A/N: I wrote this chapter without the book in front of me, to make sure that I didn't copy anything from the book. If I did, I'm sorry, but I own nothing except the story.

Seven: Interviews

The next morning is a state of confusion. My prep team greets me the second I am up and leads me to my huge bathroom to get me ready for the interviews that night.

"Why are we already getting prepared if the interviews aren't until night?" I ask, my voice still groggy from sleep.

Cecila laughs. "Don't be silly, Ay. Do you think it will only take a few minutes for us to prepare you for the most important life of your life?"

"Yes," Sakami coos, dashing around the room looking for a hairbrush. "It will take a while to transform you into a beautiful star, better than you already are!"

I laugh out loud at the rhyme.

Mona scrubs me down and takes charge of my skin and nails, drawing swirls and lines in red pencil that I'm pretty sure represents more blood, painting my nails a dark maroon color. Sakami does my hair, curling it, then straightening it, then braiding it into a long rope that wraps around my head in a crown. More strands of red and orange are woven into the braid. Cecila covers my face in makeup, but I tell her to keep it as natural as possible and she nods.

The whole time my team is working on me, I stare straight ahead and mentally practice what my interview will be like. I silently vow not to mess up royally or say something insulting that will leave Talley and Marko in tears.

After several hours of work into the late afternoon, Philli finally enters the room with a covered dress. I'm excited to see it because I didn't design this outfit and I want it to be original and different.

"Are you ready?" Philli asks with a nervous smile.

"Yes," I say, grinning like an insane person.

I close my eyes as the prep team helps me into my dress and then my shoes, which to my delight are simple flats, not messing heels like the ones Talley practiced me with.

When I open my eyes after the team adjusts the fabric and murmurs in content, I am shocked to see that the whole 'blood splattering' thing and 'black-and-white' patterning is still in effect. My dark red dress reaches the ground and finishes off in a shimmer and is very intriguing in simplicity. There's a low cut collar on the top, with black and white sparkles and swirls. Unlike most dresses I have seen, this one has three-quarter length sleeves which makes me sigh in relief, because my arms are already beginning to feel cold with fear. The finish is the startling various rips in the sleeves and upper half of the dress to reveal a black netting underneath.

"Whoa," Sakami mutters, and the other nod in agreement.

"This is so cool!" I finally say, turning around to Philli. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Ay," he says. "It looks great on you."

Philli dismisses my team and walks out to my room, sitting on the bed and motioning me to do the same. I take a sit next to him in the dress, trying not to disturb the fabric while I sit.

"Are you ready for the interview?" he asks.

I sigh. "I think so. I mean, I don't know what to do. Marko said that I'm like a bomb, which I guess means that I have a short temper or whatever. He said just to answer the questions and try not to seem too freaky."

Philli nods pitifully and looks away. "You know, I think that the interviews are a huge waste of time. What's the point of spending all day getting dressed up for something that's only three minutes long?"

I relax into a grin. "I know, right? And most of the interviews are pretty boring anyway. Julio Flickerman just asks the same questions over and over again for each tribute."

"Julio tries his best though," Philli tells me. "He can make anyone seem unique by the way he responds to an answer."

I consider this for a moment, and nod. But I'm still a bit nervous about what will be asked of me.

"When you answer the questions, try to think of someone back home who you would be talking to, like one of your friends," Philli says.

"I don't have any friends back home," I reply quietly. "Well, I do, but my best friend and I got into a fight before I left." My throat still burns at the thought of Cory.

"Then, imagine that you've made up and you guys are friends again, and you're having a normal conversation with him. Okay?"

I smile. "It's worth a try."

Pretty soon, it's time to go. The interviews will take place on a stage in front of the Training Center. There will be cameras and prestigious people from all over the Capitol watching. Anything I do or say can be taken to my disadvantage on the screens.

At the elevator landing, we group with Talley, Marko, Rashid and Serabie before heading down. Rashid is wearing a suit that looks nothing like my dress. It's is a simple black and white suit with yellow splashes. Nothing special. Talley and Marko are rolling their eyes at my outfit. I say hi to them and Rashid and, to my surprise, Rashid smiles and says hi back.

