And that's how my trouble really started. I'm really not sure how, but over the next few days I went a little more crazy. Meje and I talked daily planning out our date and the whole thing was getting to me. Finn and I couldn't sleep in the same room, so instead I was sleeping in Mags' room. Every night was a new nightmare of marrying Meje and having his kids. Which is, in a way, was worse than the arena dreams. Even the one about Finnick. She would comfort me and braid my hair. Always a comfort of mine. Always. But I was sick of it. Braiding my hair reminded me of being happy, and I didn't want to be real happy. Not without Finnick. So after braiding it one night, I went into my room and lay down. I took out my glass shard and slowly cut through my thick hair. The braid was gone, leaving my hair short and chopped looking. I was in almost a black out mode, and fell asleep promptly after. I woke up, my face and hands bleeding. I looked in the mirror and shrieked. Tons of people rushed in. Finnick was first to arrive.
"What happened!?" He screamed. Trilish and Raviah were in next. Raviah nearly fainted. Trilish took control immediately. Mags wobbled in.
"Oh darling!" Trilish said. Mags picked my braid up off the floor. Finnick picked the glass off my bed, he jammed it in his pocket and glared at me. I began crying. It stung horribly, the salt from my tears were going into my cuts. Today I was going to arrive in the capitol and Trilish knew this was no time to freak out like everyone but her and Mags. Mags sat down on my bed, stroking the braid. She didn't speak. Trilish took me to her room as several Avoxes cleaned my room up and got Raviah back to reality. Trilish's room was beautiful. Very capitol and lovely. She sighed as she looked at my hair.
"It was so lovely and long darling. What did you do?" she asked. There was concern on her face and dotting her voice. I cried harder.
"I don't know!" I sobbed. I was scared. She put her hand on my cheek.
"Oh, it's okay! I'll make it all better. You might start a new trend and you still look beautiful darling. I'll just fix it up so it isn't so choppy looking. You'll wow the audience tonight. I'll give you some of my morphling so you don't freak out tonight. This happens sometimes, not like this. But it happens." She was cleaning my face as she said this. Adding medicine that would instantly heal my cuts. She dabbed some on my hands as well. Mags came in, still holding my braid. She set it on the counter. She kissed my forehead.
"Trilish, would you mind leaving two mermaids to talk for a moment." She said in her sweet, elderly voice. Trilish nodded and left the room. Mags sat directly in front of me and took both my hands in hers.
"Andromeda." She said softly. I looked at her.
"I'm so sorry Mags."
"Andromeda." She repeated, taking one of her hands off mine and brushed my face gently. Tears flowed from my face.
"Yes?"
"I did the same thing." She whispered.
"Wha...what?"
"I did the same thing. I cut my hair off, right before District 2. Back then 13 was in the games still, and it had driven mad. Winning. Living. And my mother had died while I was in the arena. I wasn't told till I got home. She had been my only family, except my brother, Donell. He was so young, and he was on the tour with me. He stayed in 13, later died in the war they had with the capitol. But I cut my hair off, much in the way you have. Everyone loved it, I was a hit. Andromeda, I see so much of myself in you. And I hope you can see that someday, you will make it to my age. In that time, maybe Panem will be free once more and tributes both willing and unwilling will die during that journey. But in the years I've been mentoring and working with tributes, never have I met one so beautiful and so much like me as you are. I know where you are. I know how hard life can be. But something will call you, and hold you to this world. And I think you are what's holding me here." She calmly said. I smiled, through my madness there was a light. She kissed my cheek.
"Thank you Mags."
"I will be kept on this beautiful planet, until you don't need me anymore. I will make sure Trilish makes you beautiful." She promised. I went to the door, so Mags could sit, and called Trilish back in. Mags held my hand again as I sat down.
"I would be honored to have just one dance with you on your birthday Andromeda." Mags told me, as Trilish walked in. I hugged her.
"Of course you can!" I cried into her, "Of course!"
"Now stop crying sweetheart, you're gonna make an old woman cry!" she said, with a hopeful voice. I nodded.
"I'll try Mags." I said, wiping tears from my eyes. Trilish began cutting my hair so it looked more styled. Mags had her stylist come in and work on her at the same time. And out of the sweetness in her heart, she got her hair cut to a bob. Mine was shorter though, almost boy like. Trilish ran blue glitter through it, and brushed it to softness. It made my hair a deep blue, nearly black shade, with sparkles across it. It was gorgeous. Mags got a single streak in her hair. As did Raviah and Finnick when they came to check on me. It was our symbol of love for our ocean, our home, for me. I was stripped down and put into a makeover outfit. My tan was beginning to wear off, so I was covered in a buttery substance that tanned me when heat was over it. I felt like a lobster being boiled. But I wasn't the Capitol's entrée. I was their whole meal, dessert included. So I had to look beautiful. And Mags promised I would. So I trusted her.
My skin came out smooth and beautiful, evenly tanned and gorgeous. You couldn't tell my skin had been cut and bleeding earlier. Or ever had a flaw for that matter. I was put in a luxurious bath, to soothe me. Then came the make-up, deep blue eye shadow and lipstick. A glossy lip shine was put on them to cover and it was guaranteed to last all night. Today was my interview, tomorrow was my party. Tomorrow I would be 18. Today I was 17. And I needed to "wow" Flickerman and the entire capitol. I was put in a gorgeous blue silk gown, with my now iconic mermaid feet. A small veil went over my eyes, and it came from a blue crab looking object on my head. The cleavage that was showing (which was too much for my taste, yet almost prudish for the capitol) was covered in matching sparkles. I had netted gloves on and my fingertips ended in blunted spikes, like fishing hooks. No sharper than nails. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I thought I looked perfect. And walking off the train, my fans agreed. I waved happily. I smiled. I hooked arms with Finnick, in a debonair deep blue suit. Walked to the end of the train station. There stood Meje, with a bouquet of blue roses, in a blue suit, much like Finnick's. However, his had fish buttons, adding a cheesy touch to his designer's idea of district 4. I ran to him and hugged him and Finnick smiled. We walked to my interview.
