Everglow ➳ F. ODAIR

Chapter Nineteen

Time becomes blurred when you're stuck in a white room for too long. This is what Ebony thinks to herself, as she lies in a hospital bed in the Capitol. The doctors and nurses had just finished fixing up her wounds from the arena. If no one had known what the young victor had been through, no one would ever guess she had fought in the frozen arena and won.

"How're you holding up, Porcupine?" She hears the familiar voice of her mentor. Kyanite enters the room with a solemn smile, as he closes the door behind him.

"I'm fine." Ebony mutters, keeping her focus on a nearby wall. Her response feels as though she's rehearsed it twenty times. By the look on Kyanite's face, he already knows that she is on autopilot.

"That's good." he musters out, before sitting down in the chair next to her hospital bed. "We need to talk real quick, Ebony."

Ebony turns to him, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

"We have the interview with Caesar tonight and I wanna go over a few things with you beforehand. These are things that you need to listen closely to, okay?" Kyanite starts off, staring intensely at the girl. "I know that you're hurting and can't wait to go back home, but you have to act like this is the greatest thing you've ever done."

As her jaw drops to the floor, Ebony stares in shock upon hearing his comment.

"But this isn't-"

"I know, but you have to act the part, Ebony." the mentor states, cutting the girl off. "It's for your own protection. You can cry about Samuel or the betrayal you felt from Slate. But do not go beyond that."

"Whenever you're on camera, you smile and wave. You are the darling victor of the Capitol now. You don't act the part, they'll make you pay the price." Kyanite finishes with a solemn sigh. "Behind the cameras is a different story, Ebony. That's when you can talk about it. Just be careful about who you talk about it to. Talk too much, then more people get hurt. That's the role you have now at the Capitol."

Ebony cannot muster the words to give a response to her mentor. Instead, she simply nods her head.

"Now, we have an interview to prepare for." Kyanite says firmly. "We're in this together."

Time blurs together once more for the girl, before she realizes that she is standing in the studio for her interview with Caesar Flickerman. Looking over at Ruby and Vera with uncertainty, she is escorted to the stage to meet the host once again.

"There she is, our lovely victor and darling of the Capitol, Ebony Desai!" Caesar exclaims, as the audience breaks into applause.

Remembering Kyanite's advice, Ebony plasters a fake smile on her face, before waving at the crowd. This causes the audience to cheer more, as she joins Caesar at center stage. The host grabs her hand, giving it a small kiss. Once the two take their seats, his line of questioning begins.

"So, Ebony." he starts off, grinning like a madman. "How does it feel to have won the Hunger Games?"

"It feels surreal." the girl manages to get out, maintaining the fake smile on her face. "It is honestly just amazing."

"That's wonderful!" Caesar states with a slight chuckle. A frown then appears on his face, as he leans forward towards the young victor. "Can I ask you this though, everyone in the Capitol saw how Samuel took on the brotherly role that Slate claimed to have. How did you feel when you realized Slate betrayed you?"

"Honestly, I was hurt. I didn't know what to do the moment I realized he left me." Ebony begins, mustering up the waterworks for the audience. People gasp and sigh, sympathy coursing throughout the room. "But when Samuel found me, instead of killing me, he kept me safe. He didn't have to do that, but he did. I wish I could thank him for that."

"I think everyone here can agree that, wherever he may be, he knows." Caesar states, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to all of Panem, Ebony. It truly is an honor to speak with you again."

"Thank you for the opportunity, Caesar." Ebony smiles back. They stand up and bow to the audience.

"Ebony Desai, everyone!" The audience claps and cheers for the girl, as she tries her best to keep the smile on her face. Though, the more she stares beyond the lights, the more she realizes just how hard it is going to be for the rest of her life.