The tribute interviews

"Please welcome to the stage, our female tribute from District 12: Katniss Everdeen!"

I raise an arm to shield my eyes from the bright spotlights that temporarily blind me, but manage to save the hand motion by turning it into a wave.

I had to remind myself that I was supposed to be a confident young woman who was happy to strut around half-naked on live TV.

I cringe as I feel my boobs bouncing as I cross the stage, and make a performance of adjusting them as I sit down.

"Forgetting something, Katniss?" Caeser Flickerman asks, nodding at my feet.

"Oh, that," I laugh, raising my legs and wiggling my toes for the camera. "I just find it more comfortable to walk around barefoot, and I'm not sure how many more chances I'll get to do so."

"Does it not hurt?" he asks, genuinely concerned.

"Well, I do wear shoes outside," I explain, trying to make it sound like I wish footwear had never been invented, "and inside when I don't want my sister to tickle me."

"Ooo, how exciting!" Caeser says, gleefully. "Mind if I-?"

But I'm already spinning around in my seat and laying my bare feet across his lap.

"Knock yourself out!" I tease, wiggling my toes.

The next part involves no acting whatsoever.

I break down into fits of giggles as Caesar starts attacking my bare soles. He digs his fingers in, working his way between my toes, tickling my ankles.

"S-stop-!" I gasp. "I-I'm going to wet myself!"

The audience laughs as Caesar relents, allowing me to sit up, catch my breath, and make another show of readjusting my top.

"Now, Katniss," Caesar asks. "You made quite the entrance the other day. We've had lots of seen-stealing theatrics over the years, but I've never seen anything quite like that...or quite like those!"

I lick my dry lips and try to stay calm.

"Would you like to see them again?" I vocalise.

"What do you guys think?" Caesar calls out, and the loud cheers from the audience left us in no doubt.

Forcing a smile onto my face, I reach behind my neck and untie the knot. As Cinna had predicted, the two straps tumble into my lap, and the cheers reach a crescendo.

"Oh, wonderful! Wonderful!" Caesar cries, rubbing his hands together. "Do you mind if I...?"

Before I could answer, he places his hands on my breasts and begins to massage them. I manage to stifle a moan as his thumbs brush my nipples.

"H-how about I show you more?" I say breathlessly, pushing aside his hands and standing up. With thousands in the audience and millions around Panem watching on, I grab the waist band of my shorts, and yank them down. By the time I've stepped out of them and kicked them away, the cheers have morphed into roars.

After turning in a circle to let the cameras see my buttocks, I sit down next to a giddy Caesar.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm jealous of District 12! I guess you have all the boys chasing after you!"

"Well...err...not quite!" I laugh.

"What is it?" Caesar asks, concerned. "Don't tell me...oh Katniss, please don't say it's true..."

"I've never even kissed a boy, let alone had sex with one!"

The atmopshere immediately changed; from ecstacy, to pity.

"Oh, my, dear," Caesar says, hugging me. "If we weren't rooting for you before, we most definetly are now. It would break my heart for you to die a virgin."

I instincitvely squeeze my thighs together as Caesar sympathetically pats me on the leg.

"Well I guess I'l just have to win then," I laugh.

"You continue to surprise me, Katniss. It's so refereshing to see a beautiful, young woman so confident in her body. When you make it out of the arena, you'll have your choice of whoever you want in Panem. Let's here it one more time for our District 12 female tribute: Katniss Everdeen!"

I threw a few more smiles and waves as I walked off the stage, trying not to wince as my bare boobs painfully bounced around.

Effie was waiting to greet me.

"Oh, Katniss, you were fantastic!"

She hugged me tightly; it was only when I felt her breath on my bare skin that I remebered that I'd left my outfit on the stage.

"T-thanks, Effie," I smile weakly, hugging myself and shivering as she pulls back. Now that the adrenaline was leaving my system, I realised just how cold it was. "Any chance you've got something for me to wear?"

"You're such a tease!" Effie laughs as she leads me down the corridor and towards my accommodation. "A great pair of girls like that, and you're wanting to keep them hidden! I had no idea you were so innocent; but you'll be so desirable now!"

I cradlle my breasts with one arm and keep my other hand between my legs as I follow Effie, letting her monologue. My bare feet slap loudly, and it's becoming increasingly hard to keep my emotions in check.

It was only after I'd bade goodnight to Effie and locked myself in my room that I allow my feelings to spill out.

I wasn't sure of the best tactic to win the Hunger Games; but surely going on TV stark naked and telling the whole country that I was frigid surely wasn't it!

xxx

As I was stepping out of the shower, I there was a knock on the door. Securing a robe around my body, I padded over, opened the door...and immediately regretted not having put some more clothes on.

Peeta had come to wish me good luck, and to see if I was OK after my interview (unlike those in the Capitol, he had seen through my confident persona).

The words didn't initally come, and I knew how distracting I must have looked. Long hair loose and soaking wet, exposed skin glistening, bare feet twitching against the cool floor, all while wrapped in just a robe.

I start to shiver, which only added to my appearance of vulnerability.

As the conversation ended, Peeta seemed **** to leave.

Without warning, he steps forward, embraces me, and kisses me on the lips.

"Now you've kissed a boy," he says, before leaving me breathless and stunned in the doorway.

As I dried off, I tried to work out why Peeta had done that. Was he trying to confuse me, make me distracted in the arena so that he could finish me off easier? Did he think I was trying to confuse HIM? Romance had never been something I'd persued, and as I hated being naked, why would I try and use my body in that way?

I pull on my skimpy pajamas and climb into bed, once again wishing that the Capitol had allowed me to keep my full-length pajamas that I'd brought with me. But as it was better than going naked (even though commando and with so much skin exposed left me feeling nude), and the fact that this was probably the last time I'd ever wear pajamas or sleep in a bed, I try to enjoy it.

But as I drift off, I can't stop thinking about Peeta Mellark...