Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't been posting for almost two weeks! My computer was broken and it took Beetee awhile to fix it! So here is a nice long post to make up for it!
The sun rose over the lovely candy colored Capitol two weeks after we had arrived. Today was the day I was to be privately interviewed by Caesar Flickerman, in front of a live audience! I had probably about fifteen minutes to gaze at the world before the prep team dragged me into hair and makeup department.
"Up, up, up! Today is going to be a big, big day!" Okaaaay make that fifteen seconds when it comes to Effie time. I sighed, rolling off my goose down and rabbit fur Capitol bed, and listened to the sounds of everyone waking up.
"Five more minutes Mom!" (Hannah)
"Wheres is my new shirt?" (Reef)
"Cinna up. NOW!" (Mom)
"And you can tell by the crescent shape and the multiple kinds of seeds, that is bread is from...." (Dad)
"Wasgoingon?" (Haymitch)
"For the last time Gale, it was a JOKE!" (Rue)
"Put a sock in it Effie, and let us sleep!" (Johanna)
"Where are the sugar cubes?" (Annie)
"Morning Hannah!" (Cinna)
I giggled as I dressed myself in a simple t-shirt and shorts. I hurried to the dining room and began to gorge myself on pancakes, waffles, and anything else that would fit in my mouth.
"Finch, you eat like you'll never see food again!" Johanna laughed sliding into the seat opposite me. Her hair was tangled, and she was still in her nightgown. Good old Johanna, I thought to myself.
"Hurry up Finch! You've got a.." Effie started,
"Big, big day ahead of you!" We all finished for her.
"We have no time for being cheeky!" Effie scoffed, even though she was smiling.
Most people think that after the Rebellion, Effie had the same pink and gold wigs, and wore outrageous Capitol clothes. But in reality she hasn't wore a wig since she started dating Haymitch (her hair is a beautiful strawberry blonde), and she had greatly toned down on her clothes since moving to District 12. For example today she was wearing a dark blue tunic and jeans.
Effie ushered me into the Prep Room (thats what Rue and I nicknamed the room where we get dressed and made up for public appearance) where Octavia, Venia, and Flavius were waiting for me.
"We don't want to see her till she's sparkling!" Effie winked, exiting the room.
I was bathed, oiled, combed, and made up for the next two hours until I was feeling (and probably looking) like a plucked turkey. Next Venia helped me into a fiery red and orange dress that made me look as if my body was being engulfed in soft flames.
As Octavia was finishing putting my hair up in an oldie style bun, there was a knock on the door.
"Tick Tock!" One of my favorite people in the entire world, my godfather Beetee, called out.
"Its a clock!" I replied opening the door and hugging him. Ever since I saw the footage of the Quarter Quell at school when I was about five, Beetee and I have used that famous saying (Tick, Tock, Its A Clock) as a way to remember Wiress.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I was looking for a young Finch Mellark to escort down to the stage, but all I see here is a beautiful young woman. She must be in the next room over." I laughed as I walked with Beetee down the hallway to the elevator. After I push the #1 button and the doors closed I asked
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see my goddaughter give her first private interview! This, my dear Finch, is a huge moment in your career!" I wondered what Beetee meant by 'career', but the elevator came to a sudden halt and I was hurried over toward the stage.
Someone clipped a microphone on the collar of my dress, I was literally pushed onto a soft couch, and I could feel adrenaline rushing through me, as a hot white light shone straight in my face.
"Everyone, please welcome the lovely beauty of Panem... Finch Mellark!" A fancy clothed Caesar Flickerman called out to the multicolored audience. After the earth shattering roar had died down, Caesar wasted no time and launched straight into the interview.
"Dear Finch, what a pleasure to see you!"
"The pleasure is all mine, sir." I gave him a winning smile.
"Aw so sweet! So tell me, how does the Capitol differ from District 12?" Hmmm, tough question.
"I think the list would be shorter if I say how they are the same!" The crowd laughed.
"Haha. Do you mind if I ask about your friends?"
"Ask away!" I did mind. A little. I didn't want to give away all the details of my private life.
