Everybody Wants Me Dead

Chapter 10

Somebody pounding on my door, was not exactly the way I wanted to get up. 

"Ughhh," I mumbled sleepily. I tried to roll over, but something was preventing me. I looked down and saw an arm wrapped around my waist. I turned over and looked straight into the sleeping face of Lucas. My mouth gaped open, and it felt like the butterflies in my stomach were at a party. Somebody pounded on the door, but opened it without caring for a response. Effie blew into the room, red wig and all. 

"Up, up, up it's going to be a-" she stopped short when she saw us together.

"Oh my," she said stunned. 

"Effie, it's not what you think," I put my hands up defensively. 

"You... two... are," she started. I was scared to see where she was gonna end. Grounded? Wait, can she do that? Dead? 

"Adorable!" She squealed and clapped her hands together a little. I looked back down at Luke, but then I remembered he was still asleep. 

"Shut up, Effie." I grumbled, but I could feel my cheeks getting red.

"Okay fine. But as I was saying, you have training in about an hour, so start getting ready." She looked between the two of us one more time, and laughed a little. Then she walked out. 

I pushed Luke's arm off my waist and shook his shoulder. His eyes sleepily open, and he scratched his face. 

"Vanessa?" His voice cracked when he said it. "What time is it?" 

"I'm not sure," I answered. "But training is in an hour. We have to get ready." He stood up out of my bed and ruffled his hair with his hands. 

Stop being attractive. I thought to myself. My heart hurt seeing him do that. He walked out of my room and I found myself willing him to come back. I quickly took a shower, pressing random buttons and letting the soap run all the way down my back. I threw my hair up in a bun. I looked out on my bed, and the training outfits were already there. I slipped them on, and found they were a simple, spandex/cotton blend. My pants were plain black, along with the combat boots. My shirt was black as well, except there was also a honeycomb pattern of silver on the front. Katniss came to my door.

"Time to go," she said. I walked out with her and to the elevators in our penthouse. We took it down to the basement, and we stepped out. Katniss clapped me on the back.

"Good luck," she whispered. I stepped off and into a huge room. There were different stations in every nook and cranny. There were swords, bows and arrows, knives, and then there were survival stations. Hunting, fires, and even camouflage. I remembered that's how Peeta survived so long, he painted himself to match the rocks. I stood in a small circle with other tributes, and waited for the rest to get there. Once the rest got there, the lady in the middle started speaking. Not even halfway through her talk I zoned out and focused on the throwing knives in the distance. They were so much better than what I had back in District 12. Some of them were just basic, with a polished silver blade and a black gripping handle. The farther you got down, the more complex you got. Some on the bottom had buttons on the handle, which made the blade even longer. One actually had a wristwatch where if you pressed the logo the blade came back to you. I zoned back into the lady's talk.

"Remember, no fighting with the other tributes, you'll have plenty of time for that in the arena." She chuckled. "You may begin." 

Everybody immediately ran off to chosen stations. Most ran off to weapons. Select few ran off to survival stations. Two randomly wandered around in the middle. I made my way to the hunting station, like what plants/animals to eat which not to eat. I was locating different poisonous plants, when someone tapped me on the back. I flipped around to see a particularly attractive boy.

"Hi," he said. His voice wasn't really deep, but it wasn't really high either. 

"Hi," I said in response. 

"I'm Finnick." He stated, sticking his hand out to shake. I shook it gingerly.

"Oh yeah, District 4 right? Your dad was a victor in a past game?" He cringed. I regretted my words immediately. I remembered hearing his father had died, when a pack of mutts ripped his throat out.

"I'm so sorry." My face scrunched up and I wished I was dead.

"No, it's okay," he said. "It's just still a bit of a sore subject for me. Can I join you?" I nodded, and slid over a little for him to join me. When we finished with the exercise, we moved to different survival stations together, and made small talk.

"So why are you still hanging out with me, Flame?" He stopped rubbing his sticks together. He called me Flame because of the parade, but he felt it was wrong to call me Girl on Fire since his dad and my mentor were so close. 

"What do you mean?" I stopped rubbing mine together.

"Well it's obviously you're not at this station for the skill. I'm sure the first thing you learn in District 12 is how to build fires." He stated plainly. He was right, I've known how to make a fire since I was 8. 

"I could ask you the same question. You did sit with me for an hour in the knot-tying station." I pointed out. He shrugged. 

"It's different for you. You're the most attractive girl in this room, you could hang out with any of this nuts." He went back to rubbing his sticks. I sat there dumbfounded and stared at him.

"You're a flirt," I said laughing, pushing him a little.

"No," he grinned at me. "I'm just honest."

We stayed around each other, following one another to all the stations. I learned that his mom is Annie Cresta, also a victor of the Hunger Games, he likes to swim (duh), he inherited his trident skills from his dad, and he's really funny.

"I like you Fish." I said, smiling at him. He smells like the sea even with all the showers, so the nickname seemed appropriate. He looked up at me and smiled back. 

"I like you too Flame." 

"Allies?" I stuck my hand out and waited for his answer. He looked down at it, and back up at me and grinned. 

"Allies." He confirmed. The whistle blew from one of the peacekeepers, so we said goodbye and went back to our room. 

"How was it?" Katniss and Peeta both met us at the elevators. 

"Well hello to you too," Luke mumbled. I laughed. 

"It was great." I answered. "I found an ally." Katniss's ears perked up a little at that.

"So did I," Luke said. 

"Well... who is it?" Peeta asked. 

"Mine is Finnick." I said, gesturing to myself. Katniss smiled.

"Good. Annie called me and asked me to make sure he's taken care of. What about you, Lucas?" He scratched the back of his neck. 

"Uhm... Braxton... and Sparkle." I stared at him to see if he was kidding.

"You... made allies... with District 1? The Careers?" I was waiting for him to tell me he was joking, that maybe he made a nice alliance with District 11. 

"Yeah, you got an issue?" He asked. I could tell he was mad.

"They're untrustworthy," I said, getting agitated myself. "They're only looking for blood."

"Good thing they're not your allies." He said angrily. I stepped back. 

"Good thing. Goodnight Katniss, Peeta." I gave them a curt nod and walked away to my room. My door slammed behind me, I was steaming. I lied down and the next thing I knew I was asleep.