Panem High School

Observations

Finch's POV
I stand in the courtyard of my school, taking it all in. For as long as I can remember, there have been groups. It's almost like where we live and who we are creates forcefields that only people like ourselves can penetrate. Being from the 5th area, I mostly hang out with other people from my area and people from the 3rd and 6th area as well. We're the equivalent of the geeks and nerds of the high school food chain. At least, that's what I've gathered from some of the old books about sociology from American times, when Panem didn't even exist and this totally different world was here instead. I like to think of myself as a writer, I have a journal of observations I've made over the years. Back in American times, there were really 5 main social groups, each one with subgroups to be more specific. You have the Nerds, the Jocks, the Nobodies, the Populars, and the Artists. Sometimes they even crossover, mostly with Populars and Jocks and sometimes Artists and then Nobodies and Nerds. Like I said, there are also subgroups. Except, it's different for us. In America, rebellious people would be under Populars and sometimes Nobodies, but for us rebellious isn't even a category, and if it is they're definitely Nobodies. We do have Mathletes (Nerds), Careers (Jocks/Populars), Painters (Artists), and basically anyone from the 12th area (Nobodies). Very few people from 12 ever socialize with people who don't live near them. Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne, for example. We used to be friends when we started high school, we were minnows in a sea full of sharks, we stuck together. They just kept talking about the Seam and coal and all these depressing stories that I didn't want to hear about. When I chose a lighter topic, they tended to get offended, as most 12s do. They and 11 seem to think nobody else can understand the poverty they live in, and maybe that's true, but it makes them Nobodies all the same. Then you can break down the subgroups into each person. For example, Sagara Garner, Marvel James, Clove Sevina, Cato Hadley, and Glimmer Cantrell make up the Careers, extremely popular jocks. If you had to pick a leader, Cato would be it. He's the Scary Leader, Marvel is the Sidekick, Sagara is the Breakaway, Clove is the Badass, and Glimmer is the Deadweight. Cato's title is self explanatory, he's scary and they mostly follow him, others taking the lead sometimes. Marvel always follows whoever takes the lead, no matter what. He's a loyal sidekick. Sagara is the Breakaway, she's independent. The other four are always in pairs, Glimmer and Marvel and Clove and Cato, but Sagara often does things by herself. If the group were ever to split up, she'd be the first to leave. Clove is a huge badass, I have respect for her. She may be a brutal bully sometimes, most times, but she's faced a lot. The story of the Sevina family is as well known as the school's handbook, it's practically required. Everyone knows her mom is a drill sergeant and that her dad is a softie and her brother is in the Capitol, I think she's had to overcome a lot, I would be a bully too. She's also amazing with knives, a lot of Career girls are lethal, but a lot depend on their looks to really get by, Clove has never done that in her life. Then there's Glimmer, no one knows why they keep her around. From a strategical standpoint, Glimmer is a huge disadvantage. The only thing she's really good at is camouflage, but she's not patient enough to just melt into her surroundings and attack when no one realizes she's there, so she depends on archery. There's no doubt they'll turn on her first in the games. Then Sagara, then Marvel, and no one knows what will happen when it's only Cato and Clove, and that will happen. It'll sure be interesting. First class with Coin has sure proved to be interesting. Everyone besides the Careers likes her, she shares the view of the masses. We all know if there was ever another war, it would be the Capitol, Snow, and areas 1, 2, and 4 against the rest of us, so when Coin openly picks on Clove and Cato and Glimmer, the rest of the class is very appreciative. Of course, we don't show it, if we did we'd be attacked by Cato or Clove or Sagara or Marvel at one point or another. Although that class is always a joy, my favorite is definitely Language Arts with Professor Abernathy. He was a Victor, but after his love, Maysilee, was killed by a jealous Career days after he won, he became a drunk. He lost most of his money and wasn't well liked by the Capitol. He eventually sold his house in the Capitol and moved back to area 12, where he's from. He became a teacher, I'm not sure how, and I got him this year. Clove and Marvel are in this class with me, they sit in the back on their phones most of the time. Professor Abernathy doesn't really care what we do, he meets the standards set for him, barely, and doesn't do much else. That's fine by me though, he's my muse. I don't need him to be anything more than that. The truth is, I want to be an accomplished novelist. I want to write about these people and stereotypes and all of these character studies that I've done over the years. Of course, that'll never happen, the leaders would never allow it. Still, my journal has everything I've ever written since I was 12, just in case. The thing that makes me inspired by Professor Abernathy is his honesty. He doesn't waste time on lies, even if it would hurt someone's feelings if he told the truth. Everyone knows exactly what he's thinking because he tells you straight out. I want to be like that. Not biased, not kind, not evil, just honest. I want to tell the truth, especially when it comes to the Careers. Everyone sees them as these undefeated machines who'll crush you on sight, no one ever takes the time to actually see who they are. I've spied on all of them and know for a fact that none of them are who they seem to be. They didn't get there all by theirselves either. Professor Abernathy suddenly told us to write our name on one of the cards he was handing out. I took a big red marker and wrote in all capitals, FINCH. I handed my card in and Professor Abernathy shuffled them and put them in a bucket, shaking that as well.
