ur table manners？
¨Everyone has their reservations； naturally。 You being from the coal district。 But I said； and this was very clever of me； I said； ˉWell； if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls！ˇ¨ Effie beams at us so brilliantly that we have no choice but to respond enthusiastically to her cleverness even though itˇs wrong。
Coal doesnˇt turn to pearls。 They grow in shellfish。 Possibly she meant coal turns to diamonds； but thatˇs untrue； too。 Iˇve heard they have some sort of machine in District 1 that can turn graphite into diamonds。 But we donˇt mine graphite in District 12。 That was part of District 13ˇs job until they were
destroyed。
I wonder if the people sheˇs been plugging us to all day either know or care。
¨Unfortunately； I canˇt seal the sponsor deals for you。 Only Haymitch can do that；〃 says Effie grimly。 ¨But donˇt worry； Iˇll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary。〃
Although lacking in many departments； Effie Trinket has a certain determination I have to admire。
My quarters are larger than our entire house back home。 They are plush； like the train car； but also have so many automatic gadgets that Iˇm sure I wonˇt have time to press all the buttons。 The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature； pressure； soaps； shampoos； scents； oils； and massaging sponges。 When you step out on a mat； heaters e on that blow…dry your body。 Instead of struggling with the knots in my wet hair； I merely place my hand on a box that sends a current through my scalp； untangling； parting； and drying my hair almost instantly。 It floats down around my shoulders in a glossy curtain。
I program the closet for an outfit to my taste。 The windows zoom in and out on parts of the city at my mand。 You need only whisper a type of food from a gigantic menu into a mouthpiece and it appears； hot and steamy； before you in less than a minute。 I walk around the room eating goose liver and puffy bread until thereˇs a knock on the door。 Effieˇs calling me to dinner。
Good。 Iˇm starving。
Peeta； Cinna； and Portia are standing out on a balcony that overlooks the Capitol when we enter the dining room。 Iˇm glad to see the stylists； particularly after I hear that Haymitch will be joining us。 A meal presided over by just
Effie and Haymitch is bound to be a disaster。 Besides； dinner isnˇt really about food； itˇs about planning out our strategies； and Cinna and Portia have already proven how valuable they are。
A silent young man dressed in a white tunic offers us all stemmed glasses of wine。 I think about turning it down； but Iˇve never had wine； except the homemade stuff my mother uses for coughs； and when will I get a chance to try it again？ I take a sip of the tart； dry liquid and secretly think it could be improved by a few spoonfuls of honey。
Haymitch shows up just as dinner is being served。 It looks as if heˇs had his own stylist because heˇs clean and groomed and about as sober as Iˇve ever seen him。 He doesnˇt refuse the offer of wine； but when he starts in on his soup； I realize itˇs the first time Iˇve ever seen him eat。 Maybe he really will pull himself together long enough to help us。
Cinna and Portia seem to have a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie。 At least theyˇre addressing each other decently。 And they both have nothing but praise for our stylistsˇ opening act。 While they make small talk； I concentrate on the meal。 Mushroom soup； bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas； rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper； noodles in a green sauce； cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes。 The servers； all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine； move wordlessly to and from the table； keeping the platters and glasses full。
About halfway through my glass of wine； my head starts feeling foggy； so I change to water instead。 I donˇt like the feeling and hope it wears off soon。 How Haymitch can stand walking around like this full…time is a mystery。
I try to focus on the talk； which has turned to our interview costumes； when a girl sets a gorgeous…looking cake on the table and deftly lights it。 It blazes up and then the flames flicker around the edges awhile until it finally goes out。 I have a moment of doubt。 ¨What makes it burn？ Is it alcohol？〃 I say； looking up at the girl。 ¨Thatˇs the last thing I wa oh！ I know you！〃
I canˇt place a name or time to the girlˇs face。 But Iˇm certain of it。 The dark red hair； the striking features； the porcelain white skin。 But even as I utter the words； I feel my insides contracting with anxiety and guilt at the sight of her； and while I canˇt pull it up； I know some bad memory is associated with her。 The expression of terror that crosses her face only adds to my confusion and unease。 She shakes her head in denial quickly and hurries away from the table。
When I look back； the four adults are watching me like hawks。
¨Donˇt be ridiculous； Katniss。 How could you possibly know an Avox？〃 snaps Effie。 ¨The very thought。〃
¨Whatˇs an Avox？〃 I ask stupidly。
¨Someone who mitted a crime。 They cut her tongue so she canˇt speak；〃 says Haymitch。 ¨Sheˇs probably a traitor of some sort。 Not likely youˇd know her。〃
¨And even if you did； youˇre not to speak to one of them unless itˇs to give an order；〃 says Effie。 ¨Of course； you donˇt really know her。〃
But I do know her。 And now that Haymitch has mentioned the word traitor I remember from where。 The disapproval is so high I could never admit it。 ¨No； I guess not； I just 〃 I stammer； and the wine is not helping。
Peeta snaps his fingers。 ¨Delly Cartwright。 Thatˇs who it is。 I kept thinking she looked familiar as well。 Then I realized sheˇs a dead ringer for Delly。〃
Delly Cartwright is a pasty…faced； lumpy girl with yellowish hair who looks about as much like our server as a beetle does a butterfly。 She may also be the friendliest person on the pla she smiles constantly at everybody in school； even me。 I have never seen the girl with the red hair smile。 But I jump on Peetaˇs suggestion gratefully。 ¨Of course； thatˇs who I was thinking of。 It must be the hair；〃 I say。
¨Something about the eyes； too；〃 says Peeta。
The energy at the table relaxes。 ¨Oh； well。 If thatˇs all it is；〃 says Cinna。 ¨And yes； the cake has spirits； but all the alcohol has burned off。 I ordered it specially in honor of your fiery debut。〃
We eat the cake and move into a sitting room to watch the replay of the opening ceremonies thatˇs being broadcast。 A few of the other couples make a nice impression； but none of them can hold a candle to us。 Even our own party lets out an ¨Ahh！〃 as they show us ing out of the Remake Center。
¨Whose idea was the hand holding？〃 asks Haymitch。
¨Cinnaˇs；〃 says Portia。
¨Just the perfect touch of rebellion；〃 says Haymitch。 ¨Very nice。〃
Rebellion？ I have to think about that one a moment。 But when I remember the other couples； standing stiffly apart； never touching or acknowledging each other； as if their fellow tribute did not exist； as if the Games had already begun； I know what Haymitch means。 Presenting ourselves not as adversaries but as friends has distinguished us as much as the fiery costumes。
¨Tomorrow morning is the first training session。 Meet me for breakfast and Iˇll tell you exactly how I want you to play it；〃 says Haymitch to Peeta and I。 ¨Now go get some sleep while the grown…ups talk。〃
Peeta and I walk together down the corridor to our rooms。 When we get to my door； he leans against the frame； not blocking my entrance exactly but insisting I pay attention to him。 ¨So； Delly Cartwright。 Imagine finding her lookalike here。〃
Heˇs asking for an explanation； and Iˇm tempted to give him one。 We both know he covered for me。 So here I am in his debt again。 If I tell him the truth about the girl； somehow that might even things up。 How can it hurt really？ Even if he repeated the story； it couldnˇt do me much harm。 It was just something I witnessed。 And he lied as much as I did about Delly Cartwright。
I realize I do want to talk to someone about the girl。 Someone who might be able to help me figure out her story。
Gale would