Melting of a frozen heart

Chapter 10

Intense conversations fill the air, as we all wait for the interviews to start. I am currently sat in the front row of the auditorium, along with all of he other mentors. With Sejanus on my left, sitting on the end of the row, and Festus on my right, deep in conversation with Hilarius about his obscure fashion choices.

I don't pay much attention to the people who surround me, even though Vipsania staring daggers at me is a little hard to ignore. I am too focused on the event that is about to occur. I was able to see _____ one last time this morning to bring her breakfast, and make sure she knows what she is doing for the interview. I wasn't able to see her long, but I informed her that I was able to obtain bean bags for her to juggle with. 

I already handed those over to a professor to give to Lucky our host, so now I just sit here and wait for everything to begin. I start to pick on the nonexistent dust on my all black attire. I went with a black suit jacket, and slack combo paired with a black button up shirt. I felt like going for my favorite look, since the mentors were encouraged to dress nice.

"You look almost as excited to be here as me" Sejanus says breaking the silence between us.

"What?" I ask not knowing what he means.

"You almost look nervous, you keep picking at your jacket" Sejanus states like it's obvious.

I straighten my posture, and stop my hand from picking at my clothing. "Nothing is wrong, and I am surely not nervous. _____ knows what she is doing" I state.

"Well I'm jealous. Marcus has been missing in action, and if he wasn't I bet he'd punch Lucky. I wouldn't blame him though, I would probably do the same thing if I were in his place" Sejanus says with a bit of anger hiding behind his eyes. "He was my classmate you know? Back when I was still at home in two, we used to have classes together. Now he hates me."

I didn't know that about Sejanus. I feel bad for him, but I am not good with the whole sympathy thing so I just say "I am sorry to hear that."

He looks at me and says "Thanks. What about you?"

"What do you mean by that?" I ask, confused by the nonspecific question.

"I saw how you interacted with _____ at the questionnaire yesterday, and I saw what you did for her with the peacekeeper. For the first time I have ever seen, you looked happy. I have never seen you happy before, only prideful. Wait, do you like her?" he asks me after stating his observations.

His words hit me kinda hard, and I feel a bit of shock because he is right. I am never happy, I have only ever strived for fulfillment. But as time progressed being around her didn't feel awful like it used too. I have started to feel this unfamiliar feeling around her that I can't describe. Not knowing what to say I just utter a soft "I don't know".

He looks at me for a second before facing in front of him and saying "I think you already know."

I am not given the chance to respond to him, with the lights dimming and Lucky taking the stage. "Well hello Panem! I am your host for this evening Lucretius Lucky Flickerman, and today I will be introducing to you all of our tributes for this years Hunger games! Well the ones that are still breathing if you know what I mean.

"Tonight each of the remaining tributes will be given the chance to try and win you over. This year you will be given the opportunity to bet on your favorite tributes, and sponsor them during their stay in the arena." Lucky enthusiastically announces "Well to start us off I welcome onto stage districts threes very own Circ"

A boy then walks on stage, and talks with Lucky. He starts stating a bunch of technology facts, and knowledge before it is his district partners turn. She did something similar to him, but instead stated how she knows a lot of about engineering, and hacking.