The elevator opens of the ground level of the building. All of us walk outside and around the constructed stage to meet up with the other tributes. Marko and Talley head off to meet up with the other mentors and escorts, while a uniformed guard leads me and Rashid to a huge semicircle right behind the stage where we will sit during the interviews.

Twenty-two other tributes are already sitting in their spots. Some looks nervous as they run through their interviews in their heads, while others look bored. I see Ruma and give her a small smile, but she just nods and goes back to talking with her district partner.

Rashid and I sit down at the end of the semicircle. I will be second to last, since the girl tribute proceeds the boy tribute, unlike training sessions. I wish I could be closer to the beginning so I wouldn't have to worry about it for too long.

I can hear the crowd outside the curtains start to murmur with excitement. The City Circle is filled with everyone is the Capitol and the streets surrounding are filled with people. Various newscasters and reporters are reporting on the interviews and I can hear Julio Flickerman on stage greeting the audience warmly. Every citizen in Panem is either watching with rapt attention or watching because they must.

Julio Flickerman is a strange little man. He's very old and word is that his son, Caesar, is going to replace him soon. You wouldn't be able to tell all that from his looks though. They do surgery here in the Capitol to make people look younger than they really are. It's a fashion we cannot imagine following.

All too soon, it begins. The girl tribute from District One stands up to join Julio for her interview. I can only hear bits and pieces of it, but from her voice I can tell she's as cool as a cucumber.

The interviews pass by, and I am not particularly convinced that I should fear any of these kids. They were all voted out of their districts, so there must be something about them that's off. I'm worried that I'll mess up or something, but when the boy tribute from District 3 trips and falls onto the stage, right next to Julio, I know my interview will be fine. At least, better than his went. He ended end having to be transported offstage to the paramedics because he was bleeding.

I spot Philli and Serabie out on the stylists' platform and Philli gives me a wave and a subtle thumbs up. I wave back and straighten my shoulders, like Talley told me to. If we are to get any attention from the sponsors, we have to look presentable.

The twelve year old from District 6 is sweet and charming, and I'm wondering why she was voted out. She seems so nice. The boy from District 8 has a permanent scowl and a lisp. He looks like someone you'd want to stay away from if you saw them on the streets.

Ruma's interview goes well. She's dressed in a silk wraparound dress and matching headband, that catches the lights in a way that makes you blink.

Ruma shakes Julio's hand and waves at the audience pleasantly. They talk for several minutes but I pay no attention until Julio brings up Ruma's training score of eight, which is impressive for someone her age.

"So, Ruma," Julio says into the microphone. "I've heard that you are quite the baker, no?"

Ruma blushes. "Well, yes, I help out in the bakery back in District 9, and working with the baker and his son has given me some knowledge with camouflage and knives."

Julio looks impressed. "That's wonderful. What do you feel your biggest advantage in the arena will be?"

Ruma hesitates, then looks out at the crowd. "I feel as if my biggest advantage will be that I am able to persevere in what I want. If I want something done, it will be done, no matter what the consequences will be. I never give up, and I work hard for my goal."

Julio is momentarily silenced, then is interrupted by the buzzer. "Thank you, and good luck to Ruma Cutworths, female tribute from District 9."

The audience claps hard, and Ruma sits back down. I give her a smile again, and this time, she returns it gratefully.

Ruma's district partner, Edwin, makes no impression on me. He's tall and lanky and looks underfed. For some reason I am reminded of the Seam children back at home. They always wander around the district looking as if they may never see food again.

Several minutes later, after District 10 and 11, Julio Flickerman calls "Ayala Talons", and I feel my feet walking up onto the stage. I reach up and shake his hand politely, trying to make a good impression. I know everyone is watching me now.

"Hello, Ayala," Julio says. "So your costume in the opening ceremonies was designed by you, right? Tell us about that."

I clear my throat and begin. "Well, when my stylist Philli told me that I'd be designing my own costume, I was a bit shocked. I mean, I'd never designed anything before, so I was sure that would go terribly. But when I saw everyone's reaction during the ceremonies, well, I guess something changed inside me. I don't know what it was, but maybe something inside me was saying that I had a chance, and that I could do it."

