~ 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙮 ~

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟝

" 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑚𝑒 "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Training day, I pick at the food on my plate that I can't seem to even eat. I'm not hungry? Or just that I'm nervous, mags says this is an important day and to make alliances or at least just to not make enemies. Which is hard, I mean 24 goes in and only one comes out.

Gage clears his throat, "I think it's about time we get to the training room"

I sigh and nod as I put my hair in a ponytail, we walk to the elevator and I close my eyes

"Don't be worried Vic, everyone knows you'll be good, just don't show them your full strength"

I nod and smile in his direction, "thank you Gage" I say as I kiss his cheek and we head into the room.

We decide it's best if we don't train together as we don't wanna seem like we have to rely on each other. The first place I go is knot tying. I head there and start to tie the Knots I've learned many times from home.

Home, how I miss the currents and the salty breeze, I hear a cough from my side and look there as I see the guy from two taking my knot and wrapping it around his head making a death motion as he chuckles I raise my eyebrow

"Oh not funny? Sorry" he says a bit sarcastically he seems about 15

"Let me introduce myself, the others are a bit well, ya know scared. I'm Evan." He says as he lets out his hand, I look down at it and then back at him

"I'm victo-"

"Victoria grace. Yes I'm sure everyone knows that by now." He interrupts.

I really hate when people interrupt. The girl from two skips her way over and smiles at me, "I'm clement!" She says giving me a smirk and I nod, why does she look so familiar..

"Lovely to meet you both, but I should get to training"

She gasps and claps her hands, "oh my god we should have a competition, I love me some, you knife throw?" She asks a bit too chipper

I shrug, "yeah" I simply say, obviously not enjoying this conversation.

We make our way to the knife throwing section, she goes first as each light up she takes her knives and throws them some of them missing inches away from her target.

During this time both from 1 and 3 come over as well as some random tributes from other districts come to watch. She's good I won't lie.

"You're turn viccy" she says and I slightly cringe at the name she gave me as I walk over I grab the knives and situate them in my hands, as the targets light up I hit every one in the middle each time, never once missing. I do it all so fast that I finish before the timer stops.

I look past my shoulder at the handsome boy from one as he walks over, "I'm Vince"

I scan him as I stare at his hand which he handed out to me, "I suppose you already know who I am." I say with my eyebrow raised and he smirks, "who doesn't" he seems to wink as the girl from his district seems to get a bit jealous as she fake coughs, "I guess you're not just a pretty face huh" she states starring at me with hatred. I brush her glares off and shrug, "what exactly do you guys want." I say as I turn to put the knives back.

"We want you with us, you'll make 7 in our group."

I snicker and then look back, "join the Careers? I guess my district is a career itself or can be but still. I'd prefer working alone. You all will stab me in the back." I say stepping right in front of him. "I know how this goes, you see me as a threat, so you want me to join you. It's survival right." I tilt my head not breaking eye contact with Vince, I glance at clement and evans. "No matter how much I would love to be part of your murder cult I'm good." I say with a half smile as I walk past them.

This seems to shake them as Vince turns, "It isn't about trust, it's about surviving Victoria. If you happen to change your mind let me know." And with that I continue to walk away as his words echo through my thoughts.

~

The next couple of training days go by and I barley am able to see Gage as their having us forcefully train separate. I miss him. I think as I run into someone on the way to scoring.

"I'm so sorry" I state as I rub my head and look up to see Vince, his blue eyes stare into mine as his blonde hair sweeps across his forehead, once realizing it was me his expression softens, "no no my apologies"

We stand their starring at each other as I nod, "we should get to the scoring" I say softly

He nods, "Vic, listen, I know you won't join us, but I have to warn you. Glenda, the girl from my district. Especially Clement-" he gets cut off as the other tributes walk in and I tried to say something but I get pulled away as Gage grabs my hand and glares at Vince, "stay away" Gage mouths as he pulls me into the room.

What was he going to say? Glenda? Clement? The girl who I swear I know.

Gage snaps me out of my trans, "Vic?"

I look at him and smile hugging him remembering I haven't seen him in a few. "I missed you" I whisper a bit as he smiles back at me.

"I did too but what did Vince say to you?" His expression turning cold at his name

"I- wait. Are you jealous?" I say smirking, not gonna lie I totally did that to not tell Gage but he really didn't tell me anything. I hope he does.

Gage widens his eyes and gets flustered, "I- what?? No no I would never." He awkwardly scratches the back of his head as his cheeks grow pink.

I giggle then realization hits me, does Gage like me?

~

I sit there waiting, occasionally I glance over to see Vince starring at me and then Glenda glaring at me as well as clement glancing. I try to ignore it as their names are called. Shortly mine is and Gage grips my hand, "show them up vic"

I smile and nod in his direction as I walk in the big room and doors behind me close. I go over and as the nerves get me I grab my knives and end up missing. They slightly chuckle as I do and I hear one speak under their breathe, "I guess she is just a pretty face"

This gets me furious as I glare at them they go back to talking as I take one of my knifes and throw it right past them barley missing the guy who said that as it stick in the wall.

Silence fills the room as they all look at me, "looks like I missed." I raise my eyebrow and roll my eyes as I walk out of the room.

~

I lock myself in my room and decide it's best to go out and see my scores,

"Wait what did you say?" My stylist asks as I shrug, "looks like I missed?"

Greenie gasped and glared at me, "you realize because of that, your scores will be the lowest."

I shrug, "they deserve it." I mutter as Gage gives me a reassuring squeeze on my hand

Ceasers voice booms as he talks about training scores, both from 1 got 10 as well as 2 and 3 who got 9/10. Then my face pops up, even goes silent.

"The beautiful Victoria grace, with a surprising, 12"

The whole room gasps as I sit there in shock. I smirk a bit and nod as Gage photo pops up and his was a 10 everyone clapped for us as Gage and I hugged, "I knew you would do well" I said to him as he chuckles, "but I knew you would do even better." He stated and I give him a soft smile.

I knew having the highest score meant I'd be on people's death list but it felt nice. Maybe I did have a chance at this. Maybe I could win. But if it comes down to it I'd sacrifice myself for Gage, cause that's just what you do, when you 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 someone.

Maybe sooner than later they'll all realize, im so much more than just a 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑦 ғᴀᴄᴇ.