The Story of a Career

Chapter #3

We are having rosted pork with a spicy dark brown gravy for dinner. It tastes amazing. Marilyn has joined us.

She askes us about our strengths and weaknesses and other things in that area.

"So, do you have any training?" she askes us.

"I'm allright with a sword." I reply,

"Oh, that's right. Your mother." she doesn't Even look at me.

"I can handle a knife. Very well actually." Ethan says.

"Who taught you?"

Ethan leans back in his chair.

"I taught myself."

Marilyn looks impressed at him and says: "Thats impressive. For how long have you been training?"

He smiles. Its a cute smile but to me he only seems arrogant. He annoys me.

"Since I was 6. I lost my older sister in the games when I was 5. I was terrified to get reaped, so I prepared myself." He doesn't smile anymore. I see sadness in his eyes, probably because of his sister.

"I'm sorry about your sister." I say.

He doesn't reply. Instead he looks at me with wet shiny eyes. Its a sad but friendly look. He must have loved his sister a lot.

I look quick the other way.

After dinner I go back to my room. I take a shower and go to bed. All the events of this day have made me tired. The last thing I think of before i fall asleep is 'Why did Ethan volunteer if he was afraid to be reaped?'.

In my dream i'm in the arena. Ethan is my ally. The sun burns down on me. We walk through a meadow with Grass high enough to hide in, and I can somehow feel that Ethan is looking at me from behind. Every time I turn around, I meet his brown eyes. His big brown eyes starring directly into mine.

I suddently loose balance and fall. My head hits a rock on the ground, that knocks me out for a minute. When I wake up, I feel Ethans arms around me. I'm to tired to push them away. And I dont want to, so why should I? He strokes my hair.

"Are you allright?" he askes.

"Yes. Please dont let go of me."

Theres something about him that makes me feel protected. No one has ever done that except for my mother and Eric.

I'm just about to fall asleep when he whispers something in my ear.

I wake up.

What did he whisper? Why did I let him hold me so tight into his strong body? Why did he stare at me?

I guess i'll never know.

I turn around in bed and see the door opening. Ethan stands in the door.

"We will arive in an hour. There is breakfast in the dinningroom. I thought you would like to know." he says. Why is he being so Nice to me? We might have to kill eachother after all...

"Thank you." I say and look Down on the fluffy black carpet.

I look up to see if he has left. But he hasn't.

"One more thing," he says, "I have this plan. I want everyone to think that i'm weak and that I dont know it. That I thought I was stronger than anyone else and then volunteered."

I'm confused.

"But then why are you telling me?" I say.

"You know about my skills with the knife. I need you not to tell anyone."

Oh, I think to my self, I see. But why did he tell Marilyn about it right in front of me in the first place?

"Don't worry. I wont, but why did you tell me in the first place?"

"You seem trustworthy." Ethan says, smiles at me and walks out.

Trustworthy. No one has ever called me that. Why on earth is he being so friendly?

I walk to the closet and pick out an outfit; a Grey silvery dress, black leggings and dark blue shoes. I brush my long brown hair and walk to the dinningroom.