The First Step || Post-Parade || OS
The one comfortable thing about the parade outfit that had been glued onto me was that I didn’t have to wear shoes. In Seven, I’d loved running around the forest, feeling the cool dirt beneath my feet and in between my toes. It was calming to me, grounding. Here, the floor is cold and unyielding, made of the ‘finest granite District Two has to offer’, according to Ivy, anyway.
It’s not until I finally step off of the chariot that I really appreciate how nice the solid ground is, even if it is covered with granite. Pike is there a moment later a whisks John away, screeching about some party or another that is happening ‘right this minute and trust me there is going to be some hot ass that you don’t want to miss’ and I roll my eyes.
Ivy hasn’t come for me, so I decided to brush the mane of one of the horses. We don’t have all that many animals in Seven, barring stray cats and mangy mutts, so the sheer size of the creatures caught me off guard at first. Sugar is as sweet as her name implies, though, and seems to be enjoying my attentions well enough as I murmur a string of nonsense to her.
Despite how unfamiliar I was with horses, I did like animals. They tended to be good judges of character, and pleasant enough company. And anyway, I’d rather talk to the horses than the people. I was still in my weird costume and no that I was out of the public eye, I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.
“You did absolutely wonderful out there. See, I knew my faith was not ill placed.”
I smiled in spite of myself at the praise. It had been a long time since anyone but Harrison, Twiggy, or Oak had ever really been proud of me. That smile was wiped from my face a moment later, when she informed me about the party I was to attend, as well as the fact that I would NOT be permitted to change out of my costume, unlike most of the other Tributes.
“You look beautiful and we want them to recognize you, to be reminded of who you are and that you’re a real contender.”
I rolled my eyes, raising a brow.
“Well, who you are here, as a character in their television program, at least.”
That I could level with, at least. After all, this wasn’t who I really was, and- in comparison to many of the Tributes- I wasn’t a contender. However, Ivy left no room for argument as she began walking, chatting about all of the people who would be at the party and how everyone had ‘just loved you’ and ‘were going to be so thrilled to meet you’.
The ballroom was already packed to the brim when we arrived, and three people were actually forced to leave so that we could enter- one for each of us, and an extra person to accommodate the wings of my costume. I knew it was fake, that the people were just looking for a show, completely unaware- or uncaring- that there were real, human lives that were being ruined, which basically, took all of the potential fun out of the interactions. At least the food was good.
As empty as the people were, though, I realized their enthusiasm was genuine, after looking past my disgust at their indifference towards their way of life. Their smiles were somehow both empty and full. Part of me envied their obliviousness, their carefree nature. They had no idea about the troubles of the world, of the Districts, of the people. I was almost envious.
Finally, Ivy pulled me away from another man with bright periwinkle hair and diamonds embedded into his skin to take me back to the suite. It was getting late and I had an early start the next day. I had to enlist her help to get all of the added vines and make up off- how did they do this all of the time?- before I could jump into the shower, but soon I was scrubbed clean, donned in a t-shirt and shorts for sleeping in.
“Rest up, Rowan. You’re going to need it for tomorrow. Sleep well!”
With that ominous message, overlaid with a cheery goodnight, I fell into a deep sleep, anxious for the next day, while dreading it at the same time. I’d gotten past the first obstacle, the Parade, but there were still so many more, and yet, not nearly enough, and this was just the first step.
