The 74th Hunger Games.

Private training, day 4.

So sorry about the last chapter mishap. I totally forgot the parade and the wired order of chapters is my fault. Sorry again. The story is now going to stay in the right order (I hope!)

***

I wake up with a smile on my face, remembering the look on Stupid Celeste's face yesterday.

I roll out of bed, slightly sad that I won't get to train with the rest of the tributes today. But, on the other hand, going back after yesterday would put me at the top of Celeste's 'Who To Give A Concussion To Today' list in all capitals with red pen. So I decide to just feel grateful that I won't have to interact with Celeste one on one again until the arena, and then she'll probably kill me slowly.

I bathe and dress quickly today, exited  for today's activity: Private Training. I will be getting one hour of training today with just Katniss. I really hope she can help me tweak some things. I feel confidant in my knife throwing abilities, but maybe she can help me with a crossbow. It is kind of similar to a bow...

I snap back to attention when someone huge plunks down beside me like a sack of potatoes.

"Tired are you?" I ask Chase.

I get a series of grunts and unintelligible words as a response. Coffee is once again passed out, and I deny again. Chase gleefully accepts. With a little caffeine in him, he is able to join the conversations around us.

Breakfast is wonderful, an array of  sweet fruits I didn't know existed with warm chocolate sauce, delicious tea with honey in it, sugary tarts and fritters, buttery croissants, and cinnamony pumpkin pie with coconut whipped cream.

My dad had always said that one of my most positive traits is my determination. I prove him right today.
By eating some of everything, no matter how full I am. I am determined, I think. Determined to enjoy one of my last meals. All while I am moaning at how full I am.

I head back to my room, victorious, but agonisingly full.

Since I have a full day to wait for our scheduled Private Training sessions, I spend the rest of my day in a random secluded area I found with a huge window over the Capitol, reading a copy of The Mortal Instruments.

Eventually, I am found by an Avox and handed a note. Effie's handwriting is scrawled over the page, summoning me for dinner. I smile at the words, hearing Effie's strange Capitol accent.

I don't know where you have been hiding all day, but you sure are boring. Who spends their whole day doing nothing? How do you go so long without socializing?
Anyways, it's time for dinner; I figured you'd be interested, based on the horrific way you ate at breakfast. Were you raised in a barn?!
I trust you can find your way back to us.
                                     ~Effie

Getting up, I stretch and and paw my way into the dinning room. I set my book on the table beside me.

"So that's what you've been doing all day," Chase says.

"Sorry?" It sounds like a question.

"Don't be. It was horrific. They painted their nails, talked about nothing and how exited they were to see the kills this year," he says, rubbing his forehead with his hand like he has a headache. I don't doubt he does.

Dinnertime and I am still too full to eat anything much besides some homemade mac and cheese and a couple chicken legs. I soldier through dessert, not able to resist the warm cinnamon buns with melting white icing.

Heading back to my room, I see an Avox has put out another training outfit. The last. Once in my gold stripped gear and my half pony, I meet Chase and Katniss by the elevator. We get in and descend to the bottom floor.

I really hope that I have done enough training. It is starting to sink in how little time we get to practice. But then, if they gave us too much tine, the people would get bored of waiting, the family's anxious to have their children back, and the Capital a rebellion on their hands.

Luckily, since each training session will take an hour, Celeste won't be down here. District One was done yesterday. They started Private Training yesterday, because it takes a full twenty-four hours. Districts One through Four are done, and Districts Five to Twelve are scheduled today.

We get out of the elevator and arrive in a chilly area. Goosebumps rise on my arms. The room is furnished with coffee tables and yellow couches.

"Who's going first?" Katniss asks.

Me and Chase look at each other. "I'll go," Chase shrugs.

"Fine with me," I say, holding up my book. I only have a hundred pages left, and I could easily do that in an hour.

"Okay," Katniss says. "Get comfy, you have an hour."

I curl up on one of the couches and get lost in my book. I finish the book within forty-five minutes, snapping it shut with a sound of finality. That was book four. I only have two more to go. If only we could bring books into the arena. Now I won't get to finish the series before I die.

Katniss and Chase reappear from the training room, Chase looking exhausted.

"Your turn," he pants, heading towards the elevator.

"See you up there," I call over my shoulder.

"Yeah," he calls back.

I enter the grand room, made even more grand now that twenty-three other people aren't in the room with me.

"So, what do you want to practice? This is all on you," Katniss says.

"Um, I really enjoy knives, but I'd like to try a little more with the crossbow," I decide.

We head over to that station and I pick up a red one, something I would never use in the arena. I take a few shots with Katniss just watching, before she gievs me some pointers, like, "spread your feet a little more," or "take a breath as you steady the bow, then shoot it as you breathe out."

With her guidance, I improve with this weapon. After twenty minutes, we move over to the knives. We only spend ten minutes here, as Katniss truly can't give any advise as to how I could improve.

For the last half hour, we practice endurance and stamina. She has me run sprints back and forth, makes me do anything from squats, sit ups and pushups, and helps with a little bit of hand to hand. I find I really like hand to hand, and by the time our session is up, I can easily run for fifty minutes without a break, hit a target with both a crossbow and knives, I can dodge an attack, take someone out with just my body and am just as sweaty and exhausted as Chase.

When we get upstairs, Chase has changed and has probably showered, as he is no longer dripping with sweat. I do the same and, as it takes me a couple minutes to figure out the shower again, by then, it's time for bed. I put on a nightgown and crawl into bed, for once feeling like I have a mild chance to survive the first day.