Before the Epilogue

Chapter 16

That morning we are woken up by Effie knocking on our door. "Wake up! It's training day!"

We sigh and get up. We eat, fight with Haymitch, and then go down to training. At the training center Peeta, Gale, and I are always at each other's sides.

I don't mind always being by Peeta's side... It's Gale that I mind. Especially when I go to the archery range.

Wake up, eat, fight with Haymitch, go to training, eat dinner, go to bed. We do the same thing repeatedly for the couple of days.

Four days pass and it's finally the day of the interviews.

It seems like forever before my prep team is done with me. About an hour later, I finally get to see Christina.

"Hey Katniss," she beams.

"Hi Christina," I reply just as happily.

"Are you ready for your interview?"

"I've already made it through three... so I don't see what one more can do," I say smartly.

She laughs and leads me to a small room where my dress is.

It's a strapless dark blue dress. Ruffles line my body from the waist down (making it look like a skirt.)

As I put the free on I notice how heavy the 'skirt' fells. "Will I be twirling tonight?"

"Of course... Just save it for the end." Christina does one final check and then leads me to the stage.

"Don't you look handsome," I say as I approach Peeta.

He's wearing a suite that is very similar to the one he wore in the Capitol on the victory tour.

"You don't look so bad yourself," he says as he walks towards me.

I give him a hug and then turn and look at Gale.

I don't want to admit this... but Gale doesn't look too bad himself.

If I didn't know him as well as I did, I would choose him as an allie in a heartbeat. Sadly I'm stuck having him as an allie but I guess it won't be that bad... I mean Peeta will be there and Gale is not that bad when it comes to weapons and surviving.

I give Peeta a hug and turn my face so my mouth is by his ear, "Does Gale ever remind you of Finnick?"

Peeta give me a confused look. "How?" he whispers.

"Well he's good with weapons and surviving, he's not that bad looking, and (as much as I hate to admit this) he volunteered to help protect someone he loves," my voice cracks when I say the last reason.

Peeta sighs, "When you put it like that , Yes... but I don't want to talk about him anymore."

"Who... Gale or Finnick?"

"Both."

We release each other from the hug.

"All tributes line up... the interviews are about to start."

We line up and soon enough the show begins.