Wrong Place, Right Time - Cato Hadley x OC

Chapter 3: The Parade

The voices of people talking outside my room woke me up in the morning. Immediately, I remember today's the day we get to the Capitol. 

I'm full of nerves when I get out of bed. After a minute of searching for what to wear, I decide on a soft green blouse and black bottoms. I head over to the bathroom to ready myself for the day, but I don't touch the makeup available. I know my team and stylists will have a conniption if they see what I think is acceptable. 

Once I'm done doing the bare minimum to get ready, I walk out to see Apple and Finnick having what seems to be an intense conversation. Without a word, I sit opposite Finnick and grab a Capitolized croissant. 

"Good morning!" My mentor says with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"Oh, just lovely," I respond flatly. "What time will we get there, do you think?" I question.

Looking at his watch and then back at me, Finnick tells me it shouldn't be longer than 30 minutes. My heart flutters at how far I am away from home and the reality that I very likely will never make it back. 

After finishing my pastry and 2 cups of coffee, I've never been much of a fan of sweet drinks; Wade walks out of his room. I'm unsure if he can see, considering his dark blonde hair is all in his face. 

"Not a morning guy?" Finnick asks with a laugh, just as Apple gasps at the sight of him.

Wade replies with only a grunt, which causes Finnick to laugh even more. I share a glance with Apple and can tell she is not very happy with what she's seeing. 

Ten minutes after Wade sat down, I see it. We're arriving at the Capitol. I walk over to the window to admire the stunning view when I get a glance at all the people lined up just off the tracks. 

Every Tribute's goal is to get the Capitol to like them, so I smile big and start waving at the cheering people, erupting them more.

Next to me is Wade, who took notice of my doing and decided to replicate it. 

It feels like the next moment, the train comes to a stop. Finnick leads us out and offers his hand as I'm stepping off. The reality of how loud the cheering is soon hits me. I'm assuming it's extra loud for us than most other Districts, as our mentor is the well-known Capitols Sweetheart. 

We're quickly ushered into a massive building, and Wade and I are sent on our separate ways to meet our Teams and get ready for our stylists. 

I'm quickly asked to remove all my clothing, and my team doesn't hesitate to start picking me apart to each other. The topics of my hair and nails are brought up, but I'm too busy looking out the enormous window to notice. I didn't know how high up we were, but the fact that I could only see the tops of surrounding buildings tells me it was pretty high. 

You couldn't get more Capitol-looking than these two do. Their skin is dyed an unnatural pink and purple, one of them doesn't have eyebrows, and the others are so skinny it scared me what they're going to do with mine. 

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I feel a wax strip applied to my leg. When it's ripped off, I groan, again and again, until I have no leg hair left to be ripped. 

It almost gives me whiplash how soon after one of them is starting to pluck away at my eyebrows, and the other starts applying long extensions to my nails. 

It feels like an eternity when they announce they're done with me. After handing me a robe, they practically run out of the room. I never did catch either of their names. 

Only about 5 minutes go by before I hear a gentle knock on my door, and a man I'm assuming is my stylist walks in. He doesn't look as absurd as most people from the Capitol, but definitely not District style.