When I wake up the next morning, I am startled to find the face of Jewel Ree peering into my eyes with concern.
"Oh!" she cries."Rue! Thank goodness your awake! You slept so soundly I thought you were dead!" At this point I have to refrain from rolling my eyes.
"We're in the Capitol already!" she trills. "Come out to meet your prep team!"
I have barely walked three steps when three people jump into my face, yelling and screaming excitedly. I jerk back, startled.
"This is your prep team, Rue!" says Jewel enthusiastically.
"Oh. Um, hi?" I say to the prep team. They introduce themselves, Alpha, Romeo and Cherri.
After my prep team have dealt with me, I am due to meet my stylist. A woman enters the room. She is pretty average-looking, compared to the rest of the idiots in the Capitol. She has flowing brown hair, pale skin and blue eyes. The blue in her eyes is so deep that when you look into it, you can feel yourself practically drowning in them.
"Hello, Rue. My name is Juliet." she says, in a soft voice. "I am going to be your stylist for these Hunger Games. My partner and I have decided to dress you and Thresh up as plantlife. As your name is Rue, we thought it would be fitting to dress you as the flower called rue. Thresh is going to be dressed as a strong-looking tree."
Ugh. She may be normal-looking, but she still has the brains of a Capitol person. In other words, no brains at all.
For the opening ceremony, Thresh and I look awful. I am dressed in this kind of flower suit that is itchy and baggy. Thresh is in a tree made of stiff cardboard. I guess that's what Juliet means by 'strong'.
As we are called, I see several of the other tributes sniggering from their chariots. I feel humiliated. Suddenly, all the tributes eyes widen in astonishment, and I turn around to see the tributes from District 12. They look amazing. They are wearing some sort of cape and headress, but it is on fire!
As we do one final lap in our chariots, I can see all the other tributes throwing the District 12 tributes dirty looks. I feel my heart dropping like a stone. Our outfits are so pathetic, no one will sponser me.
I might as well kill myself now and be done with it.