Julio smiles. "That's wonderful, I'm glad that you have such an optimistic way of thinking. So you believe that you could win the whole thing?"

I shrug. "Well, I still think the odds are highly against it, but I will try my best and I'll keep an open mind on it."

"Good," Julio says absentmindedly, peering down at his note cards. "Um, Ayala, what do you miss about home the most?"

I open my mouth to say my family, but then I realize that that isn't the truth. I do miss my family yes, but I miss my friends more. I miss how Cory and I always ate lunch together, and how we hung out after school and did out homework. I miss Tayana and my other friends, too, but Cory stands out in my mind.

"I miss my friends the most," I say quietly.

"What?" Julio asks. Either he didn't hear me, or he wants me to elaborate. I'm guessing the later.

"I miss my friends," I say louder. "I miss how they were always there when I was sad, and how they almost always made me feel better. I miss them so much." I stare directly into a camera and blink several times, hoping that Cory would notice that I am talking about him.

Julio is stunned into silence and slowly recomposes himself. "Thank you, Ayala. Yes, I'm sure that all of our tributes here are missing their friends back at home."'

Fortunately, the buzzer rings at that moment, cutting him off. I mentally sigh and look out in the crowd for Marko, trying to see his expression. When I finally catch him sitting next to Talley, he gives me a wane smile and nods.

"Good luck to Ayala Talons, female tribute from District 12."

The audience applauds, and I walk back to my seat, my head held high.

I am still proud of my interview through most of Rashid's time with Julio. He's laughing up jokes and solemnly nodding at the serious questions, but nothing is catching my eye.

"So, Rashid, what do you plan to do if you win?" Julio asks, near the end of Rashid's time.

Rashid answers without hesitation. "I will make sure that all of the families in my neighborhood have enough to eat and enough materials to live by. I will also make sure that I, as the first victor from my district, will set an example for future tributes."

"Oh, yes," Julio says with a nod. "Your district, along with Six, Ten, and Eleven, has not had a victor to date. How do you feel about this?"

I snort. How does he feel about that? What kind of questions are written on those stupid white cards?

"I feel that this year, that is going to change." Then, unexpectedly, he turns around and looks over at me. But immediately he turns back around so quickly that I feel that I just imagined it.

Julio does not catch the quick glance. "How wonderful," he says with a hint boredom. The interviews are almost over; I'm pretty sure all he wants to do know is go back to his house and sleep. The buzzer does not sound though, so Julio is forced to ask one more question. "Rashid, tell everyone what you would do if you were in the arena with only one other tribute and he tells you that he doesn't want to kill you?"

Rashid gives a frown. "I would do what I would have to do, depending on the circumstances, Julio. If I really wanted to win, I would kill him. But if the other tribute were my ally or someone else I cared about, I would not."

"Well said," Julio says just as the buzzer goes off. "Good luck to Rashid Thresher, male tribute from District 12."

The anthem starts playing in our ears, and we have to stand out of respect. I look up at the live television and am relived to see that Rashid and I didn't draw much attention with the crowd. I like it that way. Hidden and anonymous.

I ride up the elevators with Ruma and three other tributes. Before Ruma gets off at her floor, she whispers to me, "Good luck. See you tomorrow."

That's right. Tomorrow we will be in the arena. I could be dead in a little over twenty-four hours. Stop thinking like that, I scold myself.

I walk over to Talley's room to say good bye, since we won't see her or Marko in the morning. Talley doesn't say a word; she just gives me a hug and tells me to remember home. Marko nods and wishes me good luck.

I acknowledge Rashid with reluctant stare, and he does the same.

"Good luck," I say.

"You too," he replies.

And I walk to my room without looking back.

A/N: I'm not feeling this story anymore. Whenever I sit down to type it up, I'm either blank or totally stuck on something. This chapter took me five days to type up. Please, give me more reviews/story alerts/favorites if you want this story to go on. I'll love you forever. :)