Not Just A Game

Chapter 18

A short white feather dress and silver heels. My blonde hair in curls, half up, half down.

I towards the back of the line of tributes backstage.

It's time for interviews.

This year, the game makers decided that it would speed up the process by having the tributes pair up with their District partner that will be in the same arena.

I'm with Dustin.

Then there's Harley and Griffin.

Dustin stands behind me, clutching my small hand with his strong one.

He wears a white tuxedo with a white tie and a pink rose pinned to his pocket.

He looks handsome.

Griffin wears a black tuxedo with a purple dress shirt, and a black tie.

Dustin and Griffin are standing next to each other. I notice for the first time their difference in height.

Although Griffin is 17, and Dustin is a year younger than him, Griffin is several inches shorter than him.

And then there's me. Averaging out at about 5'4", and done growing.

Dustin is about 6'0" even and about a head taller than me.

Behind them, Harley stands alone in a short pink satin dress that ruffles at the bottom. She wears silver heels and her auburn hair straightened perfectly, flowing over her shoulders.

She looks gorgeous. The Capitol will go nuts over her.

Dakota stands with us.

"Remember guys, this is one of your only chances to get the Capitol on your side. It's ten minutes. Make an impression." she reminds us quietly, so nobody else but our district can hear.

I nod. Everyone else is doing the same. I clutch Dustin's hand and squeeze it gently in reassurance. I think it's more for me than for him.

I turn to watch the line in front of us. I see forty-four other tributes stretched out in the long hallway, each in suits and dresses.

I notice Elphias in a plain black and white suit, standing casually like he hasn't got a care in the world. Wolf, one of the girl tributes from District 11, looks extremely nervous.

She's shifting her weight continuously from one foot to the other.

Comes to tell you how people think differently.

What breaks my heart is seeing little 12 year old from District 7, Hazel. She's dressed in a cute blue dress with a big bow in the back.

She's absolutely a mirror image of Belle. In the way she acts and stands and looks.

The way she stands on the tips of her toes and cocking her head to the side to try to peek over someone tall.

The way she's twirling her hair looking down because she's nervous. I watched Belle do that at the reaping.

I tear my eyes away, not wanting that particular string to be twisted.

I look at Dustin, who I just now notice has been staring at me with concern.

"Ivy, what's going on?" he whispers softly.

I just shake my head. This isn't something I want to bring up now. It can wait.

"Later." I whisper back, my voice hinting at tears threatening to overflow.

He just nods, looking down. I place both of my hands on his arms, and look up into his brown eyes.