Peeta's Story

Chapter Six

   Today is the first day of training. Honestly, I'm kind of nervous to meet the other tributes officially. I get out of bed and get dressed in the training outfit Portia laid out for me. I head out to the breakfast table to find Effie, Cinna and Portia silently eating their food. I go over to the buffet table and make a plate of food consisting of biscuits and gravy and some fruit. I take my seat at the long table. Effie has her usual Capitol look and Cinna with his striking gold eyeliner.

   "Good morning, Peeta! Today is going to be a big, big, big day!" says Effie.

   I smile in her direction. Just as I do, I see Katniss come in the room. She has a similar outfit to me and she notices that as soon she walks in.

   "We're matching?" she whines.

   "No protesting," says Haymitch as he walks in. "Remember our deal?"

   "Yeah, yeah," she replies. 

   Haymitch and Katniss take their spots at the table. We silently eat for a minute, then Haymitch talks.

   "Okay, at training, the Careers will try to intimidate you by showing off their best talents first. Stay away from your greatest skill until you meet privately with the Gamemakers. What are you guys best at?"

   "Katniss is good with a bow, my dad buys here game all the time. She always shoots them right in the eye," I say. She really is amazing with it. But for some reason, her face is angry when I compliment her.

   "Well, Peeta can lift a hundred- pound sack of flour over his head," she shoots back.

   "I don't think there will be sacks of flour for me to chuck at people," I retort. She's acting mad about it and it's making me mad.

   "And he's the second best wrestler in the school, after his brother," she says.

   I've pretty much payed attention to her my whole life, but, now that I think about it, she's keeping track of me too. 

   "Anyways," says Haymitch. "Don't show off those skills until the last day of training. Effie will be ready at the elevator at ten. Don't be late."

   We both storm off to our rooms and I can hear her slam her door particularly loud. She is clearly the one who could win the Games, if it were between the two of us. She just needs to accept that she is talented with a bow! Why is it so hard for her to accept compliments?

   Too soon it's already ten o'clock. I head to the elevator and see Effie and Katniss coming down the hall. Effie says a quick goodbye and we're off. Me and Katniss enter the elevator and I press the underground level button. The training center is below all the floors where the tributes stay. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Katniss take a quick side glance at me. She looked as if she were glaring, but at that moment, the doors open to reveal the Training Center. Even though it wasn't quite ten yet, most of the tributes were already there. We were instructed to stay by each other's side during the whole day. The training instructor, Atala, sets some ground rules before we set off to do our own thing.

   "No fighting with the other tributes. There will be special trainers at certain stations to practice with," she says.

   After a few more instructions, we are set loose. The Careers head straight to the deadliest looking weapons. I look over at Katniss for a suggestion.

   "Should we go to the knot tying station?" she asks.

   "Sounds good," I reply.

   We head over to the station and the trainer looks somewhat happy to see someone. It looks as if he doesn't get a lot of visitors. He shows us a couple of simple and useful knots for us to practice. We seem to get them easily and the trainer is proud that someone has benefited from his station. After an hour or two of that, we go to the shelter making station. We go through the day doing stations that the Careers are mostly not at. At the end of the day, just before dinner, we head back up to the penthouse. I go quickly to my room, avoiding talking to anybody. I take a long shower and dress in a comfortable outfit. I'm guessing Effie wants everyone at dinner tonight to discuss the first day of training. I leave my room and find almost everyone seated. Portia and Cinna join us, as well as Haymitch and Effie. No sign of Katniss though. I take my seat and take a look around. Effie has a look of anticipation to talk about our first day, but I can tell she's tired from talking to different people everywhere. Haymitch looks out of it completely, the result of too much alcohol. Katniss arrives and we all dig in. I avoid eye contact with Katniss, because I can still feel the tension between us from this morning. We eat our dinner in peace until Effie pops the question. 

   "How was your first day of training?" she asks.

   "Fine," answers Katniss.

   "That's it? I was sort of expecting more, it being your first day and all," Effie says, sounding kind of annoyed.

   "It was great. We made lots of friends, Effie," I comment sarcastically.

   Effie just looks at me in a disappointed sort of way and keeps eating. We have a thick stew with lots of different vegetables in it. Also rolls and fruit for the side and some creamy liquid for the drink. Me and Katniss were very hungry from training, so we have seconds, even thirds. We eat dessert, too. I don't feel like staying and talking with them, so I just leave and go to the roof for some fresh air. I'm glad Katniss doesn't accidentally find me up here. I really need to clear my thoughts. Honestly, the Careers were intimidating. I am almost the same size as them, but Cato is a beast. I really hope I don't encounter him in the arena. What if I could get on his side? Then he wouldn't try to kill me. I doubt Haymitch would like that. Maybe if I show off some of my skill with weapons, they might want me on their team. 

   This day has been a tiring one, so I head back to my room. I change into some pajamas and get into bed. I dream about the arena and how I'm going to try to get in with the Careers.