hope in our eyes || 37th hunger games ✔️

Eisley Burke

Aspen

Nothing else happens on the first day of training, but on the second Olive and I make another ally out of the twelve-year-old girl from 12; Hazel. Then, it's suddenly day three of training, and the day of our private sessions. Alyana wakes Olive and I up early in the morning, and we have another meeting with Oakley over breakfast. He tells us to pick the skill, whether it's fighting or surviving, we excelled the most at and spend our allotted time with the gamemakers expressing it.

Alyana takes us down to the training gym, and Olive tries her luck with a bow and arrow while I head to the plant identification station to refresh before our presentations. I notice Eisley eyeing us from the axe station, but she doesn't make a move to talk to us so I try to ignore her.

Hazel joins me, and after a bit I decide to go get Olive. I yell her name and jog over, then freeze as I notice the girl from 4 standing next to her. I feel my cheeks growing hot. Why, I don't know. This is the Hunger Games, not some damn high school love story. Lowly District 11 boy fawns over popular and beautiful Career tribute, I think, then scold myself again for my petty behavior.

Hazel wanders off, and I take Olive by the hand and lead her away. Mackenzie walks up to me soon after, and we go to find Hazel, and guess who's talking to her! The girl from 4! What a surprise! She slips away as we walk up, and Hazel moves her attention to us.

"Hey." Mackenzie says, playing with her necklace.

"Hi." Hazel mutters.

"Who was that?" Mackenzie asks.

"Um, her name's Lily I think. She's from Four." Hazel replies. Lily. Hmm. So that's the name of the popular and beautiful Career tribute.

"Is she with the Careers?" Mackenzie implores.

"I think so." Hazel says, looking over at Lily, who is now laughing with a boy over at the spear throwing station. Laughing. With a boy. I have a sudden urge to make her laugh, then I wince as someone elbows me in the ribs. It's Olive, who mutters, "We're supposed to go to the cafeteria to wait for our private sessions."

"Oh." I say, noticing that while I was absorbed in my Lily thoughts, Hazel and Mackenzie disappeared. Olive and I wander over to the cafeteria and sit at an empty table. Olive leans against me, and I wrap my arms around her. Lily is messing with her hair near the Careers, and Hazel and Mackenzie are chatting nearby. Tributes are called in one by one, first the girl, then the boy, district by district, starting with 12 and ending with 1, to save the best for last I guess. Sooner than I realize, someone calls out, "Olive Oleander, District Eleven!"

"Good luck, Ol." I tell her.

"Th-thanks. You too, Asp." Olive says, then disappears into the gym for her session. About fifteen minutes later, my name is called. Eisley winks at me as I pass her and makes a gesture that seems to say, "Go from above." I open my mouth to speak, then just nod.

I pick out a sword and slice up some dummies, then do some plant identification. The gamemakers seem pleased enough, and I'm thoroughly satisfied with myself by the time they release me.

-

"And now, for those scores!" Says Liam Malice; the Hunger Games announcer and interviewer. Olive, Oakley, Alyana, Xato, Glitz and I are gathered in a sitting room waiting to see our scores from our private sessions revealed on live TV.

The Careers all scored in the 8-10 range, Lily got a 9. Eisley managed a 9 as well. Mackenzie got a mere 5. I wonder what went wrong? She seemed pretty skilled in training. Suddenly, Liam is saying my name.

"Aspen Oleander..." He starts, peering down at a piece of paper through his extravagant golden monocle. "With a score of... Eight!" I let out a sigh of relief as the others cheer me on. An eight isn't bad, it's actually on the more impressive side.