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.
<><><><><><><><><><>
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.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
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.
"Y/n Y/l/n," I said to get their attention, but they didn't hear me. "Y/N Y/L/N," I said louder, this got their attention.
"Hello, please show us your skill," One of the game makers said. I grabbed a knife, I was kind of nervous so I was a little shaky. I threw the knife but it missed the head of the dummy. They all laughed and continued talking, I threw another and it hit the heart perfectly, but they didn't even see. I got so pissed that I took another knife and threw it super far and hard at the game makers, it hit the apple in the roast pigs' mouth and pinned it against the wall.
"Thank you, for your consideration," I said and left without being excused. I ran to the elevator and hit the floor we were on, when I got to the apartment I went straight to my room. The game makers are probably so mad at me. I wondered if they would send people to kill my mother, or Peeta and his family, because of my stupid action. I really fucked up now everyone I love is gonna die now because of me. I cried into my pillow, Effie tried to get me to come out but I told her to go away.
About an hour later I was done crying and it was time for dinner so I finally came out.
"Oh look who finally came out of her room and joined the family," Haymitch said "Have a good cry sweetheart?"
"The 'family'?" I say and sit down
"What happened during your private training?" Gale asked
"Well I threw a knife, missed. I threw another and hit perfectly, but nobody even noticed. So I threw a knife at the apple in their pig's mouth and pinned it to the wall. Then I left without being excused." I said
"You what?" Effie said
"Do you really want me to say it all again?"
"What did they do?" Haymitch asked
"Nothing. They looked pretty startled though" Gale and Cinna laughed and Haymitch joined them.
"This is not funny. Y/n's action could make me look bad!" Effie bursts. "I'm going to bed" She left.
"Can't be worse than what I did" Gale said
"What'd you do?" I ask
"They ignored me, so I...I yelled at them and left"
"Oooh, you both messed up pretty badly, huh?" Haymitch said
"Yeah...are they gonna hurt my mother? Or Peeta and his family?" I ask
"There's no point. To do that they would have to make what happened in the private training public, but they can't do that. So you mother and whoever the hell 'Peeta' is will be fine" Haymitch said. I sighed in relief. "But if anything they'll make your life in the arena a living hell"
"They're already doing that anyway," Gale said
After dinner is when our scores will go live. Were all sitting around the tv waiting for them to show. As always, the career tributes have high scores at least above and 8. When it showed Gales, he got an 8.
"I don't understand," Gale said
"They must have liked your attitude," Haymitch said
"Nice," I said
When it showed me, I got an 11.
"What! how?!" I said
"I guess they were paying attention," Haymitch said
"Good job," Gale said
Later we all went to bed.
<><><><><><><><><><>
The next morning I was woken at seven am by Effie.
"Wake up now, dear. It's time to practice for your interview" Effie said
"Uhggg, five more minutessss," I said and pulled the cover over my head.
"Nope, not today. Come on now or I'll get a pitcher of ice water and pour it on you"
"Fiiiinee" I got up, and Effie put me into a long dress and like ten-inch heels.
"Effie, is this really necessary?" I ask
"Yes, you'll be wearing a different dress that Cinna has designed for you and different heels, but if you can learn to walk in these then it will be so much easier to walk in the other ones on the stage," Effie says. "Now put this on your head" She handed me a book I carefully set it on my head and tried to walk but my ankle rolled and I fell. "Oh come on get up now. try again"
With the help of Effie, I got up and tried again, I didn't fall this time but the book did. I tried again and again and again for like 3 hours until I finally got the hang of it.
"Okay, with our last hour, you will smile. Say phrases while smiling, sing while smiling, and talk while smiling, Okay?"
"Okay" She made me read flashcards of happy phrases and poems and I had to smile the entire time. By, the time we were done my cheeks hurt like hell.
"Well, that's the best I can do. Good luck Y/n"
"Thanks, Effie" I kicked off the heels and stripped off the dress, and put on something much more comfortable. We all finally got to eat lunch, I wasn't able to eat breakfast because Effie wanted to get straight into practice. I'm starving.
