Accidentally in Love

Training for Death

Cato catches me staring at him and makes some stupid smirk that sort of seems like a laugh. He begins to walk over to me and he says, “Enjoying the view?” he is so narcissistic.

“No I am just looking at my competition. And you seem like a shitty opponent, vainness is not a good trait to have in the arena, just a quick thought. Oh, and I think your little whore wants you? Glimmer is it? Well won’t it be a shame when she dies in the arena?” I say with a bit of shock, I never knew I would have it in me to say that it actually feels good. Maybe the games won’t be as hard as I thought. That was until he quickly responded.

“She isn’t my whore she is just another girl that is falling for my looks the same way that you are, and by the way, I’m not vain, I’m just very fond of myself, I’m a killer, and that is the best thing to have in the arena, as for you, you will never be as good a killer as I am. You will run in fear. Just watch. And may the odds be ever in your favor.” I am in a state of shock. I never thought that would happen but I know that I will kill him. Even if it is the last thing that I do. It will happen.

We continue to our room and there is a feast waiting on the table. Foods that I had never seen, the food here had so much color and delicious smells that I would almost feel greedy eating any. But I know that this is all they have so I sit down just about to grab some food, when all of the sudden I feel a hand pulling me back. “No, no, no Katniss you can’t eat that till you freshen up!” I hear my stomach grumble, so I hurry myself to a room and begin to take a quick shower, dress into a soft long sleeve navy shirt and a pair of black leggings. I braid my hair into my normal side braid and place my pin on a small chain in my room, put it around my neck, and tuck it under my shirt. I walk out to find Peeta, Haymitch, and Effie at the table waiting on me. Peeta is talking to Haymitch about how to survive the games. Effie is entertaining herself with a mirror in her hand and fixing her hair and makeup. I swear she and Cato are related, they have the exact same traits, except she is purple and he is tan. I sit at the table and they all stare at me as though I had killed someone, “What, the games haven’t started yet and I don’t plan on killing anyone till then. So stop looking at me like that!?” They all quickly look down at the table and I sit down in a chair opposite from Peeta. They bring us plates and turn a nob that makes flames pop up under the platters with heated food. I immediately throw the water in my glass at it and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy, then I notice it was to keep the food warm and a girl with strawberry red hair re lit the fire.

“Tomorrow, you both start training and I don’t care if you are the best person with a sword, don’t show your strengths. I want you to focus on other things so that you surprise people in the arena.” Haymitch says this then gulps down a whole glass of beer.

We finish the dinner in silence and I continue to my room to sleep. I look at my wall and slowly fall asleep.

+

When I wake up, I see an outfit hung on the wall for me. I put it on and look in the mirror. It is a black shirt with grey tempo shorts. There is a small pocket on the front of the shirt with a 12 on it. I guess it is for district 12. I walk out of my room and Peeta is wearing the same thing, but the shirt doesn’t have a pocket and he is wearing grey athletic shorts. We walk to the elevator and go down to the training center.

All the tributes are huddled in a group waiting for the introduction to start. I can hear the carriers talking about the other tributes weaknesses, so I try to secretly listen to them to figure out how to kill the people I need to. The fact I am even thinking about killing sickens me. I don’t want to kill anyone, but it’s the only way to survive and see Prim again. When they are just about to talk about the ways they will find people, I notice that Cato has caught on to me and he quickly changes the subject to the condos.

A woman walks over in a peace keeper’s outfit. She tells us not to kill anyone, no one-on-one practicing. When she is done, I go to the plant station to refresh my mind on healthy and deadly plants.

I see Peeta at the camouflage station, and I go over to tell him that the carriers need to see our stuff or we will seem like easy kill, and we need to be intimidating. I make my way to the bow and arrow station, and then I see Peeta go to the weights station. He lift the heaviest weights and glances at the laughing carriers he turns toward them and hurls the weights in their direction barely missing Glimmer, the whore’s, face. They all jump out of the way and look at me with the bows, they once again, they laugh, instead of hitting targets, I shoot the arrow just past Cato’s ear and it hits a sand bag hanging above him, from the traps station, and rip it open pouring sand all over them. The girls, Glimmer and Clove squeal, and the boys simply shake it off and carry on to their station.

+

When we get back to the condo, Haymitch is obviously pissed. He yells at us to listen to him and not make any more stupid decisions. Peeta apologizes, but I go to my room and clean up then change.

+

I decide I need some fresh air and go to the roof top, but I know that I am not alone. I see a little girl named Rue sitting in a tree looking at the city. She sees me and almost falls out of the tree in surprise.

“Hey, didn’t see you there.” She says in a shaky voice.

“I just came up, my name is Katniss, nice to meet you.” I reach my hand out to shake hers, but she jumps out of the tree and hugs me. I am in shock, and she lets go.

“Sorry, but you’re the only person who has been nice to me the whole day, even Thresh won’t talk to me, and he is my brother.” She nods her head and I frown.

“Well, oddly enough you remind me of m-“

“Sister? Yeah I figured, same age, height, and I suppose same personality?

“Right on the spot!” we both chuckle and snack on some apples from the tree. By the time we decide we should go to bed, it is 12 o’clock. Haymitch will be pissed.