"So, who are your best friends?" Oh no.
"Helena Forest... And Niall O'Hailey."
"Oh! A boy? Is he your boyfriend by any chance?" I chocked on my water.
"Excuse me?" Great, another star-crossed lovers story for the crowd (
Rue, I feel your pain!)
"Maybe this will help us get an answer." Caesar pushed a button on his arm rest, a hole suddenly opened a few feet away from me, and up on a metal plate rose....
"HELENA! NIALL!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, rushing over to hug them.
"Oh Finch, I missed you!" Helena gasped giving me a bone crushing hug.
Niall literally twirled me around when I gave him a hug. 'Well, that was different' I thought as I settled on the stage sofa in between Niall and Helena. The crowd was going absolutely berserk, and then went crazier still when Niall held my hand (they somehow failed to notice that Helena was hiding my other!).
"Wasn't that a lovely surprise!" Caesar asked as the crowd responded with hoots and cheers.
"The best!" I cried putting my arms around their shoulders. Helena was dressed in a gorgeous purple evening gown, and Niall in a suit the color of evergreen trees. "I think the real surprise was how on earth you got these two outdoorsy people in fancy clothes!" The crowd roared with laughter as Helena lightly punched my arm.
"Well, Niall I was just asking Finch about your new romance!" Caesar continued once the crowd has died down.
"Um... What romance!?" Niall asked me turning magenta red.
"I honestly have no clue." I cried turning pink.
"Don't deny it!" Helena giggled, "You two are mad for each other!" I started sputtering, but Niall was just looking at his feet.
"Please don't hurt me! But... Er... Um... Helena isn't completely wrong. On my part!"
"I knew it!" Helena laughed.
"For real?" I gasped, exaggerating disbelief for the crowd. All of Panem for that matter!
"Yea." Wow. This is not how I expected this interview to go.
"Oh my, this is ironic!" Caesar dabbed his eyes, the screen then began to play a bit from the 74th Hunger Games where Dad told the world of his love for mom....
"Tell me Peeta, do you have a girlfriend?" Dad hesitated then gave a unconvinced shake of his head.
"Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" Caesar implored
Dad sighed "Well there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."
"Does she have another fellow?"
"I don't know, but a lot of boys like her."
"So here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?"
"Winning isn't going to help in my case.
"Why ever not?"
"Because... because... She came here with me."
The crowd (and Caesar) were all blowing their noses and wiping their eyes with colored tissue paper.
"I guess all Mellarks fall in love on a stage!" I grasped Niall's (
and Helena's mind you) hand think of Dad's, Mom's (after the Rebellion), Cinna's and now my confessions.
After Helena, Niall, and I took our bows (Niall got the biggest round of applause) we began to walk backstage, but where stopped at the entrance by Dad.
"Listen here, Niall. I swear if that was all for the cameras, you are gonna pay dearly." Oh no.
"Dad.. er... its... not for the cameras" I turned bright red again.
"I assure you Mr. Mellark, Niall would never lie about something like that!" Helena piped
"Its not, sir." Niall was looking at his feet again. Dad's expression melted into one of thoughtfulness... or was it pity?
"I was in your place over thirty years ago. I believe you." Dad shook his head at me as if to say "Your mother is not going to be thrilled." But after he left, I myself whirled around
"I want to make on thing VERY clear." I was pleased to see Niall look a little frighted. "We. Are. Not. Star. Crossed. Lovers. Got it? I refuse to have to put up with the rubbish my parents went through! Got it? And one more thing." The poor boy looked simply terrified. "If Caesar EVER asks you that again... Ugh. I can't be mad at you guys!"
"HA! I knew it! You two are gonna live happily ever after..."
"Put a sock in it Lena!" Niall laughed giving us both a hug.
"You guys want to come check out the roof?" I couldn't wait to show them the Capitol sunset
"Sure!" And we raced through the halls, up the elevator, and spent the evening eating fruits from the garden and watching the sunset
And that (as Rue requested) is my Big-Bang-District-12-Akward-Embarassing-"Love"-Story
So yes Rue, its all your fault! ;D
