila, claiming that it's good manors to address both the audience members and the interviewer when answering a question.
     This last part takes a full two hours, and by the time my session with Cordelia and Lila is up, my neck and back are stiff from sitting up so straight for so long. At lunch I take a moment to stretch before sitting down and then say, "So after this next session, we're going directly to the Remake Center, right?"
"Yes, that's right. We're—" Cordelia cuts Nicolas off.
"We're going directly to the Remake center at four-oh-five on the button," she says. "That way, the prep team will have just enough time to get you ready for the interview!"
After lunch, I switch to the four-hour session with Nicolas. He starts out by saying, "Okay Fleta, so how do you think you want to portray yourself?"
My brain goes blank. How do I want to portray myself? I haven't thought about it much. But if I play it right in front of the crowd, then it might get me some sponsors, which is my objective, my main goal.
"Um...I guess I'll just..." I trail off, having no idea how to answer.
"Well, let's start out with telling me what you're like. Then maybe I can help you get a clearer picture of what kind of person we'll make you into. How's that?"
"Okay, well, I'm smart," I say. "And I'm good at sneaking around and forming good strategies."
"All right, so you're sly, you have stealth," Nicolas says, and I can see the gears turning in his head.
"Yes, but how do I act like that during the interview?" I ask.
"Just talk about how you are clever and sly, and be mysterious, but not too mysterious. You want people to have a clue who you are. Think you can pull that off?" says Nicolas.
"I think I'll have to try," I reply.
***********
At exactly four-oh-five, we leave for the Remake Center. When we arrive, my prep team bombards me with excitement, all three of them fighting to talk over each other. Since I can't make out a word they're saying, I just smile and nod my head the whole time.
"Let's get started, or you're never going finish in time!" Cordelia snaps, shutting them all up.
They take me into a big room with all kinds of equipment and tools. They lay me down on a table and wax all the hair off my body, just like they did before the opening ceremonies. They have me soaking in a variety of different oils and soaps until my skin feels perfectly smooth. They treat my hair and rinse it out with an orangey shampoo.
After all of this basic stuff, Chloe begins to paint my nails a pretty teal color, which I like much better than the sparkly silver color my nails were earlier for the opening ceremonies.
Meanwhile, Nixon gets to work on my hair, styling it with big bouncy curls, pulling half of it up in an elegant knot. He leaves one curl down on either side to frame my face. I think this makes me look very attractive and pretty.
     Flora does my makeup, contouring my face and exaggerating my features. She paints on teal eyeshadow and a light pink lip stick, which makes me look a little older and mature.
     "Time for the dress!" exclaims Chloe. They have me close my eyes as they help me slide into the dress. When they let me open them, I look in the mirror and say, "It's beautiful, really. Thank you."
The dress is pretty, the same teal as my makeup and nails, the skirt short and ruffled. It's a little too short for me, but not enough to expose any part of me I wouldn't want.
"You look gorgeous!" squeals Flora, and the other two nod in agreement.
Then Rhea enters the room and says, "Oh, you three did a wonderful job on her! She looks stunning! Except, put a little more blush on her face; the lighting's a little dark."
A few minutes later, all of the tributes line up and someone escorts us all out onto the stage to take our seats.
All I can think is that I will not be able to do this. Not on front of all these people.