Let The Games Begin!

I grit my teeth together as yet another strip of hair is removed from my body. Before this torture had commenced I had asked my prep team, those in charge of preparing me to be prepared later by my actual stylist, why I was in need of preparation. They seemed flabbergasted that I should ask such a thing and replied, “You must look you best for the cameras!” in their thick Capitol accent.
My prep team consists of three people, two men and one woman, whose job is to prepare me for the cameras, but they are only to make me presentable enough for my stylist to finish me up. As we speak I am being ridded of every hair on my body that isn’t atop my head.
When they finished that they moved onto my hair and nails.

“Your hair is absolutely gorgeous Maylee!” Stacia (stacy-uh), my female prepy,
exclaims, “Now what to do with it…”

Someone begins to work on my nails as I watch in the mirror as Stacia begins to add waves to my hair. My hair is naturally wavy, but only slightly, and what she is going for is slightly more extreme. Then I turn my head slightly to examine my nails, which are being worked on by one of my male preppies named Romero (rome-air-oh). They now appear to be a shimmering ruby. I am very fascinated by the color and when I shift my hand, earning a glare from Romero, who is still doing my nails, the light seems to reflect off it while doing a little dance on my arm. My fascination is then broken by Thalamus (tha-la-miss), my second male prepy, who has now started on my makeup and is asking me to raise my chin. I do and he goes to work, beautifying my features.

After about 20 more minutes of this there is a slight knock on the door and without waiting for an answer, an older female walks through the door. Forgive me, when I say older I mean older than me, she appears to be in her very early thirties, about the same as I assume my preppies to be. She has long flowing red hair and muted green eyes along with olive-colored skin.

“Hello Maylee, I am your stylist Caria (car-e-uh),” she said in a measured tone.
“Hello,” I replied politely, “Are you here to make me pretty for the cameras?” I ask jokingly.
“I am here to help you gain sponsors and give you an edge,” she said, her face remaining even.
“Oh,” was all I could say, “so what will I be wearing for the ceremony?”
“In honor of District 1’s exports, we have decided to turn you and Lerom, your district partner, into jewels.” I ponder this over. It seems to make enough sense, but how exactly do they plan on pulling that off?? I only had to wait a couple of seconds before they brought my outfit in. It was a red dress that ended mid-thigh and had about an inch thick straps. The entire thing was coated in red sequins that caught the light every time its position was shifted. As I was helped into it I realized exactly how sensitive to movement it is, and all of the lights in the City Circle are bound to make me look like shining ruby!! I am beginning to think that Caria may actually know what she is doing…but before I could compliment her, Shawna walks in and with her capitol accent, declares “it is time to hurry along!”
"Maylee! Wait!" Stacia calls after me, "You must forget this!" as she places what seems to be a tiara of sorts onto my head.
"Thanks!" was all I could call back before being hurried out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am ushered into a room below what I am told will be our training area, I guess that those chosen actually get a chance to train some before being sentenced to death…and from there we board horse-drawn chariots and be paraded around the City Circle for all of Panem to watch, be it live or on a TV screen.
I am just boarding District 1’s carriage that is being pulled by porcelain ponies, when Lerom steps up next to me wearing a similar outfit only in pants and a button-up shirt and has just enough time to give me a quick, but reassuring hug before the wide doors open and we are live to all of Panem.