5. Dress Up

I had always thought I had taken good care of myself in terms of grooming and hygiene.

Apparently, I wasn't Miss Perfect like I convinced myself I was. At least, that's what my prep team told me when they got a hold of me.

After I had gotten bathed and shaved, I was whisked off to a small room with three tables, each with items to help each of my prep team make me look my best. I never let anyone touch me when it came to making me look good, except for my mother and myself. But I had to trust these people. After all, they made past tributes from District 1 look really stunning. Yet, I got the feeling the prep team and stylist changed every once and a while, so, for all I knew, I could have the worst prep team and stylist in the Games. Don't think that, I scolded myself. So far they haven't done anything bad to you. You've got to give them a little trust. They'll make you over again for the interviews next week.

When the prep team first met me, they took me as a challenge and went to work. Apparently, while bathing, Remi—the only guy on the prep team and the one who was in charge of my hair—discovered I had lice living on my head. Well, lice did like clean hair. I had panicked, but Remi calmed me down, assuring me that he had just the right shampoo to rid of them in one scrub. Having lice was news to me. I had to have just gotten it, because Mom and Dad never mentioned seeing lice on my head.

I sat on a cold, metal table in a fluffy, soft, white robe while Remi combed through my thin, red hair carefully, picking out little lice with tweezers. Please be all gone before the opening ceremonies. Remi was the most normal-looking out of my prep team, with shaggy, brown hair down to his shoulders, with dark brown eyes. His sister, Maggie, was in charge of doing my nails. I couldn't see the resemblance because Maggie looked more feline, and Remi looked...plain. Maggie's eyes were neon green, so green that I was convinced that if we turned off the lights, her eyes would glow in the dark. Her dirty blonde hair was in ringlets down to her elbows. I envied women who had curly hair. I tried to get that same look, but if it wasn't natural, it never looked as good.

"You're the first redhead we've ever done," Maggie said. "Did you dye it?"

"No. It's natural," I said haughtily.

"Well, I'll tell you what isn't natural for you," said Jackie, the woman who was in charge of my face, "smooth skin. Do you ever put lotion on?"

"There's never been a need to." I shrugged. "Why? Is my face that dry?"

"Yes." Jackie made a face.

Jackie was one of the darkest people I ever met, the way she looked, anyway. She had red contacts, so I had no idea what her real color was. Her bright orange hair was in a tight bun, and once when I saw her smile, I saw fangs, two of them golden. Her outfit was dark too, so I assumed either this was Jackie being who she really was, or she was being a vampire impersonator. I was afraid to ask, because if she was a vampire impersonator or a real vampire—but I doubted she was a real one—she'd probably get mad at me and bite me. I drove that startling image out of my mind quickly.

"I think all the lice is gone for good," Remi said. Good. "Good thing too, because I doubt they'd like glitter invading their home."

"You're putting glitter in my hair?" I asked.

"Of course. Your stylist requested it." I heard Remi stroll to his table to fetch the glitter.

Great. I was going to be made up probably to look like a stripper or something. I would not feel comfortable with that. I wanted to look fierce, like a Career should look, but not in a skin-exposing outfit that would make me squirm and feel embarrassed the entire chariot ride out to the City Circle. I wanted something that would show the audience that I, Crystal Springs, was a lethal weapon and the girl to place their bets on in the Games.

Maggie was finishing filing my nails and applying a clear coat of polish. Jackie took my face in her hand, trying to see what she could do.

"Your eyebrows don't look too horrible, but I just want to pluck a few strands off," she muttered.

I laughed nervously. I hadn't plucked my eyebrows. Mom had done that once, it was a painful experience for me, no matter how many times I tried to numb my eyebrows with bags of ice.

"Don't worry, Crystal, I won't make you look ridiculous. If I wanted to do that, I would shave them off." She smirked, her two golden fangs staring at me. I swallowed.

I felt Remi shake my hair as he peppered the glitter in. I shook my hair, not used to glitter being in it. When Jackie came back with the tweezers—I hoped they weren't the ones Remi used to remove the lice from my head—I scooted away from her. I didn't trust Jackie with tweezers.

"It's okay," Remi whispered. "She won't hurt you."

"I hope you're right," I squeaked, actually scared. I never got scared of anything, not since I was my pre-Games training self.

Jackie didn't use any numbing techniques, she went right into plucking. I yipped most of the plucks and bit my lip so I would at least learn to bear the pain. Ha, and she said she'd only do a few plucks! She did more than just a few.

"I'm almost done this time, I promise," Jackie said, examining my left eyebrow.

"That's what you said ten minutes ago, and ten before that!" I complained.