I sat down and we all ate, and before Gale had to go with Effie I warned him and wished him good luck. When I had to practice with Haymitch we decided on 'I don't care which is the easiest one for me, Effie mentioned that I should try to pull off sexy, I don't think I can do it but she's gonna help me when we're getting ready. So I guess I'm gonna be a carefree sexy girl. I don't like it but it could work.
When Haymitch made me be myself was when the criticism started, but when I started acting all sexy he made it final that, that was the one. He told me to use a more "seductive" voice to really sell the whole sexy thing. After rehearsing, practicing, and preparing for every possible outcome that could happen during the interview. I was prepared and Cinna will do my makeup and make me look like not me me, but sexy me.
I was taken to a dressing room where my prep team helped me get my dress on.
(you guys can choose from these, I couldn't decide so I put all of them)
When I got my dress on my prep team made me look "Sexy" with red lips, and the eyeliner again, I could barely recognize myself. But I guess I looked good. They did the fiery hair tips again, and they put flame decals on my nails. I was given heels to put on, they were shorter than the ones Effie had me in but they were still tall. When I was all ready, Cinna walked in.
"You look beautiful, Y/n," He said
"Thank you, I wish I looked more like me though," I responded
"Don't worry, this is just for the interview, you can take it all off afterward."
"Okay...what if they don't like me? What if they all hate me and I get no sponsors?"
"They're gonna love you, I promise"
"Thank you, Cinna. Also, the dress is beautiful. Thank you for making it"
"No problem. Now go wow them" He says. I get escorted to the waiting area, and I stand by Gale.
"Hi," I said as I walked up
"Oh, hi. You look great" He said
"Thank you, you too," I said. I don't know what it was but something about the fact that he was still taller than me, even when I had these heels on, made me blush. We waited up until it was my turn.
"Good luck," Gale said
"Thank you"
I walked onto the stage and everyone was cheering. Caesar calmed them down and I sat down.
"Y/n, hello." He asked me about my family.
"Well there's my mother, who I live with, There's my best friend Peeta, we've been friends all our lives, he's like my brother, and there's his family, they're like my family too."
"So sweet. Would you like to say hello?" I smiled
"Hi, Peeta, and other Mellark's I miss you. You to Mom." I said
"Ha, ha. Now, what has your favorite part about the capital been?"
"I would say all the different shower settings. They're very nice" I said
"Alright, the shower settings. I agree those are very nice" I smiled again, but not a cute girly smile, a sexy seductive one. He asked me lots of questions, and I told him about my clothing business, which he thought was cool. When we were all done I bowed to the audience and left the stage.
"You did great" Gale said as he saw me come back into the room.
"Thank you, good luck," I said
Gale walked onto the stage, he then chose 'I don't care' and 'mysterious' vibe.
"Okay, Gale. You volunteered for your little brother, is this true?" Caesar asked him
"Yes, I did. Rory's too young, I couldn't let him go into the Games" Gale said
"That is an amazing brother right there"
"Thank you"
"Now Gale, tell me about you, and your family"
"Well, I live with my mother, and three little siblings, Rory, Vick, and Posy. My father died years ago when I was only twelve, so I started taking care of the family"
"How unfortunate. I'm very sorry to hear that."
Gale nodded as a thank you.
"What is your favorite part of being in the capital?"
"I don't know, the food maybe, I just wish I could send it to my family"
"You are a generous young man aren't you?" Caesar said, "And you're an attractive gentleman too, is there any special lady back home?"
Gale looked down and shook his head slightly
"Oh, come on, you're telling me that an attractive hunk like you doesn't have a girlfriend?"
"Well, there is this one girl," Gale said which made me more intrigued
"oooh, why don't you tell us about her"
"She's great, but I don't think she even noticed me until the reaping"
"Aww, tell you what, how about you go into that arena, you win these games for her, and when you get back home, she's sure to go out with you"
"If only it were that easy, Caesar"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the girl...she...she came here with me"