A Rebellious Spirit | Book III

Chapter Twenty-Four | The Eve of the Quell

Quinn woke up early the next day. She didn't get up right away, she simply laid there and was thinking. Mostly just about her conversation with Orion. She still didn't want things to change, for the sake of the games. But she knew that he had been right, she was the only one still denying whatever it was. Even Finnick had brought it up...

Quinn rolled out of her bed and threw her hair into a ponytail and comfortable clothes. In only a few hours, she would be getting changed into clothes for the interviews. She was absolutely terrified of the interview, that had been what confirmed Snows hatred for her in the first place. She knew she couldn't change his mind, but she also knew she could make things a lot worse.

She shook those thoughts from her head as she left her room. She could already hear talking among the rest of the team at the table. She was surprised to see Lace there, but she didn't have any food in front of her. She had a small box in her hand that rested I her lap as she sat, reclined in her seat.

Quinn cleared her throat a bit, as if to make herself known before she even got to the table. Lace looked up at her, and smiled. She turned and whispered a quick sentence to Ciruss before standing up and walking towards her.

"I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you until later," she smiled as she held out a box. "I know it's not the same, and its some knock off that was made because of last years games...and Ciruss told me you didn't have a token." she explained as Quinn took the box. She rose an eyebrow and looked Lace over, it was a complete mystery how someone could be so pleasant in the morning and the circumstances didn't help.

Quinn pulled the lid off of the box, only to see a new mockingjay pin. However, instead of gold, it was a dark bronze color. Quinn stared at it for a moment before picking it up and tossing the box on the couch. She turned the metal around on her fingers. She could remember the moment she got the first one, how it felt...it was hard to explain. It was liberating in a way, because a mockingjay was created on accident. Even though she didn't think it fit her, Snow pushed her until she became what she was on purpose. Katniss became what she was on accident.

"I thought you might want something different from Katniss's pin." Lace stated.

Quinn looked at it and nodded, "Thanks." she replied and looked up at Lace and smiled a bit.

She sighed, "Well, I'm off. Lots to do." she sighed, "Leave your pin, I've got something better for you to wear tonight. Okay?"

For the next two and a half hours, Quinn sat at the dinning table. Poking at the food that she had chosen for herself. But mostly, she just sat in her chair, blocking out the talking around her and looked at the pin. She really couldn't find a word for what she felt like because of it. There was no way to describe it. Then after the time passed, Ciruss brought Quinn to see Lace and wished her luck before leaving her in the care of Tanyanna, Zane, and Kaitlynn. The three of them didn't need to do much work, really all they did have to do was deal with her eyes-- getting rid of the dark bags under them had proven to be a problem. But eventually, her eyes were satisfactory.

Then, not much longer after she was ready, Kaitlynn led her to the dressing room where Lace was waiting. In a way, Quinn had been hoping for another outfit like before-- but instead, a shimmering, smooth dress that had different shades of blue on it. Then to go with it, was a high collared black jacket like the first one. Then a pair of black heels.

"Okay," Lace said quickly, "I know what you're thinking, but I couldn't do the same as before." she said simply, "I wanted you to have a District Four feeling, hence the blues. Then I wanted you to have something to go with Orion-- who is just having his original look upped a bit. So that's why you have the jacket. Then the shoes will just complete the outfit-"