"I've decided to do something hands on today, something different than usual. I got a little bored of watching Sevina and James think they were actually getting away with sitting on their phones throughout class. So I decided to make things interesting. This project is for a grade. Keep that in mind. Mellark, come up here and choose a card from the bucket." Professor Abernathy ordered. Peeta Mellark, a blonde boy from 12, walked up to the bucket and stuck his hand in. He pulled out a card.
"Pexey." He read aloud and all eyes went on a boy from 3, the one who sits next to Glimmer in Coin's class.
"Good, now, tell me everything you know about Pexey."
"His last name is Lingham, he's from area 3. He's good at math. He has an older sister my brother's age, her name's Futura. That's all I know, sir."
"Pexey, what do you know about Mellark?"
"Well, his first name is Peeta. He has two older brothers, Carson and Ash. He's a baker, he can paint, he likes science more than math. He lives in 12." Pexey answered.
"Go sit down Mellark." With that Professor Abernathy began to call names at random, pairing up people. Clove almost threw a hissy fit when she got Katniss Everdeen as her partner. Clove said three things: lives in 12, has a sister, and no father. Katniss said three as well: lives in 2, a Career, and brother doesn't like her. To say the class was holding their breath was an understatement. I had yet to be called, which could be good or bad, I haven't decided yet. Marvel went next.
"Winter." He read.
"She's been picked already." Professor Abernathy said.
"Flax."
"Picked."
"Rowan."
"Picked."
"Finch. Who's Finch?" I raised my hand.
"Well, I guess it's safe to say you know absolutely nothing about her. What about you, Finch? Know anything about Marvel James?"
"I know he lives in 1, he's a Career, he was one of the people who vandalized Professor Coin's office, and he doesn't know who I am." I replied, Professor Abernathy going back to choosing names. Soon everyone had a partner.
"What's the point of this?" Clove asked.
"I'm glad you asked, Sevina. You all are so comfortable in your own worlds that you don't even know your classmates' names. So for a whole month, you and your partner will be spending at least an hour a day together. I don't care if that means studying in the library or eating lunch, you are required to spend the allotted time with each other or else you fail. When the month is over, I'll ask you again what you know about this person and I expect more answers than what you gave me today."
"This is ridiculous, it has nothing to do with Language Arts." Marvel stated.
"Yes it does, you see, I could make you write a whole bunch of character analysis essays about characters from books you'll have to search for in the library, but I'm not. Instead, I'm giving you the opportunity to talk with your classmates and get to know them. Which would you prefer?" No one else complained after that. Before the bell rang, I approached Clove and Marvel.
"We need to decide when to meet." I stated as Clove snarled at me.
"I'm going to the library for a science project after school, we can meet then." Marvel replied.
"Okay." I quickly left before Clove had the chance to attack me and joined Pexey at his desk.
"You're lucky, I'm stuck with a 1. I bet you my lunch that he'll only talk about himself today." I remarked.
"Why would I make a bet I know I'm gonna lose?" Pexey asked.
"Because you feel bad for me."
"Peeta will be joining us for lunch, let's see if this 12 lets us talk about anything interesting, then we'll talk about who deserves sympathy. He's a baker, Finch, a baker."
"I get your point." We left the classroom and went to our lockers. The four hallways each hold three different areas' lockers, based on who the Capitol likes the most that year. The dingy hallway with gray lockers that had half of the paint scraped off belonged to 10, 11, and 12. The puke green hallway with matching puke green lockers belongs to 5, 6, and 7. The white hallway with black lockers and clean floors belong to 3, 8, and 9, textiles and grain did really well last year and we rely on 3 for everything. Then there's the perfect sky blue hallway with platinum lockers and clean floors and the only water fountains that have clean water in the entire school. That's the Career hallway, 1, 2, and 4 have always had that hallway and always will. I opened my puke green locker and put my books away, grabbing my bagged lunch and walking to the cafeteria. In order to get to the cafeteria you have to pass through the Career hallway, their lockers also have the best location. For people like me who don't have good relations with the Careers, this is the scariest part of the day. I had made it past everyone's lockers except for Sagara and Cato's, who were across from each other at the end of the hallway. The two of them saw me and glared menacingly.
