The tributes from 1 were Taffeta and Chiffon. They were both bigger than I was, and Chiffon, who was female, lacked the slender and curvy qualities allotted for women. She was pretty, no doubt, but our bodies were considerably different, because hers was more muscular than mine. Taffeta, who I guess couldn’t figure me out, just looked me up and down appreciatively, until Slate hit him companionably at the back of the head.

Taffeta retaliated and put him in a harmless headlock. They were split apart almost immediately. It could have easily been Taffeta disadvantaging Slate before the Games, even though it was friendly banter, as friendly as you could get before killing each other.

Lark, who was Slate’s district partner, was the one who scrutinized me the most. She was attractive enough. She had to be, if she wanted to be noticed beside Slate. Her skin was the same color as Slate’s with her dark hair tied up on top of her head. I was a little jealous the comfort of having hair away from her face.

Other than those similarities, our resemblance ended until our hair color. Her eyes were dark and unreadable, and her face was heart-shaped and was dotted with a few freckles on her nose. Among the Careers, she was the one closer to my height and size, although she was slighter because of her lack of womanly softness. She had been a volunteer as well. Both she and Slate were 18, which motivated them to volunteer, since it would be their last year in the running.

This was what helped them to enter the Games instead of the original ones from the reaping.

“You don’t know how annoying it is to hear him raving about you all throughout dinner last night?” she said, allowing pleasantness. She held out her hand and I shook it. “I don’t know how he managed it, considering he didn’t know anything about you except that you were from District 4.”

Slate glared at her. I glanced at him, liking Lark already. I had wondered what she thought of me, during those short periods when Slate and I interacted, but at least I knew there was no interest in him on her part.

“So, let’s see if there’s more to that pretty face, shall we?” Taffeta handed me a set of knives, as we were in that station right now.

I knew that I would veer away from the trident and spears, since those were the ones I was exceptional at. I could show off with knives just to show them I was skilled with one thing. I took the set, took my place and started flinging at random targets that would sprout from the ground.

I hit every single one with precision and accuracy.

“She’s a keeper, Slate,” Lark joked. We all laughed. This was the dark humor that we could afford right now. We all knew that as much as we entertained our feelings right now, it wouldn’t matter once we were in the arena.

Come lunchtime, I had gotten along with the four of them. I felt a little guilty for leaving Xavier out, since he was a Career, just like the rest of us, but when I set him aside and asked him if he wanted to join us, he declined.

“I don’t want to be friends with anyone in this, Serena,” he said. “When we get into the arena, I don’t want to be in a pack. I’ll head off alone. I know I won’t stand a chance with them in a pack, especially after we start turning on each other. I don’t want any attachment to stop me either.”

I understood him completely. No wonder he was distant, even from me. He must have noted the look on my face because he quickly added, “Don’t worry about me, Serena. Just take care of yourself. I’m more worried for you than you are of me. It’s not me who’s going to go up against them when the time comes.”

He started for the table with food and proceeded to a table where he could eat alone. At least I know that his isolation was his own preference.

We quickly put the tables together, and we were the rowdiest ones in the room. The rest of the tributes were eating alone or were in pairs.

I couldn’t help but feel assured, as Slate kept his arm on the back of my chair. He kept me unnecessarily close during lunch, as if he was saying that he had claim to me. I settled on the space in between his arm and his side comfortably.

The other kept alluding to how cozy we looked, but we made no move to inch away from each other. I don’t know if this was all an act from him, and that would be obvious once we were in the arena, but I was glad that he was such a good actor.

Once we had to resume training again, even the Careers had to separate to gather what they needed based on what their own mentors had directed them to do. I was glad to have some time on my own, but I agreed to meet up with Slate before training was over at 6.

I noticed the Gamemakers noting down some things on their clipboards as they observed us.

I ended up at the station where I could learn how to start fires. I needed to know the different types of wood that would allow a small fire, and what would create a very obvious amount of smoke. I knew how to start fires, for our bonfires by the beach, but there were a few types that I was unfamiliar with. This proved pretty useful.

After an hour of trying, I successfully started a fire without the need of a match. I asked the trainer how long it would last, and if the smoke could be seen from far range. He was assisting three different tributes aside from me, so they also learned from my questions.

I didn’t bother knowing their names, but I made a mental note on attaching their faces with what they were good at. I was right about the girl from 5, who seemed to be speedy. I noticed this during her agility training. Showing this off was either a smart move or a really dumb one.

She just revealed that she was a fast runner, then we would not bother going after her, but set traps to hurt her. We could also just target her at the start then we wouldn’t need to bother running after her. Then again, she might have some skills that she’s withholding from the rest of us.

