Mentors

11

Peeta's pov
As we approach the train, I turn my head to see the tributes. Raina looks angry, but who wouldn't? The male tribute is expressionless. They are showed their bedrooms and then follow us to the food car.
Katniss sits in the chair next to me, while they sit opposite us at the table.
"Hello, I'm Katniss. This is Peeta." she introduces us.
"Yes, we are aware." Kolton scoffs.
Raina glares at him. "It's really nice to meet you both." she says.
"We are your mentors from start to finish, Katniss and I can make or break you in there. So we will begin the verbal training that you will receive from us tomorrow."
"We would like to get to know you more as people, not just another part of the freak show that none of you signed up for." Katniss includes.
"This is where you will be for the next two weeks. This is day one. Just try and sleep well tonight." I suggest.
"How's that going to happen?" Kolton asks, rather rudely.
"Hence the word, try." answers Katniss.
She stands up and grabs my hand.
"Goodnight, I will talk to you both first thing in the morning, to answer any questions you may have. Discuss whether you want individual training or to be trained together." She starts to walk towards our room when Kolton's comment sets her first flame.
"Training, you call this shit training."
Without letting go of my hand, she turns back around and looks at him.
"You'll be dead in the bloodbath the first ten minutes with that attitude towards us. Training is the reason I'm standing here." She says the last part through gritted teeth.
"He's the reason you're here." he points to me.
"Do you know how sponsors work?" I ask.
"No." he says bluntly.
Raina starts to laugh hysterically.
"If you want to live past the first day, you better be nice to these guys." Says Haymitch, walking in with Effie.
"They will make sure your death is long, gruesome, and painful if you piss them off." Raina adds.
Katniss leaves the room, dragging me along with her.
She closes the bedroom door and crawls under the sheets.
"That kid has no idea what's coming if he acts like that." she says, nearly laying on top of me trying to get comfortable.
"Couldn't agree with you more."

The next morning, I leave Katniss to sleep and make my way to have tea in the food car. Before I open the door, I hear the tributes arguing.
"What do you mean you're not buying it. Buying what?" asks Raina.
"I'm not buying their sob story. Their unconditional love for one another. They're not getting any happily ever after because they don't love each other. Ugh, those stupid attractive people." Kolton nearly shouts.

"You know I saw them go to bed together last night. They kissed in the hallway." she defends.

"Go follow Everlark's fairytale ending, I'll be here winning the hunger games."

"You're a ridiculous son of a fuc-"
I decided to cut Raina's insult short by walking in the door.
I smile and say good morning, walking over to take a cup of hot tea and sit down.
As I take my first sip, Raina speaks,
"I thought you always put sugar cubes in your tea and coffee."
"Oh, you must be thinking of Finnick Odair."
I respond.
"Have you met him in person?" she seems interested in asking.
"I have a few times." She then asks me questions about the other tributes that have been reaped.
"Where's your girlfriend? So we can train already." Kolton says.
"You're right," I look at the time. "I should go wake her up."
"She's still sleeping?" he scoffs. That pisses me off.
"You know, she can never sleep as it is. Maybe I shouldn't wake her at all and we can skip training, want me to do that?" I just threatened to cancel training. I even surprise myself of my sternness.
"Sorry I asked. Just go get her."
I stand and leave to go wake her, and I hear their quiet footsteps following me. I open the bedroom door and leave it cracked a little, then walk over to where she's sleeping. I sit on the bed and the mattress sinks down, she stirs and rolls toward me.
"Good morning beautiful," I place the hair in her face behind her ear.
Katniss opens her eyes and smiles at me. "Good morning." she says, barely audible.
"Did you have a nightmare?" I ask.
She nods.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I grab her hand.
"It's okay."
"You should shower. Get dressed." I say. She agrees.
I kiss her forehead before going to see Haymitch.
"You look disgusting." I tell him, as he nearly drops his bottle of liquor.
"Yeah? Well you have a stray hair out of place." He mumbles.
"That's the least of my problems." I inform, as I run my fingers through my hair.
"And what are thoooose?" He points to my shoes.
"They're my shoes." I cross my arms.
I hear a giggle come from the doorway, and I see Raina eavesdropping, and Kolton looks unimpressed. I pretend not to notice them.
"So how are you and Effie been holding up?" I ask.
"Just marvelous. Ask Katniss to supply me another bottle or two of bourbon."

"Ask me what?" Katniss joins us, coming from the opposite door where the tributes are listening.
"His alcohol supply is running low."
Katniss glares at him.
"That was a gift." she says.
"They cut me off on the booze here in this nightmare of a moving box." he replies referring to the train.
"I'll see what I can do." Katniss shrugs.

It is time to prepare for our arrival to the Capitol today.
We have spoken with the tributes, and they want to be trained together which seems to be the easiest route to go. Kolton was too tired to put up a fight about individual training.
I start to see a glimpse of the Capitol as the train starts to slow a little. I remember the spot where I waved to the incoming crowd last year.
I push them forward to do the same.
"Also," I instruct.
They both turn their heads toward my direction.

"Try to make them remember you."