As we had promised, Noah and myself spend a couple of hours training with the District 1 tributes; Jack and Tiara. We both stayed away from the axe station knowing that if we taught them a little about the workings of using it, they could use it against us in the arena.
"Thank you for training with us" Tiara shakes the blond curls from her shoulders and pushes them behind her back. "We are going to go and train with Ryan and Charley"
"No problem." Noah says as they turn and walk over to the District 2 tributes. "What do you think, Leigha?"
"It might have been their plan. To gain our trust and slowly murder us in the arena" i say flatly. My eyes flicker over to the axe station for only a second but i think Noah may have picked up on that.
"Do you want to go and train with the axes for another hour?" Noah laughs a little.
"Would I? It's the only thing i'm good at" i reply. "I wish I could talk to my mother"
"I know what you mean. I miss Nathaniel more than ever. She'll see us talking all informal in the arena and be tutting to us through the giant screen in the market square" He always does this. I love the way he can talk about home without a care in the world.
I pick up an axe with a magnificent design on the handle and launch it at a dummy. It tears through the dummy's head and a load of stuffing falls out.
"Maybe both of us actually do stand a chance in these games. Better than most anyway." i look around as many tributes take their first weapons lessons and then carefully study the Careers train.
"The girl from two. Her signature weapon is a spear. look at how she throws it. Which arm she uses to throw" Noah whispers so no one hears him.
"So?" i shake my head in confusion.
"Look at people's techniques and which arm or hand they use with weapons. cut it off or seriously injure it and they would have to rely on strength and hand to hand combat. Or quickly learn how to use there other arm" he explains to me.
"Wow! You actually have a brain?" i laugh a little. "How did you figure that one out?"
"Simple when you pay attention, Miss Hancock" Noah puts on a posh accent and then throws an axe at a target.
"Sorry Mr Pasquell" i say. "Shall we go and trying starting fires again?"
Noah nods in agreement and throws one last axe. Only a small one but with the speed and force it was thrown at, it went straight throw a target board and lodged itself in the stomach of the dummy behind it.
To start off with, the instructor at the 'fire-starting' station switches between Noah and myself. Noah excels in starting fires out of all sorts and before long, the instructor has left Noah and is trying to get hopeless me to coax a blaze from anything apart from matches.
"Excuse me, sir? Please can you help me try and start a fire?" The girl from three asks the instructor. She must only be twelve or thirteen.
"Certainly. " he turns to me. "Keep trying, Leigha. I would be long"
I keep trying and still do not manage a spark let alone a flame.
"Oh my God! Why can't I do this?" i throw a piece of wood down to the floor.
"Need help?" Noah asks me.
I shake my head but he still comes over next to me.
"Try again." he places the piece of wood in my hand and i try again. Still no luck. "Why don't you try and do it this way?"
He places his hands over mine and shows me where the best place is to hold it whilst starting a fire. I can feel my hands getting a little sweaty and try and hurry up. Suddenly, a flame bursts out and I jump back.
"Well done. You did it" Noah smiles.
"Thanks for the help" i smile back.
"You know I'm always here when you need help"
I stand on my tiptoes and give him a light kiss on the cheek.
"What was that for" he asks. I can feel my cheeks quickly turning bright red.
"For always being there for me" I reply. Suddenly, I hear someone wolf whistle and turn to see Jack and Tiara walking back over.
"Are you sure you aren't a couple?" Jack asks us again.
"Yes, we are sure" I say coolly.
"You are just so cute together" Tiara claps her hands together.
This time, i'm sure that everyone has picked up on my blush. My cheeks now burning. Jack laughs a little. "What's with the blush?"
"You like him, don't you?" he teases me.
"No. Noah's my best friend!" I can feel the pressure being put on me.
"Jack, leave her alone" Tiara kicks his ankle.
"Ouch! That hurt you bitch" he scowls and hops around holding up his foot.
"You deserved it. Come on, Leigha. Leave the lads to talk for a bit." Tiara places her arm around me and guides me away. I glance around to see Noah flash me a sad smile and turns back around to Jack.
"So, do you actually like Noah" She asks me. Great. I don't want this conversation.
"Promise not to tell anyone!" I say. She nods and i continue. "I love him. He is one of the most important people in my life. I just don't want my secret to destroy our friendship"
I don't even know why I am confessing to Tiara but who else can I tell? Anyway, she has promised not to tell anyone.
"Leigha? Noah told Jack the same thing yesterday. He said that he loves you." she bursts out happily.
My eyes widen in shock. "What?"
NOAH'S POV
Jack looks over at where the girls had walked over to. He watches as Tiara happily freaks out and then Leigha tries to shut her up. I worry about her sometimes. How she goes by at home and now in the stupid games.
"Why did you tease Leigha? There is no way she like loves me or anything" i say regretfully.
"Dude? did you see Tiara all happy and flappy? She was freaking out over her confession. Here's the thing. "After the interviews in two days time, tell her your feelings. When she receives her training score, give her a hug for congratulations!" Jack tells me his plan of action. I wonder why he wants me and Leigha to get together so bad?
I'm still pondering on it when Atala tells us that we can go.
YOU ARE READING
Heart of a Willow (51st Annual Hunger Games)
FanficA THG fan fiction. Sixteen year old Leigha from District 7 is convinced that she will never be picked for The Games. With the 51st Games starting she is proven wrong and it is up to her to become the first female victor. With her District Partner, N...