"Oh look, it's Book Girl." Sagara said and chuckled, not in a good way.
"Very creative." I spat.
"Oh look, she speaks. Whatever, Book Girl, I don't need to be creative, I just need to be violent. Which I am."
"Good for you, I'm glad you succeed at the one thing you have going for you."
"What did you just say?" Cato said, one of his rages on the horizons. Lucky for me, Marvel and Glimmer appeared seconds later, and Marvel can't pass Language Arts if his best friend kills his partner.
"Cato, let it go." Marvel stated, standing beside him, Glimmer forgotten about.
"Let it go? She-"
"Your mom is still pissed about Coin, she's not worth it. Come on, Clove's waiting." Cato didn't move for a long time, but he eventually stalked off, Sagara following with a look that could kill.
"Try not to anger my friends if you want this to work, 5, school isn't that important to me." Marvel spat and left, taking Glimmer by the arm when she didn't follow.
"Well that happened." Peeta remarked as he and Pexey walked up to me.
"You okay?" Pexey asked.
"Yeah, I knew what I was getting into when I said it. Let's go, I want to eat." I said and we walked into the cafeteria and sat down at a table with Lanni Hilton, Turbo Hyde, and Savera Dizer. We didn't get a chance to say anything before a huge crash came from the Career table. It seems Cato is having his rage anyway, and Clove is providing him with things to throw and break. I rolled my eyes and began to eat.
"That Cato guy is crazy." Turbo remarked.
"And hot." Lanni added.
"Lanni, no." Savera whined, looking completely disturbed.
"I can't help it, he is. All of them are, they're all gorgeous and then there's me."
"Lanni, you're the prettiest person at this table, stop degrading yourself. I'd like to feel good about myself today, thanks." I said and she rolled her eyes. The topic shifted to Peeta and he told us about himself and life in 12. He skipped over all of the bad stuff, which is a change. I was tempted to ask about the rumors with his mom, but decided that I'd rather not ask extremely personal questions until at least a week has passed. I was silent throughout lunch, totally focused on eating my food. I reached into my brown bag and pulled out a chocolate pudding cup.
"Yes!!" I exclaimed. I began to eat the chocolatey goodness and realized everyone was staring at me.
"What?" I asked.
"I've never seen someone so excited for a pudding cup." Turbo stated.
"Pudding cups are the single best snack ever. Seriously, were you guys born yesterday?"
"Okay, Finch, I think you're suffering from sugar withdrawal. Just eat your pudding and calm down." Pexey commented and I playfully glared as I ate my pudding. Lunch soon ended and I later found myself practically dragging my feet as I went to the school library in search for Marvel. I found him at a table with a bunch of textbooks surrounding him.
"My full name is Finch Robin Howard. My favorite color is red, my favorite book is American Society by Robert Newman, and I want to become a famous writer one day." I said and his head shot up to look at me.
"What?" He said.
"We're suppose to learn things about each other. So there you go." I sat down across from him and took out my journal.
"I don't feel comfortable telling you things when I can see you documenting them in whatever file you have on me."
"I'm just writing it down so I can have it a month from now."
"Fine, Marvel Hermes James-"
"Hermes? Like the Greek God?" I asked, laughing.
"What's a Greek God?"
"Just... never mind. Continue."
"My favorite color is blue. I don't really read, I don't have the time to. I did read this book for class once, it was an American Classic apparently. I thought it was pretty good, The Great Gatsby."
"Interesting."
"I don't have much of a plan after school. I plan to win the Hunger Games and live as a public figure, maybe become a leader." I scribbled down his answers as he went back to his work.
"So what is this project anyway?"
"Just something for science, nothing interesting. I'll probably just get help from someone from 3 or something."
"You mean plagiarism?"
"Well, when you say it like that it sounds kind of illegal." I rolled my eyes at his stupidity and went back to writing.
