The next morning I wake to Lucretia rapping on Miguel and I's car door. We groan in unison, signalling that we are awake, and on cue, hear the clicking of Lucretia's heels as she leaves.
Miguel wiggles out from under my arm and scampers out of the room in his wrinkled clothes from yesterday. Oh, what I would give to have the energy of a ten year old again. I mean I'm certainly not old...but I don't have that much energy.
Groggily, I yawn and roll over. My feet hit the icy cold floor and I cringe, sliding on a pair of furry pink slippers to keep them warm.
I dress in my outfit from the reaping yesterday (which I didn't sleep in so its not wrinkled) and head down to breakfast.
When I make it to the table it's only Miguel and Lucretia. Miguel is already halfway through a large bowl of oatmeal with some kind of fruit in it, a half full mug of hot chocolate sitting beside him as well. Lucretia sits there peacefully, drinking what looks like tea.
"Good morning, Emma," Lucretia greets me as I pull out a chair and sit down. "Did you sleep well?"
After the initial shock of her politeness dies down, I smile. "Amazing, actually."
"Glad to hear it," she smiles back.
Just then a hand lands on my shoulder, and then another on my other shoulder. Warmth seeps through the fabric of my dress. I reach up and take ahold of one of the warm hands. "Morning, Connor."
"Morning, Em."
I look up at him and he smiles before sauntering around the table to take the spot next to Lucretia.
In the silence that follows I start to fill my plate. Oatmeal, a bun made of real, nice bread, exotic fruits, syrup.... I think my eyes are bigger than my stomach...
When I'm about halfway through my plate, a tentative Capitol accent rings through the air.
"Listen," Lucretia starts. "Emma, Connor, Miguel...I'm not like them."
"What?" Connor asks.
"Who?" I chime in.
"The others...in the Capitol. I'm sorry that you are here...I truly am. But there is not much I can do about that..." Lucretia trails off.
"Duh," says Miguel.
Connor and I break in. "We know that, Ms. Talbert. But-"
"Please, call me by my first name. We are all friends here right?" Lucretia leans in and lowers her voice. "I'm on your side. This is wrong...the Games. But there is not much we can do. Not much I can do to help. But there is one thing."
Miguel, Connor, and I exchange glances.
"Look, I know that you have no mentor. I've been watching these games just as much as anyone else, I've heard the advice that other mentors give their tributes...and I want to help you. I will be your mentor and your escort. That is, if you want."
Miguel stares at her as if she had grown a second head, Connor seems relived, and me? Well, I'm up for it.
"Sure. Yes, absolutely. We'll take any and all of the help we can get. Right guys?" I question.
"Right," Connor confirms.
Miguel just nods, clearly still shocked.
Lucretia nods and laughs. "So then deal. I will be your mentor too."
"Sounds good to me," Connor states.
I murmur my accent, and look to Miguel, however he is no longer in his seat.
I glance around the car, but when I see where he went I don't blame him.
He stands at the window with a look of awe on his face.
As far as the eye can see - the Capitol.
*
I can practically hear as every single follicle of hair is ripped from my body. I cringe as the next wax sheet is ripped from my leg by a young lady with long, electric blue hair and multiple piercings.
Peice my peice, my legs lose the soft, dark coloured hair they were once covered with. When I'm finished, I run my hands over my legs. It's and odd sensation.
Next, I'm asked to sit in a bathtub filled with a vile smelling greenish liquid. I glance up at the man who asked me, a young man with medium dark, purple hair and tattoos covering his whole left arm.
He shrugs. "You need it," he states in his odd Capitol accent.
I nod, unsure. He attempts to remove my robe from my body, and as he does so, I slap his hand away.
He retracts his hand. "It's alright, miss. I assure you this is strictly for my job."
I open my mouth, unsure of what to say, when another captitol accent rings in the air.
"He's telling the truth, miss. It's just our job. We wish you no harm." A lady with long, dark brown hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail walks over and removes my robe from my body.
I look up into her hazel eyes, which are heavily caked with a hot pink eyeshadow and black eyeliner. Crossing my arms tentatively across my bare chest, I take a step back towards the tub.
"Look," she says. "I know this is different, but there is no need to be scared of us. We are your prep team, this is our job."
I look down and nod.
"You don't talk much, do you?"
I shrug.
She smiles. "What's your name, sweetie?"
"Emma Nisen." I say softly.
The lady smiles again, but it's sort of reassuring instead of scary. She holds out one of her hands for me to shake. Her nails are painted the same pink as her eyelids and her wrists bare many beaded bangles. "I'm Camille."
I shake her hand firmly. "Hi, Camille."
She smiles and pulls back her hand.
"That's Eulalia," she says, pointing to the lady with the blue hair. I smile at her. Then she points to the man with the purple hair. "And that's Ulyssis."
"Ulyssis." I repeat.
He nods.
"Hello," I say.
"Hello," he nods again and chuckles. Now we don't have much time before your stylist gets here, so will you please co-operate and get in the tub...?"
"Oh," I blush, realizing that I've just been standing here naked his whole time. "Yes...yes of course."