We Stood Strong

Chapter 17: The Interviews

Chapter 17 [Annie's P.O.V.]

For a week Tess, our guide, drilled into Daniel and I how to act while on stage: don't slouch, breath through your nose, always smile, even down the speed we're supposed to walk when we get on stage. When she brought out shoes with long sticks that narrow at the bottom, I was wondering which would kill me first, the arena, or these stilts that could easily be the death of me. Tess stuffed my feet into them and forced me to get up and walk. My feet wobbled and my ankles rolled. By the time I had mastered them my ankles and feet were sore.

I had about enough of this. Daniel and I spent more time explaining our past, if we were going to die, we might as well get it off of our chests with someone else who would understand. Finnick reminded me on what specific things the Capitol people like to hear. "Even if they aren't convinced that they love you after your training scores, they'll love you after they hear your personality," Finnick said.

I found myself in the Remake Center again before my interviews. I stepped into a pink bath and let my body sink until it reached at my shoulders. It began to sizzle, then my whole body felt like it was vibrating. My prep team came by and, while I was still awkwardly naked in the pink bath, started styling my hair. They tugged and yanked, I choked down a few yelps.

After some time the were finished with my hair and pulled me out of the water and thrusted a robe into my hands. I gladly strung it around my body. My prep team started touching up and preparing little things. I was unable to catch their fancy Capitol names I nicknamed them instead: Preppy Pink Woman, who always talked in a high screeching voice and wore all sorts of shades of pink, Large lady, who wore clothes, like my chariot outfit that hung to tight, and there was Goof Man, who I found quite strange. It seemed silly to give them so childish nicknames but I couldn't think of another way to describe them.

Preppy Pink Woman worked on my toenails, Large Lady worked on my finger nails and Goof Man applied makeup to my face. They all scolded me for twitching and blinking, I felt paralyzed. After they seemed satisfied they left as Adelina opened the door. She wore her same orange familiar makeup; I was surprising glad to see her again.

"Annie! You look great!" She walked into an area I couldn't see. "I'm going to have to compliment my prep team on that." I can head a few hooks sliding. "So, I was thinking I could get you into a pink dress, do you like pink?"

"Yes, mam, I'm good with pink," I affirm.

Adelina peaked her head around the corner, her orange curls bouncing up and down. She devishly smiles and teased, "I don't want to have a hard time getting you into this dress." She came out from behind the curtain with a soft pink dress. "Come here. Get into this!"

I took the dress and slipped into it. The top half was a darker shade of pink with a cute ribbon that wrapped around my stomachs just below my breast. The bottom half poofed out in a soft pink color and ended just about finger tip length. I turned to Adelina in confusion; I had no shoes. She turned around, pulled out matching shoes which I remember from training as heels. I made a disgusted face. "Your first heels!" She squealed in excitement like I was her own daughter.

I put myself in the difficult shoes and started walking around. I had no trouble this time. Adelina gave a few last words of advice like: compliment them, flip your hair every once and a while and laugh at Ceaser's jokes. I got in line behind the District Three boy, who was dressed in a bright red suit. Daniel came a few moments later, which I was glad to not be alone for the last few moments. He wore a light pastel green tux.

I breathed through my noise and admitted "Very nervous..." My stomach started to turn. I could feel my heart in my throat.

He sighed deeply and said, "Same here."