Rue's POV
I start my morning by working in the orchards behind my small house. We need as many hands on deck as possible, so I work before and after school. I wait for my mom to whistle our 4-count signal telling me to come for breakfast and then run in. I take a quick shower and change into proper school clothes. I then eat a normally stale blueberry muffin and run out the door, backpack and lunch in hands. 11 isn't like 12 in the way that we aren't cramped. 12s live right on top of each other, where as in 11, my closest neighbor is a mile away. His name is Thresh, and he is an only child. When I was younger he used to scare me, he's a senior in high school and is huge. We normally end up walking to school at the same time, I walking behind him silently, not daring to say a word. Today is different though, everyone in 11 is tensed up. Today is when you officially sign up to participate in the Hunger Games. Everyone is scared of who'll sign up, the tributes who die in the games are from 11 most of the time. We're all too weak to handle the extreme weather. Today Thresh acknowledged me, in fact, when I reached his house I saw him waiting for me.
"Hello." I said as he walked next to me.
"Hi. My mom says you're signing up." He said, never being one for much words.
"I am, my family is struggling, we need the extra food."
"I'm suppose to discourage you, my mom wants me to. I just want to make sure you know someone isn't coming back."
"I know, and it may be me, but I have to take the risk. We can't last much longer without the extra food."
"Then we are allies. I'll try my best to help you. We 11s stick together, and we won't die."
"Why would you want to be allies with me? I'm just gonna bring you down. This is your way out of poverty."
"I will never forgive myself if you die and I didn't try to save you. Plus, those Careers are going to be looking at you like fresh meat, someone to manipulate. You need someone their size to scare them off."
"Okay." We walked silently after that, the school is miles away, which means we have to start walking hours before we even have to be there. We arrived at school and went to our separate lockers. My locker is right next to Prim's, where she and her sister, Katniss, were arguing. I couldn't help but overhear what they were saying, neither of them being at all quiet.
"Primrose Everdeen, mom and I both agreed this morning that you are not to sign up. That's it, there are no buts. You can not sign up for the Hunger Games." Katniss exclaimed to Prim.
"Katniss, I understand that you and mom are trying to protect me, but I have to sign up. We're starving, so is Gale and his family. We both need as much food as possible." Prim replied.
"We don't need it so badly that you should feel the need to sign up for these games."
"Katniss, at the end of the day it's my decision, and I want you to support me, whatever it is."
"You can't do this." I had all my books and shut the locker, walking to first period, Prim soon joining me.
"Sorry about that." Prim said.
"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to sign up?" I asked.
"I didn't think it mattered to you."
"Don't sign up, you could die."
"So could you."
"I really don't have an option, if your mom and Katniss both believe that they can survive without your food, then don't sign up. My parents don't want me to sign up, but they also can't say we can survive without the food."
"This just isn't fair. Neither of us should be worrying about this."
"I know, but that's life."
"It shouldn't be." We had an assembly that day, the entire school squeezed into the biggest gym to hear Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane and Headmaster Snow talk about the Hunger Games. Prim and I went into the first row, freshmen girls get the first two rows, then freshmen guys, and so on. I saw Katniss and Gale walking in and sitting down shortly before Headmaster Snow began to speak.
"Thank you all for coming. We are joined here today by Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker of the Hunger Games which will be taking place this March. He will talk to you today about why you should sign up for this fun activity that everyone can take part in." Headmaster Snow announced. A man I've never seen before, Seneca Crane, began to speak to us about the Hunger Games.
"Thank you for having me here today, Headmaster Snow. I was once a student of Panem High way back when, and when the Head Gamemaker at the time came and visited us for the first time, I was hooked. I knew that's what I wanted to do. I won the Hunger Games my senior year and moved to the Capitol. I became a Gamemaker and one day, after years of hard work, they made me Head Gamemaker. The Hunger Games are the ultimate test of your training and it is considered a great honor to be one of the brilliant Victors. Anyone can win, we've had a freshman win before, so don't feel like your age puts you at a disadvantage. The whole experience of the Hunger Games is incredible. There are parties and amazing food and new clothing that come with your own personal stylists. You're on TV and you get to be interviewed by the Caesar Flickerman. It's a very exciting experience, even if you don't win. Not to mention, if you do sign up, we will provide you and your family with food for a year. I have left the sign up sheets on the wall on my left. Just sign your name on the sheet for your area." Seneca Crane explained and all of the Careers in the room rushed to the paper, the rest of us trailing behind.
"Are you signing up?" I asked Prim as we waited to sign.
"No, Katniss would never forgive herself if I died out there, it's just not worth it." She answered.
"Good." I signed my name on the sheet and we left, the assembly being the last period of the day. I walked home and changed into work clothes. I went into the orchards and began to work alongside my mom.
"Did you sign up?" She asked.
"Yes." I replied. She let out a shaky breath and hugged me close to her.
