The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 8

A/N
The costume Katniss is wearing is the same as the book so do not be alarmed. Haha. Hope you like this chapter. ;)

Katniss POV

Cinna has dressed me into a skintight black unitard with a shiny cape. I meet Gale outside, and he is wearing the same thing. Cinna walks up to me.
"Katniss, one more thing before I forget. The finishing touch. " He pins something to mychest. I look down and I see the mockingjay pin my mother gave me. I thank Cinna.

"Cinna, thank you so much. Where did you get this?"
"Oh, someone you know gave it to me. She thought you would like to have it." Levia! I make a mental note to thank her later. Cinna and Gale's stylist, Dane, help us into the chariot. Black horses are pulling it and bright flowers adorn their manes. I give Gale a smile and he returns it. Dane tells us to hold hands. I am uncomfortable about this idea, but Haymitch told me to do whatever the stylists say. Grr. Gale takes my hand and I can see he likes it. Why does he like it? We are only friends right? Right? Cinna comes up to us and whispers in my ear.

"Good job, Katniss. You will be outta here in a few minutes. Now Dane and I are going to light your capes on fire." What?! Did I hear correctly? Cinna laughs. "Don't worry Katniss. It's not real. You'll be fine." He assures me.
Dana and Cinna, who look like brothers to me, light our capes on fire and Gale and I light up.

"And you are out of here in three, two, one..." Dane directs. The horses whinny and begin their course. I see the chariots before us, tributes dressed beautifully, some hideously. I wonder how Gale and I look. Not terrible, I come up with. The huge wooden gates open up and District 1's chariot leads. Us being District 12, Gale and I will be last for all the events. The horses just circle around and around and I am growing dizzy until, at last, we ride out to the cheering crowds. I can feel Gale's strong hand holding onto mine tightly, my cape fluttering in the wind. A large screen shows us to the crowds. I see myself for the first time, and I am stunning. The black costume makes the firy cape stand out and my gold mockingjay pin shines brightly. A grin spreads across my face, because Cinna was right. No one will forget me. I have made an impression.

The horses hooves slowly clatter to a stop, and all the chariots are gathered around in a circle. Above us, President Snow, the infamous man, stands on a balcony welcoming us. Or at least pretending to. He gives us a fake smile. And a fake speech to wish us luck and introduce us. When the president announces my name, the crowd erupts into applause and screams, louder than anyone else. My grin grows even bigger and I wave to the crowd. Gale squeezes my hand, I think to cheer me on too. President Snow wishes us one last "May the odds be ever in your favor" and the horses pull us back to the starting point.

When we reach the area, Effie and Haymitch are waiting there as well as Cinna and Dane. Effie is full of praise, but Haymitch is silent. I walk over to him and thank him. I realize the other tributes are glaring at me in envy. The other stylists glare at Cinna and Dane. My fiery debut must have made them jealous, I guess. A muscular, monstrous looking boy sets his icy blue eyes on me and hardens them on me. I blink it away, hoping the feeling dies with it. I don't like it. This means that I am higher on his kill list. And this boy seems like he has killing me in his mind this very moment.

Effie brings me and Gale to the side, and she shouts her praise. Peep peep peep. Now, everytime I hear a Capitol citizen speak, I always think of my prep team and their peeps. I chuckle, the strange feeling vanishing. I only feel amazing, remembering my fiery self on the screen.

Haymitch comes over to me. I still feel a bit of anger towards him, but whatever.
"Good job, girl on fire." He whispers in my ear.
"Good job, mentor." I say back. I think Haymitch and I are on the road to friendship.