Caged | The Hunger Games AU ✓

vii. coaching

haymitch leans back in his chair. "okay, thalia. amaze me. be yourself."

i feel like a child playing pretend as peeta acts the role of the interviewer, asking me questions that i guess he had to respond to the previous year. all of my answers are concise and lack humor due to the fact i feel uncomfortable. when peeta runs out of questions, haymitch rubs the bridge of his nose and drags out a sigh.

"no, no, no," he says, letting his hand fall into his lap. "if you talk like that in your actual interview, you'll be so boring that half the capital will be asleep by the time you utter your second word." his words are a bit harsh, but part of me knows he's right. i don't speak well in front of large crowds, nor am i capable of carrying a conversation well under pressure. it's times like these when i detest my abysmal social skills.

"so what am i supposed to do? be a completely different person?" i ask.

"that tactic would never work–"

peeta cuts haymitch off before we can get into a heated argument. "i think you should continue to be yourself, but don't be afraid to charm."

"i am anything but charming," i point out, crossing my arms at the macabre suggestion.

peeta rests his chin in the palm of his hand, elbow perched on the arm of the chair. "okay, well, be yourself and add some humor in there. i don't know exactly what will be asked – the questions were different for everyone, depending on the person – but answer honestly and say something that will gain you sponsors. seek the window of opportunity or something, i don't know."

haymitch then takes over by asking questions related to me personally, and it's a bit easier to answer them because i don't have to think for so long. the results are still far from his definition of "decent" and so we work on my charisma and how and when to laugh for what seems like forever until it's finally time for lunch.

when i get to the dining table, matthias looks like he's ready to collapse. effie looks tired as well, and i begin to dread my time with her. what could she possibly coach me on for four hours?

my answer is given as soon as i finish my meal of carrot soup. effie immediately whisks me away to my bedroom and forces a frilly blue ballroom gown onto me. i get a glimpse of myself in the mirror and notice i look like one of those dolls in the shop windows, ones my family would never be able to afford.

"i look hideous," i complain to effie as she zips, buttons, and snaps the horrid thing in place.

"that's because your posture is atrocious. here," effie puts one of her hands on my hip and the other on my shoulder, straightening my back until it hurts, "make sure your spine is upright at all times. slouching gives off a lazy vibe."

she then places a book on my head and has me walk with it, adding more books when she deems necessary. i think it's stupid and pointless, but then i realize what it's helping when i let my shoulders slouch and the books tumble to the ground, the pages spilling open.

effie sighs and picks up the books, placing them back on my head after i straighten my back again. then, when she thinks i'm ready, i am handed a pair of white high heels.

"i'm going to break an ankle, effie," i say nervously after i have removed my flats and am stepping into the treacherous high-heeled shoes. my ankles wobble instantly and i grasp onto the desk next to me for support.

"careful, steady, now," effie coaxes, and i regain my balance. i take a careful step, holding my arms out to ensure i don't fall. i am shown how to properly hike up my dress – not above my ankles – and how to stay balanced without looking like a newborn deer.

after some time, i have actually succeeded in walking in them, much to effie's delight. she is in the middle of telling me about how my "strong ankles have worked in my favor" when katniss walks in, munching on an apple.

"and where have you been?" effie demands with her hands on her hips.

"i had to help haymitch with matthias because peeta needed to go to the bathroom," katniss replies, coming and standing beside her.

"it takes two hours for peeta to use the restroom?" effie's eyebrows are raised and she's obviously skeptical of katniss.

"no," she denies. "the coaching was interesting and i decided to stay for a bit." she notices me in the dress and heels and winces. "you did not make the poor girl wear that."

"well, i certainly didn't put this on by choice," i mutter bitterly, not wanting anything more than to rip the obnoxious clothing off and go somewhere to let off some steam.

"she is doing fairly well," effie informs, changing the subject. "she walks decently in the shoes."

i then have to demonstrate my walking and katniss agrees i am doing a good job, and then it's settled– i'm wearing heels tomorrow.

then comes the hard part– the smiling. i never thought so much work could be put into the act. i have to know whether to smile before i say something, while i'm saying it, or after. i am taught when to use hand gestures and how to always maintain eye contact ("or you could just look at their nose, that works too," says katniss. she is instantly rebuked for it.)

by the end of coaching, i know why matthias looked ready to pass out. right afterward, i change out of the dress and into my regular clothes before crawling right into bed, skipping dinner and dreading the next day.

gif is thalia in the dining room

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it feels so weird not updating each monday wow

so this chapter is kinda all over the place but whoo thalia she has to wear heels!! (note sarcasm)

xoxo,
kristyn