Hope

CHAPTER SIX

There were more people in the audience than Abigail had expected when she was interviewed by Caesar Flickerman.

Of course, the Capitol always did everything bigger. She could never get used to the magnitude.

Abigail didn't even come from a poor district. She could only imagine how twelve had felt.

The audience had cheered louder than she expected them to cheer for her. Ronan seemed to be the favored tribute from District 4, which she couldn't argue seeing how he fit the physical mold far better than she had. Where he was strong, tall, and handsome, she was short and fragile. No individual ranking could deny plain biology.

However, because she volunteered, she was still favored over many in the Games.

Abigail gave a small, confident smirk as she approached Caesar. He took her hand and helped her sit in her chair. The only thing the brunette was worried about was tripping in these heels—they were so tall she felt like she was seven feet tall.

The funny thing was, she still wasn't even as tall as Caesar.

"Abigail Gray," Caesar began, looking in admiration at the girl. "I have to admit, between the Tribute Parade and your score last night, you seem to be anything but gray."

The girl chuckled. While her and Finnick had a hard time establishing a character for her, once she found her niche, she was unstoppable. The mysterious one, strangely confident, allowed her to be the bane of the rest of the tributes. No one knew how to beat her, except Ronan.

"Well Caesar, I like to look at it from a different perspective," she responded, to which the man furrowed his brow. Her head turned toward the audience and the girl pondered over why in the world she didn't feel nervous on stage. "I don't look at the world in black and white," she continued.

"I suppose that's an interesting thought," he nodded. "Tell me, Abigail, about the girl you volunteered for."

This conversation had been pre-planned. Caesar was great at his job, and Abigail had to give him credit for it. For Districts 1 and 2, he treated them as if they were superstars seeing as they were oozing with confidence. That play would never work for Abigail, and both of them knew it, so he made her look human behind her facade.

The problem was, being human was what got Abigail in this mess in the first place.

"Lily is a dear friend of the family. I look at her like a sister," she spoke, remaining vague but trying not to stretch the truth more than she needed to. Lily was a touchy subject in the Capitol, and with President Snow.

If Abigail wanted to make it, she had to say some things that she didn't mean.

"Besides, I want to represent my District. Not just Lily, but Ronan, and every other kid I went to school with; the people I shared the water with," she continued. Her brown eyes found Finnick's green ones, and he nodded in acceptance.

Abigail released the breath she had been holding.

"Abigail, I have to ask," Caesar continued, "you scored a ten in your training assessment. How did you do it?"

Abigail smirked. "I can't give you all my secrets yet, Caesar," she teased, nudging his arm with her elbow. The crowd laughed along with the interviewer, whom nodded his head in understanding.