Heart of Gold • Finnick Odair

-10-

ROSALIE POV

A few hours later, I find myself dressed in a beautiful, delicate dress ready for the opening ceremony. My makeup is simple, just the base with some highlighting, lipstick and mascara.

I'm wearing a white dress to 'accentuate my innocence'. The top half is tight around my torso with short sleeves. The bottom half is layered to look like petals and the entire dress is littered with subtle glitter to make it shine in the light. I realise it looks just like the roses President Snow wears. The Capitol, as well as Snow himself, will love it. I'm not quite sure if that's an entirely good thing or not.

My dark hair was left in its natural curls but with a sparkling wheat headband to keep it out of my eyes. My shoes were flat pumps and were matching to the dress.

Moments later, Ralph joined my side, where I had been talking with Mikel, joined by his own stylist, Celia. He was wearing a yellow suit in comparison to my angelic dress. It was a pastel colour, almost white, with the same glitter that sparkles in the light to make him look like the sun, delicate unlike the scorching hot sun back in our district. He had a sparkling wheat circular crown instead of a headband.

We're taken down to the bottom level of the Remake Centre (aka a giant stable) as the ceremony is about to start.

"Where do you think Chaff is?" Ralph asks nervously.

"Probably passed out drunk somewhere with Haymitch." She took in his nervous expression, "hey, we're gonna be okay. Just smile and wave, Sunshine," he scoffs a laugh at the name.

The opening music begins as we stand up onto our white chariot with sparkled details, being pulled by two horses. The horses where grey with white spots, legs, faces and tails.

District 1, luxury items, were first followed by 2, 3, 4 and so on with District 12 being last.

As our chariot approached the door, the crowd-lined streets came into view and I grabbed Ralph's hand in my own.

We would ride through the street and into the City Circle where we will be welcomed, hear the anthem, then be escorted to the Training Centre where we will stay until the Games begin.

As we come into view our faces appear on the screens, smiling charmingly, as we raise our hands into the air earning an extra wave or cheers. You can see the magical sparkle of our outfits on the screens and the crowd are loving our looks and our friendship being presented before their eyes.

We look at each other and, for a split second, my fake Capitol smile is replaced by a genuine one as I look at my friend.

The crowd cheer our names and a wave of white roses are thrown towards me, I catch one of them and send a kiss in the direction it came from which only increased the number of cheers and volume of applause, if that were even possible.

'District 11 is looking drop dead gorgeous this year, look at...'

I drone out the voice of whoever was presenting.

The President, a man with paper-white hair and a sickly smile, gives his welcome speech.

"Welcome. Welcome. Tributes, we welcome you. We salute your courage and your sacrifice. And we wish you, Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour."

He holds out his white rose looking directly at me. I was told to comply to whatever he wanted so I raised my hand into the air and showed the rose as I smiled politely to the President, swallowing back the sick rising to my throat at the sight of him.

He smiles back and I feel a cold shiver run through my entire body as if I had come into contact with winter itself.

The tower has floors designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams where we will be housed until the actual Games begin.

The crystal elevator takes us up to our 'home' on the eleventh floor, in correspondence to your District number. The speed of it is exhilaratingly thrilling.

Liana and Chaff will oversee us right until we go into the arena. It's Liana's duty to make sure we follow a schedule, getting to places and doing things on time, as well as teaching us how to conduct ourselves. It's Chaff's job to advise us.

Liana will teach me how to eat and sit politely, walk in heels (despite my young age), and how to present myself in interviews and/or conversations.

I've been told to play the role of young, innocent and sweet with a slight jokey side.

Ralph was told to play confident and protective of me to fit the whole 'friends til the end' thing, though the only pretending he'd actually have to do is 'confident' seeing as he's actually petrified.

Ralph and I are sat at the table when Liana comes in, dragging Chaff by the ear. I have to admit, I admire her determination. She sets him down in a chair then takes a seat herself with a satisfied smile and we have dinner. We are served by, what I learn to be called, an Avox. Apparently, an Avox is someone who has committed a crime, likely a traitor, and has had their tongue removed as punishment. For further torture, they are made to serve me, a tribute being flooded with riches and treats, hand and foot until I go into the arena. Then they'll probably go serve someone else I assume?

My quarters are larger than my entire house, or shack, back home. The bed feels like you're lay on how you'd imagine clouds to feel and the couch was the same plush material as back on the train. There were lots of automatic gadgets including the shower. It has a panel with over a hundred options including temperature, pressure, soaps and shampoos, scents, oils and sponges. Once you step out of the shower and onto a mat, heaters blow-dry your entire body. There's also a button that untangles and dries your hair. The wardrobe is programmed so that you can ask for whatever you want from a sports bra to an oversized shirt to a pair of joggers or high heeled shoes and a fancy dress. You can even change what view the window shows you. There's a small mouthpiece that you can talk, or whisper, through to order something off a gigantic menu and it appears within minutes hot and steamy, or ice cold.

The whole place screams luxury and privilege that only a handful of people from the Districts will ever experience.

After working out the shower, I'll admit it was the easiest most relaxing shower I've ever taken, I change into some shorts and a comfy sports bra and sit on my bed.

I order some cold ice cream and eat it until I've finished, staring into space. I put the bowl on the side table and climb under the covers before closing my eyes, wishing for dreams.

My wish didn't come true and attempt of sleep was poor, I kept imagining my brothers games but instead of him being shot by the lethal arrow it was me, or sometimes Ralph.

I get out of bed, put on a large shirt because bigger clothes make me feel most comfortable, and walk out of my quarters and down the hall for a glass of water.