I walked into the training centre which was bustling and busy. It was the first day of training after the Games. I‘m 14 years old and it‘s my second year of training here in District 2. I only have one friend in the Academy because my other friend is a victor and doesn‘t have to come to the Academy anymore. Her name is Lydia Combe and she won the 73rd Hunger Games when she was 13 years old! My other friend is Cato Jet, well actually he‘s more than just a friend, he‘s my boyfriend. He‘s 16 years old.
I walk to my first class which is knife throwing. My best class. “Hi, Clove.” “Oh hi, Cato.” I say whilst walking towards him. He’s waiting in front of the classroom. “Are you ready for more knife throwing?” I ask him, he’s not very good at knife throwing but he’s amazing at swords. “I hope Professor Ivory sees some improvement, I’ve been trying to practice with the knives you gave me.” I can hear he’s a bit worried about going to class. “Don’t worry Cato, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” We walk into class together and wait for Professor Ivory. “Good morning class”, I hear Professor Ivory say but I don’t see her because I’m looking at the knives. I find my favorite one and turn around right when she says, “Clove, why don’t you start us off by showing everybody how to throw.” I, of course, accept. I walk to the middle of the room and stand in front of the dummy, I take the knife by the blade and throw it straight into the dummy where the heart should be. Everyone claps and Professor Ivory says, “Well done, like usual, Clove. Alright, so those who are having trouble can come to me or Clove for help. Everyone else go find a knife and pick a dummy and start.” Cato comes straight to me and I hand him my knife. We go to the same dummy I threw at and tell him to throw. He hits the dummy in the arm, which is not very good because that can’t kill a person. It will barely slow someone down. I show him how to throw while he watches and then have him throw a couple more times with a little improvement. I tell him I have to go help others but he should keep practicing and we’ll go and see Lydia after today’s classes. Once the hour is up, we leave and go to our next class, Study of Plants.
“Ugh, I really don’t want to go to Study of Plants class.” I tell Cato, “We’re careers we’ll have sponsors lining up to send us food and medicine and we’ll also have all the supplies.” Cato frowns at me. “Remember in Lydia’s Games. One of the tributes got rid of all the Careers supplies and Lydia won because she had gone to the Study of Plants class and could feed herself and no sponsors sent her any food.” Cato said very serious. I frown at him but stop complaining thinking that he is right. When we get to class we see a new student there. She doesn’t look to be 13 years old but 15 years old, which doesn’t happen very often because most students start at age 13 but if your family doesn’t have enough money when you get 15, the district will help pay. A few minutes later Professor Keene arrived. “Good morning class, we have a new student today. This is…”, she addresses the new girl. “Althea Perthshire”. Althea stood up, “I like to be called Allie, I don’t really like the name Althea.” Allie sat down again. “Alright everyone, grab a partner and sit a table.” I grabbed Cato and we sat at our usual table. Allie got pared with, oh no, Libo Rollo. I was going to try and make friends with Allie but Libo hates me, and has ever since my first day.
Here is what happened, my first class was knife throwing, and since my father was a good knife thrower he taught me how, and Libo was in my class. He was the best until the Professor saw me and told me to help the others instead of Libo. We aren’t in the same Knife Throwing class because after the class he took one of the knives and attacked me, as he attacked me Professor Ivory walked past and took the knife off him. He was never allowed to go to Knife Throwing class again.
When Professor Keene was passing out greens to use I looked up and saw that Allie was looking at me with anger in her eyes. I guess Libo must have told her what happened. “Cato, I think Rollo must have told Allie about what happened between us.” Cato looked back. I looked at the same time. She was staring at Cato. She was… I can’t believe it, she likes my Cato! Cato only frowned at her and then she looked at me with anger in her eyes again. “She likes you”, I say. “Yeah well, I like you, not her.” Then we start mashing up some greens and berries to make a meal. About half an hour into the class Professor Keene passed out a new leaf we’d never seen before. She told us that it is a poisonous leaf called Foxglove and it is found in most arena’s if there is grass and can be used to kill your advisories. When class was over me and Cato saw Allie take some Foxglove and put it in her pocket. I looked at Cato worried but then shrugged it off. “Hmm, I wonder what Althea is going to do with that Foxglove.” I told Cato.
