Caged | The Hunger Games AU ✓

vii. coaching

eleven!

effie lets out a squeal and peeta whoops, clapping his hands. matthias shakes my shoulder, congratulating me. katniss gives me a smile like she knew it all along.

"well, sweetheart," haymitch says, "looks like their near-death experience brought some light into their eyes."

"i thought i'd never get as high of a score as asher," i admit with a sigh.

"i saw him during training," matthias recounts. "man, he's good."

i nod in agreement and we all just sit there for a while, talking and enjoying not being alone. it starts to get late and i realize i should get to bed. after bidding goodnight to the others, i hurry to my room and change out of my clothes, putting something more comfortable on before sliding under the warm covers and staring at the dimly lit city outside my window until i fall asleep.

when i wake up, i take my time getting ready. i skip my shower and instead head straight for my closet. i choose a cream-colored top with burgundy pants and black, open-toed flats. i let the vent detangle my hair and put it into its usual ponytail.

there is a knocking at the door. it's effie, reminding me in a chipper voice that today is a "big, big, big day!"

and then i remember. tomorrow will be our televised interviews, and the entirety of this day will be spent prepping us for them. with a sigh, i leave my room, heading to the dining area for breakfast.

katniss is the only one already present at the table when i arrive. she's dipping her biscuit into her hot chocolate and gives me a closed-lipped smile when she sees me. i return the gesture and sit on the spot to her left, seeing as she's seated at the head of the table.

i load my plate up with food and have gotten about a quarter way in when peeta and haymitch walk in. matthias arrives shortly after and sits directly next to peeta, diagonally across from me.

"today we will be coaching you on how to present yourself in front of the audience," haymitch explains through a mouthful of oats. "since katniss is, quite honestly, terrible at this, peeta and i will be working on what you will say. effie is helping you with presence."

"i am not terrible!" katniss insists.

"yes, you are," haymitch says and she rolls her eyes before taking another bite of her third pancake.

"you'll each have four hours with me on presentation and four with haymitch and peeta for content," effie explains more clearly than our other mentor had. "matthias, dear, you'll start with me. thalia will go with the boys."

"well, what am i supposed to do?" katniss demands, obviously not liking being excluded.

effie contemplates this for a moment. "fine. i guess you can help me."

soon i find myself in the sitting room, seated on the sofa with haymitch and peeta in chairs in front of me, studying me carefully.

"what are you doing?" i ask, feeling slightly uncomfortable under their stares.

haymitch ignores my question and instead turns to peeta. "what do you suppose?"

peeta shrugs, tapping his fingers on his chin before facing haymitch. "i think we should just let her be herself."

haymitch scoffs, not seeming to care that i can hear him clear as day. "that would never work."

"hey!" i exclaim, offended.  that draws their attention back to me, both of them regarding me as if they had actually forgotten about my presence. "in case you forgot, i am sitting less than three feet away from you and am perfectly capable of hearing what you're saying."