Against My Will

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Sandy beaches. Blue sky. Warm ocean water. Pretty little beach houses. Friends. Family. It all quickly fades away as the tribute train presses on towards the Capitol. Not thirty minutes ago Viela had pulled my name from the reaping ball, along with a boy named Cosimo.

I have seen him a little around town, but I never talked to him. All I know about my future enemy is that he's one year older than me, intelligent, and very strong. He has short dark brown hair, with light blue eyes. I realize a lot girls at my school find him very attractive, and can't help but think the same. No, I tell myself firmly in my head, he's ugly as heck and you know it. Don't even think of him being attractive, you'll only grow weaker. But another voice in my head speaks. But look at his eyes. He's hot, and you know it. don't deny you're gonna grow to have feelings for him.

No, he's ugly!

You're already attracted to him!

Yup, I'm a goner in the arena.

"So, I bet you too are very excited!" Viela pulls me back to my senses. I give a weak smile while Cosimo turns his head to look out the window. I wonder what he had been looking at just seconds before.

Viela drops her smile. "Well, it is a great honor you know, you're representing DIstrict 4..."

Neither of us reply to her. I flatten my orange dress down, and try not to think about how I probably said goodbye to District 4 for the final time. Silence fills the car until Viela says, "Well' I'll let you two get acquainted, I need to go find Finnick." She gets up and leaves.

Cosimo sighs and after a minute or two and says, "It almost feels...feels like we're on the train to Hogwarts." He offers a smile.

I smile slightly and stare at my lap. Hogwarts, which is located in the District nine and three quarters. Hogwarts, one of the places I felt at home. My throat tightens at the thought.

"So, are you a good dueler?" I know Cosimo is trying to be friendly, but I have no intention of becoming friends.

"I'm alright," I say, not making eye contact.

"Oh really?"

I nod.

"Well, then try me."

"Are you serious?!" I sputter, this time raising my eyes and meeting his.

"Yeah!" Come on," he stands up and grins.

"Fine!" I say, trying to sound confident. He grins wider, and I reach into a pocket on my dress and pull out my wand. We raise them and lock eyes. Seconds pass...

"Expelliarmus!" I finally yell.

"Stupefy!" He shouts at exactly the same moment. We both dodge the spells, and I duck behind the chair I had been sitting in minutes before. Cosimo retreats to the trolley holding the beverages. I lift my torso up.

"Impedimenta!" I yell. He casts a protectment charm, and the spell bounces off and hits a bottle filled with wine. It sprays everywhere, hitting Cosimo. I sprint to the corner of the car.

He laughs and says, "Stupefy!"

I dodge it and aim the same spell back at him. It misses, but cracks a window.

'Nice!" He says sarcasticslly. I run and knock over a bright green chair.

"Stupefy!" He yells again. This time it hits me, my body freezes, and I fall to the floor. Dull pain courses through me, but I can't move. Viela walks in, accompanied by a pair of feet.

"Wha-?" She exclaims, and runs over to me, reversing the spell. I get to my feet and narrow my eyes at him. I raise my wand, but Viela snatches it from me.

"Layne!" She scolds.

"Cosimo started it!" I yell.

Viela puts her face in her pink-tipped fingers. Someone laughs, and I look over to see Finnick, the victor from a few years back. I remember my family favorited him in those games. I glower and cross my arms.

He laughs again and says to Viela, "I think we got fighters this year!"

An Avox comes in and ushers us to dinner before any of us can reply. Cosimo looks at me and winks. I wonder desperately why my name had to be picked.