I was also right about the boy from 7, who mostly only conversed with the girl counterpart from his district. Both looked very capable with an ax. I made a note to target them the first chance I got.

The tributes from 12 were both skinny and lacked in height. They had the same gray eyes, the same dark hair and olive skin. I wondered vaguely if they were related, but then again, it could have just been a resemblance to those in their district. They went around trying different things, but excelled in nothing exceptionally. I didn’t know if that was their plan, but then again, they might just be one of those dead on the first day. They only ever had one victor from their district.

At 6PM, everyone started heading up. I saw Slate telling something to Lark and she nodded and went into the elevator with Taffeta and Chiffon. I called at Xavier to head on up without me.

Slate waited by the elevators, watching me as I walked toward him.

“Remember how you said that I should find a place?” he asked, pulling me toward the elevators. “I walked around all night, looking for a place in the building.”

“Isn’t there some sort of curfew implemented?” I asked, clicking on the button for the elevator.

“What’s the worst they can do to me?” He shrugged and stared straight ahead. As cocky as he seemed to be, I knew that he was conscious of the decision he placed himself in. He didn’t seem to be scared. He seemed pretty confident about winning, actually. He was in this for the honor, as opposed to the other district tributes, who were forced to be here. “Besides, they aren’t as strict with us here. We’re the favorites, remember?”

He hit on the button that had L. It must have meant lobby or lounge, since it was lower than the District 1 floor, but higher than where we first entered. “Do a lot of people go here?”

“I don’t think so. There are only a few attendants, but no one reprimanded me for being here.” The elevators opened to a flat gold-carpeted area. The walls had gilt mirrors, and had plush chaise lounges. There was even a bar in the center. This must have been where some of the mentors hung around, since a few of them were chatting to each other. They must have been surprised to see the two of us go in without anyone.

Slate was one of the few who really didn’t give a damn about restrictions that were harmless. I recognized the former victors from different districts. They weren’t even mentors in this Games, but I guess since they were victors, they were allowed or requested back to the Capitol.

Slate didn’t even bat an eyelash as he headed straight for the open balcony, where we could have some privacy. The winds were strong, so even if we were under surveillance, they wouldn’t catch very much. The lights were dim as well, and we sat at one of the chaises where the two of us could fit.

He sat down first, and right when I was sitting at the edge, he put his arms around me and kept me warm. I could feel his breath at the top of his head as his warm breath contrasted the cool wind. We were wrapped around pretty intimately too, and anyone who saw us might think we had been doing this for a considerable amount of time. We looked so comfortable with each other.

“Did you pay attention to me at the stables because your mentors told you to?” I asked. If anyone was to know if this was an act or not, it was the two of us. It was better to have that cleared out right now before either of us believed that there would be something real that would come out of this.

“No. They knew we would end up meeting at the training center eventually, and since we would be allies anyway, they wouldn’t need to tell me to try and make friends with you.”

“So why did you?” I kept my heart a steady pace. He was a distraction right now, but I needed to condition myself to be ready to kill him if the time came.

“Isn’t it kind of obvious that I’m a little into you?” He laughed. It was an odd sound, coming from this intimidating person. He must have been saving that act for the cameras. “I could have just introduced myself and left out the part where I thought you were pretty.”

“Are you tricking me right now?” I raised an eyebrow at him and smiled suspiciously. “Maybe this is some kind of trap so that in the arena, I’ll be sacrificing everything to keep you alive.”

“Look, I don’t care if you think I’m just messing around with your mind or not. Think whatever you want, really. What I know is that these might be the last few days in my life and I’m going to make it count. Who cares if a girl I’m interested in will be one of my adversaries in the end? I wouldn’t have met you otherwise. It’s not like I’m surrounded by people I care about right now.”

District 2 was full of people who supported the Capitol. They were chummy with the Capitol and had extra conveniences because of this relationship. Slate was a tribute from this district as well as a Career. 1,2 and 4 were probably the most hated districts by the other districts. We were favored above all of them, 1 and 2 especially. They couldn’t understand what was running through our minds and why we acted this way toward the Capitol.

We’ve seen the state of the other districts. We try our best to maintain our lifestyles, since they were significantly better than the others. The Capitol still unfairly treated us, but it could be worse. We could be like 12, where the people were starving to death everyday.

Hearing Slate speak the same as I did made me realize just how much the Capitol manipulated us into killing each other to remind us that they held the power. He was a normal person who grew up believing what he did because of the district he grew up in. It wasn’t his fault. We were just pieces in a sadistic game that kept all of us in line, and to keep us against each other.

~

A/N- Please don't forget to vote if you liked it! It's in the Watty Awards so I would very much appreciate it!