"You'll be okay, my little flower."
"I know, Mom, I already have an ally."
"Who?"
"Thresh, he's our neighbor."
"Caritta must have put him up to that, bless her and her son's souls." She let me go and we began to work side by side. We finished when it got too dark to see and went home to make dinner. Everyone was home by the time dinner was ready, we all washed up and sat around the table. We began to eat and talk about our day. My dad always goes first, he said it was a productive day, he's an Irrigator. My mom said she also was very productive, both of us are Harvesters. My younger siblings, Bean, Pepper, and Trail are all Harvesters, they get homeschooled after dinner like I was. Then there's Apple, she's the baby of the family. Bean is 10, Pepper is 8, Trail is 7, and Apple is 3. All four of them said they had a great day, but they missed me when I was in school. When it was my turn, I wasn't sure what to say. I can't bring up the Hunger Games with my younger siblings there, but how else am I'm gonna explain why I'm going to be gone for a couple weeks?
"It was a hard day, I had to do something that was difficult, but it was the right thing to do. I'm scared of what's to come, but I know I did what I did for the right reasons." I explained.
"What did you do?" Trail asked.
"Trail, Bean, Apple, Pepper, Rue has signed up for the Hunger Games." My mom said gently. I saw Bean and Pepper's faces grow dark, and Trail and Apple looked confused.
"What's the Hunger Games?"
"It's a competition that will require Rue being away for a little while. She is providing us with food by participating." My dad explained.
"It's on TV, isn't it?" Bean asked.
"Yes, it is."
"Are we going to watch?" Pepper asked.
"None of you are old enough yet. Except Bean, but it would be better if none of you watched." My mom said.
"Whya so sad?" Apple asked.
"We're going to miss her." The table grew silent and we ate again. The next weeks at school everyone was talking about who was signing up for the Hunger Games. Every participant was being analyzed and people were deciding who was going to win, Clove Sevina, Cato Hadley, and Sagara Garner at the top of that list. I was training at maces when I was approached by Glimmer Cantrell and Sagara.
"I could help you, you know, with maces. You seem to be having a little trouble." Sagara stated. She walked over to another mace, lifted it up, and hit the target perfectly. She's right, I am having issues with it, I'm much better at a slingshot.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked quietly, fear freezing my feet to the ground.
"We're not here to scare you, we're here to talk to you, maybe even recruit you." Glimmer said kindly.
"I already have an ally and he doesn't like you guys."
"Well, whoever it is can't keep you safe from us. It's better to be apart of the pack than against us." Sagara commented.
"Sagara, let me handle this. You're going to scare her even more than she already is. Rue, I know you're scared. I think it's very brave of you that you're participating so you can support your family. I have much respect for that, but you won't make it that long without very strong allies."
"I have a strong ally."
"You need more than one."
"I might have more, I haven't really talked to them about it yet."
"Why don't you tell us who your allies are and we'll tell you if you should ditch them or not?" Sagara asked.
"Thresh, and I'm friends with Gale and Katniss so they may let me be their ally." Sagara's face changed from a look of slight annoyance to one of disgust.
"Come on Glimmer, there's no way we're working with Thresh, let alone Everdeen and Hawthorne. She's not worth it." With that Sagara dragged Glimmer away and I was suddenly joined by Katniss and Gale.
"What did they want? Were they tormenting you again?" Katniss asked.
"No, they wanted to be allies." I said.
"What?" Gale asked.
"I don't know why, but I said no and told them who my ally is and they bailed."
"Wait, you have an ally already?"
"Yes, Thresh."
"Thresh? Senior?" Katniss asked.
"Yes, he's my neighbor. We're allies. I'm sure he'd be open to you guys joining if you want."
"That would be-" Gale began.
"Great." Katniss interjected. She dragged Gale away and I could see them arguing. I went back to the mace and groaned, trying with all my might to just throw it.
"How does she do this?" I muttered to myself, wondering how Sagara even got this over her head.
Gale's POV
"What was that? We're not friends with Thresh." I reminded as Katniss dragged me to the corner of the training center.
"I realize that, but he's a great asset and I want to be allies with Rue. She's friends with Prim and she's way too young to be fake killing people. You know what happens to 11s in the games, one of them almost always dies. I don't want that to be her fate." Katniss explained.
"I understand that, but we haven't even talked about having allies at all, let alone two 11s we barely know."
"I know, but she offered so I took it. Gale, you can go off on your own with no allies if you want, but I'm sticking with them."
"Fine, we'll be allies with them. The things I do for you."