Author Games - When In Rome

Interview - Eden Cole

Here I was- twenty minutes before the interviews sitting on a roof with Phae and Tyber. I sat quietly while Phae and Tyber did the talking.

"Do I look pretty, or what?" Phae gleamed, flicking her blonde hair in a flirtatious way. Tyber just stared, causing her to giggle.

"Yes, gorgeous, Phae," Tyber responded with a wink. 

"Why thank you Tyber. What do you think Eden?" She questioned me with an irritable giggle. I looked at her, fixing the tie hanging from my neck.

"Yeah, pretty," I told her. While, yes, Phae did look pretty, she also looked a bit fake compared to when I first met the girl. And as I got to know her a little better; something seemed off. You know when someone puts on an act? Yeah, it looked like she was putting on an act sometimes. Not that I was questioning her personality. Just her supposable stupidity.

"Thank you, Eden," she replied to me in a sing song voice. I smiled at her. 

"We should get to the interviews. They start in about five minutes," I told them, staring out at the blue sky. Who knows if it was actually real. With that thought in my mind, it made me think of home. I wish I was there, sitting with my brothers. Although, I was free from my parents. I could just imagine what they would be saying right now.

"Eden, why can't you be more like your brothers?"

 

"Eden, you've been trained for this all your life. Don't let the training go to waste. You're volunteering whether you like it or not."

 

Gregory would be missing in his seat, and I could picture Carson glaring at me from the other side of the table while my eighteen year old brother- Asher would be giving me a small smile of encouragement. Gregory and Asher didn't have to volunteer for the games, and maybe that's why I was closest to those two, but now, Gregory was off, honeymooning with Alice. 

"Goody two shoes," Phae pouted. 

"I like bad boy," Phae said, winking at Tyber who flicked his blonde hair as if trying to look good for Phae. I rolled my eyes at the two. While, yes, we were in an alliance together, and yes, we all kinda clicked as friends. The two of them together were pains in my ass. Phae the fake, and Tyber the bad boy. And I, Eden, the innocent, quiet boy who liked receiving a little more attention from people than he should. 

"Well, I'm off you two. Hope to see you follow," I told them, picking myself up off the roof, and walking inside, following the hallway that connected to the stage.

When I got to behind the curtains of the stage, everybody was already there, and when I looked behind me, I noticed Tyber and Phae running towards me. I tried my hardest not to smile.

<><><><><><><><>

"Eden Cole," Ruby Shimmer called and I stood from my seat, flattening the creases on my suit out.

When I stepped onto the stage, I could feel the peering eyes of the crowd and the cheering pounded through my ears. I smiled, waving shyly, although, I did enjoy the attention. I sat on the seat opposite Ruby as she smiled at me.

"So, Eden, how are you liking the Capitol?" Ruby asked with a slight giggle as though she was in a land of happiness.

"Uh, yeah. The Capitol is great. Even more luxurious than district two," I replied shyly, although, you could in fact hear me.

"It is. Very luxurious. Now, why did you volunteer, Eden?" Ruby said cheerfully.

"Because I'm a career. It's like a requirement to a lot of us, and to me, it was just a requirement. Not because I particularly wanted to," I responded to her as the crowd gasped with shock. I stared at the floor, blushing slightly. I hope everyone thought it was because of the heat in the room.

"Well then. Who stands out to you the most this year?" 

"Phaedora Wolfgang. She's an ally and a friend. But I think she has a little something up her sleeve," I told Ruby truthfully. 

"Are they the biggest threat? If not, who is it?" Ruby asked me, and I stared at the crowd before looking back at Ruby. I ran a hand through my gelled hair before answering.

"No. Pheadora is my ally. Hardly doubt it, but the biggest threat I'd have to say nobody really. All the threats are my allies," I told Ruby with a slight laugh. Ruby giggled before asking he another question.

"Who do you think the weakest tribute is this year?" Ruby asked me with a smile. I smiled back at her, and I could hear the girls feigning at my smile. I new I was alright looking, but I didn't know I was that good.

"Weakest tribute. Sorry, but probably the two from district eleven. They don't seem like bad people, just nothing about them stands out to me." Ruby smiled with a small nod if her head.

"No need to be sorry. It was just a question after all." I smiled at her, but inside I felt guilty for calling to kids weak that I didn't even know personally. For all I knew one of them was the next victor of the games.

"Do you think you have what it takes to win?" Ruby then went on to ask me soon after.

"I don't know. I'm a career and all, but I don't think I can personally win myself without the help from my friends/allies," I said to Ruby, although I knew I wasn't really giving myself credit, but I didn't like to put my skills out there for all to know, although I'm sure they knew I'd trained my entire life for this.

"Interesting," Ruby said with a giggle before opening her mouth once more.

"Well, that's all we have time for Eden. This is Eden Cole from district two. Bye!" Ruby called out in a happy state. I smiled, raising from my chair- walking off the stage.