Confined

10

Codex was rushing next morning. He first jumped on Dakota to wake her up, then pulled her away before she could eat anything...she was lucky enough to get dressed. She was dragged, half asleep, to the room full of design sketches and a mannequin, it was the room where she got ready for the parade. 

"Codex, is this your 'studio'?" Dakota questioned rubbing her eyes and yawning while Codex went and tried to find a sketch on his desk. 

"Of course, why else would I be here...AH!" Codex shot straight up, his hair flinging over his head to rest on his back. He turned to Dakota and showed her a  design.

The design was a long light blue dress with a backless top, it seemed to have white stripes on the front of the top that wear trimmed with sparkles. It also had a big split in the right leg. Dakota smiled at the beauty of it. 

"This is the dress you will be wearing tonight for the interview. Do I need to change anything, dear?" Codex stated. Dakota looked over the design again. 

"First, I would like my back covered Codex. Next, no split, you know I don't like them. Also, no stripes, but I do like the sparkled top idea." Dakota ended with a small smile. Codex nodded and turned to the mannequin. Dakota watched him and didn't realize that it was covered. Codex stopped in front of it and took the cover off, revealing the dress. It was gorgeous. Dakota gasped, and Codex turned. He had the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. "

You can watch me work if you like, but you won't be able to try it on until tonight." He said turning back to the dress. "Also, I have some shoes and a bracelet you can wear with it." 

"Can I wear this necklace?" Dakota said, pulling Finnick's necklace out of her pocket, she forgot to put it on after training the previous night. Codex turned back again, 

"No, dear, it'll ruin the dress. Maybe just take it with you." Codex said sadly. Dakota nodded her head, putting the necklace away. Codex returned to working on the dress, while Dakota thought about what she would look like.

*

Dakota was now waiting backstage for her interview, all she could hear was the crowdand Caesar. She couldn't stop looking at her dress, she was happy Codex listened to her and changedwhat she didn't like. She looked at her bracelet and shoes.

She also felt sad because she hadn't seen Finnick all day. Dakota was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard, 

"Please welcome Dakota Charles, of District 4!" she went and walked onto the stage, having to put a smile on. Caesar was standing there in a matching suit and tie, "Here she is folks." He laughed, Dakota giggled, she loved Caesar's laugh. He reached for her hand and she took it. 

"Caesar," she greeted, 

"Dakota," he replied. "I can't believe what we saw at the Reaping in 4. You volunteered for Mags." He got straight to the point. 

"Yes, of course. Mags is like the mother I never had. She has watched over me and Finnick over the years. I couldn't let her." Dakota wilted. The crowd made a 'aww' sound. 

"You, are so kind." Caesar said quickly, moving to the next question, "Now there has been a rumour going around about you and Finnick," he dreamily said. Dakota raised her eyebrows. 

"And what would this rumour be?" Dakota asked intrigued. She turned to the crowd with a smile and then turned back to Caesar as he said, 

"That you and Finnick are a thing..." Caesar had the biggest smirk on his face Dakota had ever seen. Her face fell, and her eyes became filled with sadness. 

"No, Caesar. We are just friends." She said with sadness but confidence in her voice...she didn't want people to think that she wanted that to be true. 

"Well, that's to bad." Caesar said facing the audience, "Anyway, Dakota you have been away from these games or 5 years. Are you nervous to head back in?" Caesar asked, directing to microphone over to Dakota. She took a long breathe. 

"No matter my position, Caesar. If I'm a victor, 18 or even my 15-year self going into the games for the first time. Even if I'm a dead tribute who goes in again... I will always be terrified of those games." Dakota explained. She felt a strange pain in her heart as she mentioned the dead tributes and her 15-year-old self. Caesar nodded in understanding. 

"Well, I'm afraid that's all we have time for...Dakota Charles everyone." He finished raising his and Dakota's hands in the air. As Dakota walked back up the stairs at the back of the stage with a smile on her face, Finnick was getting ready to enter. She didn't pay much attention after that until Caesar asked Finnick a question. "Finnick, I understand that you have a message, for somebody out there, a special somebody..." He laughed, "Can we here it?" This made Dakota intrigued for she never knew Finnick liked somebody. As Finnick turned to the monitor he started,

"My love, you have my heart. All eternity, if, if I die in that arena, my last thought, would be of your eyes. Your green captivating eyes."