"That was before I realized your eyebrows needed more to get plucked."

"Just get it over with."

"Don't worry; we'll get to the fun stuff once I'm done."

"Which is?" I asked uneasily.

"Makeup. I won't make you look like a ghost or a monster," Jackie snickered. I swallowed again. I was more comfortable with Maggie and Remi than Jackie at the moment.

Thankfully, Jackie was merciful. She kept to her word about being done with my eyebrows. I was able to breathe easy after that. Aside from scaring me by her looks, Jackie was gentle with my face. I closed my eyes when I needed to or kept them open when necessary, just to make her job easier.

"So, you must know what my dress looks like since you've been doing this for a while," I broke the silence a half hour later.

"Oh, we know all right," Maggie sang. "You'll love it. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she based it off of your choker."

"Where is that?"

"It's on my table," Remi said. "I'll give it to you once Jackie is finished."

"I think I am," Jackie confirmed. She stepped away, and Remi and Maggie stood by her, looking me over just as intently. I looked at each of them anxiously, hoping that they did their best. I didn't want to spend any more time being made over. I was eager to know what dress I'd be put into.

"Maggie, your thoughts?" Remi asked his sister.

"I'd say everything looks great. There's not too much glitter but just enough. Her eye shadow isn't heavy, but it's not too light either," Maggie said firmly.

"Well, if everything is approved, then we better leave Crystal be until she gets here," Jackie mused.

"Wait, you guys don't give me any accessories?" I asked.

"Oh, no, they come with the outfit," Maggie piped. "Well, knock the crowd off their feet!"

"If I even know how to."

"You're from District One, showing off should be in your blood." Maggie grinned. She was certainly someone who was good for giving pep talks.

As Jackie and Maggie walked to the door, Remi reminded himself to give me my moon charm choker. I didn't put it on; I just held it in my hands, rubbing the charm with my thumb. Something possibly based around my moon charm...what kind of outfit would that be, and what would it look like? It could look like anything, really, because the possibilities were endless.

While I fiddled around with my good luck charm, the door opened to reveal my stylist. She was what I expected: wild colors for her hair and her eyes. But the feather boa and dress was not what I expected. Her blonde hair was in a pixie cut, all of her tips dyed a flaming red, a shade almost similar to my natural color. She, like Jackie, had contacts in—only hers were pink instead of red. In her arms lay a dress bag with my opening ceremonies outfit.

Upon noticing me, she gave a warm smile. I stared, unable to return her smile. I still brushed the moon charm with my thumb as she sat the dress bag beside me on the metal table.

"I must say I'm honored to be your stylist," she squeaked. She had a high voice unlike Jackie, but it was higher than Maggie's voice. "I'm Demi."

"You must already know my name," I said sheepishly. Wait, why am I acting shy? I shouldn't be.

"Mm, yes, I do. I'm sure you've been wondering about your outfit?"

"Yes, very much, ever since Maggie told me that it sort of reminded her of my choker necklace."

"Ah. Do you mind if I see it?"

"Sure."

Tentatively, Demi took my choker from me. "It's lovely, and I can understand why Maggie would think that. The dress does sort of resemble a moon."

"It does?"

"In color and texture, of course."

"That explains the white eye shadow," I realized. I remembered seeing Jackie picking that color.

Demi nodded. "Believe me, coming up with a different idea is hard on a stylist. You need to think of something unique, but it still has to represent the district. This does because of how sparkly it looks. District One is all about luxury, so it sort of pertains to that. But your dress, Crystal, is unique."

"In what way?" I pressed.

"Well, the first idea I came up with I liked, but this one was better."

"What was the other idea?" I crossed my ankles.

"It was along the lines of an angel/devil kind of deal with you and your partner."

"That would have looked great." I could easily picture it now: me all dressed in a fluffy, white dress, angel wings attached, looking like a fallen angel, while Bane would either join me looking like an angel or maybe look like the devil, to contradict my outfit. What could beat that brilliant idea?

"I can save it for another Games," Demi said. "So...are you ready to see your dress?"

"Mhm."

Demi handed me my choker back, and she unzipped the bag. She held out the dress. It was long and had frills down towards the bottom, making it look like I would have white sea foam billowing around me as I walked. The sleeves' beginning was just barely on my shoulders, it had a little bit of a plunging neckline as well. The back was pretty exposed.

"Well, what do you think?" Demi asked, watching me with pink eyes.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"You haven't looked hard enough at it."

I jumped off the table to feel the fabric. It felt coarse, and I even felt little indents. They resembled small craters, like those on the moon. So that's what Maggie meant when she said she thought Demi got the inspiration from my choker. "Any accessories come with it?"

