Beauty and a Beast

Chapter 2

So, it turns out Dad wasn't disappointed in me. If anything, he said to me, he wanted to protect his baby girl. But-he made sure to emphasize the word but- he's not going to cry because the life hasn't left my body yet.

I can deal with that.

Hal and I walk into a train car with Doris and our mentors. There's Phoebe Lyme- who I hear is tough like a drill sergeant. She eyes me appraisingly, probably assessing my odds according to how I look. I've got plenty of muscle, but I'm relatively small; five foot one. And with tan skin, I don't sunburn easily. Some tributes have died from their sunburns, so that's another advantage for me.

Our other mentor is Brutus Gunner, victor of the 48th annual Hunger Games. He technically doesn't have to be here, since we've had other male victors after him (yes, more than one). But here he is. Bulky, balding, brooding. I'm glad I don't have to face him in the arena.

"So, Enobaria," Phoebe says as we sit, "Hal. Tell us a little about what you can do."

Yeah, that's how it is in District 2. Dive right in, no fooling around whatsoever. Not even for a second. Doris takes a seat and leans in to listen.

Hal says, "I'm pretty flexible with whatever weapon I can get, but my specialty is throwing spears."

"Swords," I tell them. We didn't even flinch about confessing to training in secret. And we had no need to, since Brutus and Phoebe did the same. Phoebe's a pro at the ax, and Brutus, well... he killed in a million different ways.

"When you meet the other tributes," Brutus adds, "it's a good idea if you think of them by their District numbers instead of names. It breaks their psyches and dehumanizes them to you. That's how I got by."

The car's television screen suddenly turns on. It's time to watch the other reapings. From District 1, there's a girl named Andrea and a boy named Link. They look pretty smug. Our district tends to ally with them, since we have so much in common. I see me and Hal being cheered on by District 2 next, and then District 3. When they get to District 4, my pulse rises anxiously.

I wasn't born in District 2. I once lived in the fishing district, until District 2's mayor called my dad to work for them. They wanted his assistance with making tridents and other fishing supplies, and who better to test out the tridents than a fisherman?

Now I definitely worry that a friend of mine from 4 is gonna be reaped. And when I see the District 4 girl...

"Oh my God," I whisper.

It's Lily Odair. My best friend. We still write to each other, and she just stopped going to school for work. She packages fish in ice to be sent around the country. Fun job, so she tells me. She's also been preparing for the Games in secret- many District 4 people do. Total trident maniac, Lily is.

I'm willing to kill anybody else. Not her.
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My prep team is interesting, to say the least. Gaea and Demeter; a pair of twins who dress identically down to their white makeup; and Pan, District 2's designer. He's clearly injected himself with some chemicals, because his skin literally glows neon yellow. I bet it's extremely bright in the dark.

"This year," he tells me as the twins work on my hair, "you will be going in the parade as knights. I've made you a full suit of armor, a helmet, boots..."

When he said 'full', I now know that he was lying. I'm wearing an armored bra, exposing most of my chest. Hal doesn't get much coverage, either. Just shoulder armor and steel pants like mine.

"Looking good," Hal teases when we enter the Remake Center. He even has the nerve to wink at me.

"Are you seriously flirting with me?" I ask him. "We are not pulling the 'star-crossed lovers' thing, if that's what you had in mind. I'll take my route, and you can take yours. Got it?"

He steps backwards. "Chill out. I can't goof off for one second?"

"No. We have to prove that we didn't waste our lives for nothing, and it starts now. Sponsors are gonna be watching!"

Two chariots down, I see Lily. She has on this dorky sailor outfit that's a disgrace to her beauty. But even so, she's gorgeous. Her brunette curls bounce as she walks over to me.

"Well, this isn't how I pictured meeting you again," she admits.

"Me either."

We share smiles and hugs, like nothing has changed. Like we're not tributes. Behind Lily follows her district partner, Marius Ackerman. I know him, too.

"Hey, Marius," I say.

He offers a weak grin- which I don't blame him for. "Hi, Enobaria."

This kid was so small when I last saw him, and now his voice is deeper, his muscles bigger. He's completely grown up, fifteen years old now. I stare in his blue eyes and I know that he's overwhelmed by what we're doing here. He's not saying much because he's trying not to care about anybody he might kill.

Two can play at that game.