"I think a pair of earrings, but that's it." Demi shifted the dress in her arms.

I dug around to pull out the crescent moon earrings. They matched my choker. I also pulled out white shoes that looked very beautiful. This went beyond what I thought I'd be put into.

Demi helped me put on the dress, the shoes, my choker, and the earrings. She made me stand still while she did a three-sixty of me. I was her piece of work, after all, and if there was something she didn't like, she could probably change it quickly. I wasn't sure how much time was left before the opening ceremonies would begin.

"Just as I imagined it," Demi sighed, looking proud. "Let's go."

Demi started strutting to the door, I didn't follow. My legs felt ready to move, but the shoes were holding me back. Demi noticed I wasn't walking behind her and she stopped.

"Got cold feet?" she teased.

"In a sense," I said. "I've never walked in heels before."

"Oh, I should have guessed!" Demi scuttled back to me. "I've had a few girls like you. Here." She slipped a slender arm carefully around my back. I threw an arm over her shoulder. "Take it one step at a time. I won't let you fall, and if you do fall, you'll probably take me down with you."

I inhaled and took the smallest baby steps possible. Demi coaxed me patiently to the door. For this being a first for me being in heels, I was doing okay, even though I had support. It was difficult for me to keep my arm on Demi's shoulders since the heels gave me inches on her.

After a while, my confidence began to rise, and I eventually took wider steps to the door in the heels. Demi still tailed me but didn't hover as much as she did in the beginning.

I felt better when we got out the door and headed to the stables and the chariots. District 1's chariot was first so we had to walk a ways. I squinted to see Bane was already up at the chariot, talking to Ross and another person—probably his stylist. Bane looked to be in an astronaut suit, but by looking at him, you wouldn't think it'd look bad on him. He wore no helmet, just the suit. It clung to his body, so it didn't make him look bulky.

Bane's stylist retreated as Demi and I came closer. I noticed our chariot was jet black, as were the four horses that were to pull us into the City Circle momentarily. Our chariot had no driver; our horses were smart enough to know where to go. I never had been around horses, but knowing they could pull a chariot into the City Circle without having a driver showed just how smart they could be.

Ross and Bane probably heard my heels clacking, because they both saw me and Demi stroll to them. Bane was the first to notice me. Ross looked like he approved of Demi's work. I nearly stumbled crossing the gap; I recovered before Demi could step in. Like her, I didn't want this to get screwed up—not when we were so close to the opening ceremonies.

"I don't even recognize you," Ross chuckled.

"She looks innocent, that's why," Bane said. "Innocent looks good on you."

"Thanks, I think," I said, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. Stop being embarrassed, it's a compliment. I looked at Ross. "Any tips when we're riding out to the Circle? We're leading the charge."

"Well, you both are Careers," Ross said. "What you do is entirely up to you. Play up the crowd or don't at all—just look forward and act as if they aren't there going crazy about you."

"Well, nobody's ever done that to me in One so I think I'm better off ignoring the crowd," I mused, already liking the idea.

"You do what you want; I can't control what you two do out there."

"How long does this usually take?" Bane asked, shifting weight onto his other leg.

"Not long. I'd say roughly fifteen minutes tops," Ross said. He looked at our chariot. "You better get on; they'll be starting any minute."

Bane and Ross guided me onto the chariot, probably at the request of Demi so that I didn't get ruined in any way. I had to find a comfortable position to stand in because it'd be that way for a long fifteen minutes. Bane got in next to me. The doors hadn't even been opened yet and already I could hear the crowd going crazy. Their noise would be amplified once the horses led us out to be seen by the Capitol.

"You nervous?" Bane whispered.

"No, not at all," I said. "You?"

"I don't want to be, but I am."

"I don't see why, this should be no different than at home for you." I smirked, not meeting Bane's eyes.

"Very funny," he retorted bitterly. "There's the sassy girl from yesterday."

I rolled my eyes at him.

The doors creaked and slid open before our black horses, who were tossing their manes, pawing their hooves, and whinnying with excitement. I bet they loved doing this job every year, because they got their screen time.

Like I had predicted, the audience's cries and hollers were magnified once the doors welcomed their noise into the stables. This didn't seem to faze the horses any, they probably were trained to not panic when hearing this much noise.

I sucked in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. As long as I focused on what I was doing, I would have no problem in making it through the opening ceremonies.

"This is it," Bane murmured.

Once our horses tugged ever so slightly, lugging the chariot forward behind them, there was no turning back for Bane and I, no chance for us to jump off the chariot and stay out of sight of the Capitol people and the cameras.

Let the opening ceremonies begin.